Ukraine (Mod Note & Threadbanned Users in OP)

You literally claimed in the last few days letting Ukraine into the EU would be a solution to this war.

You've always argued this? Really? show me where?

Also calling former USSR members colonies might be the most pig ignorant thing you've posted to date.

Why is anyone responding to this foolish, ignorant nonsense? Clearly, it is uneducated drivel,piffle and waffle.

Alternatively, it could reasonably be called russian propaganda...

I'll second all of the above.

You cant argue or raise a valid point with @pooka as he totally ignores what you've said. He's only interested in pushing his own make believe stuff, and just comes back with more gibberish. One of the worst trolls I've seen, yet here he is still getting free rein to post his garbage and taint what was once a decent thread.

Incidentally his nickname is bungalow. Because there's nothing upstairs.

It is certainly complicated - leaving the war aside for a moment (not at all intended as undermining the importance of ending the war) - Russia has behaved disgracefully in recent weeks

• The Putin regime effectively gave permission for its national airlines to 'steel foreign aircraft' - The lease agreements on Aviation equipment clearly signify that the aircraft should be returned to the west. Russia now intends to ignore this
• Russia is now, supposedly, in the process of nationalizing the property of Foreign Companies that are currently refusing to do business in their country.
• The regime has effectively banned Foreign news agencies from publishing content for consumption in Russia -
• Russia has disgraced itself diplomatically (questioning whether Germany was denazified in 1945, stated that Japan is 'backing the NAZIS for a second time, stated that they will not afford foreign volunteers 'POW' status if their are captured)

The above cannot be taken lightly at all, imho. Even in a bizarre hypothetical where sanctions were reduced dramatically, i cannot see a complete return to business as usual. The above signifies that Russia (under Putin) cannot be trusted

My opinion is that normalization cannot occur while Putin remains in charge. Now whether he retires, or steps aside, or is forced out (or suffers an unfortunate accident involving a stairs, and machine gun fire) - i think a lot will then depend on who replaces him. And what actions are taken to right the wrongs of the last month.

I think it important that Biden (gaffs aside) made a point of stating that the west's quarrel is NOT with Russia, or its people - but with its current leadership

EDIT - i can provide links/citations for the above but its all been linked in previous posts on this thread

here is a video explaining the aviation situation and consequences

Educate yourself on the Nazi situation please. It’s just one of a multitude of things you are deliberately ignorant of.

And stop being an apologist for kidnap, murder, destruction of property, a multitude of war crimes, and disrespect for democratically elected governments.

If he isn't a Putinbot, Tooka is probably some twisted kid who gets pleasure in having people on and generally annoying and provoking them with his drivel.

For heaven's sake ignore him: that will annoy him more than anything. I never thought that cancelling anyone was a good idea until I came across Tooka.

Yeah seems like a deliberate act now looking at the posts, and the fact that it's a new poster. Anyway moving on.

It sure is, but unfortunately people that should watch it either won’t, or will ignore what it says.

Its the #1 news item on BBC and RTE.

Something you could have checked in a matter of seconds

But then you couldnt have poured out this rant.

Your lies and disinformation in this thread have been called out - invented stories of posts that predate your join date - and still you plough on with posts devoid of facts or merit.

It would be more fitting if you took your soap box to the top of Henry Street and replaced that crazy fanatical religious guy than using this thread for your nonsense.

I don't believe that another Cold War/Iron Curtain scenario would ever materialise... which is why I never mentioned it. Although I will say that I did give it a good deal of thought. I have many decades of business experience dealing with tens of thousands of people during that time. What that has done is make me pretty accurate on character assessment based on the presentable facts, with a sprinkling of intuition. I see it like this:

Putin, in his vanity - and Russia itself to a great extent - see their place in the world hierarchy as the head, or as close as, to the top of the pecking order, when the reality is they are more towards the middle. No country can live or thrive on past glories and lands... as with the British Empire, and now the British Commonwealth which is gradually fragmenting and will be a thing of the past in xx years time. Yet as Putin sees his influence on world affairs waning, he seeks to re-establish his sense of importance by land grabbing via war in Ukraine. I believe this is partly due to his distorted view than the land belongs to Russia, and partly it's his message to the world to remind them that Russia is a big player (in his eyes) to be ignored at your peril.

I cannot envisage Putin festering away behind a new Iron Curtain as his country is being economically strangled and effectively paralysed for the foreseeable future, his army has been totally embarrassed, the oligarchs have lost vast chunks of their wealth, business and world trade has been decimated, numerous countries will no longer trade with them, world banks will show them the exit door, and Russia spirals back into living standards of 100 years ago. If it were to happen then I believe Putin's threat to humanity would then be more potent than ever (cornered dog, etc).

I think that the bottom line is that Putin's inflated ego and sense of self-importance tells us that he wont back down, or surely he would have done so by now. That leaves us with the two scenarios I outlined. I also believe that the longer this war continues the greater the chances of assassination or a coup. Yet the mental fortitude of a man who can do what he's done by starting this war (plus poisonings, blocking any form of free speech, imprisoning or killing any political opposition, things you mentioned such as stealing planes, etc), tells us in no uncertain terms not that he's irrational, but that he's a man who will stop at absolutely nothing to get his own way. Which brings us to my second scenario of another World War.

I believe Putin will prod, provoke and threaten for a long time yet. Whilst it could cause nuclear confrontation, at what level of outrage does the free world say enough is enough, we're going in. IMHO there will be nuclear weapons used at some stage should Putin remain in his seat of absolute power, and unchallenged, for any further decent length of time.

I hope I'm wrong, and I also hope if he's not taken out by a coup or assassinated then he does as you say and retreats behind another Iron Curtain, quietly. But I just cant see that happening.