cubsfan

That is exactly right. I can't speak to Europe, but the Biden administration can not define the end game.

Wise words indeed

This picture,,,, likely not the best way to enter into a ceasefire or settlement talk.

Likely some truth to the Mearshiemer post. We will never know the truth really. NATO membership or not - Russia has assured from now on - Ukraine will be armed to the teeth for years. Europe has awakened.

Correct me if I am wrong - but exactly how many Democracies exist in the Middle East anyway?? I think it's one - Israel - out of how many countries anyway - 25/30?? And Israel is an apartheid state for allowing Christians & Muslims to live with them without chopping their heads off or expelling them unlike their neighbors?? Feel free to raise your points and correct me - and I will try not to lose my warped perspective. And for the record, @changegonnacome is certainly no anti-semite - but the UN and many European governments certainly are - throw the Biden administration in that basket too. Who is more brazenly antisemitic in the good old USA than The Squad and Kamala Harris?

No I was commending your comment about investors throwing the old man Buffett into the trash bin of failed investors, that did not get it! So true - Warren has never lost it.

This logic does not work with me. So what? There are something like 60 Muslim countries in the world - and they all hate Jews - so what does that prove? They hate Israel too.... Do they hate Jordan for not accepting the Palestinians? Of course not! It's much easier to be anti-semites - like the ridiculous United Nations and their constant condemnations of Israel. All you proven with your logic is most of the world is antisemitic. That does not make them right. Even now, in the good old USA, we are seeing brazen, out in the open antisemitism. Much of Europe is brazenly anti-semitic. Just look the contrast between Ukraine and Israel. Ukraine has the right to defend themselves 100%, but Israel has no such right. Israel must ceasefire and not respond. The UN is fucking joke. This would have been unthinkable 5 years ago - but it's the new fad for the rest of these countries to blame Israel

^^ John - history repeats itself

^^^ Absolutely - it seems that so many people just don't understand Middle East history. It's almost like the Jews were never there, and are total newcomers. When in fact they were there for hundreds of years before Islam. In the end, some societies decide they can live side-by-side with others and display tolerance. In the age of radical Islam - that has just gone out the window.

There is never going to be a two state solution. The Palestinians that live in Gaza can not be trusted. They had every opportunity to do great things with Gaza, and they elected Hamas, took all the aid money and used it for the destruction of Israel. Israel would have to be crazy to give them any of Israel's land. The Palestinians have Gaza and the West Bank. There is not a prayer of a chance that Israel can trust the Palestinians again. They have broken every promise they've made. When Israel turned Gaza over to the Palestinians and pulled all the Jews out - for a promise of peace - look what happen - disaster. And now you want a two state solution? All Israel can do is try and control them and defend their nation.

We'll see if the world wants to react and let the Houthi shut down the gulf.

I don't disagree. We are talking past each other. You said it perfectly - as long as the general population supports the terrorist government, it will never die. The Gazans are committed to misery until till this happens.

It's different because a defeated nation understands when to stop attacking their neighbor unless they want more of the same. Jordan & Egypt have co-existed just fine for several years. The difference is they knew when to throw in the towel and make peace. The Hamas leadership ranks is getting mighty thin these days and Israel can play whack-a-mole for decades, if it's a decision between their survival and letting Gaza rebuild. The Palestinians will have to come to their own decision if they want peace. Ball in their court. Same for Lebanon - another failed state. Can't help them if they have a death wish. Time will tell in this case.

What's the score right now anyway? 30-0, 50-0 To tell you the truth I flat lost count. Israel has killed dozens of Hezbollah, Hamas & Iranian LEADERS to this point. With NO loss of a major Israeli figure. The message is clear: we can hit you were/when we want. We may have to wait a while, but your underlings hate you, we can bribe them, they will betray you. If you pick up that cell phone or send that text - you might just meet your maker. If you WANT to escalate this situation - then prepare to die. Or if you are Sinwar, just stay underground for the rest of your life. If this escalation continues - no one is safe, not the Iranian President, the Ayatollah, NO one. The real fun will begin if they take out the Navy, Air Force, etc Gaza is finished - and Hezbollah is next.

I doubt it. Both the Iranian puppet master and Hezbollah look inept. This is like when the Israeli's took out Egypt's Air Force before the battle started. Iran has to be very worried - what's next: - Which of our leaders is going to get killed? - Will they shut down our electric grid or oil resources? - Is our Air Force next? Israel proved they can reach into Damascus, Beirut or Tehran's ultra secure palaces and kill leaders. Israel is not going to let Hezbollah turn Northern Israel into a war zone. If Trump is elected, Iran is finished. The Ayatollah better hope Biden wins, so he can continue to fund his war and run interference against Israel.

Israel takes the gloves off with Lebanon. How embarrassing for Hezbollah & Iran. Could not even get their attack off the ground. Total humiliation. A new phase of the war begins.

That would be a tall order for Georgia, etc - perhaps a guerrilla war again. But Russia has complete air superiority and vast artillery resources. Those areas have none. War could be waged in the country side, but not the cities/towns.

Ukraine is in a war they can not win. Absent the US & Europe aid, Ukraine would collapse immediately. If you are going to lose an entire generation of males to Russia - you ought to sue for peace - before you lose everything. If/when it becomes apparent that Europe & the US will have to commit troops to win - I think the allies will sing a different tune: settle this. In settling the conflict - Russia largely keeps the gains it has. Ukraine gets armed to the teeth by its allies to protect what they have left. No one is happy, Putin saves face, declares victory. Zilensky has saved Ukraine from total defeat. It definitely sucks. The time to have solved this crisis was 10+ years ago - by arming Ukraine and telegraphing to Putin a much higher cost of invasion. I can't speak for Europe, but Obama never took Putin seriously.

Tough to say. Most of the innovation happens in the US. With a new President we may see a resurgence in economic leadership. But to your point about China growth - they are really very good at stealing technology and patents - so have to give them that. Valuations in China will stay cheap until President Xi stops scaring off international investors.

@John Hjorth John - you might find this discussion interesting re: casualties. Personally, I don't know - but much of this makes sense to me. Given that Russia has likely a 5:1 ratio in artillery and that Russia has air superiority and manpower superiority - this tries to estimate casualty ratio. Most modern wars attribute 80% of casualties to artillery & bombing. Now this clip was censored/removed from YouTube, as it may not be a popular view. https://rumble.com/v5b37dh-judgingfreedom.html If you start at the 5:40 minute mark and go to 14:00 minute - that should do it. Just an FYI

I thought this looked fairly interesting - regarding how to work toward ending the war, since no one is talking about it. https://www.hoover.org/research/issues-negotiations-looking-toward-end-war-ukraine Ukraine’s goals would presumably include the following, not necessarily in order of importance: Have regime change in Moscow to a government more friendly to Ukraine. Recover all lost territory. Join the EU and NATO. Bring back as many displaced Ukrainian citizens as possible. Build the strongest military in Europe. Acquire significant reparations from Russia and significant aid from others for reconstruction. Assure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Assure no future attacks from Russia. Russia’s primary goals would likely be the following: Have regime change in Kyiv to a government more friendly to Russia. Prevent Ukrainian membership in NATO. Retain control of as much captured Ukrainian territory as possible, especially Crimea. Assure the well-being of whatever Russian minority remains in Ukraine. End as much of the sanctions regime as possible. Assure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Minimize discussion of and punishment for war crimes. Restore Russia’s reputation as a responsible great power. My initial thoughts - it will take a long time and many pointless deaths in the meantime.

^^^ Look at it this way: There are 100,000 displaced Israelis from Northern Israel. So the ball is in Hezbollah's court. Gaza is now a pile of rubble - and that's the warning of what S. Lebanon might look like - much worse than Shiite Beruit experienced in 2006. Not that Israel wants to invade Lebanon - but if the alternative is N. Israel is a DMZ because of rocket & artillery attacks - then you can bet they will. And with Trump around - the US will keep Tehran out of any border war.

Shit - I always appreciate sarcasm!

You're seeing a delayed reaction to the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran is now acutely aware that leadership can be taken out by their own citizens that hate the regime. Even worse, 2 members of the republican guard betrayed them and planted the bombs for Israel. Israel has sent their message loud and clear. And now the Iranians are trying to gauge the blowback of any attack they launch on Israel. Who, of our leadership, will they reach out and kill? Even worse: 6 months from now - if Trump wins - Iran is royally screwed - as they won't have Biden or Anthony Blinken actively trying to sabotage the Israeli government.

Yeah, sounds nice, but kicking the can down the road has been tried for 50 years. The Palestinians already have Gaza and the West Bank - and they are not entitled to Israel. They just need to decide they want to be good neighbors and not Iran's proxy.