War in Ukraine

Poland figures out where things went sideways for Putin: he is repeating the mistakes of his Soviet predecessors and over-spending on the military. Remarkably, Putin criticized his predecessors (specifically) Leonid Brezhnev, for this exact reason.

Also from the article: Russia's currency reserves are expected to vanish by the end of the year.

Putin is repeating a Soviet-era mistake that tanked the Russian economy, Polish foreign minister says

 

Now I just want to know how someone could find this take "optimistic". Some Russia honk, I guess.

 

I think it's remarkable that our Liar-in-Chief, Donald Trump, who likes to be thought of as unpredictable, predictably put sanctions and tariffs on the table (which have already been maximized by Biden so that further tariffs and sanctions would do little good), but not continued or increased military support for Ukraine.

 

Russia has a spy ship in the English Channel mapping undersea cables for future attacks.

British Navy tracks Russian 'spy ship' after it enters UK waters for a second time

 

Rational people understand the war costs more than the peace.

 

We've already tried the sanctions route with Biden and now Trump will stop the war with..... sanctions?

 

We should offer them a better look at the sea floor.

 

and angry posts at odark 30 on x from the executive toilet

 

CHFG8R - I have been contemplating this since the liar and cheat got elected:
One of the reasons a "total victory" won't be the panacea for Russia a lot of people think. This is Palestinian level hatred now, and that's going to last for decades or perhaps even longer.

A very complicated issue. Of course Putin will set his police dogs on the general Ukrainian population, and will most certainly have a concentration or gulag system to take care of the "malcontents". It's the Russian way, exterminate and then implement "mind control" on those not murdered. They already demonstrated their heinous conduct by kidnapping children and women and imprisoning them in Russia at the very start of the campaign.

Considering that Trump is already well on his way to selling Ukraine out, NATO will have to step up. If that doesn't work, I am hoping that a Ukrainian partisan movement springs forth that becomes an absolute nightmare and hell on earth for the Russian Apparatchiks, bullies and murderers left to deal with Putin's empire building.

 

1) We only buy $5 billion in products from Russia. What is a 10% tariff going to do? Take away $500 million a year? This is going to bring Putin to his knees?

2) Rational people also know that the seller does not pay the tariffs; the importer does, and they generally turn around and pass on the cost to the consumer. So it won't take away even $500 million a year from Russia. Just make U.S. vodka drinkers a little poorer.

3) Peace costs more when you have to pay a group of barbarians to not kill you and/or take your lands.

 

As we see with China/TicTok, Trump is malleable. Especially when there are $$$$ on the table. I'm taking a wait and see approach with Ukraine as he may accomplish something here. Not because he's particularly smart or good, but for the same reason you "don't mess with that guy." "He's crazy!!!"

 

Sent frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. I mean, am I missing anything? Tank the price of oil somehow?
Seize and send Russian assets to Ukraine would be a great start. Specifically start with the 30 or forty billion that Putin has stashed in Switzerland. If Switzerland refuses tell them they can get boycotted and impounded too.

 

The he is crazy is why I took a wait and see attitude before starting to condemn his actions in foreign policy. We have been sane in our negotiations forever and our enemies act crazy and threaten everything and we compromise to keep the peace (really talking about North Korea here) A different tact was worth a try.

 

Frothy mouths and all…