cubsfan

I would never argue with this. You're completely right. The US is not a charity - nor are the allies. And of course, we have common interests - and therefore declare to be allies. So look - what Macron is saying is fine. Who is stopping him from funding NATO or the other NATO members? Who is stopping them from devoting major portions of their GDP to the defense of Europe, whether it be through NATO or their own armed forces? The US? No way. The Failure of Europe in this situation is the failure of Germany and France to LEAD Europe - period. The leaders of France & Germany look like fools - but of course, they are going deflect the blame for this disaster to someone OTHER than themselves. They have always been pacifists. Now they're paying the price. They have always owned their own foreign policy, their own armed forces - and this happen on their watch. Now they shit bricks and look to save their own asses.

Precisely. The Merkel/Macron/Obama view - we can change the bad guy to a good guy by continuing to extend magnanimity to tyrant. Yeah, my speeches will bring him around... The problem with Macron is - he thinks he's the second coming of Obama. And when the situation backfires on him - he blames the US! You can't make this shit up.

@Luca. Uh, you just don't want to hear this. You've made that very clear. Chomsky has complained about being ignored by mainstream publications such as the "New York Times," but in fact his steady stream of polemical works, like the best-selling "9-11," have made him the center of a veritable cult. In "The Anti-Chomsky Reader," editors Peter Collier and David Horowitz have assembled a set of essays that analyze Chomsky's intellectual career and the evolution of his anti-Americanism. The essays in this provocative book focus on subjects such as Chomsky's bizarre involvement with Holocaust revisionism, his apologies for Khmer Rouge tyrant Pol Pot, and his claim that America's policies in Latin America in the 1980s were comparable to Nazism. Scholar Paul Bogdanor writes about Chomsky's hatred of Israel. Ronald Radosh and David Horowitz discuss his gloating reaction to the September 11 attack. There is your go-to source. YOUR source, YOUR clip.

Huh? Macron? Macron and Merkel are why Europe is in this predicament. They totally blew this by not standing up to Putin. Macron is covering his ass. IMHO. The USA does NOT run Europe. Nor should we. The Europeans run their own show, as they should. They created this mess - the US is here to help. Western Europe has always been dependent on US military might, but they set their own foreign policy.

What is your problem dude? I made it very clear. He avoids ANY mention of why China is NOT trusted on the world stage - namely uncontrolled biological weapons and the potential coming invasion of Taiwan. Not a fucking word. Really? Then the moron goes onto spout off about Israel intentionally poisoning 1M Palestinian children. Why would I take a word of this guy seriously?

^^^. There ya' go @Luca You can't argue your own case - so you argue with the "supposed higher authority" - namely an academic loon. YOU are the one that posted the idiotic clip of the guy not me. Everyone can listen to the clip and decide for themselves how insane this guy is. So you just keep posting his credentials - and I'll remain unimpressed.

Yeah, IDK - perhaps the correct question is What do the Europeans feel about all this? Do they feel threatened by Russian's actions? Take the USA completely out of it. What does Europe want? Haven't the Europeans accommodated Russia for years, trying to be a good neighbor? and then this? The US is just the ally here. Our borders aren't threatened.

All anyone has to do is listen to the clip. His academic credentials mean nothing to me after viewing the full clip. I know absolutely nothing about the guy. There are thousands of academics have not one ounce of commons sense. Don't take the insult personally - they are his own words. Naseem Taleb wrote a wonderful article long ago "Intellectual, yet idiot" Try reading it.

^^^ Very true - Russia committed Suicide, Iraq did with Kuwait. There are lots of good logical reasons NOT to do something - until you have an unpredictable leader pitted against weakness. It’s been happening for ages.

+ 1 on that!

That has got to be the dumbest political analysis I’ve ever heard. What an old fool Chomsky is… He asks the question “Why would China be a threat?” - then runs his mouth about a litany of bullshit - totally avoiding ANY mention of a Taiwan invasion or the COVID coverup/disaster. Yet , then he even goes onto accuse Israel of actively poisoning 1M Palestinian children. The guy is a total loon that refuses to even talk about the truth.

Yes, the war is primarily a serious problem for Europe- which is exactly why it’s a large problem for the USA. Unless you want every country in the world nuking up - you’re going to have to have a serious Western world alliance (Europe & USA). The pacifist in both spheres need to go. Only then is Putin and President Xi going to understand this alliance can NEVER be defeated- and these wars of aggression will eventually be met with defeat. Its not at all about spreading democracy and that nonsense. It’s about living alongside each other and benefiting from free trade - as the post WWII period has brought us. Extremely weak world leaders have brought us to this moment.

The fools did not have control of their own biological weapons. Why is the Chinese Red Army messing with this stuff anyway?

For sure, Dr Fauci, the US media and corrupt administration did all they could to cover up the real issues. So yeah, the behavior of our own government and media was contemptible. Million of deaths MAY have been prevented if China had come clean right from the beginning about the lab leak, and assisted the rest of the world. They just choose to deny, deny and deflect. China proved they are not to be trusted. We shouldn't be surprised from a country that runs concentration camps for Muslims.

Of course, that is a lie. I said China was a powerful and dangerous country. That is what I said. Their behavior during the coverup phase led to the deaths of MILLIONS of people - which you so callously disregard. China stonwalled at every point. Now you are just blaming the victims - And ignoring the true culprits. ”Why does nobody trust China, you ask?” You just don’t like the answer

You are SO wrong. Its the coverup that China unrolled for years, not the lab leak. It’s the coverup.

You can apologize for China all you like. I’m simply saying China has proven their danger to the world. They are not at all apologetic about the disastrous lab leak. They said it originated from wet markets, and stymied all efforts to identify the true origin. China is definitely a world power and a dangerous one at that. Uncontrollable biological weapons tells you what you need to know. Make all the excuses you like for them.

^^^^ That was quite enjoyable!

If you're looking for something for your off days, after tough workouts. I always really liked this functional training routine (pick a few) that stresses mobility, coordination, balance and great core stability. It's an excellent routine - not brutal....

Pressed for time? Try Tabata - 1 Round is 4 minutes (8 exercises - 20 second per exercise, 10 seconds rest) - 2 full Rounds of Tabata will do it. 1 Round Tabata - 4 minutes Rest for 2-4 minutes 2nd Round Tabata - 4 minutes 12 minutes and you're done Pick your exercises - use Tabata song website on your phone for time intervals/music Adjust your weights to whatever you like...

@Xerxes - yeah, definitely understand that position. There was so little news about that incident ever on the news. It was actively supressed. Thanks for the Aviation Week article - cause that is one I have not seen. Regardless, the Syrian incident is a good account of the Wagner Group in action, driven by their 25% take - and figuring somehow the US might run/cower from the attack. Serious miscalculation. Never heard another think from Putin in Syria after that response. "Plausible deniability at work"

A little clip on the US military response to the Wagner Group in Syria:

Yeah that’s our corrupt state media alright. Not too far from Pravda..

Does Putin control his own Air Force? Why doesn’t he take out the Wagner convoys with Air power? (here’s hoping he doesn’t)

Most of these guys went to the same schools - liberal bastions where they get brainwashed- Columbia, Norhwestern, Berkeley.. A masters in journalism is about as useless as you can get. All you need to understand is how to write and how to tell a story. Great journalists are story tellers.. The state of journalism is in USA has changed from fact telling to advocacy. It’s pathetic. Yeah the press/media is “free press” , but it’s incredibly dishonest unfortunately.