Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

Gregory Ramos3 said:I am totally with you on this one, I really think Russia is heading toward a major catastrophe in the near future. ☕

Bad karma, as some might say.

boldotter2 said:During the COVID-19 lockdowns, half of Germany's economy—and the whole European Union, really—was basically offline for two months. Now, the entire economy is running, and a good chunk of it is geared toward wartime production. That’s just a massive, undeniable difference.

Everything else? We'll get through it. Even the rising oil prices and gas shortages.

I mean, Germans were literally starving ten years after WWII.
And they spent 45 years living with half their country under Soviet occupation, constantly terrified of a conventional or nuclear war.
Even so, they managed to become one of the top economies in the world.

So, compared to all that, one cold winter is nothing. They'll order more coal, turn down the thermostat, and ramp up tank production. And they'll move forward.

That German panic? It's learned. But German discipline? That's built-in. Fatalism and defeatism just don't exist in Germany.

Just watch and learn this coming fall and winter.

And then there are those heavy-hitting geostrategic idiots. Who knows how many more times they’ll manage to embarrass themselves politically.
It’s not that Americans haven't issued warnings, but they keep pushing forward with cooperation with Russia regardless of how this exact strategy fails them perfectly every single time.
Idiots. Even the Baltics don't give them the time of day anymore, and neither does Ukraine.
It seems like they're the only ones who still view Canada as nothing more than a protectorate.

William Anderson5 said:The problem is most people think he's acting "in Canada's interest." It reminds me of how Americans cheered for Neville Chamberlain when he handed over the Sudetenland to Germany; they thought avoiding a confrontation with Germany was better for the economy and stability in Europe. In the end, it turned out that standing firm would have been what was actually best for the people. It was much easier to deal with Germany in '37 or '38 than it was in '39. And despite all those efforts to dodge the conflict, the war happened anyway. People tend to focus on short-term gains, but politicians are supposed to be looking at the long game and making the right calls, regardless of how unpopular they might be in the moment...

Once again, I agree. I think a huge part of today's mess comes from a total lack of historical knowledge, especially regarding our own history here in the West. Since 2014—and honestly, even before then—you can track history repeating itself step by step. Rhineland, Sudetenland, Austria, Czechoslovakia... and eventually Poland. The names change, but the patterns are almost identical.

Zelensky is rallying millions.
The goal? Reclaiming the Black Sea.

Thomas Nelson25 said:Zelensky is rallying millions.
The goal? Reclaiming the Black Sea.

But how they actually manage to cross that river... now that's the real question...

rowdytiger13 said:And then there are those heavy-hitting geostrategic idiots. Who knows how many more times they’ll manage to embarrass themselves politically.
It’s not that Americans haven't issued warnings, but they keep pushing forward with cooperation with Russia regardless of how this exact strategy fails them perfectly every single time.
Idiots. Even the Baltics don't give them the time of day anymore, and neither does Ukraine.
It seems like they're the only ones who still view Canada as nothing more than a protectorate.

They always have been, I guess. Every single time they try to play these big strategic games, they just end up looking like fools. That’s probably why they need an American manager, guardian, and therapist all rolled into one.

Germany is kind of like a star athlete who gets it into their head that because they're great at sports, they must be amazing businessmen or politicians too. Then they just mess everything up, blow through their cash, and ruin their reputation.

Man, why are you guys even stressing? Germany didn't have any gas issues during WWI, WWII, or even recently with Volkswagen. I guess it won't be a problem this time either...

Germany has its forests and coal reserves

Thomas Nelson25 said:Zelensky is rallying millions.
The goal? Reclaiming the Black Sea.

Doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon.

You march out with a million people in some "massive counteroffensive" against a massive nuclear superpower, yet you don't even have a single measly, weak, grey tactical nuke in your arsenal?

Are these people joking? Is this some kind of joke?

Grace Jones86 said:You march out with a million people in some "massive counteroffensive" against a massive nuclear superpower, yet you don't even have a single measly, weak, grey tactical nuke in your arsenal?

Are these people joking? Is this some kind of joke?

So what's the logic here? That Ukrainians shouldn't bother defending themselves just because Russia happens to be a nuclear power?

Kate Cook27 said:So what's the logic here? That Ukrainians shouldn't bother defending themselves just because Russia happens to be a nuclear power?

They can fight if they want to, but they might not like how the whole thing ends up...

Maybe the Russians won't be too thrilled with how this all ends up 🙂

Jacob Price95 said:They can fight if they want to, but they might not like how the whole thing ends up...

Even if that's the case, I doubt Russ will enjoy realizing just how exhausting and draining it actually is to be an occupier.
The war isn't over yet, and Ukraine has already started kicking off some "partisan resistance" in occupied zones—which is exactly what they're being trained for.
The USA certainly learned how draining it was to deal with Afghanistan... good luck to super-wealthy Russia!

Jacob Price95 said:They can fight if they want to, but they might not like how the whole thing ends up...

Whatever happens, I'd much rather fight and lose than just throw in the towel right away. Honestly, what outcome could Ukrainians possibly be unhappy with?

Grace Jones86 said:You march out with a million people in some "massive counteroffensive" against a massive nuclear superpower, yet you don't even have a single measly, weak, grey tactical nuke in your arsenal?

Are these people joking? Is this some kind of joke?

I mean, yeah, they definitely need some nukes to hit Crimea and Donbas before they can just march their infantry in there like big winners 🤣 🤣

Ignore 👋

Larry Walker24 said:According to Reuters, Vladimir Putin just signed a decree that makes it way easier for Ukrainians to grab Russian citizenship.

Looking at the paperwork on the Russian government's site, Putin’s basically opened the floodgates for a simplified citizenship process "for all citizens of Ukraine."

Before this, according to TASS, that fast-track citizenship was only for folks in the DPR and LPR, plus the areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson currently held by Russian forces. Now, they're widening the net.

Right, because apparently Ukrainians don't actually exist.

They need to get that Black Sea blockade lifted.
It’s a pure numbers game—they're a maritime nation, after all.
I'm hoping some foreign experts are helping them prep for 'Storm.'

Putin's response? Just leaving figures lying out in front of shops. A little bench...

Gregory Ramos3 said:I mean, yeah, they definitely need some nukes to hit Crimea and Donbas before they can just march their infantry in there like big winners 🤣 🤣

Ignore 👋

Did the US do anything differently with Japan?

They used the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then walked right into those cities. Those places rebuilt, and people live there today.

Post-apocalyptic scenarios from movies like Mad Max work well enough to scare the public into fearing nuclear strikes, but reality isn't quite like that.
Actually, the scale of what the Americans used is applicable in conventional warfare.