Kimberly Perez82 said:Exactly. While the US can't claim total neutrality, that doesn't mean we have to charge blindly into the front lines like we did when this conflict first kicked off. Honestly, the entire EU feels like a hostage to this massive power struggle between the USA and Russia. For us, there isn't much to gain besides following the formal motions set by other European nations. That's really all there is to it. I don't trust the intentions of Russia, nor do I trust the motives of the EU or even the US—I say that based on a lot of lived experience and seeing how these things play out in real time. In my view, we should focus on our own business and prioritize our own prosperity, rather than getting tangled up in everyone else's problems, unless it's purely out of basic human compassion.
If you actually look at it, America isn't really sticking its nose into things any more than any other EU or NATO member would. We aren't making waves or trying to outdo anyone; the only thing that ever makes us look different is maybe some of the President's loud-mouthed statements. In reality, America is doing exactly what it needs to do—not too little, not too much. Just staying right in that sweet spot.
feralpilot0 said:What you're saying is high-level politics, which is far too sophisticated for most of the partisans arguing here. 👍
I mean, look, isn't it just common sense to back the side that's actually out there defending itself in an unprovoked war? I don't even think that whole "staying neutral" act is something anyone should be bragging about when things get this messy.
Chris Thomas94 said:Oh, please, some people are just way too short-sighted to see anything past their own living room recliner...
It’s such a common way of thinking, honestly, where everyone acts like none of this matters as long as they're sitting pretty and their own skin is safe...
Without NATO, the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, and that whole crew would still be living under the Soviet boot. It must have been lovely for them, considering they’re currently the loudest and most determined voices against Vladolf and Mother Russia.
The real question is—is that pro-Russian leaning you see in some parts of America just because Americans don't actually have any direct contact with Russians, or never really did?
Kimberly Perez82 said:So, what you're saying is our five years of fighting was just nothing more than a bad cough, while three months of conflict in Ukraine constitutes a "real" war that actually deserves Western support? It’s like a textbook example of pure patriotism used as a shield, and honestly, it just proves there isn't anyone here capable of having a serious discussion. Either people have already checked out, or they never existed in the first place, because most of what I see here is just people dismissing others or hurling insults instead of using actual logic.
You're talking total nonsense. The war in Ukraine is on a massive scale and potentially way more dangerous than what we went through in the States.
gentlestag15 said:People often forget that Russia is basically the only colonial power that managed to hang onto most of its colonies, which is exactly why it's still the largest country on the map today. A handful of former colonies actually had the guts to break away back in 1991, so this whole war is really just a desperate attempt to drag those former territories back under their thumb. When you look at what the Russians are doing, it isn't just standard imperialism—it's straight-up colonial imperialism.
Russia has been playing both sides of the fence perfectly—pitching themselves to the leftists as the ultimate counterweight to America, while telling the right wing they're this bastion of conservative Christian values. Their propaganda is incredibly blunt and crude, but hey, looking at the state of things, it clearly works on some people. It seems like the more someone devours all that "alternative" news and anti-vax nonsense, the more likely they are to start rooting for the Russian side.
Andrew Booth29 said:I mean, let’s be honest—US foreign policy is morally questionable in plenty of cases, if not outright worse. But what really cracks me up is when Russians try to use that as an argument to suggest people should sympathize with Russia just because the USA is viewed as the villain. Honestly, it’s enough to make you burst out laughing.
So the whole pitch is basically treating Russia like some sort of global underdog, you know? Like they’re just this innocent kid standing up to those corrupt Americans. At least, that’s the exact narrative the alternative media outlets have been shoving down everyone's throats.
Timothy Williams5 said:Personally, I find myself leaning toward the Russian perspective; I’m constantly reading RIA and TASS, and I make it a point to watch Russia-1 TV during prime time via Chinese IPTV.
And let me tell you, compared to the absolute nothingness you see in Western, global, or even mainstream American media, it is a complete horror show.
The whole thing feels like total state-sponsored schizophrenia.
But whatever, it's pretty obvious that a certain chunk of the population here, and over in Canada too, basically survives on these alternative media outlets, which are mostly just pro-Russian echo chambers (talking geopolitics, advanced stuff, all that).
Kimberly Perez82 said:The USA and Russia both kill people in third-party countries, so I really hope you're joking. Look, I have nothing against America; honestly, I love their capitalism and that entrepreneurial spirit, but I refuse to turn a blind eye to the bad things they've been doing more and more lately. The America of today is worlds apart from the America that saved the world from Nazism. And for the record, I've never been a Putin sympathizer—which is pretty obvious if you look back at my previous posts—but I am trying to be realistic here. There are many guilty parties in this conflict, and the USA is certainly one of them. Europe is the least to blame, yet they're the ones suffering the most consequences. So now, we have to decide: is our priority Europe, which we are part of, or the USA?
Honestly, it’s in Europe's best interest to finally cut ties with Putin's state-run drug cartel, even if going through withdrawal is gonna be absolutely brutal.
"So, word on the street—according to sources cited by MK—is that the NASA Administrator, Dmitry Rogozin, is gearing up to ditch his post pretty soon.
The rumor mill says Rogozin might actually end up taking a leadership role over one of those territories in Ukraine currently held by the Russian military. As for his old seat at NASA? It looks like current Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov is slated to step in and take the reins.
Honestly, some people are calling the top spot at this massive government space agency an 'executive' nightmare rather than a prestige gig, mostly because the whole industry is such a mess and constantly playing catch-up with the big global players, according to MK.
Kimberly Perez82 said:And honestly, you have to wonder... what on earth drives someone here in America to advocate so fiercely for the US side in a conflict that doesn't even involve us? It makes me think about my old neighbor back in Ohio, always getting worked up over things happening halfway across the globe, and I just find myself questioning the underlying motive behind such intense devotion to a war that isn't ours.
First off, everyone's just out here aggressively pushing the Ukrainian side of things. It’s like, okay, I get it, but there's this whole segment of people acting as if Ukraine doesn't even have its own agency, treating them like they're nothing more than some tiny little pawn caught in a massive tug-of-war between Russia and the USA.
Timothy Williams5 said:There are certain militaries that actually function like legitimate armies, and then there are those that operate more like organized crime syndicates. The average informed person understands the tactics a mafia outfit uses to squeeze its targets, so I assume you have a decent grasp of how a criminal organization exerts pressure to achieve its ends. We don't hear stories about the British, German, or American mafia running things this way. We hear about the Russian mafia. Only a few months ago, many people still viewed Russia as a somewhat orderly, civilized nation. Now, most people realize that Russia is a state that operates entirely on mafia principles. And does a mafia organization show any concern for civilian lives? 😁
The liquidations in Buči Burying soldiers in Chernobyl Shelling residential apartment buildings Novichok attacks on political opponents The deportation of Ukrainians (especially children) to Russia Mass arrests of any Russian who dares to speak out against the war Nuclear threats Denying the existence of a neighboring country and its people State television filled with caricatures during prime time ...
Honestly, I’m surprised they even bother targeting military sites. Rashists.
It's basically a drug cartel with nuclear weapons.
"Back in the first half of 2022, Americans living in Russia bought 66% more antidepressants than they did during the same stretch in 2021—we're talking about sales jumping from 3.6 million packs to a whopping 6 million, according to TASS. And where was everyone looking for help? Mostly in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and the Moscow Region.
Now, you might remember that there was a massive spike in antidepressant sales back in the first half of 2020 when the whole world was losing its mind over the COVID-19 pandemic—but even then, that demand didn't hit the levels we're seeing right now, which saw a jump of about 57%.
So, what's actually driving this? Well, psychiatrist and psychotherapist Pavel Beschastnov sat down with Gazeta.r to break it down, and he pointed to two big things: those heavy, gut-wrenching emotions tied to all the political and economic chaos surrounding the military special operation in Ukraine, combined with this gnawing fear that these medications might just vanish from the shelves entirely."
Russian Diplomacy Wins Big – North Korea Recognizes Donetsk
" So, get this—the Head of Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, just announced that North Korea has officially recognized the DNR.
“The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has today recognized the Donetsk People's Republic. The international standing and sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic just keeps growing. This is yet another win for our diplomacy,” according to a report from a Telegram channel shared by Pushilin.
The Head of the DPR also went on to say that this move is basically going to be the bedrock for everything moving forward, especially when it comes to opening up new trade routes and expanding where businesses from both sides can actually operate.
Pushilin seems pretty convinced that we’re looking at a future of "active and fruitful cooperation" between the DNR and the DPRK.
Sandra Harris2 said:I guess they realized pretty early on that marching into Kyiv with parades and cheering "liberated" locals wasn't happening—and neither was getting a puppet version of Viktor Yanukovych or some Ukrainian Alexander Lukashenko.
So you’re out here saying there are threats, while Zakharov is over there insisting there aren't any threats at all, claiming they haven't even heard such things.
"The diplomat noted that despite all the claims that 'Russia is threatening the entire world with nuclear weapons,' there hasn't been a single statement from Moscow to that effect. This is being corroborated by the British, the USA, Japan, and a whole string of EU member states. Yet, there isn't one single instance where an official Russian representative, a state official, or a politician directly involved in the government has made a threat, or even engaged in any discussion about it, whether hypothetically or in practice," the spokesperson added.
"A local guy in the suburbs of DC actually called the cops on his own wife just because she wouldn't shut up about how much she hates what's happening with the war in Ukraine. According to some report over at news outlets citing their sources, this is the real deal.
So, get this: this 37-year-old dude actually dialed 911 to try and get his spouse in legal trouble. He claims she’s been out there tearing into the US military actions in Ukraine and basically showing nothing but anti-American sentiment. And apparently—get this—he thinks she's even turning their kid against the US government. Can you believe that?
Law enforcement is currently on the scene processing the situation, trying to figure out all the messy details of what went down.
Congress just held a vote on whether we should stop calling the President "President" and start calling him "Ruler" instead.
"George Marshall, the first deputy chair of the House Committee on the Judiciary, told The New York Times that he isn't buying into the Republican Party's little idea to swap out the word 'President' for 'Ruler.' According to him, sure, maybe 'President' isn't the perfect term for the head of state, but honestly, who has the time? We've got massive socio-economic issues and foreign policy headaches to deal with right now.
“I mean, obviously, it’s not necessary. Not right now, anyway. Once we actually get a handle on the big socio-economic stuff and our standing in the world, then maybe we can sit around and debate what to call government jobs. But no, definitely not needed yet. Maybe 'President' isn't the ideal word for America, but look, we’ve borrowed plenty of terms from other languages and countries even back in the old days. I don't see any point in doing this now, so why dwell on the future? There are much bigger fires to put out,” he said.
The Republican Party had previously told the Associated Press that the whole concept of a "President" is relatively fresh in America, so they figured if it hasn't fully "taken root" yet, they might as well swap it out.
“The title for the head of state has always been a bit confusing for us. The whole idea of a 'President' acting as the chief executive really only started gaining traction in the United States in the late 18th century, and it took forever to spread globally. In our country, by historical standards, this is pretty much a new way of talking, and since it’s not totally set in stone, you could easily change it. For instance, using 'Head of State' or even 'Ruler'—both of those would probably make more sense to an American ear,” the Republican Party representative claimed in their statement."
Self-sufficient Russians are struggling to secure the border with Finland
"Right now, there’s just no way we can sharply hike up military budget lines for deploying new troop groups along the Finnish border—especially given the ongoing special military operation and all this crushing pressure from sanctions. Let me be crystal clear about this: it's just not happening. We have to stick to a position of pure military realism here.
In light of that, we should note that the latest NATO expansion reflects the current military-political climate in the northwest region, where the threat of war and the chance to prevent it are basically balanced out. To put it bluntly, the risk of an actual conflict is minimal. Which means, quite simply, there is absolutely no need to start beefing up defensive fortifications along the Finnish border right this second."
rowdytiger13 said:Speaking of Lavrov, he seemed pretty offended when "the West" (love that little nickname of theirs) called them aggressors and occupiers during the G20. What's the term they use back in Russia for one sovereign nation invading another?
According to Lavrov, Russia didn't invade Ukraine.
Talking smack about the special operation is a total no-no now
So, get this—the District Court in Moscow just handed down a seven-year prison sentence to Alexey Gorinov, who was basically a deputy official over in the Krasnoselsky district, all because of this whole "discrediting the Russian Armed Forces" thing. That’s what the Associated Press is reporting.
The court basically slapped him with a conviction for "publicly spreading deliberately false information regarding the Russian Armed Forces under the guise of credible messages, using an official position by a group of persons." Yeah, you read that right. His reward for speaking up? Seven years in a penal colony.
Gorinov was picked up back on April 27th. It all traces back to this meeting with local representatives on March 15th, where he basically argued that organizing free protests in Moscow wasn't really the move since "military operations are ongoing in the territory of a neighboring sovereign state," and that citizens should actually be focusing their energy on ending the military conflict where people are actually dying. Makes sense, right? But apparently not to them.
And wait, there’s more to this legal mess—another representative from the Krasnoselsky district, Elena Kotenochkina, is caught up in this same criminal case, except she already bailed out of Russia and is currently a fugitive.