Posts by Carol Johnson21

electricstag9 said:https://twitter.com/Noel_dotsol/stat...95671446327297
It’s blindingly obvious that a major prisoner exchange has been brokered here. On the flip side, people like Medvedchuk and those Wagner mercenaries have been sent back to Russia...

The pressure from those within Russia who actually value the Wagner lot and Medvedchuk is clearly outweighing Putin's own willpower.

Nathan Evans78 said:Honestly, that’s almost brilliant. We’d crush inflation almost overnight, but the trade-off would be unemployment rates looking just as grim as they were during the COVID era—only this time, we wouldn't have the Federal Reserve printing money to bail us out. 😁

The Chinese would just pivot, selling their goods to Pakistan and other nations with significant purchasing power.

Your narrative sounds like something you'd find scrolling through Facebook groups or the comment section of a news site. Half-baked information, lacking any real grasp of the big picture.
But tell me, was this delivered by some seasoned expert who has global conspiracies and macroeconomics memorized? Was it shared on a podcast? ☕

Kyle Nelson2 said:I mean, I guess I wouldn't even be against a conflict between NATO and Russia.

Blitzkrieg 🍿

Joshua Myers432 said:There is such a thing as sarcasm. You don't honestly believe a hole in the ground is going to save you, do you? 🙏
It isn't about whether there's a threat—anyone can make a threat. The real question is whether they're bluffing. And who knows, maybe our friend Putin has a heart as big as Harry Truman's, the man who dropped two atomic bombs and supposedly saved millions of American and Japanese lives. At least, that's how he frames it. He probably deserved a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

No, Putin just thinks he *is* Truman.
The difference? The Japanese attacked Truman's country. Putin wants us to swallow the narrative that the liberation of Ukrainian territory is actually a defensive response to an attack on his own nation.
Neither you nor I believe that for a second.
Truman dropped those bombs over 70 years ago. Since then, how many countries have launched a nuclear weapon, especially against Europe?
What can I say? He'll either end up without fingers or drinking a poisoned cup of tea. The Russians know perfectly well that if he pulls the trigger on a nuke, there won't be anything left of them after a few minutes anyway.
Do you see what the ultimate solution is?

rowdyraven112 said:Meanwhile, America and the EU are acting like everything is sunshine and rainbows. Do you guys actually use your brains when you post, or are you just copying homework from pro-Ukrainian news sites? ☕

To those who insist on grouping the "decaying West" in the same category as Russia, I honestly don't have much to say. What a complete lack of intellect.
The United States is such a corrupt mess that if its military ever actually decided to go on an unprovoked rampage, they’d probably bumble through it just as clumsily as the Russians did.
The European Union is a bizarre collection of states where you have members with wildly different corruption indices and varying degrees of civil liberties—yet, despite those internal contradictions, they still act like a glorified space shuttle for Russia.
Go ahead and ask the Russian oligarchs and those living in exile—or even our own 300,000 expats scattered across the globe—why they aren't all rushing back to Moscow just to scrape by. Why bother with the grind when you can have a villa on the Mediterranean? It’s a non-negotiable, isn't it?
Brain is officially offline.

Joshua Myers432 said:Any sane person should be worried about nuclear war. If they spent decades obsessing over the Cuban Missile Crisis and claiming we were on the brink of total destruction, I don't see what has changed since then. If you aren't worried, that's your own issue. Besides, I predicted Putin's moves down to the millimeter—which is suspicious enough that maybe I'm not a Russophile, but an FBI agent instead. 🕺

Did you predict his moves would actually fail?
As for being "normal," having a pro-Putin username on this forum tells me everything I need to know.
It's exactly like that Great Leader; when all the predictions fall apart, he just falls back on nuclear threats.

We all know this isn't a one-way street. If I have to choose between supporting a fight for freedom and basic survival, or spending months trembling in fear over the threats of a dictator with a Napoleon complex, I’ll take the positive option every single time.

Now, who among us is actually sane or just naive? I don't care. I've developed a decent sense of judgment over the years, so I'll stick to my own instincts.

You've been talking about digging a bunker since February without ever actually doing it, and yet just a few days ago, you were reconsidering the idea. Clearly, you don't take these threats as seriously as you claim.

Joshua Myers432 said:Since when is my personal bias any of your business? 🍿

I'm not ignoring anything; I'm stating facts. If you can't handle basic math, maybe head back to elementary school.

We all know you're a dedicated pacifist and a deeply concerned citizen. Don't you worry.
Here we go again, entering another round where we, the "unconcerned alarmists," have to explain the sheer misery and incompetence of Russia. And predictably, you'll be right there to remind us all just how terrified you are of their nuclear arsenal.

The reality is this: Russia reeks of systemic corruption, a fact that has already proven disastrous for their military capabilities. It’s perfectly logical to assume that an organization built on such rot—relying on outdated USSR stockpiles for mobilization and equipment—is headed for a total collapse.

Your posts serve as a refreshing wake-up call and a prompt for us to think.

wanderingdriver68 said:If we’re looking at this realistically, how is Ukraine supposed to actually win a war against a nation that possesses virtually limitless human resources—I mean, they have three or four times the population size—and besides, it’s become painfully obvious that Russia isn't going to settle for anything less than total victory in Ukraine; in fact, I’m convinced they’d be willing to drag the entire world into a massive conflict if things started going south for them, since a psychopath like Putin is clearly prepared to go all the way to a total war.

Personally, I find myself stuck in a situation where I don't see any viable exit strategy that doesn't eventually spiral into a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, because honestly, what are the odds that this doesn't escalate into that within a few months or years, especially when removing Putin from the equation seems just as impossible as it was to stop Hitler, given how he has spent years building up an absolute machine of power within Russia that grants him unchecked control.

And what exactly are those millions of new soldiers going to be handed? An assault rifle or a garden hoe?

I honestly don't understand where people get the idea that simply mobilizing more bodies is a magic fix.
To transport, train, and equip two million people while you're already struggling to supply the 150,000 currently in the field? That's pure fantasy.
The Russians are notorious for treating their soldiers as expendable cannon fodder.
How could the Russian military bureaucracy even hope to organize this effectively, given that they've spent the last seven months proving through sheer corruption and negligence that they botched the opening weeks of the war, despite having such a massive advantage?

Nathan Evans78 said:Look, I personally heard von der Leyen on TV claiming that sanctions would completely cripple the Russian war machine.

And yet, here we are, watching them thrive.
At this rate, we can expect the Russian economy to be in full bloom for the next thirty years.
Totalitarian societies are used to shortages; they don't feel the sting of sanctions immediately. But the economy is a fickle thing—it tends to hit you when you least expect it.

Nathan Evans78 said:Just as I suspected, those sanctions aren't having any real impact at all. A "hungry" Russia would have likely risen up in protest the moment mobilization was even mentioned. ☕

Partial mobilization was mentioned this morning around 7:00 AM. Now we’ll see the surge toward the Finnish border, an influx of the unfit, or as our colleague @Terry Green3 reports, a sudden shortage of Software Engineers.
The Russians are "rising up," alright—but they're running for the exits, not hitting the streets in protest.

It looks like they’re finally going to tighten up those border crossings with Finland. Apparently, they’re still handing out tourist visas to Russians. 🍿

Terry Green3 said:I'd say it's more comparable to WWI.

True. This time around, it’s the Ukrainians who are ready to mobilize on short notice. On the aggressor's side, you don't have that same level of German discipline, so chaos is practically a guarantee.

Terry Green3 said:Shoigu mentioned a plan to bring 300,000 reservists into the rotation.

I assume we're talking about the types who keep rifles, crates of ammo, and maybe even a little tank stashed in their basement? 😁
Honestly, how do they even intend to equip 300,000 new soldiers? Given that the guys currently on the front lines seem to be sourcing their supplies by looting grandmothers' houses, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Nancy Gomez26 said:Then we end up with nothing.

At least they’re Putinophiles at heart, now just masquerading as citizens terrified of a nuclear strike that’s barely a threat. They finally got their little moment of manufactured ecstasy.😬

Otherwise, yeah, it's just another desperate gamble. What else can a loser threaten with? Partial mobilization is already a total disaster. Their supply lines are a wreck as it is, and throwing thousands of half-trained soldiers into the mix is just adding fuel to the chaos.
His only hope is to stage this rigged referendum, formally announce the annexation of those territories, and pray the West agrees to a ceasefire. It gives him something to show for it—just enough to prevent the kind of humiliation that Macron and his crowd seem so eager to avoid.

If there is going to be an explosion, it’ll be right in Putin's forehead long before any clouds gather over Europe.
Xi probably gave him a metaphorical kicking and a green light regarding the nukes. I mean, would he even bother with mobilization if he actually had the guts to drop an A-bomb?

crimsonfox12 said:Exactly.
He had every opportunity to use his natural charisma and authority to rein in the oligarchs, wipe out corruption, bridge the gap between Russia and the West, mend ties with all his neighbors, and push forward in tech, art, and space exploration—essentially becoming a modern-day Peter the Great. Instead, fueled by pure greed and stupidity, he's dragging Russia straight back into the Middle Ages and torching what little positive global reputation they managed to build after the fall of the USSR.

As for Zakharov, Medvedev, Dugin, and that entire circus of lunatics, they aren't even worth the breath.

This should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone enamored by "charismatic and authoritative" leaders. It becomes painfully obvious within just a year or two of their rule: there is plenty of rhetoric and repression, but very little actual progress or tangible results. In fact, once they've finished crushing the opposition, the momentum usually hits a dead end.
So, besides this "charisma and authority"—which, let’s be honest, is mostly a sales pitch for those who don't ask questions—Putin offers nothing. He has nothing to bring to the table other than old-school KGB spy doctrine paired with a questionable moral compass.

Of course, the West knows that once Putin is gone, someone equally unhinged will take his place. This isn't just "Putin's war," despite what you see on social media or hear from Russian expats and tourists. It's clear that much of this nation suffers from a delusional sense of grandeur regarding its own power. You have this pathetic, war-addicted Russia claiming to defend "true values" against a "wicked West," while a staggering percentage of their own population is actually fleeing toward that very same West. And where else would an average Russian go?
This isn't a country built on the foundations of old democracies; it's a country with a long, dark history of various Putins. To them, a non-dictatorial leader feels entirely alien—whether we are talking about the Tsars, Stalin, or this current guy wrestling bears.

And let's be clear: the voices rising up against Putin aren't necessarily protesting the aggression itself. They are protesting the prospect of losing the war. It is pure disappointment at the idea of failure.

What’s the actual price tag on a life spent in a Russian prison? You all talk as if we're dealing with rational people acting with common sense. People die for freedom, sure—but what happens when you're stuck behind bars, knowing you have zero chance of escaping a front line where you're either carrying looted goods or just looking for someone to bully?
Of course they aren't disciplined soldiers. That’s exactly the point. It just shows how desperate the Russians really are.

swiftjackal11 said:And after all that, he actually has the nerve to show up on a show. Honestly, do the people inviting him even have any shame?

Clearly, having a Face is overrated.😁 Honestly, when exactly does someone lose their status as an expert?

Judging by how much room he leaves for error and poor analysis, you quickly realize you're dealing with pure mediocrity.

I wouldn't be quite so harsh on all journalists, though. In this country, if a reporter doesn't uncover a scandal or a massive fraud, then no government agency—despite being paid specifically to do so—is going to find it.

jadetinker85 said:And you can assume criminals and thieves aren't interested in much beyond looting and assault. Maybe they released a few psychopaths who enjoy killing, but I doubt they have any real military training. They probably could have just pulled reinforcements from psychiatric hospitals.

Isn't that exactly the kind of genocidal war Russia is waging right now? I can only imagine the conditions in Russian prisons—having to choose between thirty years behind bars or taking a chance on looting and terrorizing people. In that scenario, a bullet almost seems like a more merciful option than facing decades of torture and waiting for death in a cell.

I feel the need to revisit one of Joe Biden's most "brilliant" analytical moments during an interview with CNN:

"We see that (the Russians) are trying to avoid the central areas. They aren't leaving the roads for the fields because they are obviously trying to preserve the wheat fields sunflower, wheat, buckwheat, barley, and everything else grown is tied to the roads. Major cities are still targets, and there's an attempt to take them while supposedly avoiding civilian casualties, but they're struggling," he stated.

"We know that Vladimir Putin has achieved at least several goals: Ukraine will not join NATO, Donbas is definitely lost, Crimea is definitely confirmed, and the Ukrainian military is almost decimated. So, it's all up to him now and whatever he considers his final goal," Biden concluded at the end of the interview.

And all this was being said just as that famous convoy heading toward Kyiv was sinking into the mud due to punctured tires.

James Chavez91 said:Alright. Now I’m pretty sure Russia is losing this one...

I'm driving around listening to an NPR broadcast—that "On Air" segment—with Baric and Vidmarovic as guests...
Honestly, Vidmarovic wasn't exactly easy to listen to. Seems like the guy finally sobered up, I guess.

🤣

Vidmarovic is such an "independent expert" on Ukraine and Russia that he only admitted they were losing right about the moment it became obvious to everyone—except, perhaps, the Russians and the people in Mexico.😁 It’s tough being an expert, isn't it? All that forecasting and deep knowledge, only for your predictions to land at the level of some random guy posting on Krstarica.😬
He really should have listened to Baric earlier; apparently, his mother didn't explain things clearly enough to him.

I hope the public broadcaster isn't paying him too much, seeing as they failed to check if he was half-Russian himself.

Edit: @ whiskey, oh yes, D Lanos, and it was honestly painful to hear him say it.😁
Still, I get the impression that the part where he claims "it won't be like Afghanistan or Chechnya" comes immediately after he mentions "having various weapons and plenty of ammunition."

Paul Anderson7 said:Getting rid of the scum the state has been feeding for years seems like a decent move if you ask me. I don't expect many of them to actually make it through or ever earn their way back to freedom.

I suspect that wasn't even their main motivation. Adding ten thousand motivated criminals to the mix is the ultimate force multiplier. We're looking at a wave of classic street crimes that will terrorize the local population. Where else could the Russians find such a motivated force? They're essentially offering these guys an escape route; if they called for a general mobilization, they'd just face a mass exodus.

These criminals represent the absolute peak of current Russian capabilities.

They promise plenty of ammo—supposedly better than what was provided in Afghanistan or Chechnya. Meanwhile, on Taiwan, there's a video circulating of a Russian soldier talking to his wife. He tells her he's wounded but isn't allowed to leave his post because there are no hospital beds available. Her response? She tells him they've been abandoned just like they were in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

Speaking of videos of Russian soldiers, there's one where a low-ranking guy explains to his superior how unfair it is that the officers got to bring three seized cars back to Russia, while they're stuck driving some old Hyundai 😁
. It’s also quite telling how he complains about not having had a single day off in seven months because there is absolutely no rotation of troops.