Those two with the conclusion add up to a very good and persuasive take. Even a sympathetic one. From a 20,000 foot view of history it might even be the most constructive direction overall however it impacts the present. We are finding that the unipolar wolrd is too dangerous now that DC has become malignant and there is no check on China. Good arguments can be made for the need for the return of some balance.YouBet said:I think it's two things:titan said:That's just the thing. Putin is not Biden, or Schumer or any of the low watt and entirely self-serving politicians. He has to know the logistics better than many ----- is this a Czechslovakia gamble? Meaning--- if they resist, my own military may throw me down (Halder was prepared to do this to Hitler) - -BUT...if they blink, I get really valuable territory and people for little cost.YouBet said:We are and I'm glad they finally started making noise about taking the lead this week. It's their problem to solve and I suspect Biden's total incompetence finally made them realize they had to take the reins or this was 100% leading to war.wildmen09 said:YouBet said:Hate to tell you this, but he just sent Kamala to Europe to negotiate this on his behalf, so.......wildmen09 said:
I know there are a ton on here that hate Biden, but we need him to succeed here. This is not a slope we want to go down. Nobody wins in this scenario
Didn't see that, I wish her success. But at this point, we're probably better off with the Europeans negotiating. Sad
I'll point this fact out again - the EU has 300M more people than Russia and 18x the GDP as Russia. They don't need us to figure this out.
Still might be too little; too late.
But if Ukraine chooses to fight, it already can't be Czechslovakia --- so what is the real game.
Getting them to not join NATO seems easy enough, but there seems more to it.
OTOH, We do have to understand that because of the DC conduct this century, Russia correctly sees NATO as simply still aimed at them. To join it is to become a hostile. It is not a benign act. That is a factor our press and politicos willfully forgets often when giving their speeches.
1. What you said about NATO.
2. Russia is dying...literally. Not today or tomorrow but that is their trend line. They need resources and like-cultured people to bolster their state. They are highly diseased and unhealthy. Their life expectancy is 70. That is pitiful for a supposedly developed country that is largely similar in ethnicity across the gamut of their ethnic groups.
Enter Ukraine - a huge land mass with resources and ports that is aligned ethnically and culturally. That doesn't fix their life expectancy and health issues, but it gives them breathing room.
That also conveniently plays into the thought that Putin is wanting to rebuild the Russian Empire (not the USSR), so he essentially gets two birds with one stone by doing this.
Certainly, food for thought, because those motivations are basic ones and not so venal as the wreckers here.