War Games: Russia Takes Ukraine, China Takes Taiwan. US Response?

[TheVat]

43 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

Heroic... no less. Vladimir Kara-Murza will not be far behind, I think. He's had the poison treatment as well. People like these humble me.

Yes they do me as well.  VKM disappeared from his prison near Omsk a couple weeks ago, so it seems likely he got the Arctic circle hellhole transfer that Navalny got in early December.  "Special regime" colonies, they call them.  

[J.C.MacSwell]

According to Lee Zeldin this could happen in the US as well:

"Former New York Republican Representative Lee Zeldin compared the death of Alexei Navalny to former President Donald Trump, saying that Democrats want to make sure the former president "dies in prison."

"As the world reflects on the murder of Alexei Navalny at the hands of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, it's worth remembering that Democrats are actively doing Biden's bidding as they also try to imprison his chief political opponent, Donald Trump, remove him from the ballot, and ensure he dies in prison," Zeldin wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter."

https://www.newsweek.com/republican-compares-trump-navalny-democrats-want-him-die-prison-1870722

 

I think there is a slight difference between the two cases but I can't quite put my finger on it...

Though some Republicans like Nikki Haley don't seem to share Zeldin's view of poor Donald:

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/16/navalny-death-trump-putin-00141899

[CharonY]

10 minutes ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

I think there is a slight difference between the two cases but I can't quite put my finger on it...

I think the main difference is that according to Trump, Biden should have called SEAL Team Six for assassination. None of this jail bullshit.

[TheVat]

6 hours ago, CharonY said:

I think the main difference is that according to Trump, Biden should have called SEAL Team Six for assassination. None of this jail bullshit.

Well played.  And if he did order an assassination, Congress might try to impeach, but such proceedings are just partisan witch hunts, as Trump has taught us.  

[StringJunky]

With Russia finally admitting it is "at war" with Ukraine, will this change anything in terms of the rules of conflict? Does that free open more options for them in what they can allow militarily with their armed forces and population?

Quote

The Kremlin said that it is in a "state of war" in Ukraine -- a major escalation in the official language used to describe the conflict, now in its third year.

"We are in a state of war. Yes, it started as a special military operation, but as soon as this bunch was formed there, when the collective West became a participant on Ukraine's side, for us it already became a war," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview to a pro-Kremlin newspaper published on Friday. - Kyiv Post

 

Edited March 22 by StringJunky

[J.C.MacSwell]

47 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

With Russia finally admitting it is "at war" with Ukraine, will this change anything in terms of the rules of conflict? Does that free open more options for them in what they can allow militarily with their armed forces and population?

 

I expect the "see what you made us do/what aboutist" Putinist Kremliners will attempt to justify anything and do anything that they think will help their position. Not that twisting the rules of conflict, such as they are, is limited to their side only.

Putin is certainly willing to cherry pick through history with an unmatched sense of entitlement.

Edited March 22 by J.C.MacSwell

[iNow]

19 hours ago, StringJunky said:

will this change anything in terms of the rules of conflict?

If you mean the rules about doing anything at all and whatever it takes to “win,” then no.

What will change is Putin using his recently rigged election like a trophy while simultaneously aligning with powers which are rapidly becoming hegemonies (I’m also unconvinced these recent terrorist events within country weren’t just Reichstag fire type events designed to further consolidate power and make more fierce and forceful crackdowns on dissenters more palatable.

And the US election is sure to swing the pendulum of the world one way or the other in a short few months. 

18 hours ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

will attempt to justify anything and do anything that they think will help their position

Yes. You were much more concise, and IMO correct. 

[Moontanman]

10 hours ago, iNow said:

If you mean the rules about doing anything at all and whatever it takes to “win,” then no.

What will change is Putin using his recently rigged election like a trophy while simultaneously aligning with powers which are rapidly becoming hegemonies (I’m also unconvinced these recent terrorist events within country weren’t just Reichstag fire type events designed to further consolidate power and make more fierce and forceful crackdowns on dissenters more palatable.

And the US election is sure to swing the pendulum of the world one way or the other in a short few months. 

Yes. You were much more concise, and IMO correct. 

So we are all just waiting to see if the word turns fascist in few months? 

[iNow]

7 hours ago, Moontanman said:

So we are all just waiting to see if the word turns fascist in few months? 

It’s already turning fascist. We’re waiting to see if those who aren’t get off their asses and do something about it 

[dimreepr]

13 hours ago, iNow said:

It’s already turning fascist. We’re waiting to see if those who aren’t get off their asses and do something about it 

Not enough of them have uncomfortable furniture, yet.

[TheVat]

On 3/22/2024 at 11:18 PM, iNow said:

I’m also unconvinced these recent terrorist events within country weren’t just Reichstag fire type events designed to further consolidate power and make more fierce and forceful crackdowns on dissenters more palatable.

I'm hearing US intelligence is now indicating strong evidence that the concert massacre was indeed Islamic State, as IS has claimed.

But the chinless thug is certainly using it to smear Ukraine and justify escalating attacks there.  And no doubt it will also mean bigger boot heels crushing Russian faces, too.   IS provided sort of a windfall for Poots.  

 

[Moontanman]

So basically the World is turning Fascist and the only way it can be stopped is if everyone gets off their asses and do something about it... We're Fucked!  

[StringJunky]

1 hour ago, Moontanman said:

So basically the World is turning Fascist and the only way it can be stopped is if everyone gets off their asses and do something about it... We're Fucked!  

It's looking like the UK may well turn left this election.

[DimaMazin]

America created, uses and supports nucklear blackmail policy like all members of nucklear klub . Ukraine destroys the policy . Therefore Trump and all Biden's team are against  victory of Ukraine.

[MigL]

Don't know what Dima is on about, and I don't particularly care.

But "The West is turning Fascist" ??
That's when labels stop having any meaning.
You'll recall that Fascists and Communists ( which Russia still claims to be ) are ideologically opposed, and the eastern part of WW2 was fought about those ideological differences.
And the reason, given by V Putin, for invading the Ukraine, and liberating its people from the oppressive Nazi fascists.

Similarly, it seems that those we label fascists, like D Trump and his brown shirts ( who march on the Capital ) are V Putin ass-kissers and sympathizers.
D Trump has said numerous times how much he admires V Putin, and how he'd allow him to have Europe if the Europeans don't pay their bills.

 This isn't a case of Nazis, Fascists, or Communists.
Its despots, Democracies, and wanna-be despots who are willing to throw away our Democracy for personal gain.

[geordief]

1 hour ago, MigL said:

Communists(which Russia still claims to be

Can I just pick you up on that point?

I didn't think that Russia (you mean the regime ruling Russia now?)  claimed to be Communists.

Not that I care very much what they claim to be ,as (a) actions speak louder and (b) lying is what they are best at.

 

Just surprised you might think that.

Regarding "fascism" it seems to me that what we have in Russia and possibly emerging in  USA may  actually be worse than the fascism as practiced in the 20th century.

(Not quite sure if it was just Italy that calledcutself fascist or whether Spain shared the same,or similar  ideology)

 

Edited April 12 by geordief

[MigL]

10 hours ago, geordief said:

actions speak louder

True.
All the fascist labelled states, Franco's Nationalists in Spain, Mussolini's Fascists in Italy, Hitler's National Socialists, and even Peron's Argentina, as well as Stalin's communists in Russia, Pol Pot's Communists in Cambodia and Mao Zedong's Communists in China used the same 'actions'.
They were better classified as strong dictatorships where dissention is not tolerated, and results in death.

The labels have no meaning because, even when you have a popular uprising to protest oppression by the wealthy few, as in the French Revolution, it soon descends into murdering chaos.

It seems we humans only know one method.
Instead of discussion to gain consensus, we choose to silence opposing ideas; in the extreme cases, mentioned above, by eliminating the people with the opposing ideas.

[CharonY]

Definitions can be useful for specific contexts. A bit of an issue with fascism is that it definitions are slightly diffuse, and the folks who considered themselves fascist are a bit deliberate vague in their ideology. There are a few common elements that one can use to distinguish them from e.g. communist ideologies (e.g. ultranationalism, capitalist system and belief in natural social hierarchies, for example). 

But if the point is regarding the dangers of autocratics systems, these elements might not be relevant. A modern danger in the Western world is the momentum of more diffuse, but populist and grievance-based sentiments, where folks are willing to trade freedoms for an autocratic system that punishes those oppose to them. It remains an old play book where fears of immigrants, certain races, homosexuality (or basically any sexuality not considered the norm), transgenderism and so on is seen as an existential threat and a perceived strong man (Orban, Trump etc.) is their saviour. What can also be seen is that those sentiments are coordinated (to a big degree by social media) and can be traced to certain strategist (e.g. Bannon) who have especially mobilized young white men who feel disenfranchised.

 

 

 

[DimaMazin]

On 4/12/2024 at 5:10 PM, MigL said:

 

It seems we humans only know one method.
Instead of discussion to gain consensus, we choose to silence opposing ideas; in the extreme cases, mentioned above, by eliminating the people with the opposing ideas.

Then Jews were obliged to serch for consensus with Hittler. Due to your wrong policy you do no success in science. Likes of backward Americans led you in delusion.

[Bufofrog]

11 minutes ago, DimaMazin said:

Then Jews were obliged to serch for consensus with Hittler.

I have no idea what that means and I'm pretty sure I don't I want you to clarify it for me..

[iNow]

12,000 troops and special operations teams are being transported from North Korea to Russia and after being given Russian uniforms and weapons will be sent to the front lines in Ukraine. 

CIA Director William Burns two weeks ago at a security conference said, “The North Koreans [are] supplying significant quantities of artillery munitions for Russia, desperately needed by the Russians on the battlefield. Short-range ballistic missiles as well. And of course the challenge is, this is a two-way street, because the North Koreans benefit as well from this.”

In response, South Korea is actively working to send “lethal military aid” to Kyiv. 

https://www.newsweek.com/south-korea-news-could-follow-north-russia-ukraine-war-1972082

[StringJunky]

35 minutes ago, iNow said:

12,000 troops and special operations teams are being transported from North Korea to Russia and after being given Russian uniforms and weapons will be sent to the front lines in Ukraine. 

CIA Director William Burns two weeks ago at a security conference said, “The North Koreans [are] supplying significant quantities of artillery munitions for Russia, desperately needed by the Russians on the battlefield. Short-range ballistic missiles as well. And of course the challenge is, this is a two-way street, because the North Koreans benefit as well from this.”

In response, South Korea is actively working to send “lethal military aid” to Kyiv. 

https://www.newsweek.com/south-korea-news-could-follow-north-russia-ukraine-war-1972082

At the current kill rate, those NK soldiers will last less than two weeks. They'll be stuck on the front as sacrificial targets aka cannon fodder.

[TheVat]

1 hour ago, StringJunky said:

At the current kill rate, those NK soldiers will last less than two weeks. They'll be stuck on the front as sacrificial targets aka cannon fodder.

Wonder how many NK soldiers see this deployment as a possible way to get the hell out of NK and attempt to defect to the west.  

[StringJunky]

2 hours ago, TheVat said:

Wonder how many NK soldiers see this deployment as a possible way to get the hell out of NK and attempt to defect to the west.  

50 have tried and got caught, I read yesterday. They are joining the assault troops.