Sanctions on Russia

I really think it’s vital that the West stays consistent when it comes to actually following through on these sanctions, you know?

So, apparently Canada is sending back those repaired Russian turbines for Nord Stream 1.

brightheron64 said:Well, that sounds just wonderful.

The only problem is I don't plan on being around to watch the fireworks from the front row...

And how exactly would that work?
Are we talking about him saying, "We're bored now, let's call it quits," while keeping everything else exactly as it is under the status quo?
Or is he going to hand back everything, including Crimea?

If that's the case, why hasn't Putin been arming the Taliban to the teeth—if only as payback for that whole Soviet adventure back in the eighties and all that outside interference?
Why hasn't he sent the Iranians a full catalog with special pricing? You know, maybe an Onyx free with their first Patriot missile system purchase, followed by a 10 to 15 percent discount on the next ten...

Yeah, pretty much. You're basically saying, "Hey, we hit all our goals for this special operation, so we're heading home." I mean, how do you actually think NATO could *stop* this war right now? Even if they did jump in on Russia's side, it wouldn't be an instant fix.

brightheron64 said:Well, that sounds just wonderful.

The only problem is I don't plan on being around to watch the fireworks from the front row...

And how exactly would that work?
Are we talking about him saying, "We're bored now, let's call it quits," while keeping everything else exactly as it is under the status quo?
Or is he going to hand back everything, including Crimea?

If that's the case, why hasn't Putin been arming the Taliban to the teeth—if only as payback for that whole Soviet adventure back in the eighties and all that outside interference?
Why hasn't he sent the Iranians a full catalog with special pricing? You know, maybe an Onyx free with their first Patriot missile system purchase, followed by a 10 to 15 percent discount on the next ten...

I don't know, that answer feels totally disconnected from the whole "proxy war" argument. Putin isn't pushing a proxy war—he's just pushing a war because he wants one. If he hadn't kicked off this "special operation" in the first place, there wouldn't even be a so-called proxy war to talk about.

Melissa Rivera5 said:Yeah, pretty much. You're basically saying, "Hey, we hit all our goals for this special operation, so we're heading home." I mean, how do you actually think NATO could *stop* this war right now? Even if they did jump in on Russia's side, it wouldn't be an instant fix.

I don't know, that answer feels totally disconnected from the whole "proxy war" argument. Putin isn't pushing a proxy war—he's just pushing a war because he wants one. If he hadn't kicked off this "special operation" in the first place, there wouldn't even be a so-called proxy war to talk about.

Let's be clear: Putin isn't fighting a proxy war in Ukraine—unless you want to buy into the nonsense about "defending threatened Russian minorities"—he is leading an outright, completely irrational, and totally unnecessary invasion. Honestly, if there were any sense left in him, he should have pulled back after his initial attempt to seize the capital fell apart...

But hey, let's move past where this all started and try to figure out how it actually ends...

brightheron64 said:Let's be clear: Putin isn't fighting a proxy war in Ukraine—unless you want to buy into the nonsense about "defending threatened Russian minorities"—he is leading an outright, completely irrational, and totally unnecessary invasion. Honestly, if there were any sense left in him, he should have pulled back after his initial attempt to seize the capital fell apart...

But hey, let's move past where this all started and try to figure out how it actually ends...

Look, I didn't start by saying "whoever benefits from a long, bloody proxy war in Ukraine." 😒

And yeah, the end game is pretty much either Ukraine surrenders, Putin stops because he "achieved his goals," or we head toward a nuclear holocaust. So, I guess you pick one. And honestly? Putin really needs to be slapped hard on the ass so he learns he can't just invade other countries and get away with it. It’s obvious someone realized you can't reason with bullies; they only understand force. Well, now he's getting hit with it, and his resources and gear are just draining away. He can't even pull off a full mobilization because he's running out of equipment to give them (I mean, man, if they have to crowdfund parts just to keep their planes in the air and then brag about it, something is seriously messed up over there).

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...xik?li=BBnb7Kz

It’s kind of wild how they messed this up—like, they’re sticking to these sanctions so rigidly, even though the first cold snaps are hitting, and honestly? Gas could probably start flowing through those pipelines toward Germany and the rest of the European Union again if they just let it.
So much for those sanctions, I guess!

brightheron64 said:It’s true that Putin set his sights on war, but... (there goes the classic whataboutism) if the CIA really knew everything they claim to know, then they should have reacted much earlier and much more aggressively—something like, "Hold on, let's negotiate a 'Ménage à trois'," because no single life, whether Ukrainian or Russian, is worth this level of warfare and chaos. Instead, we are currently rolling out every possible sanction imaginable (all at once, rather than step-by-step), yet not a single drop of Russian oil or cubic meter of gas isn't finding its way to a destination somewhere.

It feels like a twisted kind of gymnastics, almost perverse, watching the endless talk about tens of thousands of deaths, the destruction, and the devastation... not to mention the economic fallout. Honestly, why didn't the EU simply say, "we are shutting down every single pipeline this very second, even if it kills us"? Even Ukraine, which is the one under direct attack, is still allowing Russian energy to transit through its territory, essentially collecting the cash from it...
Good grief, we aren't the Japanese, so why are we acting like kamikazes?

Man, even Domazet Lošo would have passed out looking at all of this...

It is fair to ask who actually threw the doors wide open for Putin to embark on this war adventure, and who is now trying to fix it with such desperation at the cost of tens of thousands of souls, misery, and hardship. Is someone truly invested in peace and reaching a solution right now (even if it doesn't favor Ukraine), or is a proxy war of attrition against the Russians actually more interesting to them, even if it drags on for years?
And in the end, what is the actual resolution? Are the Russians just going to hand back Crimea and Donbas?

Regarding the bolded part—we couldn't pull that trigger immediately, but we'll see more clearly this fall what they actually plan to do.

It’s like watching some pornographic gymnastics regarding tens of thousands of deaths, destruction, damages... not even mentioning that. I mean, damn, why didn't the EU just say: "shut off every single pipe right this second, even if we starve", when even Ukraine, which was directly attacked, is still letting Russian energy pass through its territory and happily collecting the cash for it.
Man, we aren't Japanese, so we're just gonna play kamikaze.

God, even Domazet Lošo would have flipped out over all this.

Honestly, you gotta ask who really opened the door for Putin to go on this war adventure, and is now trying to fix it by throwing tens of thousands of souls into the meat grinder. Does someone actually care about peace and a quick solution (even if it doesn't favor Ukraine), or is a proxy war of attrition with the Russians more interesting, even if it drags on for years?
And in the end, what's the actual solution? The Russians just hand back Crimea and Donbas?

I'm not even sure myself, the stuff you're talking about scares me... again, let's just wait for the fall.

I’m just gonna say it again—the logic here is totally bizarre, thinking everyone is at fault except for Putin, who actually started this whole war. And honestly, maybe it's even weirder how people keep repeating like some kind of parrot that NATO, the West, or anyone else could just step in and stop it right now.

brightheron64 said:I'd really appreciate it if you could walk me through the math or just clarify the equation you're using to arrive at a result like that. 😉

Don't sweat it, you aren't gonna see it happen.
All this Neverland stuff and little temper tantrums because things aren't going your way... honestly, none of that matters in real politics or the actual world we live in.
Ukraine and Crimea will be back under their own control just as much as Mexico belongs to its people.

darkdriver said:Don't sweat it, you aren't gonna see it happen.
All this Neverland stuff and little temper tantrums because things aren't going your way... honestly, none of that matters in real politics or the actual world we live in.
Ukraine and Crimea will be back under their own control just as much as Mexico belongs to its people.

Wait, hold up—aren't you the same guy who was whining about COVID restrictions being a violation of your rights, but now thinks it's totally fine for someone in Russia to get ten years behind bars just for speaking out against the war in Ukraine?🙂

darkdriver said:Don't sweat it, you aren't gonna see it happen.
All this Neverland stuff and little temper tantrums because things aren't going your way... honestly, none of that matters in real politics or the actual world we live in.
Ukraine and Crimea will be back under their own control just as much as Mexico belongs to its people.

We'll see about that.

Maria James40 said:I really think it’s vital that the West stays consistent when it comes to actually following through on these sanctions, you know?

So, apparently Canada is sending back those repaired Russian turbines for Nord Stream 1.

It’s all about priorities, 😁but let’s be honest, Germany and its own specific interests remain a fundamental pillar of the European Union.Once this war winds down or reaches an end, most of these sanctions will likely fall like dominoes as business interests take back over.
If these predictions hold true, we are looking at a massive circus on our hands, which is really their biggest headache right now given the various underhanded tactics being used.
☕

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-spd-in...rty/a-62415462

Is Biden panicking and lifting the Russian oil embargo while Europe rushes toward energy suicide?!

Back on March 8th, the White House decided to ban all imports of Russian oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and coal. At the time—and I remember my colleagues in D.C. being quite vocal about this—experts, media outlets, and politicians warned that this embargo would only work if the European Union joined in. Now, however, The New York Times is making a massive policy pivot their lead story: Joe Biden is reportedly planning to allow Russian oil imports again, provided there's a price cap involved.

What on earth is going on now?

brightheron64 said:Well, that sounds just wonderful.

The only problem is I don't plan on being around to watch the fireworks from the front row...

And how exactly would that work?
Are we talking about him saying, "We're bored now, let's call it quits," while keeping everything else exactly as it is under the status quo?
Or is he going to hand back everything, including Crimea?

If that's the case, why hasn't Putin been arming the Taliban to the teeth—if only as payback for that whole Soviet adventure back in the eighties and all that outside interference?
Why hasn't he sent the Iranians a full catalog with special pricing? You know, maybe an Onyx free with their first Patriot missile system purchase, followed by a 10 to 15 percent discount on the next ten...

With what?
AK-47s and Russian RPGs? The Taliban had those lying around by the truckload!
If you're suggesting they needed ballistic missiles, S-400s, Sukhoi jets, and things of that nature—fine. But are uneducated shepherds really capable of operating hardware like that?

darkdriver said:Don't sweat it, you aren't gonna see it happen.
All this Neverland stuff and little temper tantrums because things aren't going your way... honestly, none of that matters in real politics or the actual world we live in.
Ukraine and Crimea will be back under their own control just as much as Mexico belongs to its people.

Comparing this to the "Mexican" status of Mexico is a complete non-starter.
First off, Ukraine is actively fighting a war against an aggressor neighbor that forcibly seized its territory.
In the case of Mexico, it wasn't seized by neighbors, nor is Mexico currently engaged in a war.

For the argument that Mexico will become Mexican to hold any water, Mexico would actually need to be at war or at least seriously contemplating reclaiming Mexico through military force... which simply isn't the case here.

So, I agree: Mexico certainly won't be Mexican, as Mexico lacks any real interest in it beyond empty rhetoric. But Ukraine is fighting a war and has every single reason to reclaim its stolen lands... which means anything is possible.
America went through a war too, and much like Ukraine, there was a massive drive to reclaim lost territory. I truly hope Ukraine finds that same resolve.

lp

George Robinson43 said:With what?
AK-47s and Russian RPGs? The Taliban had those lying around by the truckload!
If you're suggesting they needed ballistic missiles, S-400s, Sukhoi jets, and things of that nature—fine. But are uneducated shepherds really capable of operating hardware like that?

With what? Well, even just having access to Kornet missiles and Igla systems would be more than enough for them... If they could manage to learn how to use Stingers and Blowpipes back in the day, surely they could master Kornet and Igla technology now.

Even if we assume the Houthis are slightly more "sophisticated" than your average shepherd, you see how quickly things change when they actually have the right equipment in their hands... It’s quite a predicament when you find yourself needing Patriot missiles to defend against people wearing sandals...

The Missile War in Yemen
https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep24837

I mean, Mexico is actually a pretty solid example of how trying to build "Greater Mexico" ended up totally backfiring on them. They tried to chase this whole hegemony thing and just ended up being the biggest losers in the North America since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. It might be a bit harder for Russia to pull off something similar, but I guess anyone with half a brain in their neighborhood is probably already drafting contingency plans in case they decide to strike—whether that’s through economic pressure, weapons, or just straight-up sabotage.

Terry Hernandez10 said:Is Biden panicking and lifting the Russian oil embargo while Europe rushes toward energy suicide?!

Back on March 8th, the White House decided to ban all imports of Russian oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and coal. At the time—and I remember my colleagues in D.C. being quite vocal about this—experts, media outlets, and politicians warned that this embargo would only work if the European Union joined in. Now, however, The New York Times is making a massive policy pivot their lead story: Joe Biden is reportedly planning to allow Russian oil imports again, provided there's a price cap involved.

What on earth is going on now?

Classic Gojko Drljac post here; total clickbait vibes, like "You won't believe what they're hiding from you! Click to find out!"

The article completely ignores the fact that crude oil prices have been dropping for over 30 days straight. Plus, gas and diesel prices at the pumps across the US are falling, with the national average sliding below $3.50 per gallon—the lowest we've seen since $3.12.

hollowdriver13 said:Classic Gojko Drljac post here; total clickbait vibes, like "You won't believe what they're hiding from you! Click to find out!"

The article completely ignores the fact that crude oil prices have been dropping for over 30 days straight. Plus, gas and diesel prices at the pumps across the US are falling, with the national average sliding below $3.50 per gallon—the lowest we've seen since $3.12.

There goes Gojko again, following that old "pay to play" playbook. The real issue is that people have already seen through his act, so if he's selling influence, the price for his services has probably tanked by now.

lp

So, wait—is George actually writing for The New York Times now?
Because, if you look at it, he’s basically just rehashing (or maybe just quoting himself?) everything they—or rather, he—already put out regarding the policies and moves being made by the Joe Biden administration, right?

brightheron64 said:With what? Well, even just having access to Kornet missiles and Igla systems would be more than enough for them... If they could manage to learn how to use Stingers and Blowpipes back in the day, surely they could master Kornet and Igla technology now.

Even if we assume the Houthis are slightly more "sophisticated" than your average shepherd, you see how quickly things change when they actually have the right equipment in their hands... It’s quite a predicament when you find yourself needing Patriot missiles to defend against people wearing sandals...

The Missile War in Yemen
https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep24837

Which Taliban from 40 years ago? What are you even talking about?
You are confusing the mujahideen with the Taliban. One group actually took down the first, while the first took down the communists.
And where did you get the idea that the Taliban didn't have access to Russian unknowns, Chinese HN-5s, or even old Soviet ZPU-1s and ZU-23s?