Russia-Ukrainian War

[Gregmal]

I just recall how ironic it is that when Trump was in office and actively making peace efforts in North Korea, China and Russia, while also asking the freeloaders in Canada and Europe to pay up, folks whined and cried and idk what else but he hurt their feelings or something. The second Biden comes in we gets wars and constant escalations and oh! Now it’s uncomfortable….

[Xerxes]

31 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

I just recall how ironic it is that when Trump was in office and actively making peace efforts in North Korea, China and Russia, while also asking the freeloaders in Canada and Europe to pay up, folks whined and cried and idk what else but he hurt their feelings or something. The second Biden comes in we gets wars and constant escalations and oh! Now it’s uncomfortable….

Canada contributed to NATO 2% target by contributing 1% + a bit of Justin on the top to make up for it

 

Even Steven 

[ValueArb]

From WaPo today. I can only see the chart cause I’m a cheapskate but it’s pretty shocking. Ukraine aid is roughly  1/2 of 1% of all US federal spending the last 17 months, and a lot of that is in nearly obsolete equipment. If US voters think that is too much to nearly demilitarize Russia, the future really is dim.

Esposa article on US Ukraine spending

 

[John Hjorth]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:29 PM, Gregmal said:

I just recall how ironic it is that when Trump was in office and actively making peace efforts in North Korea, China and Russia, while also asking the freeloaders in Canada and Europe to pay up, folks whined and cried and idk what else but he hurt their feelings or something. The second Biden comes in we gets wars and constant escalations and oh! Now it’s uncomfortable….

 

On 8/3/2023 at 9:01 PM, Xerxes said:

Canada contributed to NATO 2% target by contributing 1% + a bit of Justin on the top to make up for it

 

Even Steven 

 

24 minutes ago, ValueArb said:

From WaPo today. I can only see the chart cause I’m a cheapskate but it’s pretty shocking. Ukraine aid is roughly  1/2 of 1% of all US federal spending the last 17 months, and a lot of that is in nearly obsolete equipment. If US voters think that is too much to nearly demilitarize Russia, the future really is dim.

Esposa article on US Ukraine spending

 

 

Personally, I think the odd [odd to you] fact here may be, that you gents @Gregmal, @Xerxes & @ValueArb are all right, but none of you need to feel embarrassed or to keep your heads low about this friggin' mess.

 

We European citizens simply need to get our act together and participate in an orderly manner to resolve this issue, whatever it takes. If we fail, it's unfortunately on you to assist cleaning up this mess, because It's eventually and basically about your way of life, too.

 

 

[cubsfan]

24 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

 

 

 

Personally, I think the odd [odd to you] fact here may be, that you gents @Gregmal, @Xerxes & @ValueArb are all right, but none of you need to feel embarrassed or to keep your heads low about this friggin' mess.

 

We European citizens simply need to get our act together and participate in an orderly manner to resolve this issue, whatever it takes. If we fail, it's unfortunately on you to assist cleaning up this mess, because It's eventually and basically about your way of life, too.

 

 

Europe will get called on soon enough when President Xi does his Putin imitation…

 

Until these aggressors get put back in their box, it’s money we’ll spent.

Edited August 4, 2023 by cubsfan

[Xerxes]

 

Unrelated the last Koffman podcast on War on the Rock was pretty good. The last few ones didn’t say much, I guess as situation was evolving. 

 

[ValueArb]

Looks like the UK will be forced to pull out of the coalition and stop helping Ukraine, because they have given so much aid that they are starving and reduced to eating squirrels.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-tv-skabayeva-uk-reduced-eating-squirrels-ukraine-military-aid-2023-3

[Spekulatius]

8 hours ago, ValueArb said:

Looks like the UK will be forced to pull out of the coalition and stop helping Ukraine, because they have given so much aid that they are starving and reduced to eating squirrels.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-tv-skabayeva-uk-reduced-eating-squirrels-ukraine-military-aid-2023-3

According to some hunters I have met, squirrels don’t taste too bad. It’s probably better than what most Russians are eating , if done right.

https://www.wildmeat.co.uk/blogs/news/squirrel-why-everyone-should-try-it#:~:text=Squirrel tastes like a subtler,recommend allowing one per person.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Spekulatius

[lnofeisone]

10 hours ago, ValueArb said:

Looks like the UK will be forced to pull out of the coalition and stop helping Ukraine, because they have given so much aid that they are starving and reduced to eating squirrels.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-tv-skabayeva-uk-reduced-eating-squirrels-ukraine-military-aid-2023-3

It's a bad translation compounded by her conflation of another event [UK project to reduce number of gray squirrels].

[John Hjorth]

Ridiculous / hilarious assertion!  [So much *BS* everywhere about this calamity!]

[Spekulatius]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:11 PM, shhughes1116 said:

Looks like the Ukrainians are starting to receive M30A1 rockets.  Instead of a unitary warhead, these rockets have the successor to cluster bombs - they have 160k tungsten balls.  Effective when you are targeting dispersed soft targets like a truck depot or infantry positions.  
 

Maybe the West is running short on GMLRS rockets with a unitary warhead.  Or maybe the Ukrainians want to provide a warm welcome to the hordes of Russian conscripts that are disembarking from trains and trucks.  
 

Could be confirmation bias, but this is another data point that suggests to me that the Ukrainians are getting ready for another big push.  My bet is still towards Polohy, and beyond that to Mauriupul and Melitpol.  

This is the after math of a M30A1 HIMARS (tungsten ball payload) on a truck convoy. Tiny little holes everywhere. You don’t want to be close when this one hits from above for sure.

https://streamable.com/t/zglgyk

 

On the counter offensive, it seems like the anchor towns of Urozhaine and Robotyne have been conquered by Ukraine forces means some progress has been made apparently. It looks like the cluster ammo has been put to good use, to soften up Russian defense lines and especially when the Russian have to leave them. It’s slow going and apparently Ukraine had to change tactics to use a much slower approach than initially planned.

 

The above posted on Twitter, but it seems like videos are not loading on Twitter any more in many cases.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Spekulatius

[mcliu]

Prioritizing foreign wars over well-being of citizens seems somewhat late-stage empire.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-rebuked-ignoring-deadly-maui-wildfires-prioritizing-ukraine-american-people

[Spekulatius]

Ruble not doing that great any more:

[Parsad]

1 hour ago, Spekulatius said:

Ruble not doing that great any more:

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ruble-crashes-100-per-dollar-061022584.html

 

Cheers!

[Spekulatius]

2 hours ago, mcliu said:

Prioritizing foreign wars over well-being of citizens seems somewhat late-stage empire.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-rebuked-ignoring-deadly-maui-wildfires-prioritizing-ukraine-american-people

This is actually a great example how MSM (in this case Fox) spins a narrative to their liking. The Maui fire and the Ukraine aid have nothing to do with each either.

 

A disaster was declared right away which opens federal help provided the State asks for it. There is absolutely nothing that won’t be done in Maui because of the Ukraine war aid.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/08/10/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-hawaii-disaster-declaration-3/

 

That does not prevent Fox News to connect some completely separate  issues in a way that fits their own narrative and bias and creates a story out of nothing.

Edited August 15, 2023 by Spekulatius

[Fundmanagerthrwawy]

On 8/8/2023 at 3:46 AM, ValueArb said:

Looks like the UK will be forced to pull out of the coalition and stop helping Ukraine, because they have given so much aid that they are starving and reduced to eating squirrels.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-tv-skabayeva-uk-reduced-eating-squirrels-ukraine-military-aid-2023-3

That might be the stupidest thing I have ever read. Not too shocked that it has come from business insider though. 

[aws]

 

2 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

This is actually a great example how MSM (in this case Fox) spins a narrative to their liking. The Maui fire and the Ukraine aid have nothing to do with each either.

 

A disaster was declared right away which opens federal help provided the State asks for it. There is absolutely nothing that won’t be done in Maui because of the Ukraine war aid.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/08/10/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-hawaii-disaster-declaration-3/

 

That does not prevent Fox News to connect some completely separate  issues in a way that fits their own narrative and bias and creates a story out of nothing.

 

And if he were there since day one personally handing out aid, they would say he's just doing it to distract from the house GOP inquiry into his family, or Hunter Biden's latest legal woes, etc.

[mcliu]

4 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

This is actually a great example how MSM (in this case Fox) spins a narrative to their liking. The Maui fire and the Ukraine aid have nothing to do with each either.

 

A disaster was declared right away which opens federal help provided the State asks for it. There is absolutely nothing that won’t be done in Maui because of the Ukraine war aid.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/08/10/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-hawaii-disaster-declaration-3/

 

That does not prevent Fox News to connect some completely separate  issues in a way that fits their own narrative and bias and creates a story out of nothing.

 

Fox spins narratives against Biden.

CNN spins narratives against Trump.

Both spinning narratives against China & Russia.

 

While the article is BS, the premise that the US wastes too much resource on costly foreign intervention instead of fixing domestic issues is not wrong.. The US is facing: Record high debts, deteriorating health, opioid/fentanyl crisis, failing infrastructure, poor roads, poor airports, poor subways, poor trains, major homelessness and crime problem in urban areas, weak & inconsistent public education.

Why is this happening in the richest & most powerful country in the world?

[ValueArb]

8 hours ago, mcliu said:

Prioritizing foreign wars over well-being of citizens seems somewhat late-stage empire.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-rebuked-ignoring-deadly-maui-wildfires-prioritizing-ukraine-american-people

Most of our military aid to Ukraine is obsolete equipment we never planned to use pulled from long term storage depots. The idea they are actually worth the billions we’ve claimed is suspect. Even if they are the $50B or so we’ve doled out so far is roughly 0.5% of total federal spending since the war started.

 

There is no either or scenario here.

[John Hjorth]

10 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

This is actually a great example how MSM (in this case Fox) spins a narrative to their liking. The Maui fire and the Ukraine aid have nothing to do with each either.

 

A disaster was declared right away which opens federal help provided the State asks for it. There is absolutely nothing that won’t be done in Maui because of the Ukraine war aid.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/08/10/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-hawaii-disaster-declaration-3/

 

That does not prevent Fox News to connect some completely separate  issues in a way that fits their own narrative and bias and creates a story out of nothing.

 

5 hours ago, mcliu said:

 

Fox spins narratives against Biden.

CNN spins narratives against Trump.

Both spinning narratives against China & Russia.

 

While the article is BS, the premise that the US wastes too much resource on costly foreign intervention instead of fixing domestic issues is not wrong.. The US is facing: Record high debts, deteriorating health, opioid/fentanyl crisis, failing infrastructure, poor roads, poor airports, poor subways, poor trains, major homelessness and crime problem in urban areas, weak & inconsistent public education.

Why is this happening in the richest & most powerful country in the world?

 

It may also be related to time of the year about news in general :

 

Danish : Wikipedia : Agurketid [Danish 'Agurketid' translated to English : Cucumber time,

German : Saurgurkenzeit [ ],

English : Wikipedia : Silly Season.

 

- - - o  0 o - - -

 

But with that said, yes , the silence around the war has become almost resounding recently ...  , perhaps MSM grabbing for straws, or making things up, to fill the pages.

Edited August 16, 2023 by John Hjorth

[cubsfan]

19 hours ago, aws said:

 

 

And if he were there since day one personally handing out aid, they would say he's just doing it to distract from the house GOP inquiry into his family, or Hunter Biden's latest legal woes, etc.

Haha - funny cause that would be the truth. He’s in deep shit these days.

[cubsfan]

17 hours ago, mcliu said:

 

Fox spins narratives against Biden.

CNN spins narratives against Trump.

Both spinning narratives against China & Russia.

 

While the article is BS, the premise that the US wastes too much resource on costly foreign intervention instead of fixing domestic issues is not wrong.. The US is facing: Record high debts, deteriorating health, opioid/fentanyl crisis, failing infrastructure, poor roads, poor airports, poor subways, poor trains, major homelessness and crime problem in urban areas, weak & inconsistent public education.

Why is this happening in the richest & most powerful country in the world?

Hey - you forgot the biggest disaster which is the southern border.

 

We’ll protect the Ukraine and Canada border - but not the Mexican!

 

But the answer to your question: it’s happening because of corrupt leadership that is setting the USA back for years - while they enrich themselves at the expense of the citizens. Just as Obama, Hillary and Hunter.

Edited August 16, 2023 by cubsfan

[ValueArb]

20 minutes ago, cubsfan said:

Hey - you forgot the biggest disaster which is the southern border.

 

We’ll protect the Ukraine and Canada border - but not the Mexican!

 

But the answer to your question: it’s happening because of corrupt leadership that is setting the USA back for years - while they enrich themselves at the expense of the citizens. Just as Obama, Hillary and Hunter.

 

50 years ago our southern border was completely undefended. Every year millions of mexican workers would migrate up to work on our farms, leaving their wives and families behind. Once harvesting was over, every year they'd head back to their villages in Mexico for half the year and live far better than their neighbors who didn't do migrant work. It was called circular migration and it worked great for the US and Mexico.

 

Then we started to fence and guard the border, making it much harder for them to count on getting back in if they went home. So they started bringing their wives and their kids and staying permanently in the US.  The result is called unintended consequences.

[cubsfan]

1 minute ago, ValueArb said:

 

50 years ago our southern border was completely undefended. Every year millions of mexican workers would migrate up to work on our farms, leaving their wives and families behind. Once harvesting was over, every year they'd head back to their villages in Mexico for half the year and live far better than their neighbors who didn't do migrant work. It was called circular migration and it worked great for the US and Mexico.

 

Then we started to fence and guard the border, making it much harder for them to count on getting back in if they went home. So they started bringing their wives and their kids and staying permanently in the US.  The result is called unintended consequences.

Not really. The difference is , they are coming and staying, specifically for the social services of an increasing welfare state. Why go back to Mexico when you can have schools, health care, hospitals for nothing?

 

The USA is an escape valve for a hugely corrupt Mexican government that refuses to take any care of their poor. Mexico willingly exports their poor to the good old USA while the cartels and corrupt government gets rich.

 

And actually the worst part about the whole situation is 100,000 fentanyl dead USA citizens courtesy of Mexican cartels supplied by China.

 

And we worry about combat deaths in Afghanistan….

[ValueArb]

2 hours ago, cubsfan said:

Not really. The difference is , they are coming and staying, specifically for the social services of an increasing welfare state. Why go back to Mexico when you can have schools, health care, hospitals for nothing?

 

The USA is an escape valve for a hugely corrupt Mexican government that refuses to take any care of their poor. Mexico willingly exports their poor to the good old USA while the cartels and corrupt government gets rich.

 

And actually the worst part about the whole situation is 100,000 fentanyl dead USA citizens courtesy of Mexican cartels supplied by China.

 

And we worry about combat deaths in Afghanistan….

 

Circular migration was extensively studied and documented over the 70s and 80s. The reason most would not stay here is they didn't want to uproot their families, there are schools, healthcare and hospitals in mexico too that are far cheaper.

 

Fentanyl is a product of the "success" of the war on drugs. It's a cheap substitute that can be cut into other drugs when they are hard to get. Its so potent its easy to OD on, if we really cared about overdoses we wouldn't push drugs onto the black market where no one knows what they are really taking, instead we'd demand they are packaged by legitimate companies so drug users know exactly how much is in the dose. No different than bathtub gin killing hundreds of thousands during the Prohibition.

 

And if it wasn't coming from Mexico it would be coming from Canada, the UK, Caribbean, south america, etc. The problem with illegal drugs isn't the suppliers, its the users. When demand is this high, black market drugs are so massively lucrative that knocking out one supplier just creates an opportunity for two more to sprout up.