Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Biden can bypass Congress if the US is selling arms to Ukraine. Munitions awaiting disposal may not be covered, likewise selling them for 99c each.

Why they allowed the lend lease act to lapse without even being used once is baffling. I assumed that was the fallback plan if Congress didn't approve new funding. It still gave Ukraine munitions, but they would need to return or pay for them eventually (could be written off at a later date). Key point being Ukraine wouldn't be left short.

I don't know why America couldn't sell all their cluster Munitions to Ukraine that they themselves are banned from using, I think someone said they have 6 million in storage. Like that would of probably saved adviika from falling. Sell them even 1 dollar for 1 cluster artillery shell. Least it fills in the gaps and would help Ukraine considerably. It's just the delay if Ukraine do get the 60 billion in US aid. Where will the front lines be then? What will the state of some of Ukrainian forces be in that have had to fight without the necessary artillery etc? They have lost a lot of people who should not have died if they were given all they should of been given and will lose more by the time IF there given the aid they deserve. I honestly think Ukraine need to drop there mobilisation age and recruit younger ages, it's more if Ukraine don't get the 60 billion US say by the summer what way will their forces be by then. I just wonder is Ukraine just holding out for the 60 billion US aid so they don't need to mobilise the younger people which I can understand but if there not given it there going to have to. It's more if the aid is not given when would this call have to be made.

Ahhh thanks for clearing that up as I was wondering why they couldn't sell the Cluster Munitions to Ukraine on the cheap just to get rid of them and could of helped Ukraine considerably.

France show long time ago that they only provide "help" if it is manufactured in France and someone else pay for it. Similar situation is going on now with Czech president. Only talk without anything concrete.

I am of the opinion at this point we just need to shut the whole thing down and kick them out. No doubt they will do likewise to our embassy in Moscow but thats fine as at this point there is no commercial business for us to be doing there and it's frankly IMHO a waste of our money having an embassy there.

They are using them in areas likely riddled with Russian mines. So yes it is a help or rather it is Ukraines call as to whether it is a help or not and they can judge the situation far better than you.

Your comments are questionable.

Good you don't think it is "normal" for someone to be imprisoned and (making a charitable assumption here) slowly killed by the state for opposing and causing embarrassment to a ruler. Do you expect credit for that? (seems like it if you had to type it out!)

He is a martyr (someone who died for a cause/what he believed in).

I think that is a poor generalisation about the West. Giving people second chances (even politicians) is still popular, particularly in the US. I won't bother to give examples.

Since social media and its easy ability to whip up witchhunts, there probably is less toleration and more "cancelling" of people who make mistakes. That happens outside the West as well, as I am sure you are aware.

At least the West (e.g. this country) is not yet imprisoning the political opponents of the govt. on flimsy pretexts and torturing them to death in prison, however much you may dislike the place!

Claims of two more fighter jets downed today. Apparently one fell near Mariupol.

Nice hit, if true

The big problem with cluster munitions is their failure rate, the ones that don't explode on impact, but remain where they landed, armed and highly dangerous, and both the Chinese and Russian ones have the highest failure rates, with the US ones having the lowest failure rates. So bring them on, the areas they will be used in are more than likely saturated with unexploded ordinance by now, and the ones that explode will trigger any other UXO's in the vicinity.

Why are you so afraid of a Ukraine that allows debate and dissent?

I already asked you to quote where I portrayed Zelensky as anything negative, and you failed to do so. I actually said I think he's done a very good job overall. It's Klitschko who said critical things.

So I ask again: why are you so afraid of a Ukraine that allows debate and dissent? Do you think the Mayor of Kyiv should be silenced, sacked, labelled unpatriotic, imprisoned? Or what's your proposed solution?

Am I the only one who finds it difficult to reconcile the brilliant tactical successes with sinking of ships and downing of jets (more today I believe) and the news on Russian advances on the ground.