Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[EuchreJack]

Sounds like it's time to invade Russia from the East South!

Fixed that for you. 

[Lord Shonus]

The US believes Russia has now committed roughly 100% of the pre-staged forces into Ukraine.

More importantly, there's no indication of large-scale callups of additional forces. Some equipment replacement, especially civilian vehicles pressed into service as trucks, but no additional troops.


In other words, Russia's invasion is at the "That's all there is, there ain't no more" stage.

[martinuzz]

Ah yes, usually I do type it that way. Thanks for the reminder.

[Duuvian]

Acceptable Star Trek future? Is the button I would push in a Paradox game to move forward here. Seriously though it is an interesting article with a different point of view from what I'm used to.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/3/7/xi-should-pressure-putin-to-end-this-war-for-chinas-own-sake

If this war truly reduces Russia into a client of China, Xi can supersede the legacy of Mao, who could only break with Khrushchev’s Soviet Union but never overtook it in their rivalry. He can even supersede Emperor Kang Xi, the most powerful ruler of the Qing Dynasty, who nevertheless signed the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 that recognised Russia’s possession of Siberia north of the Amur river.

If China steps in and pressures Putin to end this war now, with a now dependent Russia as its sidekick, it could dominate Eurasia with its Belt-Road Initiatives. Xi would be the most powerful Chinese ruler since Kublai Khan in the 13th century. This would pose a great challenge to the West, but a rivalry with Xi’s China would likely be much safer than one with Putin’s Russia acting like North Korea.

[martinuzz]

Sadly, not going to happen.
China just made it known that they support the invasion of Ukraine, saying 'Russia has no choice but to defend itself'

Chinese minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi says that 'China hopes to usher in a new era of international relations. The current, US dominated world order leads to division and confrontation, where the Chinese-Russian alternative is beneficial to the whole world'

[McTraveller]

Are we really living in bizarro world?

In what world was anyone gearing up to actually attack Russia? I mean I guess they indeed are having their philosophies attacked...

The most glaring omission from that statement (if it's correct) is what the alternative to the "US dominated world order" actually is.  I'm not a fan of just having an authoritarian power force "unification" on anyone.

But that statement is the most chilling thing I've heard so far in this conflict... I mean seriously what is happening.  Can we just send these leaders that want to fight into a big arena and let them have it out?  The rest of us "general population" just want to live our lives peacefully...

[martinuzz]

Yeah, shit is too crazy to believe.

[Madman198237]

But that statement is the most chilling thing I've heard so far in this conflict... I mean seriously what is happening.  Can we just send these leaders that want to fight into a big arena and let them have it out?  The rest of us "general population" just want to live our lives peacefully...

Deciding a war based on duels between national leaders would be fun, yeah, but what happens when Vladimir Putin rides into the arena on a grizzly bear while Biden has a stroke before making it through the doors?

[LordBaal]

As crazy as them thinking Maduro will be able to not be friends with Putin anymore.

[Lord Shonus]

"Putin is a manly man of supreme power" is pro-Putin propaganda primarily created by Vladimir Putin, while "Biden is senile and in terrible health" is garbage pushed by tankies and far-right extremists. Biden's probably the healthier of the two.

[Madman198237]

You...you do realize that that was completely unserious, correct?

[Lord Shonus]

You would be shocked at how many people I've run into recently that would have said it in complete seriousness. At this point it is difficult to recognize sarcasm.

[bloop_bleep]

Okay, I support Ukraine, and I really do want to see them win this thing. Still, I feel like I have to play Devil's Advocate for a minute, and call out Zelensky.

Before the war started, the rest of the world were all saying that war was about to break out, but Zelensky kept telling his people that it was business as usual and Russia would never actually attack. So when the war came, the people of Ukraine were caught completely off guard, most in disbelief that it was actually happening even as the missiles started flying.
After the war started, Zelensky tells his people that they are definitely going to win. I understand patriotism and optimism, but most of these people are completely oblivious to the sheer degree to which they are outnumbered and outgunned, swearing that victory is just around the corner.
And now Zelensky is blaming NATO for failing to implement a no-fly zone, saying that without Russia's air advantage the war would be all but won for Ukraine. He completely omits the fact that if NATO poke Russia it would ignite a nuclear war which would exponentially increase the number of casualties, and even if that didn't happen and the no-fly zone somehow failed to provoke any response, Ukraine would still be left massively outnumbered and outgunned on the ground.

Honestly, the fake news in Ukraine is almost as bad as the fake news in Russia, and I just felt the need to call that out.

I'm sorry WTF? You are really equating Zelensky doubting that an invasion would necessarily happen, after already years of conflict, given Putin's tendency to make grand acts of bravado, and that Ukraine's fragile economic situation might suffer if he said otherwise, to Russia claiming that is no war in Ukraine, just a friendly "special military operation", and completely ignoring the bombing of civilians, calling strikes on residential buildings as intimidation in the midst of negotiations, shelling civilians who are trying to exit cities, the sheer paucity of humanity, the sheer moral desolation? Are you off your rocker?

And yes, our army is actually doing quite well in the circumstances, if you would care to pay attention. It seems to be the rest of the West which are acting like fwightened impotent babes.

I would suggest keeping "playing Devil's advocate" a metaphor and not an accurate description.

[Laterigrade]

You would be shocked at how many people I've run into recently that would have said it in complete seriousness. At this point it is difficult to recognize sarcasm.

Poe’s Law becomes more relevant every day.

[Random_Dragon]

Well here's an interesting video, Alternate History Hub does another of his occasional topical videos on the context of current events, instead of the usual musings on historical what-ifs.