Posts by Thomas Walker84

brightheron64 said:Whether you call it romanticism or just plain old aggression... do you truly believe that the only valid way forward is to rely on raw military might—to simply crush, overpower, and steamroll anyone who dares to disagree with us...?

If you sit down and actually crunch the numbers, the sheer cost of the American involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq runs into the trillions of dollars. And that’s just the financial side of things—it doesn't even begin to touch the devastating human toll... If we could have taken all those resources poured into every war since 1945 and instead funneled them into cattle ranching, agricultural breakthroughs, cutting-edge tech, or robust social programs, imagine where we might be today...
I don't even need to bring up the history involving Agent Orange and the sheer devastation it inflicted on the environment—though, if you look at the silver lining, Vietnam managed to climb the ranks to become the second-largest coffee producer in the world because of it... we could just shrug our shoulders and accept it as one of those "shit happens" moments, a dark little blot on our shared history that’s been defined by so much conflict, but surely we were meant to walk away from all that with a few lessons learned, right...

On the other hand, if we were to take those trillions of dollars and transform them into something tangible, something material, and genuinely useful for the world... just consider the cost of livestock. You could look at everything from the absolute gold standard, those elite Holstein and Angus master breeds, down to a perfectly serviceable cow that wouldn't even break the $2,000 mark. When you start converting all those massive military budgets into animals capable of feeding huge swaths of humanity—and let's not even get into the methane issue—you really have to ask how much sense warfare actually makes. Anything you might hope to achieve through brute force could almost certainly be handled more effectively through diplomacy and kindness, all without leaving a trail of lost souls on your conscience... assuming you even have one. I’ll say it again: a carrot is far more interesting and productive than a stick...

With a little bit of common sense, all those people who think they can achieve global dominance through nothing but military doctrines and sheer force should probably realize that there are so many other ways to win... from controlling raw materials to securing food supplies, especially when it comes to food security, which grants a level of invincibility far more potent than any rifle ever could...
Look, George Lewis9, if you’re being bankrolled and politically elevated by a giant like Lockheed Martin, then of course you're going to claim that heavy artillery is the only way forward... But it's funny how those people are always the very last ones to ever see a trench or send their own children off to fight, just to be clear about what I mean here... and meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is out there dancing to that exact same twisted rhythm...

It’s certainly much easier to focus on churning out tanks, building aircraft carriers, or "disciplining" anyone who dares to disagree... rather than actually contemplating how to make things better or working toward the global good... which, let's be honest, offers a far more drastic and completely legitimate form of dominance—if that's truly what you're after—than any weapon ever could...

fgzcvijetic As specified by:
...
Imagine if the USA didn't pour $700 billion into weaponry and billions more into foreign wars... but instead directed all that capital toward...

This thread is about Russia, not the USA—there are other subreddits for that. Why don't you just lay out your actual arguments here so you aren't just being off-topic?

Based on some recent calculations regarding the Russian involvement in...
Let's just imagine for a second: what if Russia wasn't pouring billions of dollars into weapons and warfare, but was instead putting that money toward...

By the way, it would be amazing if we could invest in R&D and science instead of pouring everything into weaponry... It’s a nice dream to have, but given where we are in human history right now, you might want to save that sentiment for when you're actually competing for muscle mass. 🙂🙂

wiredseal7 said:Here’s a perfect example of how sanctions can trigger some pretty "unintended" consequences—assuming they don't just kill the victim first. In this case, we're looking at the end of London's total grip on maritime insurance:

https://twitter.com/Kathleen_Tyson_/...167834626?s=20

That sounds pretty intense. 🙄

At a recent summit in Japan, the foreign ministers from the G7 nations—including the USA, Japan, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada—basically representing the world's seven most powerful economies, promised that any countries aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine will "pay dearly." They specifically signaled that those providing direct military support, which clearly points toward China, will face consequences.

The G7 maintains its firm support for Ukraine, demanding an unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory.

Expect sanctions against Russia to intensify, alongside a doubling down on efforts to block any attempts to bypass them.

The Japanese minister also touched on China's maneuvers surrounding Taiwan, expressed concern over China's nuclear expansion, and noted how closely the stability of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are linked—warning that the crisis in Ukraine could eventually spill over into the Far East.

China was quick to push back, calling these statements arrogant and a blatant "attempt to destroy China."

https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/l...20pays%20tiers.

Bryan Booth82 said:PUTIN IN A PANIC
A top-tier trader just dropped this bombshell: ‘This recent oil move proves Russia has officially lost the energy war!’

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy-war-oil-impact-15304847

"Now that Europe is finally adjusting to life without Russian gas, why on earth would they ever go back?"

Written by: Gojko Drljača Ebote 🤔 😵 😁
Seriously, what are we even looking at here? One of Putin's biggest propaganda "journalists" in America has suddenly decided to flip the script.
I honestly can't believe my eyes. What happened? Did the checks from the Kremlin finally stop clearing? I guess even the most biased hacks have to pay their bills eventually... right?
Don't sell out now, Gojko... 😁

lp

Maybe it’s just a matter of insufficient payment, or maybe he's been rebranded as a sleeper agent who will now function more or less as a Putin critic and an ideologically moderate voice. I don't think Russia & Co. could even imagine losing (this) war, so they're likely already securing their assets and setting up future sleeper cells that will blend into the background, waiting for a better historical moment while lobbying for Russia in a much more subtle, hidden way.

Timothy Nelson5 said:Tennis is an individual sport. A national soccer team represents a whole country, but a single player competing in a European league? Not really.

I guess all sports organizations ought to adopt some kind of clear procedure for situations like this.
When some fascist aggressor regime gets hit with sanctions, all of that nation's national teams get banned. That makes sense, I suppose.
But individual athletes in solo sports... if they want to keep competing, maybe they shouldn't represent their country anymore. They should have to make some kind of statement—something neutral, at least—clearly declaring they don't support their homeland's policies. And maybe they could make some appropriate donations to help the victims caused by that regime's actions.

Then, let people decide.

That would be a solid move. I'm not sure if it's already happening, but it feels like it isn't. It’s a shame because it would be a completely "free" sanction—one that carries weight by sending a message through famous, popular figures to the people in Russia, encouraging them to stand up against their own government, or showing that those who support the regime are being cut off from competition.

The athletes who don't support the regime are probably scared, but they could ask for asylum for themselves and their families. They could show a little more courage, couldn't they?

Carl Flores5 said:The marina staff doesn't have any authority or legal obligation here. This looks like a classic case of passing the buck and muddying the waters—they're probably trying to frame the sailor who caught them red-handed as the main culprit.

Sure, they're shifting blame, but it’s incredibly suspicious that nobody at the marina "noticed" a massive yacht under sanctions just vanishing. Maybe they assumed there was some permit for it to move elsewhere, but for absolutely no one to ask questions? For the sailor not to tell the manager, and the manager not to react... especially when there are only a handful of these sanctioned yachts in the entire US.

And it’s even weirder that it sailed out of the country without a single hitch. Who knows which of these reports are accurate, but someone definitely helped bypass those sanctions.

Besides, in many places, there aren't even strict penalties for breaking sanctions... which just makes it easier for oligarchs to bribe the right people.

Anyway, these yachts are a huge headache because maintaining them is insanely expensive. It would be ideal if we could find a way to sell them and put that money toward rebuilding Ukraine.

https://www.marinenews.com/russian-yachts-are...expensive/

Just a few more bits of info—or half-info, anyway. 😁
https://usnews.com/news/coast-guard-report-1239295

William Miller12 said:The whole situation regarding that yacht in Betten is definitely catching eyes—at least within our local circles.

Here’s what I’m wondering:
A yacht doesn't just spontaneously float into the ocean on its own. Who was actually on-site, and what kind of excuse were they given for moving it? I highly doubt some random group just hopped a fence and shoved a massive vessel into the water by hand. And let's not forget how they managed to swap it out for a lookalike in the exact same spot....

What does the owner—or rather, the marina director—actually know about this?
And how did the boat clear our territorial waters without anyone asking a single question?
We're talking about a vessel under sanctions that sailed right out, kept its transponders fully active, and cruised all the way to Turkey...
It wasn't like they had to hunt it down with Coast Guard helicopters, drones, or high-speed interceptors...
Just pure luck with the Coast Guard? Maritime Police? The Navy?

Is there any political involvement here? And if so, how deep does the rabbit hole go?

So many unanswered questions...

I expect we'll see a predictable cycle of finger-pointing over the next few days, ranging from "that's not our department" to "other agencies should be doing their jobs."

But I'm holding out hope that a serious investigative journalist, maybe someone like Cimic over at Index, picks this up. Then maybe we'll finally see how far the Russian fifth column reaches in the States, though I have my doubts that anyone will actually face consequences even if the truth comes out....

___

For now, it seems certain that at least some staff at the marina and the Border Patrol were compromised. The fact that it sailed out so easily suggests the corruption might reach much higher up.

William Miller12 said:The whole situation regarding that yacht in Betten is definitely catching eyes—at least within our local circles.

Here’s what I’m wondering:
A yacht doesn't just spontaneously float into the ocean on its own. Who was actually on-site, and what kind of excuse were they given for moving it? I highly doubt some random group just hopped a fence and shoved a massive vessel into the water by hand. And let's not forget how they managed to swap it out for a lookalike in the exact same spot....

What does the owner—or rather, the marina director—actually know about this?
And how did the boat clear our territorial waters without anyone asking a single question?
We're talking about a vessel under sanctions that sailed right out, kept its transponders fully active, and cruised all the way to Turkey...
It wasn't like they had to hunt it down with Coast Guard helicopters, drones, or high-speed interceptors...
Just pure luck with the Coast Guard? Maritime Police? The Navy?

Is there any political involvement here? And if so, how deep does the rabbit hole go?

So many unanswered questions...

I expect we'll see a predictable cycle of finger-pointing over the next few days, ranging from "that's not our department" to "other agencies should be doing their jobs."

But I'm holding out hope that a serious investigative journalist, maybe someone like Cimic over at Index, picks this up. Then maybe we'll finally see how far the Russian fifth column reaches in the States, though I have my doubts that anyone will actually face consequences even if the truth comes out....

___

It's obvious someone at the marina was bribed—probably most of them. This shouldn't be hard to investigate. It's not like they have a hundred yachts this sizethat are under sanctions and wouldn't notice immediately that one "disappeared" or that someone was maneuvering a vessel in and out of the slip.

"- At the Betten marina, everything is open to everyone. You and I could walk right up
to the pier and hop onto any yacht docked there. The Department reported to the port that the yacht was blocked, and the harbor master instructed the relevant authorities that no one should approach the vessel, but the Department isn't hiring security services to provide 24-hour protection for private property, nor is that in the budget because such a system isn't sustainable – says Gospočić (a state official in the Department of the Navy)."

And I'm not even sure I'm reading this correctly🤔—meaning, you pay premium docking fees for a massive yacht just so absolutely anyone can walk up, board it, and sail away. No oversight, no cameras... (And it's not like they should have to hire guards; they could just install cameras like normal people.)

Sure, it might be relatively easy to jump on a boat and mess around, but claiming you can sail an entire yacht away and nobody notices for three months? Please, don't insult my intelligence.

"... the yacht Irina VU left the American port without any issues and sailed out of our territorial waters. We've learned unofficially from high-level sources that this happened because the police didn't have any official data or notification that the yacht was under a travel ban, so the border patrol had no reason to intervene or stop the Irina VU."

wow? It just keeps getting better. A massive yacht with a Russian name sails out of American waters, and the border patrol has absolutely no reason in the world to check who or what that yacht is. 😵🙏

It looks like there was some corruption going on there too.

brightheron64 said:It is an intriguing thesis, certainly.

How else would you explain the fact that up until the 70s, the Chinese weren't even capable of building what the Germans and Britons were producing for Bismarck or Queen Victoria, yet here they are today...

Just consider this one little detail:

Nearly a quarter of all cars newly registered in China are now electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, meaning that the country is ahead of Europe and well ahead of The US in adoption of Thes technologies. Half The world's EVs ara sold in China.

Do you honestly think the Chinese—unlike the Russians—are just importing electric vehicles? That they aren't developing their own tech and manufacturing capabilities along the way... Can you even begin to imagine what the landscape will look like in five or ten years, and who will actually be leading the world in EV production?...

And that is exactly where the catch lies. Honestly, please just view this as a bit of lamentation or a debate... rather than some attempt to take the side of the Russians. I am simply wondering if, in the long run, these sanctions might actually force Russia into a new era of industrialization, transforming them from arrogant exporters and importers into genuine technological competitors...

Of course, it's a process that takes time, but once you learn a lesson like this, you'd hope it would prompt some reflection, much like what happened with the agricultural sector...

That’s actually a really solid point and a fair argument. Personally, I think Russians would likely be more capable than the Chinese, let alone anyone from Saudi Arabia, when you look at their inventiveness, science, tech, and even their art. But they can't thrive under that kind of government or a system so obsessed with past conquests—it just drives their brightest minds away, mostly toward the West. Russia could be incredibly advanced, but only if they operated within Western frameworks. Otherwise, it's hard to see them being treated as an equal by the Chinese; they'll more likely just be viewed as something to be conquered.

Brenda Murphy3 said:Because they simply can't...

Honestly, all these half-baked arguments about how Russians will build this or that just because they "have" to... yeah, right. They'll be lucky if they can build a paper airplane.😁

If you handed the current Russian government—or rather, their entire way of running things—today's Swiss economy and its setup, they'd burn through their current reserves and still wouldn't manage to recreate even a fraction of that Swiss efficiency in 20 years.

A regime like that, with that specific power structure, hits a ceiling. It's a hard limit. A system without actual institutions, without basic freedoms, etc.—it's just fundamentally incapable of achieving certain things. It's simple math. Russia isn't some special case here; in fact, after decades of mental and systemic regression under the USSR, they've been led for decades by someone who is a direct product of that same rigid, suffocating USSR era.

A Russia like this isn't capable of pulling off anything significant... and they never will until they overhaul their entire governing system, actually build some real institutions, and so on. Everything else is just empty rhetoric and nothing more.

Exactly. Besides, even a highly advanced nation in Europe with a "normal" government wouldn't get very far if they tried to operate in total isolation.

feralpilot0 said:Exactly—that's why Saudi oil always smells fishy.
Whether it's oil swiped from Syria...
Or lifted from tankers like those Iranian ones last year.
Where do you think the "noble" West gets it? They just seize it so these guys can't grow or turn a profit. Pathetic.

The West just takes everything and steals it without paying a dime. Over there, those Arab Shiites have become billionaires like Croesus, building up those flashy, gaudy cities like Dubai out of thin air. Meanwhile, the common people are still struggling in extreme poverty, but of course, they blame the wicked West instead of the wealthy elite.

brightheron64 said:If I’m being completely honest, who is actually feeling the sting of this specific detail? Is it the Russians, or is it the nations with massive automotive industries? Even the very first round of sanctions forced them to reorganize—primarily their agricultural sector—and if you ask yourself who really lost in that scenario, well... just go talk to anyone in a major farming region, someone who grows citrus or other produce, and ask them what they think about these sanctions. I know a few growers who basically tell anyone listening to shove the sanctions where the sun doesn't shine, because according to them, a Russian buyer will show up with three or five semi-trucks full of cash and pay right on the spot after weighing the load. Compare that to how some big-name corporate tycoon used to handle payments...

I totally get the sense of schadenfreude, and I agree that sanctions are a deserved consequence for an invasion, but when you look at the long game, where is the actual benefit here? Forcing the Russians to find ways to adapt and survive might just break them, or it might simply force them to reorganize, even if it means they end up producing nothing but Lades or Moskvich cars... This isn't even helping us in the long run (think about companies like AD Plastics or Cimos America...). And don't even get me started on the Germans, the Frenchmen, or the Japanese men...

Only time will tell how much sense all these sanctions truly make, and whether forcing Russia toward self-sufficiency—not that they are some kind of wasteland lacking resources—will work better than continuing to feed and subtly manipulate those wealthy oil tycoons and importers who buy everything without a second thought, from hamburgers to S-Class Mercedes... It makes me wonder how much this actually serves the other side and their commitment to playing the role of the righteous hero, even when we set aside "trivialities" like cheap energy sources...

Just look at Iran, for instance; how long have they been under sanctions?
And yet...?

Aside from the nations that have felt the direct sting of Russian aggression, nobody in the West, not even Americans, feels any particular malice toward Russia or has a desire, nor an interest, in seeing them collapse into a rogue state. Russia committed crimes against its neighbors, but it also brings a lot to the table in terms of culture, science, art, and sports, which earned them a lot of respect and sympathy. They've squandered that with many people now, resulting in a terrible reputation, but that's entirely due to their own mistakes. I'm certain that if the Russians withdraw from Ukraine, change leadership, admit their errors, and curb the delusions, sanctions would ease quickly, and they might even see developmental aid from the West.

Just look at Iran—how long have they been under sanctions?
And...?

Iran is a completely different world; it doesn't affect us that much.

I'm not quite seeing the connection to the sanctions against Russia. If you're talking about American agricultural laws, there are plenty of other threads on the forum for that... unless you're referring to protecting crops from invasive species like Russians 😉

brightheron64 said:Wikipedia quote

It all just feels like a bunch of sensationalist political theater and media hype, where they spin the narrative so heavily that it ends up looking like Ukraine is single-handedly feeding most of the planet...

Speaking of all this bickering, you really ought to take a look at the sheer scale of Russian grain and fertilizer exports... It’s staggering, honestly. I can't help but wonder, though, why on earth we aren't seeing any real sanctions being slapped on that side of the equation yet...
Wikipedia quote

Wikipedia quote: For generations, the sale of grain—especially wheat—has been a cornerstone of the global economy, serving as a massive source of export revenue for Russia throughout history and continuing to position the Russian Federation as one of the world's most influential grain suppliers alongside the EU... The Russian Federation... Historical text... When you take a look at the global landscape, it's clear that certain nations act as the backbone of our food security, serving as the primary grain suppliers to the world market... and it’s a role they have held for generations, ensuring that the massive demand from both the US and the rest of the globe remains met through shifting political tides... ...joining forces with the European Union, which held that second spot back in 2019/20, followed closely by the USA in third and Canada coming in at fourth... Ukraine, sitting right there in fifth place....

Of course, the Russians are whining because without those exports, the money just stops flowing... But at the end of the day, I wonder who actually cares more about all this complaining—the hungry buyers looking for supplies, or the producers who are stuck struggling with massive surpluses...

Well, the sanctions against Russia don't target food, medicine, or a few other essentials. The goal isn't to directly starve people; it's to weaken the Russian military machine, which stays wealthy primarily through resource sales and business deals.

hiddeneagle98 said:We really need to dig into who’s actually behind that claim and where they’re getting their funding from.

A "century-old dream," huh? Give me a break. Russia was cut off from Europe by the Iron Curtain for half of that entire century while everyone was busy dreaming that little dream.

And let's get one thing straight: the US isn't the only one selling gas. Not even close.

The reality is that the US acts as a shield protecting us from Russia, which is exactly why it becomes such an easy target for this kind of mindless propaganda.

The US provides that security regardless of whether you're buying your gas from Qatar, Norway, or Algeria, for instance.

For the US, the profit margins on gas are a tiny, insignificant fraction of the GDP—it's hardly worth getting dragged into these kinds of messes. It's not about the money for Americans; it's just Russian propaganda trying to frame it as if the US is fighting them over gas profits. For the Russians, this stuff represents a third of their GDP, so it's huge for them, but for Americans, it's pocket change. What matters to the US is making sure Russia doesn't get access to the cash that fuels their military and their Cold War-style operations against the West.

By cutting Europe off from Russia, those guys lost a guaranteed stream of income. Their whole "dream" of using energy, corruption, and bribing politicians to slowly simmer away European stability has fallen apart. Europe finally realized what was happening and jumped out of the pot before they got burned.

Zelensky, with a name that fits the situation perfectly, was the first frog to jump out, and it happened quite unexpectedly 😁👍😍 life writes prices...

Ethan Davis34 said:The author is clearly mocking American hypocrisy, and I honestly think it’s entirely possible in the near future that a site dedicated to fallen firefighters gets sold off to some hotel consortium (it happens all the time where "sacred" places are auctioned off).
Plus, that tattoo with the massive American crest can only be seen as a jab at such intense patriotism. Basically, we claim everything is our heritage and people died for it, making us huge patriots, but as soon as a buyer shows up, it all goes out the window.

That is quite an obsession. If someone owns land or a family legacy and decides to sell it, they might be a hypocrite claiming to be a great patriot, or maybe they just don't have any other choice. Then you have someone else who is a true patriot and refuses to sell—they aren't necessarily a hypocrite, though they could be for other reasons. People are different, and situations vary. Filmmakers, artists, and folks like that who are obsessed with this kind of hate and contempt for people in general often seem more full of themselves than actually talented.

Regarding selling the memorial for the fallen firefighters, I personally think it's pretty distasteful to use a scene like that in a movie just to "mock" anyone. It feels really ugly and sad. And incredibly hypocritical. 👎

I stumbled upon this movie because the opening caught my eye—just people diving off some island...

The visuals are stunning; given how beautiful the landscapes and underwater scenery are, you'd expect it to be great. However, the plot and the characters really get in the way. The intrigue leads nowhere, and the characters feel forced. The mother, father, and daughter are all stuck in their own little worlds of being misunderstood, which just gets tedious. They don't feel real at all. People living on an island should have this sun-drenched energy, and when they dive, they should look completely in their element. Instead, everyone just seems perpetually moody.

I was actually hoping for a fun crime thriller, especially since there's a father and daughter diving together. I expected themes of a love for the sea, maybe finding buried treasure, or some outsider trying to steal it, or even a mother working secretly with a stranger while an underwater tunnel leads to a cave holding some local legend. 😍

Instead, it turned into this story about repressed women. It felt like a commentary on the status of women in a small rural town back in the 1600s, just dressed in modern swimwear. 🤔

Still, it’s watchable, and if it’s better than most recent American productions, then fine. The psychological angle is that Julia is symbolically a Murina (or rather, the opposite)😁, acting simultaneously as a pale victim and a dangerous predator, culminating in her father nearly dying because of her (if I understood that correctly). The one thing that felt truly nonsensical was the depiction of those memorial stones for fallen firefighters being shown as land up for sale (if I caught that right). I honestly have no idea why they included that. 😕

Ryan Morales4 said:I am all for every single package they drop.
But I’ll go a step further: we need to hit those Russian millionaires and billionaires where it actually hurts. These people are loyal to Putin because he's the one who handed them their fortunes on a silver platter. It is high time we take that away from them by freezing and blocking every single one of their accounts. Whether it's holdings in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Panama, or the U.S. Virgin Islands—we need to strike at the ultra-wealthy Russians. They are the ones with enough leverage to finally stop Putin, who is clearly going to see this through to the bitter end. Taking out this madman isn't just an option; it is a absolute necessity.

I don't really think these measures will touch Putin at all; they'll just be busy trying to protect what they've already looted. We need to find a way to completely seize those assets through some kind of specialized financial operation—sell everything off and funnel that money directly into defending and rebuilding Ukraine. All these criminals and mobsters share the blame for what Russia has become today, just as much as Putin and his inner circle.😠😠 😠

Linda Collins3 said:Yeah, sure... but they were explicitly backing him to "keep America together," right up until they realized he couldn't pull it off and was actually hurting their broader geopolitical goals—especially regarding the Muslim world (they didn't give a damn about us).

The USA and the European Union basically set the stage for this war in a lot of ways.
That doesn't excuse Vladimir Putin being a criminal, though. Just because someone is undermining you doesn't give you a free pass to commit atrocities.

Now that the USA and the European Union share responsibility for much of what Ukrainians are going through, it would be pure cynicism and totally immoral not to help them out, whether through military aid or any other way.

☕ No, the preconditions were created by Putin-like Russia, and they are the ones responsible for the suffering of Ukrainians.

If a rapist creates the circumstances, he is still the one guilty and responsible for the crime. It’s not the bartender's fault for selling him the drink, nor is it my friend's fault for harvesting the grapes used to make the wine.

There are cases where people are manipulated, specifically those with limited mental capacity. But following that logic implies you think Russians as a whole have limited mental capacity, which borders on racism. 🙂

Or perhaps you believe Vladolf and his crew are incredibly mentally impaired, which I find hard to believe. As if they were subtly nudged into attacking and invading Ukraine—as if they were "undermined" into making a move they wouldn't have thought of on their own...

Timothy Williams5 said:People often wonder how Dmitry Medvedev, once viewed as a moderate liberal, managed to morph into one of the most aggressive hawks regarding the war in Ukraine.

According to what The Project has uncovered, this radical transformation is fueled by more than just political shifts; it’s deeply rooted in personal fallout.
As the sole son of a high-ranking politician, Ilya Medvedev didn't head to the front lines, but he certainly felt the impact of the conflict. He saw millions in family investments from the Igor Yusufov estate evaporate, along with his ability to travel globally or spend downtime relaxing on the "Universe" luxury yacht.
https://www.proekt.media/narrative/ilya-medvedev/

For context, Jusfov is a former energy minister whose interests caught our attention due to his ownership of a four-villa luxury complex located on Martha's Vineyard.
https://www.occrp.org/en/the-pandora...-island-resort

rowdytiger13 said:It’s the same story with that propagandist Solovyov, or whatever his name is. They confiscated his villa in Italy. Since he can't get back to Italy and he certainly can't get into his house, it's hardly surprising he has a meltdown every third day.

Poor guys, imagine the personal drama they're dealing with.🙄

Kimberly Perez82 said:I mean, everything said there is 100% true, but... if the aggressor has the power to absolutely demolish everything in their path, then the whole perspective shifts quite drastically. We have to find a way to stop the aggressor without causing total collateral damage. I really hope people can see that distinction.

It reminds me of how the FBI handles hostage situations with civilians. They act with extreme caution, right? Now, just imagine if the kidnappers had millions of people held hostage—that is the level of caution we are dealing with right now.

That’s true, but it’s also common knowledge that you don't give in to kidnappers. If giving in became the standard practice, kidnapping would become a daily occurrence because people would realize it's an easy way to make money.🙄 Kidnappers always bank on the cooperation of those close to the victim, hoping they'll pay up instead of calling the police.