There is no rule that only America is allowed to have puppet states. |
What's Russia doing in Ukraine? Syria? Central African Republic? Mali? Sudan? Guinea-Bissau? And a dozen other countries? Making the world safer? No, they are arming warlords and terrorists, plotting coups, running death squads, killing civilians, using slaves to mine blood diamonds and a lot of other evil things. "Am I" indeed. Yes, you are making a fool of yourself. |
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Russia has been using cluster bombs and other banned weaponry against Ukraine all along. Frankly at this point I'm fine with their troops getting a little taste of their own medicine. Take your crying over poor Russian orc soldiers elsewhere. |
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Exactly. Just Biden showing some love to the Ukrainian freedom-fighters trying to take back their homeland, which was seized by the indicted war-criminal, Putin, and his illegitimate regime. Like our President, I’m in favor of this war and I support using cluster bombs against Russian soldiers. It is the right thing to do. Everyone should be in favor of this war. |
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I think there are two main reasons why Ukraine is holding back on the offensive.
First, the Russian military has been able to push back is because they've had a year to dig in. Minefields, trenches, and various defensive obstacles are tough to roll over. Especially in winter, when foliage is low and dug-in positions are easier to spot, the cluster munitions will be highly effective against dug-in infantry or Russian units on the attack. Second.. "Late Monday, reports began emerging that the Kremlin was staging 180,000 Russian troops along the eastern front in the Donbas" "Moscow has amassed 120,000 troops along the Lyman-Kupiansk corridor and 50,000 soldiers in and around Bakhmut" https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4081097-the-russians-are-coming-why-putin-might-be-massing-180000-troops-near-the-donbas/ But to do this, Putin has put Russia into a militarily precarious position. "the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army, which usually deals with security in the Caucasus region, is operating in Zaporizhzhia Oblast" https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/07/6/7410053/ The 58th CAA is primarily responsible for peacekeeping duties in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "Azerbaijani state media has in recent days made increasingly frequent mentions of a possible new military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, as reports of severe food shortages in Nagorno-Karabakh mount." https://oc-media.org/azerbaijani-state-media-warns-of-inevitable-military-operation-in-nagorno-karabakh/ "Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast, the positions are held by the 5th Combined Arms Army and the Marines" https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/07/6/7410053/ "Most of the marines of Russia's 61st Naval Infantry Brigade, which is stationed near the recently expanded border with NATO in northwestern Russia, are deployed to Ukraine, where they have taken heavy losses." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/russia-accepting-risks-dropping-guard-145002646.html Where is the 5th CAA headquartered? "Russia transferred some two-thirds of the combat forces assigned to its Eastern Military District from their bases in the Far East, roughly 6,200 miles away, to central and western Russia and southern Belarus." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/russia-accepting-risks-dropping-guard-145002646.html "Airborne regiments are mainly holding the defences around Bakhmut" https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/07/6/7410053/ Remember that Airborne units are normally part of the strategic reserve and a few companies were recalled to defend Moscow against Prigozhin. "Up to two companies of Russia’s 76th Airborne Assault Division got to Moscow by Il-76 transport aircraft" https://kyivindependent.com/military-russia-redeploys-airborne-troops-from-ukraine-to-protect-moscow-from-prigozhins-mutiny/ The argument against "unexploded cluster bombs" are likely by Russian-compromised individuals or just plain naive "useful idiots". Terrain denial by landmines is already in the millions. The people arguing against the cluster bombs need to consider the crimes already committed as well as the lives that have and will be lost. However, if someone really wanted to give Ukraine an anniversary present, long-range HIMARS with F-16s equipped with HARM missiles, would be nice. Or.. if someone wanted to gift and early Christmas.. "Erdogan says Ukraine ‘deserves NATO membership." https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/07/07/world/russia-ukraine-news |
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I don't think the Ukrainians are holding back. They have roughly 36,000 new soldiers who are NATO trained and correspondingly
equipped. So, nine battalions. I believe they've only used three so far. It's a horrible war. The guys fighting now are laying the groundwork for future advances. It's a slow, methodical thing. It's a 900 km front. This is an enormous war, something we haven't seen since WWII. According to DOD, Russia has suffered roughly 200,000 casualties so far. Ukraine probably isn't that far behind, but they at least are fighting for their families and their land. No idea what these Russians are dying for. Pathetic people. |
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Watching Russian propaganda can sometimes provide more information by the way they dance around things. This time it was all about Prigozhin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIxd8z-Nmg We seem to have yet another new host on Russian TV - Evgeny Popov? He (ironically) led a discussion of how Prigozhin had illicit funds lying around. The reason why it's ironic is that Popov himself has been accused of corruption. "In 2020, The Insider ranked Popov and Skabeyeva 7th and 8th out of 12 wealthiest Russian propagandists. In 2021, the Anti-Corruption Foundation released the proof that Popov and Skabeyeva (his spouse, Skabeyeva, aka the "Iron Doll") own property in Moscow, the overall cost of which is around 300 million rubles." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yevgeny_Popov_(journalist) The Wagner boss apparently had 600 million rubles [2:36 / 11:54] I especially liked the well-staged, heroic swat raid on completely empty Wagner offices [8:28 / 11:54] and exposing the types of passports Russian agents can obtain [4:08 / 11:54]. I can tell at least two of the show's guests agreed [check the "you're an idiot" expressions in the lower right inserts at 7:05 and 7:17]. Dmitry Abzalov, Director of the Center for Strategic Communications, tried his best to recover [9:48 / 11:54], but he was outgunned by the sharpest pencils in the box (that's a joke..). |
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The Russians have committed war crimes (encyclopedias full) for the past 1.5 years. So, so be it with the cluster bombs. Hopefully, they're particularly effective against the trench positions. |
Ironically, you’re posting this from a country built on war crimes, |
So be it. Now, we're helping fight against a country that has perfected them. |
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Russia’s next move?
Blow up the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Putin just “promised” he would not do that. Let’s take a look at Putin’s promises: Russia will peacefully separate from Ukraine and other republics comprising the Soviet Union" "Russia will guarantee the security of Ukraine in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons" "Russia will have free and safe elections" "Russia will not raise the pension age" "Russia will never alter it's Constitution" "Russia will never have another Tsar or Premier" "Russia will not allow private militias" "Russia will keep Wagner entirely independent from the Russian state" "Russia will uphold the sovereignty of neighbors and partner states" "Russia will keep out of the direct affairs of friendly states" "Russia will never attack Ukraine" "Russia will never retreat or lose territory" "Russia will never send trainees to war" "Russia will never conduct mobilization" "Russia will never blow up the Kakhovka Dam" ["Russia will not blow up the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant"] - you are here. |
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The issue with cluster bond is that some don’t explode and later maim civilians. The Russian cluster bombs have a 20-40% failure rate, the US version is 3-4%.
I think it’s important to distinguish that these will be used by Ukraine in Ukrainian territory. They can make the choice of the cost/benefit is worth it. These are not being used by a country on a foreign country, such as what Russia is doing by using them on Ukraine. |