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What they are is a Mafia style government, wicked and brutal. But not the Soviet Union. Its closer to a giant Chicago gang era oligarchy.

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OK, fine. They're a gangster state. Is THAT the reason we should ally with them and/or offer them a seat at the next NATO realignment? Seems like a semantic argument at best.

The problem is that the Soviet Union didn't just vanish into the night. Sure, the hammer and sickle fell and the red banner was taken down. But it was 75 years of broken culture imbedded into a people. The flag fell but the worst parts lived on. And the truth is, much of Russian culture was broken before the USSR. They actually made it worse too. Russia may not be communist anymore, but it's still a brutal authoritarian **** hole full of broken ****ty culture.

They are no more a fit for western democracy than countries in the Middle East and it's futile to even try.

Teslag said:

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The problem is that the Soviet Union didn't just vanish into the night. Sure, the hammer and sickle fell and the red banner was taken down. But it was 75 years of broken culture imbedded into a people. The flag fell but the worst parts lived on. And the truth is, much of Russian culture was broken before the USSR. They actually made it worse too. Russia may not be communist anymore, but it's still a brutal authoritarian **** hole full of broken ****ty culture.

They are no more a fit for western democracy than countries in the Middle East and it's futile to even try.

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No real argument with the italics. Have often mentioned there is more continuity with Tsarist Russia than people realize, and that even back then, they were spoilers. Just read of all the antics with the British Empire and France in the late 1800's or Ottoman Turkey. But what they are not is this incarnation of Marxism, the very nemesis of Western civilization that finds more fertile ground in our campuses now. Even fascism, the real kind, was better.

agent-maroon said:

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What they are is a Mafia style government, wicked and brutal. But not the Soviet Union. Its closer to a giant Chicago gang era oligarchy.

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OK, fine. They're a gangster state. Is THAT the reason we should ally with them and/or offer them a seat at the next NATO realignment? Seems like a semantic argument at best.

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Not a full seat, some kind of association. But I was speaking of opportunities earlier this century, an association, or intermediate relation after 9/11. Russia has alot of reforming to do again before could try it now. History offers windows now and then, but they don't always last long. (Trump's Mideast peace was squandered by Bidenite re-empowering Iran for example) But it would be in our interest to try to get away from some automatic Cold War mode and get them less aligned with China. Again though, the chances for that have largely been missed.

Tulsi

AggieVictor10 said:

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Tulsi

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NO, commie democrats hate her.

Ag with kids said:

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AggieVictor10 said:

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Tulsi

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Yummy legs

AggieVictor10 said:

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Ag with kids said:

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AggieVictor10 said:

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Tulsi

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Yummy legs

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Yep.

And she's a Lt. Col. in the Army Reserves.

Tulsi like me doesn't want to be at war with Russia. Does that make us a Putin lover?

Teslag said:

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The problem is that the Soviet Union didn't just vanish into the night. Sure, the hammer and sickle fell and the red banner was taken down. But it was 75 years of broken culture imbedded into a people. The flag fell but the worst parts lived on. And the truth is, much of Russian culture was broken before the USSR. They actually made it worse too. Russia may not be communist anymore, but it's still a brutal authoritarian **** hole full of broken ****ty culture.

They are no more a fit for western democracy than countries in the Middle East and it's futile to even try.

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So sad that people like you think like this.

Sorry you hate facts

Double Diamond said:

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Teslag said:

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The problem is that the Soviet Union didn't just vanish into the night. Sure, the hammer and sickle fell and the red banner was taken down. But it was 75 years of broken culture imbedded into a people. The flag fell but the worst parts lived on. And the truth is, much of Russian culture was broken before the USSR. They actually made it worse too. Russia may not be communist anymore, but it's still a brutal authoritarian **** hole full of broken ****ty culture.

They are no more a fit for western democracy than countries in the Middle East and it's futile to even try.

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So sad that people like you think like this.

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He is forgetting that they don't really have an Islamist nature. Its just that much of the Orthodox Christian world had to endure more of the direct results of the push and pull of international conflict than the Western, and especially the United States. They have deep seated flaws and brutality, but have had a very different context too. Equating them to the Middle East at least in potential to improve is just not warranted. Its false to say we ever really tried --- we cut China more slack.

He's made it clear he holds a deep seeded hatred for Russia and Russian people/culture. I actually appreciate that he has done so as it makes further attempts at discussion demonstrably pointless.

It's insane to label Tulsi Gabbard as somehow a "Putin sympathizer" based on anything she has said or done imho. Even if one perceives Russia as some sort of global threat to American interests (which doesn't make much sense as they struggle to project military power and are basically a very small economy compared to the 'great powers'), from a policy perspective it makes sense to at least maintain a healthy relationship with them as a significant nuclear power. The path to unwinding the proxy war seems pretty clear, overall.

Warmongers (including veterans such as Duckworth) who label her this are really doing a disservice to the country.

This is the woman calling @TulsiGabbard a "Putin apologist, conspiracy theorist and friend to a Syrian dictator who gassed his own people".

In other words, a war-shill propagandist spreading lies. https://t.co/Zhvm9Q7T87

— Viva Frei (@thevivafrei) November 21, 2024

Oh, and she's a "Hindutva Nationalist" apparently, to boot!

Tenth, far-right US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated far-right Hindutva nationalist, Putin and Al-Assad sympathizer Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence. https://t.co/qJRXNPcclu

— Tāmaki Anti-Fascist Action (TAFA) (@AntiFascistAkl) November 15, 2024

Teslag said:

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Sorry you hate facts

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We had a great relationship with Russia till we invaded Iraq, tried to invade Syria. Overthrew the Ukrainian government in 2014 and armed western Ukraine in 2017. These savages were getting along fine with us.

Double Diamond said:

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Teslag said:

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Sorry you hate facts

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We had a great relationship with Russia till we invaded Iraq, tried to invade Syria. Overthrew the Ukrainian government in 2014 and armed western Ukraine in 2017. These savages were getting along fine with us.

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No, we weren't.

Totally were. Putin was the first world leader to call after 911 and was willing to help us in Afghanistan.

Double Diamond said:

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Teslag said:

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Sorry you hate facts

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We had a great relationship with Russia till we invaded Iraq, tried to invade Syria. Overthrew the Ukrainian government in 2014 and armed western Ukraine in 2017. These savages were getting along fine with us.

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Now THAT is how you do proper gaslighting!

Bravo!!!

Update, Lankford is still a POS.

Oh, how refreshing! A Republican "raising questions" about Tulsi Gabbard after authoring a "bipartisan" bill praised by Biden and Kamala. Definitely the bold leadership we need—said no one ever.

— Gianni POV (@giannipov) November 24, 2024

Zeihan put out this video absolutely crushing Tulsi (around 9:55 in the video). Direct quote: "It's the general opinion of most of the intelligence community that she's been an active Russian agent for years."



Ever since the nomination, I have looked for ANYTHING published ANYWHERE that contains ANY substantive information…I have been super curious. I have not found a single thing.

The insane part of this is how eerily similar the language is between the Tulsi smears and the Hunter Biden laptop suppression language from October '20, which was 100% brazen horse sht from the start and everyone knew it (even though they spouted it long enough to swing that election.

With the laptop, it was clear that the threat being mitigated was Trump defeating Biden in the 2020 election. I don't understand yet why they are employing the same tactics and language for a cabinet appointment in '24. What could Gabbard's nomination possibly be threatening at the same scale as the 2020 election?

Just fascinating to watch. If the accusations are truly baseless (as I believe), I look forward to her confirmation hearings and hope all these people get a giant sht sandwich shoved down their gullets.

Interesting to hear him parrot Dem-CCP talking points so strongly. He's long been a doom monger but also a CIA mouthpiece at heart. He has tried to stay 'mushy' instead of partisan to attract a larger audience but this is really off the rails, for him.

Republicans need to really come together and decide to facilitate recess appointments, imho.

And to Tulsi, again, the DNI doesn't even run the budgets of any of the agencies under their 'purview.' His claim that she's never been in management is belied by the fact that she is presently a commanding officer. Next, he claims she's a member of two cults, friend of the Syrian government, and an active russian agent for years. If so (on that last point), why would she have a top secret security clearance today? But she 'will do an immense amount of damage' as she is the 'Russian's girl.'

Dude has really lost it. I've said for years he shouldn't be taken seriously, and is just an entertainer at best. This just confirms it.

Zeihan is like the youtubers with thumbnail videos about "total economic collapse" "great depression stock market crash". He understands provocative statements and hot takes get views, and views get more followers, and more followers gets money.

It's too bad there are so many fools out there demanding such nonsense to confirm their biases.

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The insane part of this is how eerily similar the language is between the Tulsi smears and the Hunter Biden laptop suppression language from October '20, which was 100% brazen horse sht from the start and everyone knew it (even though they spouted it long enough to swing that election.

With the laptop, it was clear that the threat being mitigated was Trump defeating Biden in the 2020 election. I don't understand yet why they are employing the same tactics and language for a cabinet appointment in '24. What could Gabbard's nomination possibly be threatening at the same scale as the 2020 election?

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Probably similar fear she would clean house. When you have multiple intel agencies thats already a sign of overlap and inefficiency for DOGE to zero in on. Probably afraid will expose the weaponization like the static about AG to the DOJ corruption. What's interesting is assuming any credibility remains after the above in such a pronouncement.