Posts by Bryan Booth82

dustymarlin10 said:They already have, they just haven't realized it yet.

Oh, sure—but only if you're looking at it through the lens of Russian propaganda.
Lp

Nancy Gomez26 said:The value of the gas they are burning is essentially zero. For any commodity—gas or otherwise—to hold actual value, you need a buyer willing to pay for it. From their perspective, it would be far more logical to simply halt production; at least then, that gas stays in the ground, potentially retaining some worth for a future date. Instead, by burning it pointlessly—so they claim—they increase global pollution. Yet, ironically, this act indirectly helps reduce the consumption of other fuels for heating; if the winters end up milder, we’ll burn less. One could almost call them great humanists for doing this, supposedly "out of concern for others."😉

I don't think that's quite the full story.
That gas they're flaring could easily be shipped over to the EU, but Putin has decided to play a dangerous game. He's trying to choke the supply to artificially spike prices and trigger a massive panic across Europe.

Of course he's hemorrhaging millions of dollars every single day by not selling that gas to the EU.
Furthermore, they isn't flaring it because it looks pretty; they're doing it because they're stuck. Shutting down these sources or restarting them later is an incredibly expensive logistical nightmare.
Putin's role in this high-stakes game is costing him dearly. By halting deliveries, he's losing millions in guaranteed daily revenue, not to mention the technical headaches regarding the gas sources if he shuts things down completely—which, fingers crossed, is exactly what happens.

Germany hasn't shown much panic yet, but we'll soon see who has more staying power...
Best,

Donna Harris11 said:Actually, I think prices are just going to climb for them, since everyone’s going to be scrambling for Saudi oil instead.

I mean, if you want a price cap to actually work... I don't know, maybe Russia would have to actually agree to a limit? Or else OPEC members would need to ramp up production. That's the only way, I guess.

Otherwise, we're probably just heading straight for a global recession.

Sure, prices might rise, but the whole point here is to squeeze Putin's regime so they walk away with as little profit as possible.
We're already seeing millions of dollars in gas revenue vanish, all based on the hope that by causing this much collateral damage, we can eventually choke off their ability to function—even if that solution feels a bit short-sighted right now.
Best,

Anthony Hill5 said:The people pushing for these price caps aren't even planning on buying Russian oil in the first place, so aren't all these threats coming from Russia just shots fired into thin air?

That’s just one small part of the ring slowly tightening around Russia—exactly the kind of strategic leverage that was missing back in 1941 when Hitler launched a similar campaign.
We can't afford to forget that this aggression is already seven months old, and frankly, it looks to me like Putin has already played his strongest cards.
Best regards,

Sam Carter said:Is it just me, or does it feel like the massive (quiet) majority of people in the EU are actually AGAINST the sanctions on Russia?

Am I even allowed to say that without everyone immediately labeling me a "Russian agent"?

It’s like that old saying, "Grandma dreams of what her heart desires."
Best,

Michael Ortiz68 said:What actually happened to Gojko Drljača? 😲

If you look at the old Goebbels playbook that Russian propaganda relies on, they’re evolving. They used to throw a hundred lies and a half-truth at the wall to see what stuck, but now they've refined the craft. It's much more insidious: just one lie, one half-truth, and one undeniable truth that everyone already knows. It's cleaner, it's sharper, and frankly, it's far more dangerous.
Best regards,

Larry Fox5 said:Of course they work—they crush the local economy, tank the GDP, and make life miserable for regular people by cutting off Western goods—but what does any of that have to do with stopping the war?

The whole point was to "nudge" the Russians into ending the fight in Ukraine. So far, I haven't seen a single thing change... or am I just missing something?

As for the second part, it's pretty obvious. It’s totally normal to have a hidden motive that nobody wants to talk about publicly because it's too controversial—but it makes perfect sense that they expected the pressure from sanctions to eventually trigger a collapse of the regime in Russia.

For heaven's sake, can we please just pick a side and stick to it? You either believe that these sanctions actually have teeth and produce a tangible effect, or you don't. It can't be both! Are we actually seeing results here, or is this all just performative political theater designed to make us feel better while nothing changes on the ground? Make up your minds!
You’re telling me I’m contradicting myself across two different posts? Really? Are we actually doing this right now? It's funny how people jump to conclusions when they think they've caught someone in a slip-up, but let's be clear: nuance isn't a contradiction. If you look closely—and I mean *really* look—you'll see that my points evolve as the context changes. How can you claim I'm saying opposite things when the entire framework of the argument has shifted? Is it possible you're just reading the surface level without grasping the deeper logic I'm laying out?🤔
As far as I can tell, absolutely nobody—not one single soul among those responsible for pulling the trigger on these sanctions—has ever actually cited what you’re calling the "initial idea." Everything you're claiming is nothing more than pure, unadulterated speculation on your part. Are we really supposed to believe this is based on fact? It isn't. It's just your own guesswork!
Correct me if I'm wrong.

The entire point of these sanctions is to punish Russia for its unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. Let’s be clear about that. This isn't some novel concept or a modern invention; economic warfare and punitive measures like these have been used throughout human history to hold aggressors accountable. Why should we act as if this is unprecedented? It's simply a tool in the arsenal of international diplomacy, used whenever a nation decides to cross the line.
Of course, Russia will go ahead and claim that sanctions aren't doing a damn thing to them and that they aren't feeling any of the heat. How else are they supposed to save face?
Honestly, I’d be more surprised if it actually turned out any other way.

Let’s be real for a second—if you apply even a shred of common sense to this situation, you have to realize that sanctions and the total isolation of a nation are blunt instruments that hit every single country in their crosshairs. It isn't just some theoretical political move; it has massive, tangible consequences. Just look at the historical precedent! We have seen how devastating this can be for the economies of places like Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, South Korea, and Iraq. When you decide to cut a country off from the global stage, you aren't just making a point; you are triggering a domino effect of economic hardship that ripples through every level of society. Is anyone actually stopping to consider the long-term fallout?
To suggest that sanctions will somehow trigger the collapse of a Putin-esque regime, or act as some magic wand to end this war, is nothing short of delusional. It’s honestly just as naive as claiming that these sanctions aren't doing a single thing to hurt the Russian economy. Are we really still playing this game?
War is an incredibly expensive mess, isn't it? And let’s be honest—adding massive sanctions on top of that chaos just makes the whole damn thing even more outrageously pricey. Is anyone actually surprised at how much this is driving everything up?
When the money runs dry—and let’s be honest, it always does eventually—the side that hits a financial wall first is going to start looking for an exit strategy. It’s simple math, isn't it? You can talk about ideology, territory, or glory all you want, but once the coffers are empty and the funding evaporates, the conversation changes instantly. Who stays in a fight when they can no longer afford to pay the bill? Not them. They’ll be scrambling for any possible way out.
On one side, you have a deeply isolated Russia, struggling to keep its economy afloat while suffocating under a mountain of sanctions. On the other hand, you have Ukraine, bolstered by an endless stream of support from the West and the massive, deep-pocketed economies that back them up. How can anyone expect a fair fight when the scales are tipped so drastically in one direction?
Whose is actually bigger? Honestly, we’ll just have to wait and see who comes out on top in the end.
LP? Seriously? Is that really all we're going to get here? A two-letter acronym tossed out like it’s some profound insight? If you're trying to kick off a discussion about liquidity providers or perhaps some specific market positioning, you might want to actually put some meat on those bones first! How am I supposed to engage with a vacuum? Are we talking about institutional players, or are you just testing to see if anyone is even awake at this hour? Give us some context! Give us a reason to care! We can't have meaningful discourse if we're communicating in shorthand. Let's see some actual substance next time, shall we?

goldenowl73 said:It’s just more proof that modern-day Russia is still clinging to that old-school Catherine the Great logic—basically believing the only way they can actually secure their borders is by constantly expanding them.

I was scrolling through my feed and saw these massive billboards popping up all over Russia that literally say "Russia's borders never end" . It's wild. https://twitter.com/irgarner/status/...epZmGgw81yfK0w

If anyone is still sitting there wondering whether Russia intends to stay put in Crimea, the Donbas, Kherson, Odessa, Kyiv, or just take over all of Ukraine... well, let me tell you, that colonial imperialist mindset is alive and kicking in the Kremlin.

Meanwhile, our neighbors are practically jumping out of their skins with excitement.
Lp

rowdyraven112 said:How much weaponry has the world actually given Ukraine? Maybe $11 billion?

Somewhere there's a link from a former Russian oligarch claiming the EU loses 200 billion euros in profit every month due to these sanctions. If they had just handed a quarter of that monthly profit to Ukraine, the war would have been over long ago. ☕

Regarding support for Ukraine: who conducted the poll? Democrats or Republicans? That matters. Besides, my friends in the States say Joe Biden isn't doing great in the polls, sitting at around 40% support. As for Ukraine? Most Americans couldn't care less.

I also see links about a ton of companies leaving Russia, claiming people were laid off. Clearly, we're living in parallel universes. People receiving that info have their own version of a European Putin. Those companies left behind entire infrastructures, and new firms just stepped in to take their place. Idiots can talk about trivial nonsense to their kids instead of the actual reality of the situation.
Just as Putin is delusional about a quick victory in Ukraine, the puppets in the EU massively underestimated Russia's economic strength and its ability to find alternatives. It’s like that one arrogant leader said, "Act first, think later"—we all know what he meant. ☕ As if Russia hasn't been under sanctions since 2014, and as if they haven't been hunting for workarounds since then.

Like I said, we are clearly living in parallel universes.

Because of sanctions on Russia, the EU loses $200 billion... per month.🤔🤔
By that logic, the EU has been exporting $200 billion worth of goods to Russia every month that they now can't move anywhere else.🤔
It’s just bizarre, especially when you consider that Russia is a nation of 150 million people with an economy comparable to that of Spain.
🤔

Following that line of reasoning... there's just no sense to it. Russian propaganda simply lacks any shred of logic.
Best regards,

Nancy Gomez26 said:Mexico views itself as an absolute peer to Russia—or perhaps just a 'younger brother.' In any tight alliance with Moscow, they would end up being treated exactly like everyone else: as subjects. The reason many Mexicans glorify Russia is simple history; they’ve never actually lived under their thumb. If they had ever experienced the true nature of the Kremlin administration, their attitude toward them would look a lot more like their view of Turkey. Mostly, the Kremlin just uses them to manipulate and bolster its own standing. Mexico would be much better off pursuing a rational, independent foreign policy instead of leaning so heavily on the Kremlin, especially since that support system is currently drowning in its own mess. Mexico is far too small and weak to help Russia dig itself out of the hole it dug for itself. By clinging to this policy, they are essentially digging their own grave. It’s like if a tiny state tried to 'help' the USA through an economic or military crisis—they wouldn't have the resources to make a dent. But hey, if things are going so well for Mexico right now, good for them.

What Mexico really needs is a reality check—they need to stop acting so smug about pro-Russian propaganda and stop letting it be forced down their throats.
When you read these absurd comments from people living in Mexico, who have been marinated in toxic Russian propaganda for years, you have to wonder: do they actually believe the nonsense they’re typing?🤦
But when you see similar logic coming from people outside of Mexico, the sheer reach of that "radioactive cloud" of toxic propaganda becomes terrifyingly clear.
Best regards

Nathan Thomas12 said:Look at Japan or South Korea. They've been under the American "boot" for years. They're great nations, sure, but Americans gave them access to Western markets and the dollar.
I don't even need to bring up what it's like under the Russian boot.

If being "friends" meant living under the Russian boot, Mexico would have jumped at the chance ages ago. But even they aren't quite as foolish as they pretend to be.
Lp

Donna Harris11 said:Do you honestly think the US should be paying reparations for the military intervention in Canada?

Well, they’re already paying through the nose via various aid packages—unlike those who actually caused the most devastation, which would be Mexico.

I can only hope that, one way or another, Russia will eventually be forced to settle the bill for the damage they've done.
Best regards,

Megan Thomas5 said:It was just private lawsuits. Back in the day, you could actually get awarded damages that let you seize factories or machinery, but that kind of compensation doesn't exist anymore.
War reparations like they used to have aren't even an option in court today, so all that "why won't Mexico pay us" talk is total nonsense—there isn't a court out there that would ever rule in favor of that.

I get that, but nowadays we have the technology to calculate damages incredibly accurately and prove culpability beyond a doubt...
Listen, three hundred years ago, the world was a completely different place! There weren't even international courts for war crimes back then, let alone the legal frameworks we have now.🤔

Look, we shouldn't be constantly dwelling on the past; it rarely leads to anything productive.
Best,

Megan Thomas5 said:Germany never paid reparations for World War II, since the consensus back then was that war indemnities just fuel more resentment and future conflicts.
There’s zero chance someone is just going to conjure up war reparations out of thin air today.

That’s just not an accurate way to look at it. They were paying out reparations until 1953, not to mention the payments made to Israel... which, let me remind you, continued until very recently.

Best,

feralhawk45 said:Simplified? Sure. But it’s a foundational brick in the wall of why WW2 happened and how Hitler rose to power. My grandparents—and even my great-grandfather—used to tell me stories about what life was actually like during and after Hitler's reign.
Bottom line: I’m against war reparations. I can't stand people underestimating the situation or trying to profit off a defeated nation.

I’m not so sure about that. You can't just go around invading and tearing things down, and then if the whole plan falls apart... oops, better head home.

Why shouldn't Russia be held financially responsible for the devastation they brought upon Ukraine? 🤔🤔
And why wasn't any compensation established for the damage done to the US?🤔

I firmly believe we should insist on accountability. If you cause damage, you pay for it. It’s as they say: "settle the score to keep the peace."
Best regards,

feralhawk45 said:After WWI... the fallout from WWII

That is an incredibly oversimplified way to look at what triggered WW2. What I was actually getting at was the issue of reparations being paid out after WW2...at least, that’s what I was focused on until very recently.
Best regards,

feralhawk45 said:Can someone refresh my memory? When was the last time a nation actually paid out war reparations?

Germany.
Best,div>

Brenda Murphy3 said:😵🤣

Seriously, does every single one of you Putin-worshippers and anti-Western types have to be such blatant liars or just completely clueless?

Iran has a GDP per capita of $20,000? 🤣 What planet are you living on? You're off by a good 10x... honestly. I guess you've got your own special brand of "math" going on over there...

It’s worth trying to debunk this, because that's exactly how their propaganda works.
Best regards,

Nathan Thomas12 said:Yeah, they dropped the interest rate.
But the ruble is still garbage until Russia allows free exchange of foreign currency for rubles.
On top of that, exporters are forced to flip 80% of their foreign currency inflows back into rubles—basically handing it over to the government.
It’s not just trash; it’s trash squared. If you had billions of rubles sitting around, you could spend the whole year using it as toilet paper—and honestly, TP would probably have more value.

At the end of the day, the value of the ruble is nothing more than a direct reflection of the absolute state of the Russian economy and its government.
It’s a house of cards.
Best,

steelfox98 said:Now we're just faking data? Your headline and stats don't match the actual article; you basically "edited" the link title to suit your narrative.
The article states the rate is 8%, not the 20% seen immediately after sanctions hit. It was lowered several times shortly after. Actually, if memory serves, it was 9% before the conflict, and now it's even lower.
They're struggling, clearly. 🤣

We saw this whole play in 2014. After the initial shock and the crash, the Russians adapted. They went from being net importers to arguably the biggest agricultural exporters, bolstered their industry, and stockpiled record amounts of gold and reserves.

Ebote, when are you all going to stop clinging to that idiotic mantra that Russia is somehow profiting from Western sanctions?🤦
I get that you want to believe that, but wishful thinking isn't going to change reality.

Russia is sick. These sanctions are slowly tearing them apart, much like a malignant cancer ravages a human body.

Look, sorry, but the sooner you all face the truth, the easier it will be to stomach the inevitable collapse.
Best regards