Posts by hollowdriver13

Rachel Barrett8 said:Wars are started to serve sick, selfish interests.
Russia is the aggressor here, carrying out a criminal policy against Ukraine right now.

But honestly, isn't Russia just acting like any other global power? Is that really so strange?
Maybe it’s just because the news media doesn't present it that way?

The real issue is how Russia screams about international law and people trampling on it whenever they feel like pointing fingers at the West, yet they turn around and commit some of the worst violations of those exact laws since World War II.

I mean, are we really going to pretend the USA hasn't crossed borders too? Is Iraq a new federal state now? What about Afghanistan?

And besides, has anyone actually sanctioned Russia for meddling in the Central African Republic, Syria, or Libya?
She knows perfectly well what major powers are "allowed" to get away with—military conquest of foreign soil has been a massive nono since World War II.

The biggest mistake was letting things slide with Georgia in 2008 and Crimea 2014. If the reaction back then hadn't been so lukewarm, we wouldn't be dealing with this mess today. Instead, they probably thought they could just pull this off again with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

brightheron64 said:You see, Stern (along with a few others) actually thinks that while we should have slapped all sorts of sanctions on Russia, we really shouldn't have touched the oil and gas...

He even mentioned that while the sanctions hit Russia, they hit us much harder. "The mistake was deciding to sanction Russia on things the entire world relies on. The idea was to punish them where it hurts most, but in reality, it's us who are feeling the pain," he remarked.

And don't even get me started on those darker possibilities...

"That oil has been flowing up until now. If Russia limits its exports, oil could vanish from the global market, leading to scenarios I wouldn't even want to contemplate. Just yesterday, I saw warnings that in such extreme circumstances, oil could spike to $380 per barrel. That's three times what it is today. It would essentially mean a total collapse and a catastrophe for the global economy," Stern warns.

So now he’s calling for $380 per barrel while Brent has actually tanked 15% in a single month—we're looking much closer to a bear market than any kind of sky-high price spike.

Jack Hill2 said:Oil prices have tanked; it hit $98 today. The last time crude was under $100 back in early April, fuel prices were $4.00 at the pumps. Now I can't even get by on $4.50?

It’s that old pattern where exchange prices climb and fuel follows, but when oil drops, they claim there isn't a direct link... 😁

One should also consider that ExxonMobil is seeing record profits this year. In the United Kingdom, they just announced a 25% windfall tax specifically targeting oil traders to recoup those massive gains.

When prices spike, everything follows the Crude oil futures, but when it’s time for them to drop, they start trading based on whatever is happening in the "Mediterranean market."

brighthound13 said:If Zelenskyy were to block fuel transfers passing through Ukrainian territory, wouldn't that deal the most devastating blow possible to Russia? It would hurt them deeply on a million different levels, and "civilized Europe" would finally be forced to step up beyond just sending those little "band-aid" solutions. I'm not sure if you know, but a band-aid is really just a wet rag soaked in booze—it numbs the pain for a second, but it doesn't fix anything.
And as for the transit money, has it actually done anything to help the Ukrainian military or its institutions improve since 1992? Probably not, and it won't change things in this short window of time either. Honestly, I find myself looking at those Ukrainians on the front lines with a sense of wonder as they pull their dead and wounded back, all while Zelenskyy leaves them trapped in pockets just to eliminate the hardliners, while oil and gas flow smoothly so the oligarchs in Kyiv can stack cash and cruise along the coast in cars worth a hundred thousand dollars or more. Why doesn't it occur to any of the Ukrainians on the front line to disrupt the trade while their friends and comrades are dying? At least the Russians have a paid military that has to follow orders for a paycheck; a mobilized Ukrainian guy might feel he has the right to think for himself or walk off a post if he wants to make a positive change on the battlefield. As it stands, they are just cannon fodder.

Regarding the Russian oligarchs... I say, let them drive ten yachts each. Both the Soviets and many other nations have chased the perks of democracy and capitalism. There aren't any ideological, human, political, legal, or business barriers preventing someone like Abramovich or Todoric from owning yachts, helicopters, or castles, regardless of everything else. Because that's what the people demanded. The people asked for this kind of society and this kind of arrangement. If the extravagance of tycoons bothers you or anyone else, isn't that just envy? After all, neither you nor anyone else has actually done anything functional or useful against such a system besides typing away on the internet.

Man, you've really spit out a lot of nonsense here.🙏🙏

Can you pro-Russian folks please just make up your minds? Does reducing sales to the EU actually hurt Russia or not? People claim China and India will just soak it all up anyway, so what's the big deal with Russia just turning off the tap themselves?
And then there's Nord Stream—a few posts ago you were saying they could move everything through that. So, can they or can't they? Pick a side.

What pockets? Mislis Lyschansk? Where did the entire Ukrainian army retreat from? Now Russian military bloggers are running around the internet claiming the Russian Federation never even had a highway under fire control and that the Ukrainian forces executed a perfectly controlled withdrawal—even though some people were writing quite sweetly here about how it was total chaos. Or maybe it's about Zolota and those fictional 2,000 Ukrainians who supposedly surrendered, yet there isn't a single photo or video of such a mass of prisoners? Better to stop quoting Zoko and Geroman.

And does the UA not have a professional military? Though, we could certainly have a debate about Russian "professionalism."



This face practically radiates professionalism while driving around loot that weighs as much as a tank.

I am not jealous of the oligarchs at all. On the contrary, my life is more than comfortable with what I've earned. You're the one pushing the idea that Russia stopped being looted once Putin arrived.🤣) Look, I’m just telling you, that’s not even the half of it. If anything, you could argue that the level of looting happening under Putin is way more massive than what we saw during the collapse of the Soviet Union in the nineties. Those mega-yachts are just the most obvious tip of the iceberg—I mean, they're building private yachts with a displacement larger than the actual command ships in their own Navy.

https://twitter.com/ChrisO_wiki/stat...1642222067

This is such a killer three-part thread on how deep corruption runs in Russia, from the low-level bureaucrats all the way up to the top brass. Basically, if it isn't nailed down, it's being stolen or sold off.

brighthound13 said:Wait, when did I ever praise Russia? As far as I'm concerned, they can do whatever they want. But it's Zelenskyy who is calling on Europe to sanction Russia while simultaneously allowing energy to pass through. He calls on his people to fight and sacrifice themselves wherever necessary, giving these fiery speeches, yet he keeps things running normally for both Europe and Russia. The energy transfers continue uninterrupted even while he's busy making grand statements on Skype wearing a t-shirt.
As for where the Ukrainian money goes, anyone with eyes could see it, and my father even met with some Ukrainians personally. Not too long ago, before Putin took power, massive amounts of money were being siphoned out of Russia. Back in 1999, Gazprom was just a small firm with a turnover of maybe 20 companies, and Russia was drowning in debt. Then, somehow, everything changed.

Why would he miss out on energy profits if Russia is paying up? Honestly, let them send double via UA. 😁

Look, since Putin arrived, they haven't been "draining" money; instead, oligarchs are just raking in petrodollars out in the wilderness while mega-yachts practically build themselves.
They seem so worried about improving their own country, yet the yachts owned by Russian billionaires have more tonnage than the entire Russian Navy. Heck, just Abramovich's Eclipse has a bigger DWT than a submarine from the Black Sea Fleet in Moscow.

brighthound13 said:But honestly, they were paying for those transfers long before the war even started, so does that money even matter to them at this point? It feels like the cash doesn't mean much to anyone in Ukraine because isn't it true that high-ranking officials often just divert funds into their own private accounts? I suppose there is always the issue regarding Nord Stream and whether they might just cut off the transfers entirely, though I might be misremembering the details. Still, doesn't all of this say something significant about Kyiv's actual standing and how much influence they truly hold as a player on the world stage?

Do you actually have any proof for that?
Man, now you're bringing up Nord Stream, even though you were just bragging about how Kyiv is letting energy leak out and saying that "says everything about them."
If that's the case, why wouldn't Russia just shut down the supply through UA if they can just rely on NS?
Besides, this supposedly "powerful and self-sufficient" Russia is basically whining because they can't even pump more through Nord Stream since they don't know how to fix the Western tech running the pipeline.
Pretty impressive, huh.

Noah Diaz said:Things will get hilarious this winter. It’ll be even funnier when the European Union vassals realize they’re completely tethered to outside suppliers. Imagine if the Suez Canal gets "accidentally" blocked, or a few tankers "coincidentally" sink near Hormuz. Throw in some "accidental" explosions at LNG terminals or sudden shortages of basic supplies, and you’ve got a comedy of errors.😁

What kind of post is 🙏

Phenomenal stuff right here. You're basically admitting as a pro that Russia is actually turning into a terrorist state, because what you're describing are straight-up acts of terrorism.
...not to mention that an act of terrorism can pretty much be used as a justification for war... so, if they really think they can take on all those countries at once... 🍿

brighthound13 said:Is it even possible that the officials in Kyiv are prioritizing energy transfers to keep life steady in Europe and Russia while the Ukrainian people continue to pay the ultimate price? It feels like such a heavy burden to carry, especially when you consider that since the collapse of the USSR, the Ukrainian people haven't seen much benefit from their own sovereignty, having faced some of the most devastating population losses during times of peace.

So, who’s actually footing the bill for all this energy moving through UA territory and lining the pockets of the brass in Kyiv? Come on, tell me. What does that say about them?
Spinas, you're dodging the question with all this nonsense.

brighthound13 said:What’s the actual situation looking like regarding the gas and oil pipelines running through Ukraine? Are energy providers still moving supplies from Russia toward Europe via Ukraine without any major hitches? Well, official representatives in Kyiv have finally given us their take on everything.

Look, why don't you just tell us who's actually footing the bill for those transfers through UA territory? Since you're such an expert with these "deeply profound" insights, I'm sure providing that little bit of info won't be a problem for you. ☕

feralcanyon73 said:Is the dollar seriously still sitting at 250 rubles?

So, did you actually buy any rubles?
Put your money where your mouth is. ☕

urbanotter said:He's certainly making a strong case for himself.

Russia has a long history of building passenger aircraft, but after the collapse of the USSR, they tried to act like a rational player and integrate into the Western world, which resulted in a bit of a mess.
It wasn't until the "civilized West" realized they were facing a dangerous competitor—one that actually knew how to play by their rules, perhaps even better than they did themselves—that things changed.

“The Boeing 737 MAX will fly faster and more economically than its Western competitors, and by using it, airlines could save up to three million Dollars annually,” they claim in Irkut.

https://north America.aljazeera.net/news/e...ingu-i-airbusu

Top 10

https://hr.rbth.com/science/83730-na...lni-zrakoplovi

🙏🙏

So, basically, you're just shooting yourself in the foot with your own logic.

Let's break this down step-by-step. When was the Boeing 737 MAX supposed to enter service?
How many have actually been built so far?
What engines are they using? Who designed and manufactures the core components? What happened to that whole setup once the sanctions hit? And whose avionics and electrical systems are tucked away inside?

Let me make it easy for you: almost EVERYTHING mentioned is Western—either from the USA or Europe.

Now those are some stellar examples of Russian self-sufficiency right there. Seriously, please, keep going with these "phenomenal" demonstrations of such incredible independence.👍

Noah Diaz said:Russia is one of those incredibly rare countries that is truly self-reliant in almost every sense.

During the Cold War, they manufactured everything under the sun—from sewing needles to space stations. Frankly, talking about sanctions against them feels a bit ridiculous. For instance, they won't just jump on a Boeing or an Airbus; they'll simply stick to their own Boeing or Lockheed Martin models.

So, whose engines are the commercial Lockheed Martin and Boeing planes actually running on? Whose avionics? Whose navigation systems? If they're so independent, why was everyone freaking out when people suggested the US might cut off their access to GPS?

To save you the headache of looking it up, the West provides the Thales avionics, plus the GE Aviation and General Electric engines.

Keep going with this whole "self-sufficiency" thing, you're on a roll. 👍

https://www.akorda.kz/en/phone-conve...-michel-464718

So, during a chat with Charles Michel, the President of Kazakhstan basically said that Kazakhstan is ready to "turn on the tap" to help stabilize prices and make sure there's enough supply to keep the European Union happy.

The thing is, Kazakhstan is sitting on more oil than you can shake a stick at; the real headache is that Russia pretty much controls the shipping routes for Kazakh oil headed toward Europe. Given how they tend to treat former USSR nations, it was actually "suggested" to them back when the pipelines were being built that they just hand over construction and management to ExxonMobil and Chevron.

urbanotter said:The issue here is really about the sanctions on Russia, rather than urbanotter's specific approach or actions.

Regarding those "leverages" mentioned,
I personally believe in listening to the advice people have been giving us for years, sitting down at the table, and reaching an agreement so that a conflict never even starts in the first place.
Every single war eventually concludes through negotiations at a conference table, not through endless battlefield combat or economic sanctions, so I don't see why this one should follow any different path.

Because despite ten or twenty different rounds of sanctions, there remains a very real possibility that Russia won't just capitulate, and that Zelenskyy won't set terms he's willing to discuss
unless he is explicitly ordered to do otherwise by someone else.

Look, the whole point here is the sanctions. You’re claiming they aren't working, so I’m asking you: what’s your better idea? You haven't answered me. I'm not trying to pick a fight with you personally, I'm just asking what you propose instead of the current sanctions.

And they *were* at the table, but Putin decided to invade anyway—right after lying to the entire world about what he was up to. In fact, based on the latest reports regarding the conversation between Macron and Putin, he straight-up lied to Macron just two days before the invasion. He was on the phone sounding totally cool and collected, saying the exercises would wrap up on schedule and his legal team would draft a proposal to keep the Minsk process going.

So now I’m asking you: the war has started, and it's obvious one side has zero intention of negotiating. What do we actually do to try and force that side to stop the aggression? How else are you supposed to try and stop Russia if not through sanctions? Are we supposed to send Western troops into Ukraine?
Don't just throw platitudes at me; if you're against sanctions, give me some actual, concrete alternatives. Tell me, "Instead of these specific sanctions, we should have done X, Y, and Z because it would have been more effective without the blowback." Give me something real to work with.
Or are you suggesting we should have just kept doing business with Russia like nothing was happening and ignored everything going on in Ukraine?

hollowdriver13 said:Alright, since you're always making fun of sanctions while claiming you're neutral—saying you aren't pro-Russia and you're against the invasion—what would urbanotter from the forums suggest we use as actual leverage to stop Russia in this war?
What exactly? Give us some concrete ideas so we can actually debate it, especially if you think economic sanctions aren't the way to go (though I think we can all agree that sanctions are a hell of a lot cheaper than sending Western troops directly into Ukraine).

urbanotter said:Maybe you should step back into reality and stop acting like a moral authority; remember that during our own American Civil War, we relied heavily on the weapons and equipment we reclaimed from the US Army.

Anyway, is there any news regarding the sanctions?
I ask you a simple question, and all you give me are these condescending moral lectures.

From what I can see, the only people truly feeling the sting of these sanctions are the folks in our Congressional halls and our highly efficient Cabinet.

They slap sanctions on Russia, and suddenly gas hits $5 a gallon, bread jumps to $6.75, flour goes up to $8, milk reaches $3.25 per gallon... it's a never-ending list of "successful" measures.

When our own citizens are struggling this much, I can only imagine how much the Russians are hurting.

The sanctions have been designed so brilliantly and meticulously that our esteemed Congressional leaders and our capable Cabinet haven't felt even a single ripple of discomfort.

In the government cafeteria, the soup, the schnitzel with sides, and the dessert $8.75 remain exactly the same as they were before the sanctions ever kicked in.

P.S.
I'm just not sure if that $8.75 includes a coffee from $1.00 or if that's an extra charge.🙏

That is what I call successful sanctions—not when you sanction Russia and they end up making more money than ever before.
They say they've made up to 100 billion dollars more than they did before the sanctions were even implemented.🙏

It looks like you completely ignored my point, even though I posted before George Robinson43 did. So, I'll ask again: if you’re truly neutral, against the war, and not rooting for Russia (which is what you claim in your posts), what would urbanotter do instead of sanctions? What kind of leverage would you use to force Russia to stop the war and pull back? Give me some direct suggestions so we can actually have a discussion and see if they’d be more effective than what we're doing now.

urbanotter said:If he weren't such an off-topic nut, he’d probably give you a full rundown of everything that ended up on the American market during the Gulf War.

I remember hearing people brag about how Ukrainians managed to seize howitzers and tanks from the Russians and then used them to strike back.

Honestly, one single howitzer like that is worth more than two massive shipments of wheat.

That didn't seem to bother you much back when things were happening in the Middle East, nor did it seem to catch your eye.

Maybe it’s because they were just handing the ammunition right back to them.😁

Anyway, moving on.

Let us know if there's any news regarding the new round of sanctions; I heard they had another meeting today.
Hopefully, they actually came up with something useful instead of just sitting around sipping champagne.

Alright, since you're always making fun of sanctions while claiming you're neutral—saying you aren't pro-Russia and you're against the invasion—what would urbanotter from the forums suggest we use as actual leverage to stop Russia in this war?
What exactly? Give us some concrete ideas so we can actually debate it, especially if you think economic sanctions aren't the way to go (though I think we can all agree that sanctions are a hell of a lot cheaper than sending Western troops directly into Ukraine).

Quote: Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Friday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked War with Ukraine as -> Quote WE have a saying in America — WE say that nations with allies thrive , nations without allies wither and we're watching Russia wither before Our eyes right now -> Quote Mattis Said while speaking AT The Seoul forum 2022 in South Korea -> Mattis said CNN -> CNN Mattis -> James Mattis marina four-star general Who led The Pentagon during The First Two years of The Trump administration , condemned -> marina

Henry Sullivan4 said:🤔Yeah, both Boris and Ursula have been making big claims about standing by Ukraine no matter the financial or military cost, and honestly, I haven't lost my optimism or my spirit, but you know how it goes with people these days🤔you can't believe everything you hear🤔I still firmly believe in a Ukrainian victory, though at my age, nearing 60, I probably won't be around to see the celebration personally☕

I was just scrolling through some news earlier and came across this piece about the ongoing situation in Ukraine. It’s honestly pretty heavy stuff to process. Basically, there's a lot of tension brewing regarding how much support should be sent over there and how the international community handles the fallout from Vladimir Putin's actions. It feels like every time you turn around, the geopolitical landscape shifts just a little bit more, making everything feel even more uncertain than it already was. You really start to see how interconnected everything is—one move in Eastern Europe ripples out and affects energy prices or political stability all the way over here in the States. It's a lot to wrap your head around, especially when you're just trying to go about your daily life. Just one of those "staying informed is exhausting" kind of days, I guess.

The European Investment Bank is putting together a massive 100 billion euro aid package to support Ukraine.

The US will probably handle the military side of things, honestly, because most of the armies over in Europe are basically bordering on a tragicomedy at this point.

https://twitter.com/visegrad24/statu...99226772824070

Looks like the Russian propagandists are back at it again, daydreaming about some "three-day operation" where they just swoop in and seize the entire 37 miles length of the Suwalki Gap. 🤦

urbanotter said:I haven't said anything about justifying anyone's actions—not just Russia's "aggression" toward Ukraine.
It feels like if you aren't standing right here next to us and thinking exactly like we do, then you must be our enemy, which is such a flawed way to look at things.

I made my position very clear a long time ago, and I’ve stayed consistent about where I stand.

And just so I don't go off on a tangent—which I know you all love to accuse me of doing—

my perspective aligns closely with what Pope Francis has shared, and while I'm not a religious man myself, I have a great deal of respect for him as a human being.

Whether people call him Pope Francis Putofil or debate whether he's actually justifying aggression against anyone, that's beside the point.

I'm asking you please to stop veering off-topic and projecting things onto me that I have never said and certainly don't believe.🙂🙂

Spot on. You voted in the polls supporting the Russian side, so why try to muddy the waters now?

Just so there's no confusion or anyone claiming I'm making stuff up, here's the link to the poll right here on the forum.

Noah Sullivan said:The whole mess in 2022 was really just the inevitable climax of those lower-intensity conflicts we saw from 2014 to 2021—all kicked off by that externally directed coup involving the Right Sector back in early 2014.

So, what exactly do you think is inaccurate about Oliver Stone's documentary "Ukraine on Fire"?
They even let it back up on YouTube, so it might actually be worth your time to watch it.

It’s much like that lecture by Mearsheimer in Florence I linked earlier—where he dives into (especially toward the end) the actual moral implications of the policies being carried out.

Honestly, just by looking at how it's edited, it's pretty obvious there isn't any objectivity here—it's basically just a mouthpiece for Putin.