If control of the houses was a factor in Putins actions, then why act during both Obama and Biden presidencies? There's not consistency in your logic
Isn't there video of Trump parroting back Soviet misinformation to Putin at a meeting and Putin struggling to hold his composure as he hears the propaganda which Trump has taken to heart being relayed back to him directly.
He didn't need to push his agenda while Trump was in power as he could manipulate Trump. Now that he has to deal with a President who controls the houses he just has to push forward the old fashioned way as chicanery is no longer going to reap rewards for him.
A President of average ability who controls the houses can defend the interests of the U.S. A charismatic President with strong approval ratings who does not control the houses can not defend the interests of the U.S.
Someone who could considered possibly the wealthiest man on earth, who controls vast amounts of resources, is an autocrat and clearly a narcissistic sociopath considers Martin as decadent for drinking tea and wtahcing **** tv?
What the **** are you on about mate? The lad lives in a **** palace, has several multmillion properties around the world, the use of private planes and yachts. Decadent?
That is very easy to say from behind a keyboard
You're so close, you've almost got it!
Trump admired Putin, as he did autocrats generally. He was jealous of the power they have and the things they can do which were beyond him even as US president.
I suppose if Trump was in power Russia/US tensions might be reduced because he would approve (similar to some posters?) of the daring of Putin's speechifying about "rights" of Russia, what countries & peoples are real/not real (iirc, Trump wanted to buy Greenland at one stage?) and be very impressed by macho-ness of deployment of Russia's army to threaten neighbours.
Everyone knows the truth about Trump
Today
Earlier this month
Early January
Late January
I see a lot of anti trump posts up here and the continual play on what he said …..I’m just goin to put up a non cnn article to give it some context … trumps an asshole no doubt but I think Biden equally matches him in that dept… anyways trumps using the current scenario to undermine him. Fact is Putin was goin to plow ahead with this regardless who was in power of USA as he knows they ain’t goin to get involved for Ukraine …
Biden controls the Houses. Other Democrat presidents were struggling against Republicans who were happy to see the world burn if it allowed to frustrate the President in the simplest of matters. Putin understands this. You don't.
It's so grim. It's very difficult to imagine what those people are going to have to go through by the looks of things.
Ah but sure if only they just gave Russia everything they wanted 🙄
They should defend themselves. Their country is being invaded. Even after Russia steamrolls them and they accept that to avoid casualities they need to prepare for insurgency and a guerilla campaign. Make life too difficult for the occupier.
Amongst all the bikering and trying to get one up on the other on this thread. Its a sobering thought now for many families in Ukraine who are staring into the face of this conflict knowing that their children will be sent out to defend their country against nearly hopeless odds and in all likely hood may nether see them again.
As much as we may give out about how currupt or a sh**t hole we live in here we really dont have it too bad at all...
Donald trump has been praising putins invasion ,for those who think putin was afraid of trump you's were sorely wrong
18 auto correct .
Sorry
Aged 16yrs - Jesus Wept..............
Looking that way.
I think I said earlier in the thread but it's bizarre living through something like this. Reading a history book of big events and it's like "Day x, this happened, day x+3 this happened..." and it takes up a paragraph. But living through the couple of weeks is very different.
Also gives the bots a couple of extra days to keep denying and downplaying.
Ukraine just announced conscription for males 18-60 .
There going to defend themselves
It would explain a lot of those, ummm, curious photoshoots.
Nord Stream 2 is hardly a sanction since it is not even active yet. Putin is looking at the Brits and at M. Martin drinking tea and watching Ant and Dec and he's thinking "These people are decadent f'ers. I'm going to go for it."
But NATO and even Russian generals think Putin is on a course of self destruction so it's going to be a war of attrition in Ukraine and Russia will get nothing out of it, like Afghanistan. I bet that's NATO's uber plan.
There has been rumors , he seems to prefer saplings to trees
apparently a full-scale invasion is very very imminent and higher than highly likely now
And yet Putin's "invasions" happened during Obama and then Biden presidencies, but not Trump who was so easy on Russia.
Putin’s watch is on his right arm. I wonder does he, ‘swing from the other tree’ if you know what I mean.
The millions and millions of useful idiots created in the states in the last decade could end up being Russia's best move in the medium and long term.
Seems they definitely can't tell the time in Russia,
It wasn't just one watch with the wrong time
No worries. I think the big issue here is that people are trying to see Putin's steps from a purely rational and logical point of view. Putin is not operating from a logical perspective, he's working an emotional narrative that Russia has been systematically cut up and cheated by outside forces, is being kept from fulfilling its destiny and beset on all sides by enemies. He is trying to right this perceived wrong and feels justified in going to any lengths to make that happen.
If that narrative sounds depressingly familiar, it's because it is. This same rhetoric was used in the 1930s to whip up the German people and just like back then, Putin now scoffs at and despises the international order and customs of diplomacy. I used to have trouble wrapping my head around how events such as the occupation of the Sudetenland or even the full-on occupation of Czechoslovakia could go ahead without massive international intervention. I'm beginning to understand now how that could happen...
There was a small drone flying at 18000 feet at only 83 knots yesterday right beside the area that was shelled by separatist. I believe that this drone, which was squawking a transponder code, but no calling, was being used to direct artillary. I don't think the operators knew that it was transmitting.
Two bowsies. Trump did his part in disrupting the international (dis)order with his easy-to-win trade war too.
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