Winston2020 wrote..

Outstanding, balanced, detailed insider overview from a true Putin expert.

I don't see it as balanced at all.

She claims Russians "erroneously" see Crimea as a historical part of Russia. If that's erroneous, I suppose she must think Crimea is historically a part of the Ottoman Empire, from whom the Russia annexed it in 1783?

Dig into her bio and who she's been working/writing for to get feel for where she's coming from. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised to find out she's a US "intelligence asset".

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1. NATO accession is in their constitution, so it will need to be changed
2. They passed several laws in Mar 2020 obligating the state to take back Crimea & Donetsk/Lugansk, so those will need to be rescinded
3. Everybody seem to have forgotten that when the LDNR was recognized, they invited Russian peace-keepers (22 Feb), after which the Russians demanded a cease-fire and offered to settle the LDNR borders at the negotiating table.

The Ukrainians responded by accelerating the shelling, and cutting of the gas and water to Donetsk.

@Egallred
I don't think Putin is crazy, I think Putin is doing exactly what he said he would do, unlike many of our leaders here. I think arming every citizen who wants to fight and than crying when the building they were shooting from gets bombed is crazy. You can't have it both ways, you are either a civilian or a combatant!

I agree that Russia will probably win (short and long-term) but I believe this shitshow is just getting started.

Quote:

Something nasty is coming. I would bet some pretty serious money on it.

I feel it too. :-(

I just finished reading a few articles regarding the bio labs Russia has control over.

Damn the propagandist are making me dizzy from all their spinning. Who remembers Iraqi weapons of mass destruction?

America is the botoxed, silicon breasted whore of Babylon. If the founders could see what she has become it would make them puke.

I've been embarrassed by the country and the culture since our stupid response to 9/11... the past two years have only made me feel worse. How can people be as stupid and blind as the West has become?

And it's only going to get worse...

@whitehat

Thanks for the post about using the phrase, "not up to my standards"
Discussed this with my wife and we're going to be using it. There are too many places that phrase fits.

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The problem is most people want to point a finger rather than their thumb when dealing with challenges.

@Surferdad, I was just anticipating what the propaganda is going to be. I could have been more clear about that. I have no problem saying that I have no idea what Putin's mental state might be.

Like most wars, there is no good guy. Only varying degrees of shithead evil.

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Stay out of the blast radius.

@Boredfree -- you are welcome. Best wishes.

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Je souhaite

Quod tu es, ego fui, quod ego sum, tu eris

Got into earlier on Twitter with someone. Mentioned the no-fly zone that Karl and others have mentioned earlier and the usage of the Polish jets.

His response was this:

Lol! Putin doesn't control the sky over Ukraine. He is getting humiliated in the air and on the ground.
His planes are being scrapped by the dozens by his own anti-aircraft equipment left by fleeing soldiers.