Posts by Gerald Torres84

Bryan Booth82 said:The real problem with Russians is that they have never actually been capable of participating in an alliance or maintaining genuine friendly relations with anyone.
Unfortunately, there is this deeply ingrained need within them to imitate greatness—this desperate desire to be perceived as a superpower, which they believe gives them some divine right to act superior to everyone else.
To some extent, you might even find such a mindset understandable in truly successful nations, but let’s be honest: Russia has never actually been one of those nations.
Best,

Unfortunately, you hit the nail on the head... They are desperate to reclaim that sense of global importance, but it simply isn't working given the system they've been running for the last century.

bluerider63 said:And why did everything flip after 2014? Honestly, everyone was just being played back then while Nuland was leading the charge during the Maidan protests, pushing those hardline nationalist groups into the spotlight, and now the whole country is stuck paying a massive price for it.

Well, it started when the Russian brothers began their operations in the borderlands.
It is quite easy for bluerider63 to play dumb.

electrichawk94 said:Putin would basically be the greatest leader in Russian history if he actually pulled off getting his country into the European Union. 😁

Kick the British and the US out, and let Russia in. 😁

At that point, NATO becomes pretty much pointless. 😁

That is precisely what I have been saying. If Russia were to unite with Europe, the combined force of the entire European Union plus Russia would become a massive counterweight to the Americans, the Britons, and the Chinese. And that is simply unacceptable to those powers.
There is just one major issue regarding the Russians. They lack a visionary leader of that caliber. Instead, they are constantly led by autocrats and dictators, and they consistently choose them.

Arthur Watson4 said:Belarus, Mexico, and Eritrea, please.

You might as well throw North Korea into the mix too.

Anthony Taylor3 said:Well, they’ve been shelling Donetsk for eight years straight, so your logic is flawless.

When you claim to be "dealing" in facts... let me guess, you think the war in America was started by Americans?

goldenpuma84 said:Nah, because that’s actually the whole point of the war.

The economic destruction of Europe.

Those sanctions aren't going to hurt Russia in the long run.

They're just irrational and suicidal...

And Ukrainians are basically pawns bleeding out for someone else's agenda.

They signed up for this game themselves.

"Ukrainians are just pawns bleeding out for someone else's interests." ???

Killing, rape, the erasure of a nation, the leveling of cities and towns, the seizing of territory... you're telling me none of that makes their struggle worthwhile just because they're fighting for others? I've read some nonsense in my time, but this is truly the bottom of the barrel. I would actually love to hear how they would react to such a claim.

dustyowl29 said:But let's not forget—they are still an absolute powerhouse when it comes to energy.

It’s all pointless if their GDP per capita is lower than that of a country like the US.

Joshua Myers432 said:Taiwan.
Honestly, whenever I look at what I'm paying for fuel and gas, I have to wonder who is actually imposing sanctions on whom. 😁

Ehh... if things really kick off over there, we are all going to be even more screwed.
It is a struggle between the first and second superpowers of the world... I don't really associate Russia with being a major power anymore... they only stay relevant because of their nukes.

Christian Torres3 said:Extremely likely. I just have one question: is that worth it to you personally, given the cost to the survival of the Ukrainian people and their nation?

And just so we're clear, my answer to that same question is yes.

Just some information. These daily price hikes on all goods, commodities, and services—not just oil and gas—actually started two years ago when the pandemic hit. First, they used the pandemic as an excuse, now it is the war in Ukraine. I wonder what the third excuse will be.

Mark Carter14 As specified by:
The sanctions have failed. Russia hasn't collapsed, but instead, certain nations are now facing a triple blow.

It would honestly be better if those sanctions remained in place for as long as possible. 🙂
I simply cannot fathom why Russia would even bother pushing for the lifting of sanctions when things seem to be going well enough for them. It defies logic.

goldenpuma84 said:Alright, here’s your straight answer.

Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine, committing atrocities there.

The Ukrainian identity was finally solidified by Putin himself, which is clearly why he can't stomach it...

Look at Chechnya—that was a breakaway republic, and the response was a bloody war.

In Georgia, the Russians back two rebel regions populated by Russian speakers.

It wasn't that difficult.
Just information... if Australians ever try to equate themselves to the Solomon Islands, I will call them out just as I am calling out the Russians on this topic.

goldenpuma84 said:A few weeks back, the Solomon Islands expressed interest in forming a strategic partnership with China.

Not only did Australia lose its mind over it, but when a reporter asked, a high-ranking U.S. official didn't rule out military intervention if the Chinese decided to set up a base there.

That isn't whataboutism.

I can easily imagine (or point out) what would happen if China even thought about making a military alliance with the United States or Mexico.

And honestly, I can also picture exactly how you'd react if that actually happened.

Anyway, we haven't seen anything play out yet...

Please provide a concrete answer regarding the situation in Ukraine instead of circling around other nations that have no connection to this topic or speculating on what might happen in the West or the East.
So, in your view, does Russia have the right to deny the existence of the Ukrainian people (openly labeling them Nazis) and level an entire nation just because they dared to move away from Russian control? You fail to comment on all these wars Russia has waged against its neighbors over the last twenty years or so.

Anthony Taylor3 said:Maybe try fixing your own backyard before you start lecturing us on how to handle the Russians.

Bravo, what a stellar response... truly elementary school level thinking here. 🙂
You are no longer worthy of further discussion... just another name for the troll list... bye.

Anthony Taylor3 said:That isn't whataboutism; it's pointing out blatant Western hypocrisy.
If you want to criticize invasions of sovereign nations, start with your own country and its involvement in military alliances before lecturing others.

A textbook example of the "whataboutism" crowd... As if the Western Bloc, NATO, the Masons, Israelis, or even aliens are all somehow responsible because Russia refuses to recognize the Ukrainian people and is leveling cities and villages across Ukraine to the ground.

goldenpuma84 said:That’s just not true. It’s basically just a lie on repeat.

There are some lines you just don't cross.

You don't see Mexico joining a military alliance with China. You don't see Ukraine in NATO.

Whoever is pushing for that wants war. They're practically begging for it.

And if you're doing this knowing it leads to war, what's your actual agenda? What's the motivation, and where does the responsibility lie?

Man, you just don't do that...

So tell me, how did you react when Iraq was invaded? Is there something wrong with your moral compass while you're busy lecturing everyone else?

Or are they just subhuman, like denijama said, so their destruction doesn't actually matter to us?

Please stop with the "whataboutism" nonsense. It doesn't work here. This thread is specifically about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If you feel the need to discuss Iraq, go find another topic for that.
People like you, constantly hiding behind those "whataboutism" arguments, really get under my skin. It is quite frustrating.
It follows that Ukraine must seek permission from Russia if they intend to join the European Union, NATO, or even the National Audubon Society, and so on. It is simply how things work.
The Ukrainians don't need to ask Russia for permission. They are a sovereign nation. They decide their own destiny and choose their own path. It is their right to do so.

Let us examine the steady pattern of Russian aggression over the last two decades. They have leveled everything from Chechnya to Georgia and Ukraine. It is a predictable sequence. One could easily place bets on who is next on the list. Personally, I suspect Moldova or perhaps one of the Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, or Estonia—might be their next target.

goldenpuma84 said:Let’s just say it again: the political elite in Europe is more than willing to throw their own people under the bus just to stay in line with what their American masters want.

The historical cycle is complete: Europe has basically been downgraded from a player to nothing more than a colonial outpost for someone else's interests.

Look, if your idea of defending the European Union means backing a single European nation while it gets torn apart, violated, or slaughtered, then your logic regarding the sacrifice of European citizens doesn't actually hold up. Forget about the political elites for a second. This is a textbook aggressive move by Russia. If we don't stop them right now, they’ll be making their way through toward the West in about ten years.

Anthony Perez9 said:As if being 3x stronger than Germany matters. Compared to the USA, they're at least 5x weaker! 😂

The issue is clearly located within their own minds.
Let us focus our efforts on constructing the most powerful rockets in existence and leveling anyone who dares stand in our way. Who cares about the economy?

It’s all pretty obvious at this point... It was an artificial pump right before the attack—it hit $140—and now we’re seeing the massive deflationary dump where it sits at $67 currently. As long as this war drags on, things are just going to keep sliding downward. Edit: A colleague or a moderator removed the link to that article about the Ruble.

That is precisely what the Russians are missing... they possess vast natural resources and the potential to be at least three times more powerful than Germany in terms of economic scale. If they were to actually bolster their economy, they could quite elegantly draw neighboring nations into their sphere of influence.

But instead, look at what they have actually done... they allowed a bunch of puppets, looters, and oligarchs to seize power—people who simply line their own pockets while performing these desperate geopolitical acrobatics involving wars.

For Russia, this is a special military operation, whereas for the European Union and NATO, it’s essentially just a massive logistical support mission. 🙂