frank

Can you explain what deal was reached?

You're sounding a little unhinged, to be honest. There's ample horrific activity coming from the US. You don't need to make stuff up.

You said this: "For any that don't know, that's Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the anti-Semitic Svoboda party, later installed into power by the US." — Isa...

The US backed democracy adcocate groups and McCain stood beside somebody. That's your basis for saying the US put a nazi in power in Ukraine?

Putin entertained the possibility of joining NATO and the EU. He might have driven Russia in that direction, but Russia was rejected by both. I said "...

You should hide under your desk.

You asked me for a source. I gave it. Putin's vision for Russia is as an independent regional power. He wants Russia to be a peer of America and China...

And now gas lighting. Look back in the thread, I already gave a summary. If you have specific questions, ask.

Is there some reason you can't discuss this without flaming?

:100:

I have a thing about recognizing victims. I don't know why, I just need them recognized. They don't show up in what we've been calling the "objective"...

Right. And before that Britain's Great Game. But your points about American foreign policy disasters are well taken, so calm down, dammit. It's from a...

You're saying that providing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of military equipment to Ukraine was stupid, and it invited Russian aggression. But...

If a black woman takes a seat on the SCOTUS, she shouldn't be voting with the specific aim of helping black women. The notion that she might is really...

Putin's policies are a little erratic per Sakwa which reflects his wrangling with Russian elite entities, but they're usually focused on reinforcing t...

Ok. Nobody is treating the US as a savior. And you did say the US installed a nazi, which was wrong.

Right. NATO encroachment isn't really a significant thing, and I don't think he's morphing into the next Hitler. I think he's just stabilizing his bor...

Check out The Putin Paradox by Richard Sakwa. It has a different take on the history of NATO and Russia. In the 1990s, NATO members didn't want Russia...

Yep. Anti-feminist, anti-LGBT, anti-social reform of any kind.

That was a fascinating article, especially about their crisis of legitimacy. So Putin is basically a right wing populist.

@"Apollodorus" The CIA does that. They blew up a Russian pipeline once by hacking the pipeline software and turning off the cooling system. It was in ...

But while wearing the objectivity hat, you can't condemn either side. If the US was enthusiastic about neoliberalizing and democratizing the area, it'...

He has? I thought it just started in December (as he was moving troops to the border.)

The sanctions won't be as tough as the US would like because Europe can't live with that. There will just be elevated tension and the US will supply a...

I think we could finally get the world straightened out if we just learned what all the country's names mean and set up governments accordingly. What ...

I think what you're wanting to say is that hinge propositions aren't truth apt? I think fdrake said they aren't necessarily propositions. They can be ...

:up: I think ssu was saying that neither of them wanted to be in NATO anyway.

Teriyaki cauliflower. Mmmmmmm..

Well, Putin is getting away with it. And I'm guessing he'll gain in stature for it. He'll seem strong.

Good.

But over time, I've come to suspect that a lot of big decisions come down to stuff that's pretty childish. In the background of this is that what Puti...

So Finland is next?

You really don't know much about Russia, Isaac.

:cheer:

There are no roads between China and Russia?

:lol:

I'd say there is a zero percent chance that destabilizing Russia is anybody's goal. Russia will turn to China for trade.

They can't go too far with sanctions because Russia owes Europe, particularly France, a lot of money. They have to give Russia access to European bank...

I don't think so. I think this will become normalized in a year or two.

Out of the "volcano of lies" that is Putin, one or two statements might actually be true.

The US government says he doesn't have the ability to occupy Ukraine. It's a logistics problem. He can attack and make changes, leave a Russian milita...

I just wanted to hear a clear condemnation of the coming bloodshed. That's all.

Right on. Ok. Although I imagine that wasn't one sided. Ukraine probably wanted protection from Russia.

Baden earlier said that where there's a moral issue here, it's with the intransigence of both Russia and NATO. He's saying that Russia is partially ju...

Honestly, I think Putin is taking this opportunity to invade because he knows NATO won't respond. I think it's the opposite of a response to NATO taun...

If you blow up the World Trade Center, do you blame the superpower for trying to reorganize the whole middle east? Or do you blame the middle east for...

That was more charity than I needed. Thanks.

Exactly. Thank you.

I don't think Biden is symbolically giving Putin head. :chin:

I think it's that Biden promised some vague retribution for Russia's interference in American elections. Putin is spitting in his face (partly).