Current Affairs Ukraine

[neil999]

I think whoever voted for Biden needs to take a long hard look at themselves. If China attacks Taiwan...what does Biden do?

Heck if nukes are on the way over into the US from somewhere...the idiot would probably not even know where he was.

I also think that the Italy, Germany and Hungary rejection of Johnsons request to remove Russia from SWIFT is a total disgrace.

For all the big talk about sanctions...no one has lifted a finger.

Those 'sanctions' are a joke.




I dont think he's a lunatic.

Hes an evil, cold, calculating monster who has robbed the Russian people to line his pockets with money and power.

Now he wants to go down in history.




Only an absolute fool would vote for Biden with the benefit of hindsight after Afganistan and now Ukraine.

If I was American, Hungarian, Italian or German id be absolutely ashamed and disgusted at the politicians.

Apparently Johnson put forward more sanctions but none of those 4 leaders approved them.

He also talked big and has not followed through.

Im absolutely angry and disgusted.

This would have been exactly the same if trump was in charge

 

[BlueTX]

Close family friends of my partner have gone to Moldova. Young professional family with an infant. Left the beautiful city of Odessa. Just boils my blood when the world's elite treat ordinary citizens with such utter contempt.

Glad they made it to safety.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

This is the worry. Yes understandably countries dont want a full world war. But if Putin takes Ukraine with no proper response then he's not going to stop there is he?

Not a hope. Unbelievable that it's 'kin Bojo and Trudeau who are the only ones suggesting serious responses

I've spent the morning talking this through with my very stressed other half. She's Romanian and her family are mostly in a town near the Hungarian border, but about 100km from the Ukranian border. Basically worrying about Putin getting a bit expansionist.

My view is he's unlikely to try and invade a NATO / EU country just now. Certainly not Romania. I'm not even sure he'd go for Moldova (they're neutral and unlike Ukraniane I dont think have tried to join Nato etc). However, if these two 'blocks' continue to be fairly divided or discordant with weak / disinterested leadership he may do so. That would be a huge test. If there was no response if Putin went for an old smaller USSR territory, such as Estonia, then I think he's pretty much won. Long term this needs to signal a refocusing of minds.

Now, I'm no geopolitical expert and that's my probably awful attempt at reading the runes. What do others think?

Edit: by disinterested leaders I particularly mean Trump. He was really not helpful in promoting NATO's cause. Imagine he or similar being voted in again?

 

[devogue]

I think whoever voted for Biden needs to take a long hard look at themselves. If China attacks Taiwan...what does Biden do?

Heck if nukes are on the way over into the US from somewhere...the idiot would probably not even know where he was.

I also think that the Italy, Germany and Hungary rejection of Johnsons request to remove Russia from SWIFT is a total disgrace.

For all the big talk about sanctions...no one has lifted a finger.

Those 'sanctions' are a joke.




I dont think he's a lunatic.

Hes an evil, cold, calculating monster who has robbed the Russian people to line his pockets with money and power.

Now he wants to go down in history.




Only an absolute fool would vote for Biden with the benefit of hindsight after Afganistan and now Ukraine.

If I was American, Hungarian, Italian or German id be absolutely ashamed and disgusted at the politicians.

Apparently Johnson put forward more sanctions but none of those 4 leaders approved them.

He also talked big and has not followed through.

Im absolutely angry and disgusted.

I don't think Taiwan is comparable tbh as the US has about 60,000 soldiers in Japan ready to respond to a Chinese invasion + their navy is present which atm is far superior to Chinas (although China is making progress towards that). On top of that, the US has an actual agreement + need to defend Taiwan.

 

[edge]

Zelenski looking for a way out now

I think tanks pointing at you in your city would have the same affect for most of us

 

[Lobster Johnson]

Just reading that the EU are preparing to freeze Putin's personal assets. So this'll all be over by 8 o clock when he realises he can't get 20 quid from the cash machine to go the pub.

 

[Prevenger17]

My view is he's unlikely to try and invade a NATO / EU country just now.

This is the problem. He's a lunatic and it's well within the realms of possibility that he will have a stab at a NATO country in future

Edit: by disinterested leaders I particularly mean Trump. He was really not helpful in promoting NATO's cause. Imagine he or similar being voted in again?

Trump would be an absolute disaster. Has made his love of Putin very clear and would complete the transformation of America's right wing into Putin's cheerleaders

 

[BlueTX]

I think whoever voted for Biden needs to take a long hard look at themselves. If China attacks Taiwan...what does Biden do?

Heck if nukes are on the way over into the US from somewhere...the idiot would probably not even know where he was.

I also think that the Italy, Germany and Hungary rejection of Johnsons request to remove Russia from SWIFT is a total disgrace.

For all the big talk about sanctions...no one has lifted a finger.

Those 'sanctions' are a joke.




I dont think he's a lunatic.

Hes an evil, cold, calculating monster who has robbed the Russian people to line his pockets with money and power.

Now he wants to go down in history.




Only an absolute fool would vote for Biden with the benefit of hindsight after Afganistan and now Ukraine.

If I was American, Hungarian, Italian or German id be absolutely ashamed and disgusted at the politicians.

Apparently Johnson put forward more sanctions but none of those 4 leaders approved them.

He also talked big and has not followed through.

Im absolutely angry and disgusted.

Hindsight? That's your argument?

Two choices: Trump and Biden.

Trump spent his entire Presidency kissing Putin rear end, weakening the US position on Ukraine, and now calls Putin a genius for invading Ukraine. The Afghanistan withdrawal was HIS plan. His trade agreement "success" with China was completely ignored by China.

Pure revisionist nonsense to think anything would be better with that tiny mushroom knob leading the free world.

 

[Neiler]

He will put his people in and for a while all will seem much as before... And all will cheer, look our wonderful sanctions have worked...However, over a period of years bit by bit freedoms and democracy will be dismantled...

Be interesting, many invaders over the years have found out the hard way. its one thing to invade a country, but its hard to hold a country that doesn't want to be held - the Russians have that experience historically in Afghanistan, while historically militarily they have also had difficulties logistically and maintaining discipline in extended drawn out campaigns.

 

[Papa Shango]

Are you going with your Benitez style posting with this mate?

Personally speaking, I would say that it is mental if you really do believe that America are the bad guys, like the Nazi's, and Russia the good guys? ?

You are probably right about the states previously invaded by Russia but liberated after the collapse of the Soviet empire. Non of the ones who have joined NATO had heard of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Good guys and bad guys are totally subjective depending on what side you are on...

 

[PhilM]

I was chatting to an ex-colleague and he was giving some snippets. While they can't be verified, he suggested NATO's analysis has been:

Russian forces have significantly underperformed versus expectations, with potentially circa 3500 casualties - deaths are talked about the 500-800 mark.

MANPADS and shoulder carried anti-armour have been effective against Russian air assets and armour, with no key objectives yet fully taken and behind schedule.

 

[bluerobert]

I know we are the road to decarbonize, however, lifting sanctions on Venezuela oil would crash the price of Russian oil...

Venezuela sanctions: guidance

Statutory guidance for the Venezuela sanctions regime, plus a summary of its purposes, scope and prohibitions.

www.gov.uk

The problem is though if you do that you’re basically saying you’ll accept the human rights violations they commit which is why the sanctions are in place just to ease the cost of oil. I work in CDD and sanctions for a bank and I’d be shocked if this happened. It’s more likely a Western ally like Saudi will just up production I think

 

[TN Toffee]

This would have been exactly the same if trump was in charge

Only in that case, a lunatic surrounded by nothing but incompetent yes-men would have his hand on the American switch. Just my opinion, but having fewer lunatics is always a positive when millions of lives are at stake.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Good guys and bad guys are totally subjective depending on what side you are on...

I am happy to be living in the democratic side, not an autocratic dictatorship.

 

[Taifi gorm]

I would imagine they haven't been called up due to how quickly the Russia attack started.

Or you know most lads didn't wait for the Letter in the post