Sanctions on Russia

Christian Torres3 said:Back in the early nineties, the US could have practically bought Russia for a handful of rice; they weren't exactly looking to spread democracy then. Instead, what they actually did was bankroll Yeltsin to stay in power. When Zyuganov was actually getting close to winning an election, they just sent over PR experts along with more loans to make sure Yeltsin pulled through.

Honestly? It might have been better if the US had just colonized them. At least then there’d be a real shot at developing a functional democracy one day. Instead, they just ended up stuck in this weird hybrid mess of charisma and communism.

Look, it’s one thing when the country you’re supposedly "bringing democracy to" is a nuclear superpower—the biggest one on the planet, no less—or somewhere like Iraq. They propped up Yeltsin just to ensure they kept control over the nation and its military. It would be absolutely lovely if they had actually installed democracy like they did in Iraq, Libya, or Syria... feel free to keep listing them.

Christian Torres3 said:Back in the early nineties, the US could have practically bought Russia for a handful of rice; they weren't exactly looking to spread democracy then. Instead, what they actually did was bankroll Yeltsin to stay in power. When Zyuganov was actually getting close to winning an election, they just sent over PR experts along with more loans to make sure Yeltsin pulled through.

Honestly? It might have been better if the US had just colonized them. At least then there’d be a real shot at developing a functional democracy one day. Instead, they just ended up stuck in this weird hybrid mess of charisma and communism.

There’s actually a movie about this whole situation. It’s marketed as a comedy, but if you look closer, it's actually quite a solid piece of filmmaking.

Joshua Myers432 said:Look, it’s one thing when the country you’re supposedly "bringing democracy to" is a nuclear superpower—the biggest one on the planet, no less—or somewhere like Iraq. They propped up Yeltsin just to ensure they kept control over the nation and its military. It would be absolutely lovely if they had actually installed democracy like they did in Iraq, Libya, or Syria... feel free to keep listing them.

Back then, officers from that nuclear power were caught on camera scavenging through military scrap just to find enough metal to sell so they could feed their families. They practically sold off a submarine to a drug cartel.

The US could have put whoever they wanted in the president's seat back then, and honestly? I think it was a mistake that they didn't.

@Michael Ortiz68: I know.

Kaja Kalla:
@kajakallas
(Estonian Prime Minister)

My administration is set to finalize a decision today regarding the suspension of Russian tourism entering the EU through our borders. This move is closely coordinated with Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, serving as a necessary response to significant threats to public safety. It isn't an outright ban, as certain exceptions will remain in place. You can read our joint statement here:
https://t.co/nwOzZieTGO

https://twitter.com/kajakallas/statu...kCWAg1vWbpehUg

Exchange Rates:
$1 = 0.70 USD

The exchange rate at a currency kiosk in Cyprus (specifically for Russian tourists):
$1 = 2.20 USD

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fb8_fAtXkAU-DJY.jpg

Timothy Williams5 said:Exchange Rates:
$1 = 0.70 USD

The exchange rate at a currency kiosk in Cyprus (specifically for Russian tourists):
$1 = 2.20 USD

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fb8_fAtXkAU-DJY.jpg

but... oh man... look at that strong Ruble...😁 ....it's never been stronger...🍿

https://twitter.com/marceldirsus/sta...66376799444992



A new poll just dropped out of Germany, and it shows that 70% of the population still backs sending aid to Ukraine and keeping those sanctions on Russia alive—even with energy prices hitting the roof.

Just wanted to drop this here for all the pro-Russia folks who were busy complaining a few days ago about how Western support for Ukraine was supposedly crumbling.

It seems like Putin doesn't quite get that the West isn't some soft target like the propaganda from China and Russia tries to make us look. This invasion actually hit people right in the feels, and when that happens, people are willing to endure way more than you'd think.

It’s still heating up out there. Give it a minute 😁

Joshua Myers432 said:It’s still heating up out there. Give it a minute 😁

The gas heating will run about two degrees lower than usual.

That’s all there is to it. We're watching the total collapse of the European Union economy and the Western values we used to rely on. Instead of just dealing with light layers during a cold snap, people are going to be stuck inside their houses wearing nothing but t-shirts just to survive the winter.

silentnomad7 said:The gas heating will run about two degrees lower than usual.

Two degrees colder, yet three times the cost. And what happens to the industrial sector? Some nations in Europe actually have a manufacturing base; they didn't build their entire economies around flipping burgers and catering to tourists.

Joshua Myers432 said:Two degrees colder, yet three times the cost. And what happens to the industrial sector? Some nations in Europe actually have a manufacturing base; they didn't build their entire economies around flipping burgers and catering to tourists.

Who deserves our sympathy here?

Maybe the Germans?

They basically brought this on themselves by relying on cheap gas below market rates for the last 50 years or so. It's time they pay the actual market price. If they can't figure out how to adapt to reality, then maybe they just deserve to go under...

Joshua Myers432 said:Two degrees colder, yet three times the cost. And what happens to the industrial sector? Some nations in Europe actually have a manufacturing base; they didn't build their entire economies around flipping burgers and catering to tourists.

I guess we'll just install methane digesters on all the cattle ranches—great for the environment, and even better for the gas business. 😬

Joshua Myers432 said:Two degrees colder, yet three times the cost. And what happens to the industrial sector? Some nations in Europe actually have a manufacturing base; they didn't build their entire economies around flipping burgers and catering to tourists.

The people making these claims are incredibly naive; once winter passes, they won't even remember what they were whining about.
Just to be clear here.
There won't be a two-degree drop, there won't be a gas shortage, and people won't be paying three times as much to heat their homes... and of course, industry isn't going to collapse either.
I’ll be saying this again after the winter is over, but if history is any indication, we already know how this goes... many of you will change your usernames or claim you never said such things in the first place. I'm drawing that conclusion based on how people behaved during previous discussions surrounding major conflicts.

lp

Bryan Booth82 said:The people making these claims are incredibly naive; once winter passes, they won't even remember what they were whining about.
Just to be clear here.
There won't be a two-degree drop, there won't be a gas shortage, and people won't be paying three times as much to heat their homes... and of course, industry isn't going to collapse either.
I’ll be saying this again after the winter is over, but if history is any indication, we already know how this goes... many of you will change your usernames or claim you never said such things in the first place. I'm drawing that conclusion based on how people behaved during previous discussions surrounding major conflicts.

lp

Exactly. I had the same thought. When COVID hit, I was one of the few who dared to suggest those lockdowns were economic suicide—that they'd end up costing more lives than the virus itself. Back then, I got insulted with every epithet in the book. Now? Nobody remembers. This is just Economic Killer v2.0.

silentnomad7 said:Who deserves our sympathy here?

Maybe the Germans?

They basically brought this on themselves by relying on cheap gas below market rates for the last 50 years or so. It's time they pay the actual market price. If they can't figure out how to adapt to reality, then maybe they just deserve to go under...

Eh, Ebote, I couldn't care less about the Germans, the Russians, or the Ukrainians. Everyone made the wrong calls, and now everyone gets screwed. My only concern is that they might drag us down with them.

It’s a struggle going from craft beer back to the cheap stuff.

#firstworldproblems

What I just don't get is this endless mantra from Russian and pro-Russian propaganda claiming they can somehow flip public opinion in Europe or the West to turn against supporting Ukraine.

I honestly don't know—maybe they don't care, or maybe the people they're targeting simply don't realize how much this would actually benefit Russia and their ongoing aggression.🤔

Let’s run through a scenario: suppose every Western government decides, buckling under public pressure and the rising costs of winter, to just pull the plug on aid to Ukraine—no more cash, no more weapons, no more ammunition...🤔

What do they think would happen?🤔

Does someone seriously believe that if Putin takes over Ukraine, inflation will just vanish globally, everything will become cheap again, and we'll all have warm winters? Do they think we in the West could just pretend nothing happened while governments collapse and tiny, fringe extremist parties from either the far right or far left seize power—parties that would immediately scrap all sanctions and send apologies and friendly greetings straight to the Kremlin?

Ebote, how delusional do you have to be to swallow such absolute nonsense?
Lp

Bryan Booth82 said:What I just don't get is this endless mantra from Russian and pro-Russian propaganda claiming they can somehow flip public opinion in Europe or the West to turn against supporting Ukraine.

I honestly don't know—maybe they don't care, or maybe the people they're targeting simply don't realize how much this would actually benefit Russia and their ongoing aggression.🤔

Let’s run through a scenario: suppose every Western government decides, buckling under public pressure and the rising costs of winter, to just pull the plug on aid to Ukraine—no more cash, no more weapons, no more ammunition...🤔

What do they think would happen?🤔

Does someone seriously believe that if Putin takes over Ukraine, inflation will just vanish globally, everything will become cheap again, and we'll all have warm winters? Do they think we in the West could just pretend nothing happened while governments collapse and tiny, fringe extremist parties from either the far right or far left seize power—parties that would immediately scrap all sanctions and send apologies and friendly greetings straight to the Kremlin?

Ebote, how delusional do you have to be to swallow such absolute nonsense?
Lp

Look, this isn't about some grand pro-Russian propaganda machine or "Russophiles"—there's probably one in a thousand of those people left in the West, and frankly, the government should probably just provide them with psychiatric help. If you actually put Russia ahead of the West, you belong in a mental ward.

The reality here is much simpler: it's about pure self-interest. Westerners are masters at looking out for their own skin. We'll see if they actually hold the line.

Joshua Myers432 said:Look, this isn't about some grand pro-Russian propaganda machine or "Russophiles"—there's probably one in a thousand of those people left in the West, and frankly, the government should probably just provide them with psychiatric help. If you actually put Russia ahead of the West, you belong in a mental ward.

The reality here is much simpler: it's about pure self-interest. Westerners are masters at looking out for their own skin. We'll see if they actually hold the line.

Alright, but can you actually explain to me what "looking out for our own hides" looks like in practice?
Give me a concrete example of what we should do—or stop doing—to make things better for ourselves.

I don't get it. How on earth is life supposed to be any better for someone living in Germany, or someone in the UK or the USA, if we simply stop supporting Ukraine?🤔

To be even more blunt: does anyone seriously believe that we in the West are going to profit from this, or that we'll be happier and more satisfied if Russian aggression actually succeeds?🤔

Is our economy—which is still fighting to stay competitive on the global stage—going to somehow collapse or go down the drain just because the West continues to aid Ukraine?
Best regards,

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/urals-oil

Looks like Ural crude is sitting at $69 right now 🍿