It's easy to find dwarfs for a theme park there, correct?
The Russians have gone in
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Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Funny enough, that may be exactly one of the things Putin is worried about, and why he is acting now while Russian gas still matters.
Apart from fossil fuel exports, Russia is economically seriously underdeveloped. 40% of its state budget is supported just by gas exports. And as especially the Europeans are going full-on alternative, Russia’s only leverage will be shrinking rapidly; even now, gas exports are down significantly over the last few years. The German economics minister already stated earlier today that if necessary Germany will do fine without any Russian energy imports; shutting down all pipelines is at least on the table. And the German government doesn’t face elections for over three years, so they can follow the national interest rather than the latest polls. While that may be just a warning shot at Putin to not overestimate his leverage, a world turning away from fossil fuels is Russia’s worst nightmare in the longer term.
The UAE has seen the end of oil as primary energy worldwide coming and has done the best job in the Middle East of diversification.
UncleEd
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UncleEd
Member
Vladimir Putin is 69 years old, grew up in the old Soviet Union, and clearly longs for the "good old days" when all those other now-independent republics were united under the hammer and sickle.
Putin is also, in essence, a KGB thug, a brute who has always gotten what he wanted through violence or threats of violence. Western notions of diplomacy, or negotiation, or persuasion, mean nothing to him. The man has poisoned his critics...why would he not invade another nation if it suits him to do so?
Given his age, he sees the window to get the old band back together in his lifetime closing, and he wants to establish his legacy. He thinks the United Nations in general, and the United States in particular, are weak, and lack the will to stand up to him...so this is the logical time to strike.
Barring Putin's sudden death or a coup d'état in Russia, there are three ways this can end, as I see it: He will absorb our sanctions, and stick it out until Ukraine is once again in Russia's possession. Or, the UN will commit to military action to drive him out of Ukraine. A distant possibility is that Ukrainian insurgents will make his occupation of their country too costly, and he will find a pretext to declare victory and withdraw.
It would be hard to overstate how dangerous this situation is...
This is NOT up for debate.
Take some time off and decide if you can live with the rules that you agreed to when you joined.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I am exactly as concerned as I would be if Saskatchewan invaded Manitoba.
Ya’ll have fun, though.
Ya’ll have fun, though.
Barring Putin's sudden death or a coup d'état in Russia, there are three ways this can end, as I see it: He will absorb our sanctions, and stick it out until Ukraine is once again in Russia's possession. Or, the UN will commit to military action to drive him out of Ukraine. A distant possibility is that Ukrainian insurgents will make his occupation of their country too costly, and he will find a pretext to declare victory and withdraw.
It would be hard to overstate how dangerous this situation is...
Agree. I would say option #1 or #3. IMO option #1 is the most likely but hoping for option #3. Option #2 depends on the UN and that isn’t happening with Russia and China having veto power.
IBest avoid this thread, there's a million other places on the internet to politicize this topic.
It's been awhile since I've been in a soon-to-be closed thread. 
tripledipper
Member
As way out there as it could be, can I hope for something similar to an Operation Valkyrie and hope that this one won't fail? Who knows?
My neighbor Serge is from Estonia, my wife heard his thick accent and asked him if he was from Russia...she still brings up the tongue lashing she got from him. Same is true with a Ukranian guy I know, someone asked him if he was Russian...fifteen minutes later the Ukranian still had the guy by the ear. A bit touchy, wonder why? Ask him...they don't mince words. Another friend of mine has a daughter gifted in languages, fluent in American Sign and Russian. She got a job working in Moscow for a couple of years, when she came home her father asked her the main thing she gathered after working with Russians for over two years, her reply "Never trust a Russian."
This quote was taken from a talking head that just aired this on a MSM news feed:
"Ukrainians can’t find knee pads and it’s something “you need to shoot a gun.”
I am speechless.
"Ukrainians can’t find knee pads and it’s something “you need to shoot a gun.”
I am speechless.
Just a random thought after reading an interview with a former Polish prime minister. NATO should give notice to the Russians of intent to admit the Ukraine on X date in the very near future. That would trigger Article 5 on admission. Give the Russians sufficient time to pull out but no more than that. According to this Polish bureaucrat, that's the only type of chess move Putin understands. Definately playing with fire though.
smoothshooter
Member
Putin and Russia come out ahead in the end.
Energy
Germany gets 70% of it's energy from Russia.
France gets 60% of it's energy from France.
Putin won't cave. Putin has already won.
If we really muck it up the petrol dollars is done. Then the dollar will no longer be the world's reserve currency.
Germany gets 70% of it's energy from Russia.
France gets 60% of it's energy from France.
Putin won't cave. Putin has already won.
If we really muck it up the petrol dollars is done. Then the dollar will no longer be the world's reserve currency.
We have a rather large community of both Russian and Ukrainian people here. There is definitely dislike in both sides.
I mistakenly called a Ukrainian man Russian once. He quickly corrected me. I didn’t know any better.
I think you’re right. I’m more concerned about China.
I am a mutt, with 35% Ukraine blood in me. Please don’t call me Russian.
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