🤣 dear china...ask the butt end of me bollix 👍️
Don't forget most recently they tried to back out of the grain deal. Thankfully Turkey held strong and didn't let them weasel out of it. They'll snake out of any agreement they aren't forcibly held to. Negotiations would also need to assume that the Kremlin has its own citizens needs as a priority. Using its own population in droves to soak up Ukranian bullets and shells roundly shows they do not. Peace agreements which expect the Kremlin to do anything by asking nicely or appealing to common sense on behalf of their population profoundly ignores reality. The Scorpion and the Frog to a tee.
Unfortunately I don't hold out much hope for any future government either. The Russian population seems wholly disinterested in what its government does. It's a perfect blueprint for a dictatorship. If Putin is removed the reigns simply become free to be picked up again. Until that fundamental thing changes the country will forever be an unstable, dangerous mess. But that's an issue that might not even be solved this generation.
I'm not sure 'disinterested' is the right term.
'scared', 'intimidated', 'cowed' are probably all better terms.
I reckon the US will send ATACMS in some form or another to Ukraine before any F16's arrive. The UK have lifted the stigma on this.
The U.S. asked south American countries for artillery shells. They refused. They should ask again...
...
A report Earlier claimed Russia used 7 million artillery and shells mortar rounds on Ukraine this year , vastly outshooting the Ukrainans,
Meanwhile it's been claimed the Ivan Khurs arrived back in Sevastopol unscathed today
!!!
These folk going on about nuclear war is a bit like Trump ranting about the stolen action. Is anyone even listening anymore?
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I was listening to a report on you-tube yesterday .. the guys take was russia started the war with an estimated 17 million artillery shells ( they didnt mention shell size or type ) , and has used / fired / lost aprox 10 million . They estimated russia could be capable of making up to 2 million a year ...
Speculation that russian shell rationing may not be due to an immediate shell shortage - but preserving stocks to respond to any Ukrainian offensive
They are normalising the notion of using nuclear weapons to the Russian public. To reduce domestic opposition and shock to it in the unlikely event that they make a decision to use them.
I wonder, does Li Hui knows what does his surname mean in ruSSian (Хуй)...
They won't use them so it's a pointless exercise
It's still not the EU or Americas role to stand up to a bully. Who gave them that mandate? Looking for scapegoats or faults in anyone other than the aggressor is wrong.
Anyone standing up to Putin will be seen by him as an antagonist and an excuse to do what he likes. What should have happened is the UN stepping in and doing their role.
Sweet Jesus!!! That's a lot of worn out mortar and artillery tubes! And all to achieve the goal of ploughing less square acreage in 15 months than Ukrainian farmers manage in 1 month each year.
How do you expect the UN to step up given Russia sits on the security council with a veto alongside China? What exactly do you expect the UN to do to stop Russia given it has no armed forces of its own? Any intervention would require the military support of the same powers now aiding Ukraine.
So yes the burden falls to the US / NATO / EU, Japan, Canada and Australia to stand by Ukraine. In part that is also because it is not in their long term interest to see Ukraine subjugated by Russia in this manner.
And given they are now involved we can reflect on the wisdom of how past Russian aggression was responded to. And in some cases eg Schroeder they were deeply compromised.
Similarly we can reflect on the wisdom of US, British and French foreign policy in the 1930s and if stronger / more concerted action might have deterred Germany, Italy and Japan. And also assess the role of the likes of Petain, Lindbergh et al. And the failings of the League of Nations.
Twitter is buzzing with this. May be nothing...
I'm not disputing that. My original response was to the person complaining that it's all Obama's fault. Some whataboutery that the US and EU are to blame for Russias invasion. Then some genius thought it was America's role to stand up to a bully (but it isn't) and that would somehow have prevented this. However, they are doing the right thing now and standing by the invaded party.
Where did they say it was all Obama's fault???
Both statements can be true - it is Russia who bears responsibility but it could have been prevented by stronger US / EU action. It does not absolve Russia of agency.
And also under the Budapest agreement the US and the two then major EU military powers France and the UK did provide security guarantees to Ukraine and accordingly their response to Crimean invasion should have been stronger.
Therefore, your remarks about whataboutery and 'some genius' have no basis.
Ukraine are destroying an awesome amount of Russian artillery these past few weeks. 40 pieces in one day, recently.
I am going to be frank, they might be doing Russian artillery men a favour. I am not certain I would like to be standing anywhere near an artillery piece the has been mothballed for 30 years and forced through the rate of fire described above.
Trying to block a counter offensive they now realise they cannot stop.
The Sign of a successful 3 day operation when you need to use your space engineers as frontline troops
I'd be very careful making comments like that Baba...The Chinese have some very strange culinary tastes and habits.....I mean when you see what's for sale in their street markets.....I wouldn't be giving them any ideas.🙄
Lula declined an invitation from Putin to visit Russia today. Thought the most interesting comment came at the end.
After their proposed meeting fell through in Japan, Lula first said he was “upset” before then claiming that he did not see a point in meeting Zelensky, saying neither he nor Putin appeared to want peace.
“For now, they’re both convinced they’re going to win the war,” he said.
Does that dumbo have any moral perspective at all?
I know this is something that divides opinion on this thread but I must say that I personally agree with this side of it:
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://we.vanillicon.com/v2/e050b53be62f0ae2404c620976170938.svg)
