I don’t think the blocking of Sweden and Finland (for now) is carrying water for Russia. And their relationship with Russia also has a lot to do with Kurds and Syria. But your points are well taken. The Turks definitely think they are beyond East-West divides, and they’re a strong cruiserweight who thinks they’re a heavyweight
West to deliver 321 tanks to Ukraine, says diplomat, as North Korea accuses US of 'crossing the red line' | CNN
The difference is that the Iranian woman was young, attractive and female. Practically a Disney princess, a paragon of innocence and beauty. It is easier to be sympathetic on an emotional level to someone with those qualities than a grumpy-looking older guy. Kill the older guy and you're bad; kill the young beauty and you are pure evil.
He may be related to Rasputin. He probably wakes up in the hospital, shakes his head, and says "Amateurs . . .".
Ukraine offers up some theories as to where Russia may strike next. The worst has already passed for Ukraine. How will events develop in the war? (yahoo.com)
I’m not sure I agree that the “worst has passed” for Ukraine. Things can always get worse and probably will. As Russia changes its operational design, Ukraine will need to as well. Trying to hold ground or recapture it might need to be put off for some time given the introduction of hundreds of thousands additional Russian troops. They should return to the effective strategy from earlier in the war: trade space for time and enemy casualties; limit counteroffensive activities to those situations where the enemy stretches itself too thin. If Ukraine cannot count on armed intervention from its allies, then its only play is to cause Russia so much pain for so little benefit that the domestic temperature gets unbearable in Moscow. I like those odds less and less everyday, but it is the only hope Ukraine has absent NATO jumping in.
Love the threats from North Korea about “standing in the same trench” as Russia. Russia literally has hundreds of trenches that North Koreans could be standing in. Don’t see any of them there.
I think North Korea meant "stench". They are standing in the same stench as Russia. The stench of human rights abuses, militaristic threats to their neighbors, and general nastiness.
I am curious to see what the tanks will do. I wish Germany had contributed more Leopards than 6% of their 350 tanks (they can always build more). For that matter, I thought that the U.S. should have committed more than 31 tanks (I would support the U.S. giving 120 Abrams tanks to Germany in exchange for them giving 100 more Leopards to Ukraine). I also wonder why the U.S. has not foreseen this turn of events (donating tanks) and had some of Ukraine's tank personnel (operators and maintenance) brought to bases in Germany for training ahead of this time. They could have rotated several groups of people through the training program by now. At this point, the only issue would be getting the tanks, ammo, and support vehicles to Ukraine. I tend to feel the same way about F-16's--if there is a chance that we will donate them, bring 'em over for training on them. Defense & National Security — Fighter jets to follow tanks to Ukraine? (yahoo.com)
I’m more about the destination than the journey on this one. How the Russians die is not important to me so long as they keep doing it.
You are not wrong to scratch your head about why certain decisions, obviously needed months ago, are just now being considered. The issue of tanks does not even compare to the questions of why we have not mobilized the economy, deployed heavy forces to Eastern Europe, or replaced Jake Sullivan with a war-time consigliere. Years from now, these are the decision points that historians will challenge on the same order of “Why did Britain and France fail to react once it was clear Germany was rearming?” “Why didn’t the U.S. give South Korea tanks or any kind of anti-armor capability before 1950?” “Why did Francis Ford Coppola cast his daughter in Godfather 3?” …
