quote:

Two men enter the cage, one man leaves.

Find a man Putin's age and weight and put him in a cage with him and watch what happens.

Maybe a "Troy" like challenge. Your best warrior against my best warrior.

quote:

But are we really going to enter a war with Russia over, say, Estonia?

I don't think so and I don't think Putin thinks so either.

I know "Article 5! Article 5!" but Putin has been swinging his nuclear dick around for a reason. I could see him going into a non-nuclear NATO country and threatening to use nukes if anyone interfered.

And I don't see the west going nuclear over over a treaty when nukes don't have to be involved.

One thing I totally see happening is that the proliferation of nuclear weapons in these smaller countries over the next decade will vastly increase.

NATO or not they are watching and two things stand out to them:

1) NEVER, EVER, give up you nukes no matter how many countries say "everything will be ok".

2) If you don't have nuclear weapons, get them ASAP.

quote:

Originally posted by kimber1911:
Biden is weak.
Putin saw this in the way we left Afghanistan.
And now here we are.

agree

he saw that disorganized crapshow and KNEW now is the time

at least we have our paratroopers making beds and housing arrangements:

https://jocoreport.com/fort-br...ans-fleeing-ukraine/

-----------------------------------------

Weakness is almost always rewarded with aggression. In the jungle, progressivism will get you killed. Hopefully voters in this country have learned a few things over the past year. Eventually, China will decide its time to start flexing on the world...insane to believe they buy into the globalist fantasies prevalent in the west. Ignore words and observe actions.

Putin speaking today:

Says Russia has “no ill intentions towards its neighbours” and calls for international cooperation to return, for relations to normalize

"We see no need to exacerbate the situation or worsen our relations," Putin said. "I think everyone should think about normalising relations and cooperating normally."

https://hotair.com/ed-morrisse...et-along-now-n452904

For the fifth straight day, the Russian stock market remained closed as valuations of Russian companies remain mired in junk-bond status

the London Stock Exchange froze trading in eight Russian companies on Friday, adding to the 28 already suspended. …

Global institutional investors see the Russian equity market as currently uninvestable, MSCI and FTSE Russell said Thursday. The two companies plan to remove Russian stocks from their indexes and reclassify them “at a price that is effectively zero.”

In Russia, Moscow’s MOEX exchange has been shut all this week, after crashing as much as 50% last Friday after the country’s forces attacked Ukraine. Its central bank ordered the closure, seen as an attempt to avoid further losses as pressure on Russian equities builds

[Note: photo of Russian protest and hyperlink found at linked website article.]

Emphasis added in bold.

===============

Russian Lawmakers OK Bill On 'False News' About Military Operations, In Further Curb On Media

March 04, 2022

Russian lawmakers have approved a draft law criminalizing the distribution of "false news" about military operations amid a crackdown on independent media outlets covering Moscow's ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

The bill, approved on March 4, will be added as a separate article to the Criminal Code to "prevent the discrediting of the armed forces of the Russian Federation during their operations to protect the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens, maintaining international peace and security."

The new law envisions penalties of up to 10 years in prison for individuals convicted of the offense. The penalty for the distribution of fake news about the Russian Army that leads to "serious consequences" rises to up to 15 years in prison.

It also makes it illegal "to make calls against the use of Russian troops to protect the interests of Russia" or "for discrediting such use" with a penalty possible of up to three years in prison. The same provision applies to calls for sanctions against Russia.

The move comes as Russian authorities ratchet up pressure on media outlets, threatening them for their reporting about the invasion on topics such as the heavy resistance being put up by Ukrainian forces despite Russia's overwhelming military power.

Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor has ordered media across the country to only publish information provided by official sources. It also forbids describing the unprovoked actions as an "invasion" or a "war," instead insisting they are called "special military operations."

Earlier on March 4, media regulator Roskomnadzor said it had "limited" access to independent media outlets, including multiple RFE/RL websites, the Russian sites of BBC and Deutsche Welle, as well as Facebook and Twitter. It also limited access to the app stores for Apple and Google.

On March 3, one of the most popular media outlets in the country, the Moscow-based Ekho Moskvy radio station, said it would be closing, at least temporarily, after being taken off air this week over its coverage of the invasion.

quote:

Originally posted by bdylan:
Weakness is almost always rewarded with aggression. In the jungle, progressivism will get you killed. Hopefully voters in this country have learned a few things over the past year.

The average American is to mentally lazy to absorb what Russian invading the Ukraine means and why. As George Carlin used to say a earth quake ten thousand miles away that killed five thousand people who gives a fuck? That's too far away to give a shit! What people will and are noticing is gas prices, food prices and shortages of food in the grocery store. Now are they smart enough to draw the comparison to what gas and food prices were when Trump was in office compared to now? Many people don't posses the intellectual honesty to draw the correct conclusion.

quote:

Originally posted by gw3971:

quote:

$11 BILLION FOR IRAN

I don't know how true that is? It won't surprise me a bit if it is true. With Biden in charge, the only thing I am sure is, that he will choose the wrong thing.

The sole reason Antony Blinkin was brought on as SecState, was to 're-start' the JCPOA, that's his baby, his perceived legacy. Trump undid it and this administration is trying to rewind the clock. Freeing up $11b in Iranian assets is the administration's 'peace offering' to get Iran back to the table and re-instate all or, parts of the JCPOA. Meanwhile, large chunks of the Western world is bent over Russia's gas & oil barrel, due to their own poorly developed energy policies and this admin continue to clown-shoe its way through geo-politics with this crazy idea.

Ukraine Invasion May Speed Up China’s Plan to Insulate Against US Dollar: Fed Chair

https://www.theepochtimes.com/...BomBmQgE4MKyAd86q3YI


China could very well accelerate its plans to come up with alternatives to the world’s dollar-dominated international payments system, after seeing Russia becoming isolated economically, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

Powell made the assessment on March 3 during a Senate Banking Committee hearing, when he was questioned by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“I think the Chinese are particularly interested in the fact that we’ve been able to assemble a global coalition to basically shut down the Russian economy,” Reed said.

“And they will start thinking about how they can avoid that fate if they get into similar circumstances,” the senator said, before adding that China “will look very closely” at the “whole issue of the dollar as the medium of exchange to the world.”

While the senator did not elaborate on what “circumstances” the Chinese regime might get into, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked concerns that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may be emboldened and take military actions to fulfill one of its own ambitions—taking over self-governing Taiwan.

The CCP sees Taiwan as part of its territory that must be united with the mainland, by force if necessary. However, Taiwan is a de facto independent entity, where Taiwanese people elect their own government officials through democratic elections.

In October last year, Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed that the “reunification” of Taiwan with China would “definitely be realized.”

Reed asked Powell if the Federal Reserve Chairman was looking at this issue and whether he would inform Congress on developments and share his opinions on what he thinks might happen.

“Yes to all of the above,” Powell said in response. He added that China has been working on a messaging system that is like the SWIFT international payments system.

On Feb. 26, the United States, the European Union, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK announced that they would ban certain Russian banks from the SWIFT system, in retaliation for Russia’s military attack on Ukraine.


“That’s going on now. That’s been going on for some time,” Powell said of China’s efforts to insulate itself from potentially the same thing that Russia is experiencing now.

However, the invasion “may change the trajectory” of China’s efforts, Powell said.

On March 2, Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced new legislation (S.3735), intending to impose “crippling” sanctions against the Chinese regime should it decide to invade Taiwan.

“Taiwan is a friend, good trading partner, and beacon of freedom and democracy,” Cramer said according to a statement. “Our bill threatens crippling financial sanctions as a deterrence to China trying to follow in Putin’s footsteps as it relates to Taiwan,” Cramer said.

If enacted, the bill would require the president to impose sanctions 30 days after “a triggering event” launched by the Chinese regime. The sanctions include revocation of visas and restrictions on Chinese nationals involved in the use of force against Taiwan and prohibition on any transfers of credit or payments between financial institutions with China.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
Russian Lawmakers OK Bill On 'False News' About Military Operations, In Further Curb On Media

…

Commies gotta Commie, I guess. (Yeah, yeah… they aren’t exactly Communists anymore, and they were never actually small-c communists, but they’re sure as hell acting like all the governments that CALL themselves communists.)

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
Commies gotta Commie, I guess.

More like Dictators gotta Dictate.

State-controlled media is not just a Communist phenomenon.

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:

Maybe a "Troy" like challenge. Your best warrior against my best warrior.

"GALLERY?! YOU'RE A DEAD MAN, GALLERY!!!"

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
Russian Lawmakers OK Bill On 'False News' About Military Operations, In Further Curb On Media

…

BBC Pulls All Reporters From Russia After Moscow Criminalizes "Disinformation"

Full Statement from Tim Davie, BBC Director-General:

“This legislation appears to criminalise the process of independent journalism. It leaves us no other option than to temporarily suspend the work of all BBC News journalists and their support staff within the Russian Federation while we assess the full implications of this unwelcome development.

“Our BBC News service in Russian will continue to operate from outside Russia.

“The safety of our staff is paramount and we are not prepared to expose them to the risk of criminal prosecution simply for doing their jobs. I’d like to pay tribute to all of them, for their bravery, determination and professionalism.

“We remain committed to making accurate, independent information available to audiences around the world, including the millions of Russians who use our news services. Our journalists in Ukraine and around the world will continue to report on the invasion of Ukraine.”

....

https://www.zerohedge.com/geop...-crackdown-fake-news

quote:

Originally posted by Herkdriver:

quote:

Originally posted by dewhorse:

Snip

I lived in Kharkiv, in fact I lived 2-3 blocks from the square....I hate seeing my second home town being torn down. While my SIL and her family got out we still have several family members / friends there that we are in contact with daily.....all are ok so far

I truly hope your friends and family will make it out of this ok. Sometimes we forget about the human cost when we are playing armchair general.

Thank you, just found out a local church is taking in medical supplies. Seeing if I can strap hang and help them out. Maybe if I get into UA my SIL will get off her arse before it's too late.

Waitaminute... I thought the first casualty of this war was all those top secret Illuminati-backed bioweapon labs hiding all over Ukraine?


()

https://www.cnn.com/europe/liv...d860bb64f8e87e8610d5

Direct attacks on a massive Russian convoy outside Kyiv, coupled with a destroyed bridge in the convoy’s path, have stalled the Russian forces about 15 miles north of the city, a senior defense official said Friday. Meanwhile, Ukraine retains a “significant majority” of its air combat power, as Russia remains unable to establish air supremacy.

The convoy, stretched out more than 40 miles of road, has not appreciably advanced since the weekend, the official said.

“We certainly believe that the Ukrainians blowing up that bridge absolutely had an effective on stopping and curtailing the movement of that convoy,” the official said. “But we also believe that they have hit the convoy at other places as well in direct attacks.”
Earlier this week, the official said logistical and sustainment issues have also contributed to the slow advance of the convoy. But the US believe Russian forces in the convoy are regrouping and learning from their mistakes as they continue to try to attack the Ukrainian capital.

As the fight on the ground continues, the Ukrainian air force still has fighter jets, helicopters and drones available, though they have suffered some losses, the official said. The losses are due both to “Russian actions” and inoperability, the official added.

I suppose it would be ‘cheating’(risk escalation) by refueling & arming the few Ukrainian aircraft in a neighboring country?

Wasn’t that a Vietnam thing, resupplying from the neighboring country deemed ‘off limits’?

No I’m not rooting for WWIII.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I suppose it would be ‘cheating’(risk escalation) by refueling & arming the few Ukrainian aircraft in a neighboring country?

Yep. A fully-armed Ukrainian jet that diverted to Romania in the early stages of war had to be disarmed before being allowed to fly back to Ukraine, in order to remove the risk of escalation.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-w...ll-get-for-some-time

quote:

Originally posted by sdy:
Direct attacks on a massive Russian convoy outside Kyiv, coupled with a destroyed bridge in the convoy’s path, have stalled the Russian forces about 15 miles north of the city, ...

Ah, that's why that convoy hasn't budged for the last forty-eight hours or so