what planet is kissinger on?

this is rippy now since he's online (doesn't know what "ninja posting" is)

I think Henry was just stating the facts.

Kissinger was followed at Davos by another famous nonagenarian, George Soros. Soros said he wants to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian.

I too agree with Kissinger. Find a face saving way for Russia to get out of this war and let peace come to the Ukraine. There have been enough deaths and displacements. People in the Middle East and Africa will starve because a big % of the world’s grain supply has been removed.

Dilbert’s article is spot on about how our use of sanctions will affect the dollars status as a reserve currency. I believe that’s a main reason Lusty Lad or Captain Midnight believes the USA will never suffer from hyper inflation. China and Russia sure as hell are going to be much less inclined to hold dollars going forward.

. I believe that’s a main reason Lusty Lad or Captain Midnight believes the USA will never suffer from hyper inflation. . Originally Posted by Tiny

Please quit putting those handles in the same sentence. That is like trying make it seem if Lightening and Lightening Bugs are equally dangerous.

Lustylad is a moron.

I'm somewhere in the middle on this. The reality is with Kissinger but Soros is right in that we can't continue to reward naked aggression towards nation states.

In this nation politicians will be voted out of office with continued high gas prices. So in the mid to long term politicians like Trump who are sympathetic to to Putin will be voted in office in this country. Ukraine will then have to make a deal with Russia because Trump like politicians in this country will quit sending aid.

Please quit putting those handles in the same sentence. That is like trying make it seem if Lightening and Lightening Bugs are equally dangerous.

Lustylad is a moron.

I'm somewhere in the middle on this. The reality is with Kissinger but Soros is right in that we can't continue to reward naked aggression towards nation states.

In this nation politicians will be voted out of office with continued high gas prices. So in the mid to long term politicians like Trump who are sympathetic to to Putin will be voted in office in this country. Ukraine will then have to make a deal with Russia because Trump like politicians in this country will quit sending aid. Originally Posted by WTF

we've already shoveled 63B+ to Ukraine. how much more do you think we should spend? remember you are an anti-debt guy. so am i.


i don't think Ukraine can win regardless of how much money we throw at them with military hardware. probably the best Ukraine can do is a stalemate. given reports of how abysmal the Russian troops are performing Russia itself is likely the one to need an end to this.


so what would that look like? Russia keeps what they have taken in the east and the rest remains Ukraine? would Zalensky accept that given his rhetoric to fight to the last man? he may have to if the West tires of shoveling money at this conflict. a conflict we have no direct role in or much to gain.


while Putin probably did think the Russian army would take Ukraine in days now that that clearly didn't happen he'll play the long game hoping as stated the West won't continue a united front. of course there is a cost to Russia also. how long can they afford this effort?


lots of talk of not just Putin's health but possible coup to remove him from power. the only way i see that happening is the Military turns on him and that appears unlikely at present. and what if he dies? does whoever takes over immediately end the conflict? or does he double down and stay at it?

All good questions.

This becomes a question like Europe and America had to face with Hitler. Do we let Putin take the whole of Europe? Because we all know that Ukraine is not the endgame.

WWRD

WhatWouldRonnieDo

All good questions.

This becomes a question like Europe and America had to face with Hitler. Do we let Putin take the whole of Europe? Because we all know that Ukraine is not the endgame.

WWRD

WhatWouldRonnieDo Originally Posted by WTF

Ronnie would stare down Vlad like he did Gorby. the Russians for a long time counted on US presidents softening their hard stances once they got elected and that generally held true regardless of party. of course Democrats weren't all that tough on the USSR to begin with.


they expected the same with Reagan but he held firm and that caught them off guard. Gorbachev realized Reagan wasn't going to back down which is why he signed the treaty Reagan wanted. he figured it was the best deal he was going to get.


do we know what his endgame is? you think he really wants to attack NATO? claim all of western Europe? have the Russian flag flying from the top of the Eiffel tower? i rather doubt that unless he is crazy. and given the miserable showing of the Russian army and their crap air power he'd find it far harder to do. NATO air power by most expert opinion would have made mince meat of those convoys.


both France and the UK have nuclear weapons too. and of course the US. he's not up against some nation that if he did use a tactical nuke as some claim he would, can't retaliate in kind.


if all Putin wants is to keep NATO away from his borders then with Sweden and Norway now wanting in he's failed. no they aren't in NATO yet. the wild card is Turkey. the vote has to be unanimous for membership so what does Turkey want to vote yes?

Putin wants land from Donbas region to Mariuopol to Crimea on the Black Sea for water port. Been obvious for the past 10+ years.

Do you give it to him for reparations, added countries to NATO, prosecute/kill war criminals, and have him step down (won’t happen - would have to be a coup)?

The famous catchphrase of Laurel and Hardy is often misquoted as "Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten us into". The correct quote is "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." Lessco Brandon! Paging Lessco Brandon and his puppet masters! Where’s the big guy?

But yep, spot worldwide food shortages plus tree hugger/regulatory attacks on hydrocarbon investment capital about to pull us apart. Do you feel lucky, punk?

I see Barry swooping in for a piece prize...in the community activist mode. Who’s up for some hoops?

Putin wants land from Donbas region to Mariuopol to Crimea on the Black Sea for water port. Been obvious for the past 10+ years.

Do you give it to him for reparations, added countries to NATO, prosecute/kill war criminals, and have him step down (won’t happen - would have to be a coup)?

The famous catchphrase of Laurel and Hardy is often misquoted as "Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten us into". The correct quote is "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." Lessco Brandon! Paging Lessco Brandon and his puppet masters! Where’s the big guy?

But yep, spot worldwide food shortages plus tree hugger/regulatory attacks on hydrocarbon investment capital about to pull us apart. Do you feel lucky, punk?

I see Barry swooping in for a piece prize...in the community activist mode. Who’s up for some hoops? Originally Posted by Michael8219

let's not forget that Putin annexed Crimea under "Nobel Berry's" watch. did nada under Trump's watch. starts a war under Brandon's watch. anyone see a pattern here?


i think it's clear Putin wanted all of Ukraine but the abysmal showing of his army makes that unlikely at this point. they committed over 100,000 troops initially and they didn't achieve victory. how much reserves does Russia have to commit to a long term war?


Russia at this point seems to want eastern Ukraine and to extend a line all the way to Moldova of all fucking places where there is a separatist Pro Russian region Transnistria. it's the eastern edge of Moldavia. of course Moldavia isn't in NATO so he risks nothing in terms of invoking a NATO response via their alliance.


Putin also wants Odessa for it's Black Sea port. that access was the reason he annexed Crimea to regain Sevastopol.


since it's unlikely Russia can take all of Ukraine the way it looks at the moment if he gets his eastern region including Odessa would he be willing to call it quits? would Zalensky? he should be willing to consider it since the Donbas region is heavily pro Russia and Ukraine has been struggling for years to control it. most of the people there want to be part of Russia anyway so if Ukraine couldn't control that region before they have zero chance of regaining it now. so let it go and save the bulk of Ukraine.

I would not argue with that....except the first paragraph. Although true....I'd bet we think for different reasons.

I would not argue with that....except the first paragraph. Although true....I'd bet we think for different reasons. Originally Posted by WTF

still believing that Trump Russia thingy? otay.

Ronnie would stare down Vlad like he did Gorby. the Russians for a long time counted on US presidents softening their hard stances once they got elected and that generally held true regardless of party. of course Democrats weren't all that tough on the USSR to begin with.


they expected the same with Reagan but he held firm and that caught them off guard. Gorbachev realized Reagan wasn't going to back down which is why he signed the treaty Reagan wanted. he figured it was the best deal he was going to get. Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

Solid posts in this thread Waco Kid, I enjoyed reading them.

WTF doesn't have enough appreciation for the money Reagan saved the national treasury by ending the cold war.

transnistra is a funny one. they're the only state flying the soviet union flag.


I guess ivan is running that place.

transnistra is a funny one. they're the only state flying the soviet union flag.


I guess ivan is running that place. Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm

Ivan Who?

Ivan Who? Originally Posted by Tiny

what do you call a russian communist? Ivan.


its a cold war slur.