Let's not get diverted onto Trump again. It was mentioned, I responded. Trump isn't evil because I say do. It's what he says that achieves that. Nothing needed from me.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I found this post not mildly amusing but very amusing.

COYP

Explosions ringing out over Kyiv tonight
[Link]

I'll be honest The Ukrainian military & its volunteers have fought incredibly well to this point, I expected Russian tanks in the square by now, keep going boys.
There are some Battle of Thermopylae comparisons to be made at times.

Regardless of what we all think Ukraine deserve more than s***ty sanctions that will do nothing to change the course of this war.

The mountains are calling & I must go.

Whilst not agreeing with the general thrust given how I view the Ukrainian governing regime, I do think it is obvious that Ukraine as a nation has been encouraged by the West to give Moscow the middle finger for years and years. And now the Bear has decided to bite that finger off, the West are nowhere to be seen outside of lighting up a few buildings and supposed 'sanctions' (which have also been going on for years and years to no effect whatsoever).

If I was a Ukranian who had to make a deal with somebody then Putin would look like the better option because he does have a certain 'Ronseal' appeal in that he does what it says it will on the tin. As opposed to a West who are utterly impotent, having actually cut their own balls off (and who literally support children having the right to do so themselves).

Deal with Moscow, not Washington, would be my advice because at least with the Russians you tend to deal with people who do what they say they will.

Edited by Matov (26 Feb 2022 7.04am)

Edited by Matov (26 Feb 2022 7.04am)

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Might be of interest to the disarmers on here.

On December 5, 1994 the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Britain and the United States signed a memorandum to provide Ukraine with security assurances in connection with its accession to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state. The four parties signed the memorandum, containing a preamble and six paragraphs. The memorandum reads as follows:
The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, welcoming the accession of Ukraine to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as non-nuclear-weapon State, taking into account the commitment of Ukraine to eliminate all nuclear weapons from its territory within a specified period of time, noting the changes in the world-wide security situation, including the end of the Cold War, which have brought about conditions for deep reductions in nuclear forces.
Confirm the following:
1. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine.
2. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
3. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind.
4. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used.
5. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm, in the case of Ukraine, their commitment not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, except in the case of an attack on themselves, their territories or dependent territories, their armed forces, or their allies, by such a State in association or alliance with a nuclear-weapon State.
6. Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America will consult in the event a situation arises that raises a question concerning these commitments.

I have read and heard similar.
It is a foregone conclusion that the Russian military will overcome the Ukranian forces but taking over a Country of that size with a population that doesn't want you is way more difficult.
It is likely that in time the people will rise up as will Russians themselves which will be a massive issue for Putin.
On the other hand he is unstable and he may just pay waste to every town and murder millions of people.
There is no telling - second guessing this man is a fools game sadly.

Edited by The Dolphin (26 Feb 2022 8.51am)