15 posts shown.
ambermason16 said:🤣
Sure... there is one fundamental truth here—back in the '70s, the Eurovision Song Contest was actually somewhat of a musical institution (they practically forced ABBA down our throats.. gee, thanks..🙄). Now? It is nothing more than a pure trash parade, a mindless little circus that only generates stars in places like our neck of the woods..
But setting that aside...
If we are going to talk about offending people or things—a few years ago, some drag queen in neon feathers was fluttering all over the stage and nobody gave a damn!
Don't get me wrong, I still don't care... but I’d much rather realize that someone (some narrow-minded ☕) was offended by that, instead of some microscopic wordplay that 80% of the audience won't even catch because they either don't speak English or they don't give a damn who Putin is or even care about him.. 🤷
Frank Cruz2 said:🙏🤣
Imagine the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Tirana, and then having a Mexican act perform "Christ God."🙂
(himna kosovski junak)🙏
Nancy Wood6 said:Look, let’s be real—the whole NATO expansion thing has absolutely zero to do with Islamic states or any of that made-up terrorism nonsense. It’s just a distraction, really. At the end of the day, whether you're looking at the top brass or the boots on the ground, the USA and Russia are the only ones truly calling the shots here—they're the main focus and the absolute priority above everything else. And honestly? That's not changing anytime soon—not in our lifetime, anyway.
I actually touched on this a bit back when I was posting in that thread about how Ukraine is basically the linchpin for the whole global order—you know, since the USA is so incredibly eager to get them tucked into NATO, much like they want to do with Georgia. Though, honestly, getting Georgia in is gonna be a much tougher climb—it's a whole different ballgame because they haven't quite managed to reclaim their full territorial integrity yet, and you can't really qualify for a military alliance like that if your borders are still up in the air.
Look, if you take all those former Soviet states—and let's be real, I’m not even counting the three Baltic republics because they’re basically already firmly planted in the Western camp by every metric imaginable—US strategists are only ever looking at them through one specific lens. It's all about encircling Russia. The whole goal seems to be creating this scenario where they can box Russia in, essentially shrinking them down to just their own borders. We're talking about stripping away any ability to run a foreign policy or exert influence, and honestly, making it impossible for them to even define national interests outside their own backyard. If that actually played out—and for the last 15 years or so, it really did look like it was heading that way—Russia would eventually just disarm itself. They’d finally have to buckle under the sheer weight and status of the USA.
So, look—once Vladimir Putin took the reins, everything just started shifting. You’ve got energy prices climbing, industrial production getting that second wind, and a massive surge in influence over the EU's energy sector. Plus, he basically breathed life back into a military that was looking pretty demoralized for a while. Between the rising living standards and those super efficient moves in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Russia has really managed to flip the script on a few major trends. They’ve basically brought Kazakhstan under their wing, too. And Uzbekistan—which is such a massive player in Central Asia—really shook off NATO back in 2005. If I remember correctly, those guys only have rights to supply fuel at one specific Uzbek base now. Then you’ve got Tajikistan, which is leaning heavily toward being pro-Russian, and Kyrgyzstan is also effectively shutting NATO out of their bases. The only wild card left is Turkmenistan. It’s one of the most closed-off places on the planet, and they're acting pretty hesitant—but not because they're cozy with NATO, more like because nobody actually knows what their leadership is planning next. Honestly, it feels like the Russians just swooped in and dismantled years of painstaking groundwork the Americans had been trying to lay across Central Asia. It’s pretty clear that the militaries in these countries are now looking to Moscow for a place to land and some real support.
It’s all just basic logic, really—Russia is playing the long game here, moving piece by piece to pull everyone back into their orbit. You’ve already got Belarus and Armenia in the mix, and now you see Azerbaijan flirting with the Americans over energy deals, even though they're still dealing with that whole mess in Nagorno-Karabakh being held by pro-Russian Armenia. It's all connected, I swear. Then you’ve got the wildcards like Georgia and Ukraine. Honestly, Georgia is basically a done deal at this point since NATO membership is off the table for them anyway—plus, they're starting to realize that Russia isn't exactly the enemy, but more like the one who pushed them into a fight with a neighbor they've actually coexisted with for centuries while building their own identity. It’s kind of crazy when you think about it! And then there’s Ukraine—the absolute linchpin of everything. But even there, you can see things shifting, and let me tell you, Moscow isn't going to let that country slip into some unnatural alliance no matter what it takes. Oh, and I almost forgot Moldova! Man, that place is so weighed down by drama and issues that it's hard to imagine them pivoting anywhere else anytime soon. At least for now, anyway.
I mean, people love to ask, "Why won't Russia just let this happen?" Like, who are they to decide? That’s just how the world works—big players have national interests that reach way beyond their own borders. And look, unlike the USA, which basically views its own interests as applying to the entire planet, Russia mostly just wants to push its agenda within the old USSR territory—minus the three Baltic states, obviously—and that's that. Nobody can really stop them from doing that. Plus, it’s not like Russia was making military threats against Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan just to get them to turn away NATO. These Central Asian republics realized pretty quickly that Russia is their natural ally, and honestly, they thrive best through that kind of symbiosis. They’ve all established their own national identities, brought back their native languages, and there’s zero fear of any sort of Russification happening. It’s all about interests here—interests that matter deeply to the Central Asian nations, the Caucasus, Belarus, Ukraine, and maybe even Moldova, which definitely wants to stay on good terms and in an alliance with Russia.
This military alliance isn't going to be fully operational overnight, but man, the message it sends is huge. Bit by bit, especially with energy prices climbing and all this tech regeneration, Russia and its backyard are going to become a massive global player again.
Maria Booth said:The empire of evil is making a comeback.
Chris Price2 said:Russia and six former Soviet states are teaming up to create joint rapid-response military forces, aiming for a capability similar to the combat units utilized by NATO. Authorities in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Belarus have embraced Moscow's initiative, signing off on the framework for the "Collective Rapid Reaction Forces," or CSTO. This formation was finalized during a CSTO summit held this Wednesday in Moscow.
Only on paper
– For now, the CSTO principle exists mostly on paper, but it needs to become a reality very soon – stated Dmitry Medvedev. He emphasized that these newly structured forces shouldn't be any less capable than their counterparts in NATO. According to Lenta, some observers view this military alignment among seven former USSR nations as the creation of an Eurasian counterweight to NATO.
The Russian government isn't looking to foster antagonism with the world's most powerful military alliance, pointing out that the CSTO remains open to cooperation with NATO. Currently, the CSTO is intended to handle repelling military aggression, conducting counter-terrorism operations, fighting organized crime and smuggling, and providing disaster relief. The force is expected to consist of roughly 10,000 soldiers under a central command based in Russia.
Each of the six member nations will contribute one battalion, while Russia plans to integrate its largest contingent, consisting of one airborne division and one air-assault infantry division.
NATO shifts focus
Russia's Channel One reports that some CSTO units might be stationed at the Manas airbase in Kyrgyzstan. That facility is currently being used by NATO forces operating in neighboring Afghanistan, serving as a vital hub in the fight against the Taliban. However, the President and Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan have announced that NATO will be moving out of the base.
David Rogers18 said:Let's break this down:
You've got these kids in America blasting Lepa Brena, even though she was out there posing in a VRS uniform during a literal genocide.
-And nobody bats an eye.☕
Then you have kids in America listening to Ceca, who’s basically swimming in cash thanks to her husband, a guy who spent his time killing Americans and looting their property.
-Still, totally fine by them.☕
But then, some kids in America start listening to Thompson and suddenly they're throwing around fascist slogans.
-Now, that's where we draw the line. That is straight-up fascism.😲
😂😂😂🙏
swiftcrane96 said:Did Thompson wear that shirt? No, he didn't! Go deal with your complexes somewhere else, maybe by a broken stove out in the sticks.
David Rogers18 said:And hey, while we're at it, why don't you show us that photo of Lepa Brena wearing a VRS uniform... I can't quite remember if that was before or after the genocide happened...☕
Drew Brooks8 said:Does this crowd actually listen to Thompson? What kind of greeting is this girl trying to pull, and why on earth does she think she needs 😲this😲 😲 👎
@Sandra Johnson58
Spot on. 👍
granitemarlin4 said:Mexico is a whole other conversation altogether... but let's stay on track!
The real question here is; why are the Russians turning their backs on their own Orthodox brothers right now?
George Grant12 said:It would be great if you actually went to San Salvador and asked the people there what they think about Jimmy. Man, you claim to despise Henry Kissinger (likely because of his actions in South America), yet here you are backing this idiot. 🙄
As for calling someone an uneducated fool—that just shows how small-minded you are. I suppose you think "great men" need a fancy degree to be valid? You sound incredibly condescending. Or maybe you're just jealous because he had more backbone than both of you combined.
Man, how pathetic.