Political Discussion

Fighting against the enslavement of humanity?…while simultaneously imprisoning anyone who would protest his actions. Baffling the mental gymnastics folks must go through to reach these beliefs.

What hypocrisy right?

I was thinking about this morning how the Alt Right is so against Democrats because they are "Commies", bet they are putting Putin on a pedestal here. He'

Putin is the hero of Qanon doing everything they said Trump was going to do.
 
I assume you mean the IL-76 shoot downs? I agree that taking life in an absolute kind of way is a bad thing. In this context, though, and in light of what Russia would doctrinally be carrying (most likely paratroopers, which rough estimate would be ~250 between the two) it's a "good" thing. I don't say that in a celebratory way - I think, at least my perspective - and I try to see this from a sort of consequentialist viewpoint - is that better a few hundred soldiers who agreed to the rules of the game than the civilians that could have been caught in the midst of their ensuing operations. Yeah, war is bad. But when it's happening and becomes an inextricable fact of life I guess there are more factors inputting into the output of good and bad, if we draw such binary distinctions.

I think celebration is certainly odd from a "spectator" point of view. Though, I don't think I could fault a Ukranian for celebrating these things.


The new more reasonable Chuck T Shoes of the political thread.
 
The new more reasonable Chuck T Shoes of the political thread.
Maybe???

I know who you're talking about but my politics don't align with their politics, and I say that with no disrespect toward their worldview.

As well, I don't see my post as overtly political (notwithstanding the thread we are in). Perhaps I have a different perspective on warfare though.
 
Maybe???

I know who you're talking about but my politics don't align with their politics, and I say that with no disrespect toward their worldview.

As well, I don't see my post as overtly political (notwithstanding the thread we are in). Perhaps I have a different perspective on warfare though.

My comment is in good fun. It’s an exaggeration, but you do know more than most about military stuff and have a divergent opinion than most here (all good stuff).
 
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My comment is in good fun. It’s an exaggeration, but you do know more than most about military stuff and have a divergent opinion than most here (all good stuff).
Oh yes I didn't take offense. I liked him. Funny enough, I consider myself rather liberal. Very much so on social issues. But I am 14 years into a military career so try to square that circle lol. Although, IME, I see more and more liberally-minded young folks joining our ranks.

So, yes, I could see my opinions being divergent there. But I also have different - for better or worse - insight and knowledge of these things that feeds into any divergence.
 
Surely Putin and those around him are realizing this was a huge fuck up and he will be on his way out sooner than later? I'm hoping.

Putin is all in. He’s not going to back down, that would destroy him. He will be willing to let this get messy and dirty and protracted. Whether those around him are willing to give up their easy money and private jets and their kids private education in Britain, well yeah that’s debatable. They won’t move unless they know it will suceed though, when you try to take out a Putin you don’t dare miss.
 
Putin is all in. He’s not going to back down, that would destroy him. He will be willing to let this get messy and dirty and protracted. Whether those around him are willing to give up their easy money and private jets and their kids private education in Britain, well yeah that’s debatable. They won’t move unless they know it will suceed though, when you try to take out a Putin you don’t dare miss.

Nail on the head right here.
 
Whether those around him are willing to give up their easy money and private jets and their kids private education in Britain, well yeah that’s debatable.
This is it though. Russian currency is in freefall, and now they can't even move their money around or store it in Switzerland. These people I feel are not going to be very happy.
 
This is it though. Russian currency is in freefall, and now they can't even move their money around or store it in Switzerland. These people I feel are not going to be very happy.

They aren’t but Putin has built a system which is built entirely around himself. All power is not centralised in his role but in him as a person. The oligarchs may feel that the time will come when they have no option but to remove him but it won’t necessarily be quick. They have to judge it to perfection because fail and everyone with any connection to them is wiped out.
 
They aren’t but Putin has built a system which is built entirely around himself. All power is not centralised in his role but in him as a person. The oligarchs may feel that the time will come when they have no option but to remove him but it won’t necessarily be quick. They have to judge it to perfection because fail and everyone with any connection to them is wiped out.
Yes, Putin is now all in. It is a death spiral. Can't back out but can't win either. Even if he crushes Ukraine, which he is likely to do, he has lost.

Losing the backing of China is the true death blow. And China is backing away. China is smart. They know full well that their entire economy is based on exports to the west.

Putin will be very wary from here on in about assasination. It is not necessarily the oligarchs, but the masses - soon to be penniless, their savings worth nothing, products disappearing from shelves, isolated from the world - they won't put up for long. Their resource export based economy is now crushed. Their ability to fund military expansion is pretty much gone. Rich Russians will not be able to get to their foreign luxury properties, which may be confiscated anyways. Just not being able to see the new Batman movie would do it for me.

Military chiefs must surely be feeling uneasy. Every sane person knows that nukes can never be used, let alone mentioned. When the military start to question Putin, it is the beginning of his end. It's kind of like when your wife mentions divorce - just the mention, the contemplation, means it's pretty much inevitable.
 
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