Xerxes

Rubio on CNN

As far as Russia is concerned on this fiasco in the Oval Office, is it really a win for them ? Definitely a PR win, and a long term win in terms of US disengagement, but they are NOT getting a subjugated Zelenskyy either. Instead they are getting a soon to be defiant Europe (a day later and a dollar short), and a defiant Zelenskyy. Is that a win or not a win ? Time will tell but I don’t think that is a clear win for Russia.

Yes definitely. That said, if the Soviet Union was based in Central Europe and Nazi Germany where Russia is (reverse their geographical location) we would have allied ourselves with Hitler to fight off Stalin. And in 1945 Allied meetings, it would have been Roosevelt, Churchill and Hitler in the pictures. Point being, it is not about a person. Germany had to be brought down as a military power, as it was threatening Western Europe due to its proximity. There was no other choice. Just geopolitics. The same geopolitics that had Nixon and Kissinger sit down with Mao, (another genocidal character)

I don’t think it was a masterclass. But he is brave to enter the lion’ den, and pull that stunt. At least he has full clarity and will come back as a hero. And for a change just like how European had to scramble to get off Russian natural gas before the winter of 2023, they will perform some miracles. Trump is also correct in the following: the path of just dumping military hardware and money and expecting a material change in the war is idiotic at best. Trump is just a realist stating the obvious.

We also tried with Stalin, Saddam, Pinochet and Mao. it was transactional and worked for the duration of quid pro quo. While I disagree with the approach that the Trump administration is taking with Ukraine, this whole Munich/Hitler analogy is getting overused and tiresome. The same “survivorship bias” that applies to stocks also applies to historical analogies. Don’t always go with Munich/Hitler, and ignore all other madmen we (West) had a wink-wink understanding with.

Unless the Constitution is changed (unlikely) to allow a third presidential term, Vance is the defacto heir, not to the political movement, but to the office of presidency and its constitutional power. He is stepping out of the shadows. Anyone remembers how Deng Xianping wielded immense power in the 1980s without having any office or title. That could be Trump 4 years from now, with Vance as the president. But he has to win that on his own merit.

I watched the whole thing in its entirety. What was exactly Zelenskyy game plan knowing that he was going into the lion’ den. He and his team must have gamed out the different scenarios and people (Vance) before flying to DC. I don’t get it.

Time for me to start reading this book, and move it to the front of the pile.

I bought this book several years ago prior to Covid era, all these years meant to read it, finally now that I have been to India I thought it would be a great occasion to make 2025 my “about India” year. It is on the topic of a for-profit company, its relentless rise and its subjugation of the subcontinent. Its charter : wage war in the name of profit. The author is also the host of the Empire podcast. Currently resides in Delhi.

Well played Brits A second state visit invitation by HRM Someone should tell Trump that Charles III is also head of state of Canada.

Thanks Charlie.

https://investor.gm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gm-board-approves-new-share-repurchase-plan-including-2-billion

Even the Bangalore airport has technology it. Tons of it. I think the “I am averse to technology” is from the bygone era of 2000s and 2010s, where the divide was much clearer. (I.e buying refinery vs Facebook)

sarcasm aside, we are witnessing history. there are decades that nothing happens, and there are weeks that decades happen ~ Lenin (I think)

You guys do realize that London and Washington largely supplied Russia with weapons and arms, with Stalin at the helm in the 1940s. If Zelensky was a monarch and Ukraine was an absolute monarchy fighting for its freedom, no one would have said anything about election. Ukraine is being punished because it has a functioning democracy, and hold elections, except in times of war. That said, I do think you need a “Trump” to knock people around so that they can get off their comfortable seats. And get pass their conventional thinking. His methods obviously needs fine tuning.

when you say ? about late 90s when this dumbass chose to murder innocent people. the newspaper clip below is from circa-“good guy” period After Rambo III and 9/11 it was no longer cool to help “freedom fighters”. Hollywood had to pivot. Conventional military were to be cool again. All Blackhawk, Abrams and stuff and tough guys in uniform w/ their hot girlfriend back home worrying about them for half of the movie and waving the flag the other half, and night vision goggles w/ green screen for the third half, were war was to be simplified and sterilized like a video game. So we got Rambo IV decades later. *sigh* …. Looking back IV was cool movie.

Cheers

Amazing !!!

@Sweet @Parsad You may have seen me, writing “good guy-bad guy”, over the years in these two political threads, … when discussing West relationship with various countries in Asia and Middle East. You and others probably hadn’t the faintest idea what it meant … until it happened in 2025 with Ukraine … and now you understand.

speaks more to BHE seller wanting to be paid in stock for their reasons. Whereas Greg wanting to be paid in cash for his specific reasons. wether Berkshire trades at or above intrinsic value you will never see (my opinion) management issuing shares again. This was an exception to wrap up BHE with whatever means was required to do, in order to take out the minority owners.

From CSIS: something that has not been mentioned here in this thread is Putin’ advance age and desire to shape his legacy. Given his advance age, contrary to popular believe that the Russia will come again for round 3 w/ Ukraine after any ceasefire, may not be totally correct. Meaning that his scope of ambitions for round 2 maybe much higher than “hit pause and re-arm” school of thought. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/russian-roulette/id1112258664?i=1000694809666 https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/russian-roulette/id1112258664?i=1000694520512

Cheers

where do you get that Lockheed has IT business worth quarter of its entire business. I see aeronautics, missile & defense, rotary (which Sikorsky) + ULA and space-related assets. Might be that you are talking about GD ?