Politics

[Datchew]

The Budapest memorandum was where Russia guaranteed in writing to respect the borders of Ukraine.

Tell me, what document or agreement was it again where who exactly promised not to expand NATO?

There isn't one and the alleged verbal promise probably did not happen:

“I was in those meetings, and Gorbachev has [also] said there was no promise not to enlarge NATO,” Zoellick recalls. Soviet Foreign Minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, later president of Georgia, concurred, he says. Nor does the treaty on Germany’s unification include a limit on NATO enlargement. Those facts have undermined one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s justifications for invading Ukraine — that the United States had agreed that former Warsaw Pact nations would never become part of the North Atlantic security alliance."

Now, if there was a verbal promise made in 1990 it was only that NATO would not expand to the former GDR (which ship of course had long sailed by the time Putin went into Ukraine).

Further Yeltsin explicitly approved of the expansion of NATO into Poland, long after any such verbal promise may have been made. That resulted in the now near dead NATO-Russia Founding Act which also does not prohibit NATO expansion.

The Russian talk of the "broken promise" is as much of a pretext for the invasion of Ukraine as many other spurious Putin claims.

you posted this directly below the link to the declassified docs. More irony.

I've heard the argument about it being a spoken promise but that it doesn't really count if it didn't end up in the final document. Sounded like BS the first time I heard it and still does.

I don't think Poland is relevant. Putin invaded Ukraine, not Poland.
I'm not excusing, justifying, or condoning it but it's pretty straightforward to see that Russia would see a coup that would cut off their seaport as a threat they couldn't back away from. While he may be a slippery character it seems like this is one of the things he pointed out in his justifications.

 

[spike.t]

you posted this directly below the link to the declassified docs. More irony.

I've heard the argument about it being a spoken promise but that it doesn't really count if it didn't end up in the final document. Sounded like BS the first time I heard it and still does.

I don't think Poland is relevant. Putin invaded Ukraine, not Poland.
I'm not excusing, justifying, or condoning it but it's pretty straightforward to see that Russia would see a coup that would cut off their seaport as a threat they couldn't back away from. While he may be a slippery character it seems like this is one of the things he pointed out in his justifications.

What seaport?

 

[RLD]

you posted this directly below the link to the declassified docs. More irony.

I've heard the argument about it being a spoken promise but that it doesn't really count if it didn't end up in the final document. Sounded like BS the first time I heard it and still does.

I don't think Poland is relevant. Putin invaded Ukraine, not Poland.
I'm not excusing, justifying, or condoning it but it's pretty straightforward to see that Russia would see a coup that would cut off their seaport as a threat they couldn't back away from. While he may be a slippery character it seems like this is one of the things he pointed out in his justifications.

OF course Poland is relevant. The expansion to Poland took place after the alleged "promise" and was explicitly approved of by the Russian head of State, Yeltsin. Meaning that the Russian head of state approved of a specific NATO expansion that occurred after the alleged agreement not to. In legal terms we would call that waiver.

I guess your theory is that international relations involving hundreds of thousands of lives and billions upon billions of dollars should be governed by unverified and never reduced to writing promises made by people who would never have authority to bind NATO or their own country anyways. That can't end badly.

Why you seem so invested in defending a clear bogus Putin pretext for war is beyond me.

 

[Datchew]

OF course Poland is relevant. The expansion to Poland took place after the alleged "promise" and was explicitly approved of by the Russian head of State, Yeltsin. Meaning that the Russian head of state approved of a specific NATO expansion that occurred after the alleged agreement not to. In legal terms we would call that waiver.

I guess your theory is that international relations involving hundreds of thousands of lives and billions upon billions of dollars should be governed by unverified and never reduced to writing promises made by people who would never have authority to bind NATO or their own country anyways. That can't end badly.

Why you seem so invested in defending a clear bogus Putin pretext for war is beyond me.

I'm not invested. You're either confused or just tossing around wild accusations.
Perhaps you just can't read well? You actually quoted me saying I'm not excusing justifying or condoning.

 

[Vashper]

... Tariffs will drive costs up across the board. This will pass along to the consumer who will be forced to reduce overall consumption to stay at the same expenditure level. This will reduce corporate profits and slow the economy. ....

Yes, it will reduce the profits of corporations - those corporations that trade in imports. But high import prices allow domestic manufacturing corporations to produce.

 

[Vashper]

...

Further Yeltsin explicitly approved of the expansion of NATO into Poland, long after any such verbal promise may have been made. That resulted in the now near dead NATO-Russia Founding Act which also does not prohibit NATO expansion.

The fact that Yeltsin "approved" the expansion of NATO is an exaggeration. There are also such points in the declassified in 2024 package of documents: "the Russian president openly told Clinton that he considers the conclusion of the Founding Act to be a forced step. "Our position has not changed. NATO's eastward advance is still a mistake. But I must take steps to mitigate the negative consequences for Russia. I am ready to conclude an agreement with NATO, not because I want to, but because it is a necessary step. There is no other solution for today," the Russian leader said. He also stated the inadmissibility of deploying nuclear and non-nuclear weapons on the territory of new NATO members and thereby creating a "cordon sanitaire" directed against Russia.

 

[Tanks]

Yes, it will reduce the profits of corporations - those corporations that trade in imports. But high import prices allow domestic manufacturing corporations to produce.

Retooling takes time. Some stuff even with high tariffs is still cheaper than could be produced locally. I gave an example of Target sweatpants made in China vs US made ones by American Giant a while ago. Pricing difference was 10X. So, with 200% tariffs the difference would be 5X. All it means is a consumption tax income for the Feds. Maybe, that is the intent.

Also, the next administration most likely would do away with most of the tariffs.

 

[CJW]

A WI judge tried to aid in the escape of an illegal who was in court on a domestic abuse case. For the life of me I can't imagine why you would want to do such a thing other than severe TDS. She belongs nowhere near the justice system.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/politics/fbi-director-wisconsin-judge-arrested/index.html

“We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on X in a post Friday morning. “Thankfully our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”

 

[steve white]

It is working. One of our projects is replacing the automation on a multitude of pump stations for a municipal district. They used.Bristol Babcock RTUs programmed in their Accol programming language back in 1991. No documentation or drawings, a reverse engineering project to start. Using AI we not only documented the programs, but converted them to Siemens SCL language with about 95% accuracy. Already saved us thousands of hours of engineering time (read profit).

I agree, and envision medical research to be multiplied by AI. It can search and correlate peer reviewed studies from all over the world.

 

[steve white]

Second Judge arrested this week for harboring or hindering the arrest of an illegal. Wonder if DOJ can pull off a hat trick.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1915816561144721667

Yep, that's what handcuffs are made for...

 

[steve white]

The question was what would happen if Russia invaded the Baltic states and whether that would be a U.S. war.

You seem to think it would not be, or do I misunderstand you?

Do you think the United States has a collective defense obligation to any of the Baltic states?

And yeah, there is a very broad consensus on Putin's Imperial Russian worldview. It's not big secret. I can't think of a single scholar or expert who does not agree with that.

Serious question for you, what makes you conclude he is just a KGB thug with no vision? Have you ever read any of the stuff Putin himself has written on the subject?

Putin has actually published tons of stuff about Kievan Rus' and Russian Imperialism. You don't even have to infer anything. Have you read what Putin himself says on these subjects?

Careful, now--you'll make us have to reason. And heat from two brain cells rubbing together might add to global warming....

 

[Scott CWO]

It is not a markup. The $7K extra is part of the MSRP for any new order from the factory regardless of the color. I don't worry about repos as I pay cash unless there is a 0% interest loan.

Markups are listed separately, not part of the MSRP. For example, I did pay a $5K markup for my GX 550 OT+. It was the least of any dealers around as some were asking $10K+. And yes, it was a choice as there were no alternatives. As it is I waited 4+ months for one with the specs I wanted.

There is no such thing as a 0% auto loan from a dealer. They just charge you more for the vehicle. Always negotiate the cash price of a vehicle before mentioning trades or financing or payments.

 

[spike.t]

Son of CIA deputy director was killed while fighting for Russia, report says

Michael Alexander Gloss, 21, who died on 4 April 2024, was the son of top-ranking US spy Juliane Gallina

www.theguardian.com

 

[spike.t]

Mmm....bit late to get pissed off after ignoring shit for so long......

US warns 'serious consequences' over Russian naval base plans in Sudan

The statement marks a sharp departure from the typically measured tone of recent U.S.-Russia exchanges and signals Washington's concern over Moscow's expanding military footprint in Africa.

kyivindependent.com

 

[Scott CWO]

Canada ranks 5th in the world in quality of life where as America ranks 22nd. Canada has a long and proud military history including being in both world wars years before the America. Canadian volunteers took up the slack when 30000 Americans fled to Canada to dodge the draft in Vietnam. Canada has been the greatest neighbour and ally America has and if your boor of a president doesn’t do too much irreversible damage to relations will probably forgive and go on being so.
Probably best to stop shitting on your neighbours your president does enough of that already while his loyal followers stand around and excuse his behaviour as trolling as if that is proper behaviour for an elected official to partake in.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings/quality-of-life

Oh please! Quality of life depends on the neighborhood or county more than anything. Plus I don’t think USNews considered gun control!

 

[Scott CWO]

The fact that Yeltsin "approved" the expansion of NATO is an exaggeration. There are also such points in the declassified in 2024 package of documents: "the Russian president openly told Clinton that he considers the conclusion of the Founding Act to be a forced step. "Our position has not changed. NATO's eastward advance is still a mistake. But I must take steps to mitigate the negative consequences for Russia. I am ready to conclude an agreement with NATO, not because I want to, but because it is a necessary step. There is no other solution for today," the Russian leader said. He also stated the inadmissibility of deploying nuclear and non-nuclear weapons on the territory of new NATO members and thereby creating a "cordon sanitaire" directed against Russia.

Nobody in the West wants Russian land. Get off of your paranoia.

 

[Scott CWO]

Son of CIA deputy director was killed while fighting for Russia, report says

Michael Alexander Gloss, 21, who died on 4 April 2024, was the son of top-ranking US spy Juliane Gallina

www.theguardian.com

What an idiot.

 

[CJW]

Nobody in the West wants Russian land. Get off of your paranoia.

Kamchatka Peninsula. We DO want that. I say we annex.

 

[WAB]

I think my grasp is just fine. You're leaving out the promises of not expanding NATO which seems a key piece of starting the whole path to the invasion moving. We've covered this ground before.

I'm curious on you saying "your invasion" and "your word." Are you associating me with the Russians?
That's quite a bizarre accusation if that's what you're getting at.

My error, you are such a Russian apologist I mistakenly assumed that you must be Russian.

 

[Brent in Az]

Kamchatka Peninsula. We DO want that. I say we annex.

As long as those big Russian Browns don't migrate west.