Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Putin doesn't have any good options in Ukraine. He goes in, and at best, it'll be an economy-destroying quagmire.

Unfortunately, that’s his whole objective and the total dominance on the Black Sea. As we saw in Georgia, and Moldova he’s not looking for any exit strategies. Just complete destruction. Look how “great” economy is in Abkhazia and Transnistria. The Russian definition of success includes destruction of economy and whatever democracy has managed to develop. If Russia perceives that the cost will be bearable, it will go ahead and then the question be who’s next after that. This will not stop in Ukraine.

Just like Iraq and Afghanistan, no? One hell of an exit strategy there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does the US need any options? Who gives a shit about Europe and Russia? Russia could colonize Europe tomorrow and it would not affect my life at all. If Russia and China want to make the world into a shit hole, let them...I'm so sick of the world criticizing the US for not minding its own business. Fine. I agree..we should mind our own business and the world shouldn't come crying to us when they have to live under the boots of Putin and Xi. We can continue on with our life in our own neighborhood.

It would be an interesting world if this was all true. Maybe we could just say buzz off to the world. Secure the southern border. Navy only defending the coasts. But it does not work like that. What happens in Europe matters in Denver or Los Angeles or Arlington. Same with China. Russia is out for no good and someone has to stop them. We are the only sheriff on the planet. Some people don't like that and we are often not good at it. But there it is. Putin F'd this up. He has to invade for domestic reasons. It will destroy his economy. He will then feel compelled to take out some NATO countries so he can trade with us -- there is the war. Russia's military can't face us if we want to fight. Iraq was in better shape to fight us. They could go nuclear but that is unlikely because we would respond. This is a mess. Putin could back off and avoid this if we gave him something big. But I doubt we will. This is the most dangerous time in the last 40 years. And we have an over the hill President and a VP that does not read briefing books or memos and otherwise has no idea what is going on. And that is a vast improvement over what we had last administration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Putin doesn't have any good options in Ukraine. He goes in, and at best, it'll be an economy-destroying quagmire.

Unfortunately, that’s his whole objective and the total dominance on the Black Sea. As we saw in Georgia, and Moldova he’s not looking for any exit strategies. Just complete destruction. Look how “great” economy is in Abkhazia and Transnistria. The Russian definition of success includes destruction of economy and whatever democracy has managed to develop. If Russia perceives that the cost will be bearable, it will go ahead and then the question be who’s next after that. This will not stop in Ukraine.

Anonymous wrote:
Oh yeah....paper tigers......USA sitting over here with our 130% Debt:GDP ratio and a federal reserve that has inflated the economy on a $9,000,000,000,000 balance sheet. The entire US economy is a fraudulent house of cards. If you want to talk about an implosion, watch what happens when the world ditches the USD as their reserve currency because all the US govt and federal reserve continue to do debase the dollar by printing trillions of dollars. The US would crumple like news paper if the world ditches the USD and the US is forced to start paying wya more interest on its debt. An entirely overconfident Democrat.....no surprise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I admit that I don’t know that much about Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky (sp?) keeps saying that we are causing panic. Is he saying that because it’s factual, or because he’s trying to maintain calm in Ukraine? I heard someone say that Russia is pushing this. They could do all this lead up, only to decide against invading, then put out believable propaganda that the US is a bunch of hysterical lunatics.

Zelensky is trying to maintain calm. There is nothing for anyone to do but wait for Russia. Putin's strategy is to ratchet up tension and let us self-destruct/panic. I think you are correct and that is his fall back strategy. You can see it all here on this thread. Theyve been tying all their usual social media trolling strategies right here.
But it's not working. NATO, Ukraine, and the world have been measured and calm so far. We just need to be prepared but keep calm and carry on.

Would the US be in a better position if we stop making statements about Putin, and just wait quietly? I suppose that could look like tacit approval of their behavior.

Yes and no. Needed to raise awareness to ensure a unified response. The recent warnings are more about trying to prevent anything from happening. Our goal isn't to destroy Putin but rather to maintain peace. Leaking plans before they happen reduce the odds of those things happening. We're in effect jinxing him. If our goal was to destroy him militarily then we wouldn't leak the plans. The goal is to block his excuses and get him to use his fallback plan of military exercises to back down and save face.

When the commentariat drives itself into hysterics every single evening show with "they are invading tomorrow!!!", it's beginning to look much less credible.

But hey, nice try to claim credit for Putin NOT invading.

I know this will surprise you, although it shouldn't because you all have been brilliantly taking advanatge of it, but the West does not control its media. It's also been very clear that the threst if an imminent invasion is the exact signal Russia is sending.

Anonymous wrote:Putin doesn't have any good options in Ukraine. He goes in, and at best, it'll be an economy-destroying quagmire.

Anonymous wrote:Why does the US need any options? Who gives a shit about Europe and Russia? Russia could colonize Europe tomorrow and it would not affect my life at all. If Russia and China want to make the world into a shit hole, let them...I'm so sick of the world criticizing the US for not minding its own business. Fine. I agree..we should mind our own business and the world shouldn't come crying to us when they have to live under the boots of Putin and Xi. We can continue on with our life in our own neighborhood.

Anonymous wrote:I hope American citizens get out. Biden has proven that he will, indeed, leave US citizens behind.

Anonymous wrote:Putin doesn't have any good options in Ukraine. He goes in, and at best, it'll be an economy-destroying quagmire.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the fact that Biden has not appointed an ambassador to Ukraine at all relevant to any of this?

It is bizarre that there is only an interim/acting ambassador and it has been this way since 2019.

You figured it out - Putin is going to invade Ukraine because the US has no ambassador there. [b]

(BTW, the US has submitted a proposed nominee to Ukraine and are awaiting their response. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/us/politics/ukraine-ambassador-biden.html)[/

Wow, what a leap. That is not what I was implying.

And yes, I know there is a proposed nominee. It is still bizarre that there hasn’t been an ambassador since 2019.

I lived in Moscow for several years following the seizure of Crimea and seeing the difference in the way events are portrayed between Russia and the West has really messed with my ability to trust any media. I don’t think Putin is going to invade. But I believe Western governments are truly convinced he will.

The post-Yanakovic (sic) Charge was a retired Ambassador so that wasnt a problem. The current one does seem a bit green but has a ton of regional knowledge/experience and is clearly, based on previous postings, being groomed for bigger things.