Well, fair enough. I’ve already said it, but apparently it bears repeating: It is going to be a lot of fun around here when Russia has to accept a negotiated strategic defeat in return for a simple promise of Ukrainian neutrality and promises even more vague to protect the human rights of Russian-speaking people living in Ukraine. You will try to huff and puff about what a victory it is, saying stuff like, “That’s all Russia wanted in the first place.” You’ll know it isn’t true, and so will we. But I promise we will condescend to let you say it anyway.
That’s genius. You should put that saying on the next version of the ruble, right underneath Putin’s face.
Not sure why you all haven’t blocked Duggar yet (assuming that’s who all these responses are to). It’s wasted energy, he isn’t here to debate, learn, listen, or anything else productive, he’s here to push a narrative.
You should be grateful Biden is President. He is only doing the bare minimum for Ukraine, the threshold below which Jake Sullivan thinks would have political repercussions in November. He had to be dragged by our Congress and allies to be doing as much as we are presently. A different President, Democrat or Republican, might be doing a lot more to push your teetering little empire right over the edge. Speaking for self (not that I will ever be President, mind you), but I would have already established a military advisory command in Kyiv, a SAM umbrella over eastern Ukraine from Poland and Romania, enormous field hospitals in Eastern Europe to take care of Ukraine’s casualties, a maritime exclusion zone from Odessa to Istanbul to protect Ukrainian shipping, and cranking up hydrocarbon and food production to offset the effect that sanctioning your Mexico-sized economy has on our allies. And you know what Mother Russia could do about any of those measures? Not a damn thing except stomp and bluster. So a little gratitude for President Biden, if you would. Quiet gratitude would be even better.
The why is because it’s fun to have a Russian agent to trash talk, especially in the middle of a heretofore enormously successful Ukraine counteroffensive. Perhaps it makes me a bad person. I don’t know. I’ll risk it.
You’re giving your president far too much credit. The only reason he’s not putting boots on the ground is because he realizes another American proxy war loss can be better concealed, from the the American public, than something like another Vietnam.
Uftaipan - You should check out Rock Rachon's podcast (Ukrainian war Podcast). If you have not already.
At the rate you’re losing, I’m not sure American ground troops could get there fast enough to make a difference. I think we would have to settle for seeing what our air and sea power could do. But I honestly don’t think it will come to that unless you’re dumb enough to use nukes. Then all bets are off.
If I’m losing that badly ... this might be a good time to try to notch up your first win over a peer opponent (or even a near-peer opponent) since WWII!
I was thinking about the nuke issue. I don’t think he would do it over something this small. Not because he wouldn’t want to, but because he would lose power almost overnight. Internationally, China, India etc. would cut him off instantly. Domestically there would be a huge push to remove him before Russia got nuked. So unless he planned to do it and then kill himself, there’s nothing in it for him.
It is hard to find even near-peers these days. I’ll give you that. Especially at sea or in the air. Take that movie Battleship, for instance. To make a movie where our Navy had to fight a battle it might realistically lose, Hollywood had to bring in aliens. I could only imagine the terrible loss of face that goes with seeing your warships being sunk, especially by a military power one thought was well beneath them. You’ll have to explain what that feels like one of these days when the war is over.
I agree. I wonder if I agree, though, because I actually think he wouldn’t do it, or because it’s too difficult and horrifying to contemplate. I hope it’s only the former.
Good summary on where things are from the BBC. Ukraine round-up: Counter-attack continues, Kremlin remains defiant
This is what happens when you over-rely on websites like www.globalfirepower.com I don’t have to face you on the high seas, in large part because I haven’t anointed myself global policeman. It’s not how much equipment you have. Rather, it’s the effective force you can bring to bear in the relevant theatre. To wit: there are three wars you cannot win: (1) vs me in Ukraine (2) vs China in the Taiwan Straits (3) vs Iran in the Persian Gulf
Interesting description of events from civilians in newly liberated areas of Ukraine. Gives color to what life was like under Russian occupation and Russian panicked retreat from the areas days ago. Amid Ukraine’s startling gains, liberated villages describe Russian troops dropping rifles and fleeing
