texastough

And possibly bring down some GOP shysters at the same time

that seemed like a pathetic troll attempt but stupidity could explain it as well

Oh for fucks sake

Here's to switchblades shortening the war and limiting civilian casualties. Russia has shown that it cannot win on the battlefield and that the primary threat it presents is bombing civilians. If a combination of hunter groups and precision guided drones can take out Russian artillery and missile systems, its over. https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/baguette-sized-flying-bombs-are-about-to-enter-service-in-ukraine/21808317

Isn't Poland's military capability today rated as one of the best in NATO?

hows that going for them, lets check economically -- outlook not so good ideologically -- my sources say no militarily -- better not tell you now

I'd be shocked if any baseball NIL money was in the same universe as the signing bonus for a top draft pick

To me its a question of practicality -- will it work like Z wants it to? Seems it would just drive subversive efforts underground, and it might be smarter to keep a light shined on it. Edit, I have no idea what the real situation is there, so I'm not advocating either way.

Cmon the issue is not why someone is a refugee/immigrant it’s the way we treat them at the border

I’ve seen casualty stats but at this point have the Ukrainians out out numbers of Russians who have surrendered or were captured?

Bait, trying to draw NATO countries into the conflict, or mechanical and supply issues. While I lead toward the former, since otherwise you would space it out more for security, it could be the latter simply because the front needs resupply so badly

I think its not just the risk of escalation and nukes, I think its also that the optics are better for just about everyone on the planet if Ukraine wins on its own

At this point, the terms in the negotiation would be something out of Braveheart: Russian army immediately leaves Ukraine, Crimea and Donbas recognized as Ukraine, Russia pays to rebuild Ukraine and pays damages to the wounded and families of all Ukrainians killed

I really do believe the first three bullets are likely. The denuclearization stuff may be a longshot but with the almost universal outrage and unprecedented sanctions, I think there's a chance. Shades of German de-arming post WWII. Russia won't have enough money to maintain an effective nuclear arsenal anyway. If the right leader takes over, I can see him gladly trading nukes for economic rehabilitation and aid. The biggest bribe in history, if you will. It would probably cheaper for us than continuing the nuclear arms race with Russia.

Calling my shot, laugh all you want: Ukraine mops the floor with the Russians in the next week or two Putin is out (ousted, suicide, killed by his cronies etc) Putin's cronies are persecuted and oligarchs are persona non grata in their own country and abroad Populist opposition leader takes power in Russia and with the help/support of international community, sets up democracy and curbs corruption World community strikes while the iron is hot and agrees to remove sanctions and provide aid only in return for denuclearization and substantial demilitarization profit

Maybe NATO can bring in fuel to that 60 mile long supply chain so they can hurry up and get to Kiev to surrender

How many Russians abroad are suddenly remembering they're actually Ukrainians?

Just watched "Winter on Fire" about that. Truly remarkable and inspiring. I wish Anonymous would broadcast it in every Russian household 24/7

It seems like Ukraine is running a brilliant PR campaign to rally both its own people and international support. If everything we are seeing is to be believed: -- Russia's wins or gains boil down to taking territory mostly unopposed, shooting down a few Ukrainian aircraft, some missile hits on strategic targets in Ukraine, some Spetznaz wins on certain installations. They've taken a few towns or cities but then lost them again. They've shelled civilian areas in cities. They've fired up a few prohibited weapons. -- Ukraine has seemingly won every close range engagement. It has shot down a number of Russian aircraft and even attacked aircraft bases on Russian and/or Belarusian soil. It seems Ukraine is often allowing the Russian front to pass, and then destroying supply chains. It has stopped Russian advances in many areas and maintains control of key cities despite heavy bombardment. Russia's casualties appear to be more than 5 times greater than Ukraine's. -- Russia seems to be on a serious budget, with limited numbers of the really scary weapons/missiles, and much of its armaments outdated. Most Russian forces are green, ill trained and ill equipped. Failed to gain air superiority. -- Ukraine is getting the good stuff (armaments) that is perfectly suited for this kind of warfare. Ukraine has built a real functioning military, likely receiving a lot of training from ex special forces type military contractors and perhaps allied forces. Lots of foreigners with combat experience joining the cause. Ukraine civilians taking up arms. Its military plus fighting age citizenry vastly outnumber the Russians. -- Russian morale is nonexistent, with many conscripts getting lost, surrendering, deserting, running out of food and fuel, abandoning equipment, very shaky communications with chain of command, no real plan. -- In contrast, Ukrainians are dragging their nuts all over the Russians, changing street signs to tell the Russians to fuck off, music videos with St Javelin and Baryaktar etc., "I feel so bad, its like a video game, the Russians keep coming and I keep killing them." Etc. Clearly Ukrainian morale is through the roof and they're metal as fuuuck. (I can see why, just watched "Winter on Fire.") They have some super hot women too. -- Ukraine has an ENORMOUS advantage in intel. I don't think this can be overstated. Most of the Russian army seems to be sticking to the playbook that was drawn up months ago, and many of them are getting blown up. The Ukrainians can not only see Russian movements in near real time, but apparently can pick up their comms as well. -- Ukraine of course has the advantage of knowing their own terrain, has been making preparations, can pick and choose where and when to engage -- Ukraine has been playing up the civilian casualty angle and the war crimes angle I really cannot wait to see how close to the truth this ^^^ story is. But, Putin's aggression based on the most transparent of pretenses along with Ukraine's valiant fight as the hero underdog defending its homeland has turned the civilized entire world (Venzuela, N.K., and a few others are not part of the civilized world) against Putin and they have imposed crushing sanctions and are cutting off ALL ties of any form with Russia. One of the stories of this war will be the use or manipulation of the info sphere. For the sake of discussion, lets say the above is accurate. If so, I don't see how Ukraine does not rout Russia in a matter of days. Russia has now committed virtually all of its forces, and they have generally bogged down and stopped moving. With Ukraine's intel it can identify where Russia poses the biggest threat -- its Spetznaz and scarier weapons. Ukraine forms kill squads to take out those threats, blow up the cluster bomb and thermobaric launchers, artillery, etc. Ukraine blocks supply chains. Russian conscripts are hungry and don't want to fight, so the Ukrainians round them up. War over. Then, I fully expect Putin, seeing no way out of this war and knowing he cannot remain in power, to try to launch nukes. But my prediction is that through either the refusal of subordinates to follow that order, or malfunctioning Russian nuke systems, we all live until the next pandemic. I know Putin has no honor in any recognizable sense, but the only honorable way out for him is suicide.

FTR that was not directed at you. Just reading a bunch of posts like "WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ARMING UKRAINE AND STOPPING PUTIN LONG AGO!!!" Wut? Where have these people been? Not only ignores Ukraine's relatively recent history, but a response would include stuff like, we were set to send arms and such a few years ago but we didn't because reasons . . . and the other thread is for that kind of discussion

I am normally not a thread police, but all the "we should have done XYZ differently" is driving me nuts. Most of the posts are uninformed garbage and the only way to respond/discuss goes CR in no time. Pretty please can we stick to whats happening now in Ukraine?

After this it might need to be called Eastern Ukraine

Thats hilarious but that last place I'd want to be in Ukraine right now is in a Russian tank (edit referring to the "how to drive a russian tank vid ^)

Definitely a complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's

This seems to imply we can listen to Putin's orders to his commanders? Is that to fuck with his head because if we really can intercept those comms, why would we admit that?