Russia and American elections, now featuring radical republicans as co-stars

[Bama Chick 28596]

Y’all just know it had to piss him off mightily that a woman, an American woman, a Black American woman chewed his ass up like that.

[TheStoicPaisano 9903]

Strzok is tumescent.

[956 Worldwide 34222]

As Russia continues to supplement its units on the Ukrainian border, the FSB claims it detained Ukrainian agents plotting terror attacks. This comes at the very moment NATO foreign ministers warned of the ability for Russia to invade and of a level of hybrid attacks against Ukraine not seen since 2014 and Crimea.

Read up on the Gleiwitz Incident of 1939 which Germany used as pretext to invade Poland. Like Mike Leach’s playbook— it’s the same few routes run out of different formations. 
 

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-ukraine-spies/31590107.html

[El Diablo 4232]

They've tested a hypersonic anti-ship missile and a satellite killer missile recently, neither of which we have an effective defense against.  I'd say they're prepared to disrupt things. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 hours ago, El Diablo said:

They've tested a hypersonic anti-ship missile and a satellite killer missile recently, neither of which we have an effective defense against.  I'd say they're prepared to disrupt things. 

If they can take out our aircraft carriers, cruisers, we’re fucked as there’s no projection for us then

[Underdog 28372]

Well shit, RIP all of us. 

[Nivek 16744]

sounds like we need to invest more in defense....

[Anastasis 23306]

6 minutes ago, Nivek said:

sounds like we need to invest more in defense....

Maybe put some bounties on Russian troops in Ukraine. 

[SydneyCarton 47808]

If Russia fucks with Ukraine, and/or China fucks with Taiwan, and we don't do shit about it, it will be impossible to defend this administration, imo. I don't want wars, but we have zero fucking foreign policy plan as far as I can tell. Taiwan in particular is a fucking national security issue for manufacturing. 

[Neonmoon 38127]

We ain't gonna do shit. Crimea out front should've told ya

[Macanudo 12915]

[Admiral Painter]This business will get out of control.   It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.[/Admiral Painter]

[Anastasis 23306]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-defense-secretary-eyes-international-response-russia-ukraine-2021-12-02/

"Whatever we do will be done as a part of an international community. The best case though is that we won't see an incursion by the Soviet Union into the Ukraine," Austin said, accidentally calling Russia the former Soviet Union.

Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that aspires to join the European Union and NATO, has become the main flashpoint between Russia and the West as relations have soured to their worst level in the three decades since the Cold War ended.

 

 

[sidis 9686]

6 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

If Russia fucks with Ukraine, and/or China fucks with Taiwan, and we don't do shit about it, it will be impossible to defend this administration, imo. I don't want wars, but we have zero fucking foreign policy plan as far as I can tell. Taiwan in particular is a fucking national security issue for manufacturing. 

regardless of the defensibility of any administrations, what do you believe would be a good foreign policy plan for responding to russian "fucking with" ukraine or china "fucking with" taiwan (which both happen daily)?  you "don't want wars" so what magical diplomatic or confrontational event occurs?  freezing access to u.s. markets?  freezing of bank accounts? expel diplomats?  have james bond kill all the henchmen?

the united states imported $66.7 billion of goods/services from taiwan in 2020.  $452 billion for goods alone from china.  mexico and canada combine for $780 billion.  $515 billion from the e.u.

the fear porn from el diablo and onboard above (as if we have no capabilities as well or in counter) is always so fascinating to me.

[Anastasis 23306]

1 minute ago, sidis said:

regardless of the defensibility of any administrations, what do you believe would be a good foreign policy plan for responding to russian "fucking with" ukraine or china "fucking with" taiwan (which both happen daily)?  you "don't want wars" so what magical diplomatic or confrontational event occurs?  freezing access to u.s. markets?  freezing of bank accounts? expel diplomats?  have james bond kill all the henchmen?

 

How about we just stay the fuck out of all that shit.  It's regional power legacy shit from decades ago...if not really centuries or even millennia ago. Let them fucking figure that shit out.  In the meantime, maybe we bring silicon production onshore so that our economic capacity is not subject to dependencies. We already sold out Ukraine for German interests, maybe just move on. 

[sidis 9686]

2 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

How about we just stay the fuck out of all that shit.  It's regional power legacy shit from decades ago...if not really centuries or even millennia ago. Let them fucking figure that shit out.  In the meantime, maybe we bring silicon production onshore so that our economic capacity is not subject to dependencies. We already sold out Ukraine for German interests, maybe just move on. 

i feel *similarly.*  like in most elements of social life, miserable fucks are going to be miserable fucks regardless of one's efforts to intervene.  russians and those in their influence will always be fucking miserable, regardless of the projection of strength.  that's why i'm asking s.c. as i believe he would characterize your proposal as "zero fucking foreign policy plan."   if you aren't willing to go to war on behalf of someone else ww2 style, then what do the sydney carton's of the world want in order to be happy with their domestic leaders' policies towards mean countries (regardless of domestic team of the day)? 

if business interests rule the day and you think you need to depose mossadegh for the shah in order to serve the anglo-persian oil company, there will be consequences.

if you think russia and china are just bad guy bullies (not wrong), then what do you want to do about protecting the poor ukranians and taiwanese without war?

economic weapons are likely the only ones in the quiver...but i'm curious what of those (or others) would satisfy the demands of the sydney segment of the populace.

[Hornius Emeritus 12358]

7 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

If Russia fucks with Ukraine, and/or China fucks with Taiwan, and we don't do shit about it, it will be impossible to defend this administration, imo. I don't want wars, but we have zero fucking foreign policy plan as far as I can tell. Taiwan in particular is a fucking national security issue for manufacturing. 

What would you do were such things to occur? Are you willing to send U.S. troops to die in Taiwan or Ukraine? Would you be willing to enlist and go there yourself?

[elfenix 34157]

13 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

As Russia continues to supplement its units on the Ukrainian border, the FSB claims it detained Ukrainian agents plotting terror attacks. This comes at the very moment NATO foreign ministers warned of the ability for Russia to invade and of a level of hybrid attacks against Ukraine not seen since 2014 and Crimea.

Read up on the Gleiwitz Incident of 1939 which Germany used as pretext to invade Poland. Like Mike Leach’s playbook— it’s the same few routes run out of different formations. 
 

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-ukraine-spies/31590107.html

i was thinking mukden incident

[Chad Fuck 17454]

i was thinking mukden incident

It’s been done various ways over the millennia, but it’s always the same thing.

[SydneyCarton 47808]

1 hour ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

What would you do were such things to occur? Are you willing to send U.S. troops to die in Taiwan or Ukraine? Would you be willing to enlist and go there yourself?

Would I send troops. And ships? Yes? Enlighten myself? I’m a bit old for that. But the military is a jobs program. That’s the job. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

11 hours ago, Underdog said:

Well shit, RIP all of us. 

Remember where you heard it first, tell yer friends.  

[Chad Fuck 17454]

5 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Remember where you heard it first, tell yer friends.  

I'll take the the quickest route

[Hornius Emeritus 12358]

21 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Would I send troops. And ships? Yes? Enlighten myself? I’m a bit old for that. But the military is a jobs program. That’s the job. 

So you're willing to send other people's sons and daughters to die defending Ukraine. Okay.  You say you're too old but I doubt that is true.  But let's say it is: what sacrifices would you, personally, be willing to make to support the action that you recommend?

[atomheartbevo 89295]

On 12/2/2021 at 5:18 PM, Hornius Emeritus said:

What would you do were such things to occur? Are you willing to send U.S. troops to die in Taiwan or Ukraine? Would you be willing to enlist and go there yourself?

We could crater the economies of both China and Russia, and bring them to their knees.

But it would affect our economy as well.

[bolverk 29239]

One of the many fucked up things about the Ukraine situation is that when it became independent, they enshrined within their constitution a position of neutrality at Russia's insistence. This was similar to the arrangements that Finland and Austria to declare their neutrality right after WW2.

But following Putin's landgrab of the Crimea and continued support of separatists in the east in early 2014, the Ukrainian parliament voted at the end of that year to end its neutral status and move toward entering into the NATO alliance.

If, through some incredible diplomatic compromise, Ukraine could return to its previous neutral status in exchange for Putin returning Crimea and agreeing to respect Ukraine's territorial sovereignty, I think that we would all be much better off.

During the Cold War, the USSR actually respected those deals with Austria and Finland, but today Putin won't. Not sure what that says other than he's even less trustworthy and more aggressive than our previous great enemy we all grew up hating/fearing.

 

 

[Telegraph_it 3350]

I find it very disconcerting how much noise we are making about the Russian buildup. I presume we are trying to make it extra difficult for Russia to blame Ukraine for some offense as a pretext to invade. 
 

 

[SydneyCarton 47808]

14 hours ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

So you're willing to send other people's sons and daughters to die defending Ukraine. Okay.  You say you're too old but I doubt that is true.  But let's say it is: what sacrifices would you, personally, be willing to make to support the action that you recommend?

This isn’t a draft. People sign up for the military. So they signed up for it. 
 

In a few years my son will be able to join the military. If he code to, does that count as a sacrifice? 
 

 

[Hornius Emeritus 12358]

17 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

This isn’t a draft. People sign up for the military. So they signed up for it. 
 

In a few years my son will be able to join the military. If he code to, does that count as a sacrifice? 
 

 

It would have been easier just to say that you are not willing to sacrifice anything, yourself. You just want other people's kids to die defending Ukraine because you feel insulted.

[SydneyCarton 47808]

1 hour ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

It would have been easier just to say that you are not willing to sacrifice anything, yourself. You just want other people's kids to die defending Ukraine because you feel insulted.

Buddy, I didn’t answer because the question is so broad I don’t know where to start? Money? Sure? My time? I guess. It’s a loaded bullshit question. The potential for my kid to join the military isn’t enough for you. Realistically there isn’t much I can sacrifice that wouldn’t already be asked or taken from me. What the fuck an I supposed to say? “Oh, I’ll give up my car. And my pinkie finger and big toes.” Get fucked with your bullshit question, designed to try and get a gotcha with any answer other than “I’ll sign up right now!”
 

we would all pay a long term price by allowing China to do whatever the fuck they want, starting with Taiwan. I know that. 
 

you know what price I’d fucking love to pay? Developing chip manufacturing here. Developing pharma supply chains here. And deal with huge fucking price increases and shortages in everything by cutting China out of our economy. But that won’t fucking happen. 

Edited December 4, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[Biff Tannen 45420]

16 hours ago, bolverk said:

Not sure what that says other than he's even less trustworthy and more aggressive than our previous great enemy we all grew up hating/fearing.

 

Yep.  The sooner he dies, the better.

[Eastwood 4394]

It would have been easier just to say that you are not willing to sacrifice anything, yourself. You just want other people's kids to die defending Ukraine because you feel insulted.

Fuck it, I'll step into the breach here. I've been a Russian hawk on this board since TOS. We should have backed Putin down over Crimea. You're damn right that we should go to war with Russia over Ukraine and I'd be glad to sign up to do it. If we go to war with Russia, we'd most likely all have to because the American military has a manpower problem. There just aren't enough able bodied men and women in the current draft age bracket to sustain the military in all out war, so men and women in their 30s will fill the gap.

Under the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, we promised Ukraine that we would protect their sovereignty as a nation in exchange for Ukraine giving up their nuclear arsenal after the collapse of the Soviet Union. We must honor that treaty. We already are suffering on the international stage for not defending Crimea, for abandoning the Kurds, and now our allies in Afghanistan. 3 admins worth of wiping our ass with our duties owed to allies. We declare loudly for all nations to hear the Ukraine's sovereignty will be respected and upheld, or you will deal with the United States. Draw the hard line. If Belarus or Russia decides to cross it, that's on them, not us.

We can no longer appease Putin. We can no longer do this bullshit equation of "sure, we have this treaty or promise to defend an ally, but is it really worth American lives to keep our word?" We need to declare to the world that the Budapest Memorandum will be upheld and Russia better stay on their side of the border.

[Ghost of LL 15321]

On 12/2/2021 at 9:42 AM, SydneyCarton said:

If Russia fucks with Ukraine, and/or China fucks with Taiwan, and we don't do shit about it, it will be impossible to defend this administration, imo. I don't want wars, but we have zero fucking foreign policy plan as far as I can tell. Taiwan in particular is a fucking national security issue for manufacturing. 

The problem here is twofold.  Our credibility is on the line, but Russia's security is, too.

The Budapest Memorandum required that Ukraine (and Belarus and Kazakhstan) give up their nuclear weapons, and in exchange their sovereignty and territorial integrity was guaranteed by Russia, the UK, and the US.  It's not exactly a mutual-assistance pact.  But it is pretty much a guarantee of their territorial integrity.

If we don't adhere to our agreement in the Budapest Memorandum, not only will NATO question our willingness to go to war for them, but we will never again get a country to quit their nuclear-arms program (which is already a problem after Kaddafi).  

At the same time, Russia cares a whole lot more about Ukraine than we do.  From the Ukrainian border to Moscow, it's only about 200 miles over some really good tank county.  There are no rivers, no mountains, no terribly dense forests.  In a surprise attack, NATO forces could be in Moscow in less than a week.

So Russia is always going to be more willing to put more chips in over Ukraine than we are.  And that's just the way it is.  Unless we take our word seriously.  And we haven't done that in a long time.

On 12/3/2021 at 4:43 PM, Hornius Emeritus said:

So you're willing to send other people's sons and daughters to die defending Ukraine. Okay.  You say you're too old but I doubt that is true.  But let's say it is: what sacrifices would you, personally, be willing to make to support the action that you recommend?

When facing a nuclear-armed adversary, everyone is at equal risk.  The lionization of the military has having more at risk doesn't really work as when we're at war with Iraq or Afghanistan.

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13525]

13 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

In a surprise attack, NATO forces could be in Moscow in less than a week.

I read this in Bill Murray's voice.

[Fudge Nuggets 19097]

On 12/2/2021 at 5:09 AM, El Diablo said:

They've tested a hypersonic anti-ship missile and a satellite killer missile recently, neither of which we have an effective defense against.  I'd say they're prepared to disrupt things. 

Testing doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Years ago a facility I was working at had its big annual HSE audit.  There were a couple of tanks that were found to leak like sieves. The HES guru pulled out the inspection paperwork and said “Right here it says these tanks were recently tested.”. Boss man responded, “Yes, they were tested and they leaked like this back then too.”

[Bama Chick 28596]

Ukraine just over there tweeting through it.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19016]

 

 

[babysdaddy 2710]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

 

 

I don't know who ol' Ruben is but I'm a fan

[Blotto 23352]

4 minutes ago, babysdaddy said:

I don't know who ol' Ruben is but I'm a fan

Quote

Representative Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran, a lifelong community leader, and the son of Hispanic immigrants. He was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Harvard University.

Congressman Gallego enlisted in the Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq in 2005 as an infantryman, serving with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. His Company saw some of the worst fighting of the Iraq War, losing 22 Marines and a Navy Corpsman to enemy action in eight months. Following his experience in Iraq, Congressman Gallego committed to ensuring that servicemen and –women are never sent into harm’s way without a plan for winning the fight, securing the peace, and providing post-conflict medical, psychological and familial care.

Looks he graduated from Harvard and then enlisted in the USMC as an infantryman where he saw combat duty in Iraq. FAAFO indeed. 

[Biff Tannen 45420]

8 minutes ago, babysdaddy said:

I don't know who ol' Ruben is but I'm a fan

He's someone who needs to be Senator of AZ instead of that wig-wearing attention whore.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19016]

31 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

He's someone who needs to be Senator of AZ instead of that wig-wearing attention whore.

This right here.

[JimmyJames 12271]

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

He's someone who needs to be Senator of AZ instead of that wig-wearing attention whore.

Yep. You usually don’t primary senators but if there was ever the case for one she is proving it right now with her bullshit. Manchin is in an ultra Republican state so at least there’s a reason for it. This bitch has no excuse whatsoever. 

[Ghost of LL 15321]

2 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

He's someone who needs to be Senator of AZ instead of that wig-wearing attention whore.

And he is frequently mentioned as a likely primary challenger.

But that assumes that Sinema even runs for another term, and I'm intensely skeptical.  I think she's just feathering her nest right now and expecting a big payday in corporate America after her term is up.

[SimonBolivar 10887]

My kingdom for a Khrushchev. 

[Jive Turkey 12511]

4 hours ago, Blotto said:

Looks he graduated from Harvard and then enlisted in the USMC as an infantryman where he saw combat duty in Iraq. FAAFO indeed. 

there was a time in this country's history when these were the credentials for a future POTUS.  nowadays, a bimbette with a GED who is a member of an informal Congressional group called FART has a better shot at becoming POTUS.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Jive Turkey

[Longhorn_Fan68 33777]

16 minutes ago, Jive Turkey said:

there was a time in country's history when these were the credentials for a future POTUS.  nowadays, a bimbette with a GED who is a member of an informal Congressional group called FART has a better shot at becoming POTUS.

watched this for probably the 10th time recently. it seems less ridiculous every time I watch it

[JimmyJames 12271]

32 minutes ago, Jive Turkey said:

there was a time in country's history when these were the credentials for a future POTUS.  nowadays, a bimbette with a GED who is a member of an informal Congressional group called FART has a better shot at becoming POTUS.

President Camacho would be booted out of the present day Republican Party for being a rino. And I’m not joking. 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33777]

3 minutes ago, JimmyJames said:

President Camacho would be booted out of the present day Republican Party for being a rino. And I’m not joking. 

it's because he's brown, isn't it?

Edited December 16, 2021 by Longhorn_Fan68

[JimmyJames 12271]

26 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

it's because he's brown, isn't it?

Nope, he’s way too smart and actually gives a shit about the country. Being brown doesn’t help though. 

[Blotto 23352]

1 hour ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

watched this for probably the 10th time recently. it seems less ridiculous every time I watch it

I think of it more as a documentary now. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

3 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

My kingdom for a Khrushchev. 

The man had THE best eyebrows ever !!!

[956 Worldwide 34222]

21 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

The man had THE best eyebrows ever !!!

Brezhnev had the eyebrows.