Is Putin emboldened by weak leadership and appeasement?

[Four Seasons]

20 minutes ago, Chef said:

Good job finding a 2 year old article


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And still fact.  Here you spew of more bull and never have backup.  Show exactly what Trump owes to Russia?   We all know what he made them cough up when he was in the house. 

[phade]

Haven’t checked in, in a few days. So, we still trying to argue against the premise Ukraine is doing better than expected?

Or we still stuck on trying to argue internal US politics? 

I’m genuinely curious how Putin would respond if there was a united “coalition” decision to enact a no-fly zone.

 

[phantom]

3 hours ago, Four Seasons said:

And still fact.  Here you spew of more bull and never have backup.  Show exactly what Trump owes to Russia?   We all know what he made them cough up when he was in the house. 

Wait is that guy still buying that trump Russia BS . 

Wow !!

Russian government donates to the Clinton foundation and Democrats exclusively always have .

 

[Shoots100]

For those that aren't living in the twilight zone, America was oil independent under Trump and now we're buying billions of dollars worth of oil from Russia, fueling the invasion of another country.

Putin has the time and forces to lay waste to Ukraine, and economic sanctions will do nothing, especially with the economic contributions he'll have coming in from his dealings with China, fueled by hundreds of millions of Americans buying China products from Amazon.

Since Putin is an egotistical manic, the citizens of Ukraine will pay dearly whether they succeed or not in stopping Russia from invading.

 

 

 

 

[Northcountryman]

6 hours ago, phade said:

Haven’t checked in, in a few days. So, we still trying to argue against the premise Ukraine is doing better than expected?

Or we still stuck on trying to argue internal US politics? 

I’m genuinely curious how Putin would respond if there was a united “coalition” decision to enact a no-fly zone.

 

That would be risky ; everyone would have to be united and resolved to enforce it unilaterally . I do agree with the premise though,  of course . 

[phantom]

4 hours ago, Shoots100 said:

For those that aren't living in the twilight zone, America was oil independent under Trump and now we're buying billions of dollars worth of oil from Russia, fueling the invasion of another country.

Putin has the time and forces to lay waste to Ukraine, and economic sanctions will do nothing, especially with the economic contributions he'll have coming in from his dealings with China, fueled by hundreds of millions of Americans buying China products from Amazon.

Since Putin is an egotistical manic, the citizens of Ukraine will pay dearly whether they succeed or not in stopping Russia from invading.

 

 

 

 

Im thinking they can do a afganstan on putin and keep him busy for like 20 years until he gets sick of fighting or the russians get rid of him. 

But who knows maybe the the sanctions will bankrupt him faster then that  and he wil just pull out .

[left field]

7 hours ago, phade said:

Haven’t checked in, in a few days. So, we still trying to argue against the premise Ukraine is doing better than expected?

Or we still stuck on trying to argue internal US politics? 

I’m genuinely curious how Putin would respond if there was a united “coalition” decision to enact a no-fly zone.

 

I agree with Phade. It would be helpful if this was more focused on the topic. 

I, for one, am paying attention to the people on the streets who are doing what they can. 

 

Big and small  

 

 

[left field]

Here's a more serious look at the civilian fighters.

‘Everybody in Our Country Needs to Defend’

Civilian volunteers and paramilitary groups are taking the fight to the Russian army in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.

 

This is interesting.

Putin explains his actions in, as near as I can tell, late December. He's articulate and reasonable. Two things come to mind. One is the total support he has in the comments which makes me think they are Russian bots and two, (sorry Phade) how influential this would be to Trump when they spoke privately, who, it seems, based on new reporting said that he would withdraw from NATO in his second term.

 

[Northcountryman]

1 hour ago, left field said:

be to Trump when they spoke privately, who, it seems, based on new reporting said that he would withdraw from NATO in his second term.

What’re you implying here, Lefty? Not sure where you’re going with that 

[phade]

8 hours ago, Shoots100 said:

For those that aren't living in the twilight zone, America was oil independent under Trump and now we're buying billions of dollars worth of oil from Russia, fueling the invasion of another country.

Putin has the time and forces to lay waste to Ukraine, and economic sanctions will do nothing, especially with the economic contributions he'll have coming in from his dealings with China, fueled by hundreds of millions of Americans buying China products from Amazon.

Since Putin is an egotistical manic, the citizens of Ukraine will pay dearly whether they succeed or not in stopping Russia from invading.

 

 

 

 

I always question the oil independence part with Trump. I voted for him so take that for context, but I think people mix oil independence and producing more oil than we consume. It’s not the same thing when you account for where that oil is consumed.

We imported oil and exported oil at high percentages in that span. We didn’t use 100% US oil and export surplus.

I don’t want to derail the convo but oil independence means we don’t rely on other countries in my book, and we did during that time. Pretty sure a lot of us consumed oil from Canada, Russia, etc during that time.

[left field]

Trump threatened to withdraw from NATO his entire term. Denigrated the organization at every opportunity. He put Kushner in charge who didn't know what NATO did or what article 5 was. Remember that, north, while you were "Trump's da man" Kushner was running your life.

New book: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-nato-south-korea-book-b1883457.html?amp

Quote

Donald Trump was considering pulling out of Nato and cutting the US’s alliance with South Korea if he won the 2020 election, according to an account of his private meetings with top aides.

I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year is a behind-the-scenes account of Mr Trump’s last year in the White House, authored by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig.

In an excerpt published in the Washington Post, Mr Trump is said to have lost the confidence of Defense Secretary Mark Esper. According to the book, Mr Esper confided in colleagues that he was rooting for Joe Biden to win the election because he believed he cared about national security.

“Esper couldn’t say the same about Trump. In fact, Trump had privately indicated that he would seek to withdraw from Nato and to blow up the US alliance with South Korea, should he win reelection. When those alliances had come up in meetings with Esper and other top aides, some advisers warned Trump that shredding them before the election would be politically dangerous.

“Yeah, the second term,” Trump had said. “We’ll do it in the second term.”

Now, Trump speaking before thinking is not unusual. Trump not understanding what he is saying is also not that unexpected. But you have to look beyond that and look at his character.

Put the Putin from that video I posted alone with Trump. Remember that Trump aspires to be perceived as strong, in no small part due to his father considering him weak and his need for approval. I think that calm and coherent Putin would be very compelling and persuasive with Trump.

[left field]

20 minutes ago, phade said:

I always question the oil independence part with Trump. I voted for him so take that for context, but I think people mix oil independence and producing more oil than we consume. It’s not the same thing when you account for where that oil is consumed.

We imported oil and exported oil at high percentages in that span. We didn’t use 100% US oil and export surplus.

I don’t want to derail the convo but oil independence means we don’t rely on other countries in my book, and we did during that time. Pretty sure a lot of us consumed oil from Canada, Russia, etc during that time.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-02-28/what-energy-dependence-the-u-s-still-needs-russian-oil-and-middle-east-peace

[Robby]

1 hour ago, left field said:

Trump threatened to withdraw from NATO his entire term. Denigrated the organization at every opportunity. He put Kushner in charge who didn't know what NATO did or what article 5 was. Remember that, north, while you were "Trump's da man" Kushner was running your life.

New book: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-nato-south-korea-book-b1883457.html?amp

Now, Trump speaking before thinking is not unusual. Trump not understanding what he is saying is also not that unexpected. But you have to look beyond that and look at his character.

Put the Putin from that video I posted alone with Trump. Remember that Trump aspires to be perceived as strong, in no small part due to his father considering him weak and his need for approval. I think that calm and coherent Putin would be very compelling and persuasive with Trump.

This from the arm chair psychoanalyst that obviously needs an analyst. What a bunch of claptrap!

 

[left field]

10 minutes ago, Robby said:

This from the arm chair psychoanalyst that obviously needs an analyst. What a bunch of claptrap!

Claptrap is a great word.

 

[Jeremy K]

Sweden just announced it will deliver 5000 anti-armour rocket launchers, 5000 body armour kits, 5000 helmets, and 135,000 field rations to the Ukrainian armed forces

[left field]

Let's hope this gets diffused.

Putin has ordered his nuclear command on special alert or something of that nature. I doubt he would order a launch as it would ensure the complete destruction of Russia, but who knows? He hasn't used the thermobaric bombs yet which is a good sign, though they have been seen on transports.

While there are many pics of brave Ukrainians fighting, let's not forget that reality of civilians pressed into war.

 

[phade]

15 minutes ago, left field said:

Let's hope this gets diffused.

Putin has ordered his nuclear command on special alert or something of that nature. I doubt he would order a launch as it would ensure the complete destruction of Russia, but who knows? He hasn't used the thermobaric bombs yet which is a good sign, though they have been seen on transports.

While there are many pics of brave Ukrainians fighting, let's not forget that reality of civilians pressed into war.

 

I’m pretty sure all nuclear power tridents are on alert 24/7, it’s part of the deterrent capabilities of the weapon itself.

So to put them on alert is a memo from the Department of Redundancy Department. 

[left field]

Just now, phade said:

I’m pretty sure all nuclear power tridents are on alert 24/7, it’s part of the deterrent capabilities of the weapon itself.

So to put them on alert is a memo from the Department of Redundancy Department. 

Sure, it's political posturing. Still ...

 

[Northcountryman]

3 hours ago, phade said:

I always question the oil independence part with Trump. I voted for him so take that for context, but I think people mix oil independence and producing more oil than we consume. It’s not the same thing when you account for where that oil is consumed.

We imported oil and exported oil at high percentages in that span. We didn’t use 100% US oil and export surplus.

I don’t want to derail the convo but oil independence means we don’t rely on other countries in my book, and we did during that time. Pretty sure a lot of us consumed oil from Canada, Russia, etc during that time.

Does any oil producing country , including the Saudi’s and / or consume ONLY their own oil exclusively ? I doubt it ; but under Trump, we were net exporters of oil although still importing some too . That is , at least how I understand . And we sure as hell aren’t any longer under the current administration - not by a long shot !! 

[phade]

We just confirmed we will not do a no fly zone.

Logistics involve American troops I guess which is a line in the sand. Crazy.

[phade]

1 minute ago, Northcountryman said:

Does any oil producing country , including the Saudi’s and / or consume ONLY their own oil exclusively ? I doubt it ; but under Trump, we were net exporters of oil although still importing some too . That is , at least how I understand . And we sure as hell aren’t any longer under the current administration - not by a long shot !! 

Actually we became the worlds largest oil producer in 2021. We were not the worlds largest oil producer in Trumps time.

Im conservative by nature but let’s make sure we’re not full of bluster here.

I don’t know about Saudi but at the end of the day they buy tigers and license plates with low numbers for fun with their oil money lol.

[Northcountryman]

3 hours ago, left field said:

Remember that Trump aspires to be perceived as strong, in no small part due to his father considering him weak and his need for approval

Ohhh, be careful with the psychoanalysis Left , especially someone you don’t know and have never met and will never meet ; are you sure about this ? What can be said of Obama , a man raised mostly by his grandparents , in contrast? Or Biden ? As you often say - just asking questions  

[Northcountryman]

1 minute ago, phade said:

Actually we became the worlds largest oil producer in 2021. We were not the worlds largest oil producer in Trumps time.

Im conservative by nature but let’s make sure we’re not full of bluster here.

I don’t know about Saudi but at the end of the day they buy tigers and license plates with low numbers for fun with their oil money lol.

Are You sure ? 

[Northcountryman]

This is a point contended all the time by the right and the Dems don’t seem to dispute it , so I’m inclined to dispute it . However , I refuse to shoot my mouth off about a fact I do not have knowledge of!! I will have to do some research on this to see why they say that we were energy independent under Trump and way more dependent now under Biden . 

[Robby]

Putins own people should take him out.