The Russians have gone in

[Drm50]

My old man was in the task force that rescued Nationalist Chinese in 46.
The Marines were holding the docks and commies were dropping arty into the city. People took priority and they were only allowed limited luggage.
If Chinese could take it with them, they sold cheap or threw it in the drink.
I’m pretty sure we took some causalities from commies in that operation.
I also remember OM talking about bootlegged gold. It was bringing big price in
China because it was a way to save some wealth and portable. For those fleeing communist.

 

[zeke]

I agree completely with you...there are lot of evil, calculating monsters around the world who've welcomed Putin's friendship and aid, and who have looked the other way at his misdeeds.

I'm speculating -- hoping really -- that this particular event will be different, that this *totally unprovoked * invasion of another country, will prompt such an overwhelmingly negative response by the world, that even those who've sucked up to Putin will distance themselves from him.

But who knows? I'm just a news junkie with a high school diploma...this might turn out like all the other stuff he's done and gotten away with...but I hope not...

Biden Administration Will Continue to Work with Russia to Prevent Iran from Developing Nuclear Weapons | CNSNews

Apparently, so will the U.S.

 

[biku324]

And then the Russians didn't plan for casualties.

Leaked documents show that Russia is preparing for many casualties caused by Putin's invasion of Ukraine and is preparing to draft civilian medics from across the country, said ITV News.

The documents, sent exclusively to ITV news and signed by Deputy Health Minister Plutnitsky, ask medical teams "to be promptly involved in activities aimed at saving lives & preserving the health of people in Russia."

Emma Burrows, ITV's news editor, wrote that it "indicates Russia is anticipating a massive medical emergency" and could be forced to deploy doctors and medics from health organizations across the country.

Leaked document shows Russia is preparing for 'a massive medical emergency' of Ukraine war casualties

 

[Drm50]

No doubt they are going all the way. It’s good tactic bring the big hammer or stay at home. They are in it to win. He got to make it worth while. His only downside will be body bags going home. I don’t see anything to stop them. It’s a done deal. To bad the Ukrainians aren’t Commies or they might have gotten some aid.
I’ve seen common people interviewed in some of the now independent
countries of the USSR. Some say they are in worse circumstances than when Commies ruled.

 

[biku324]

Not a chance Putin can do this now. Nearly all of his available forces are tied up in this operation; 190,000 total invaders aren't going to take and hold a country that is Texas-sized and whose occupants will die before submission. Ukraine's small air force remains active, as does portions of their air defense system, to say nothing of the individual MANPADs. The population is armed and angry, and there are Javelins and NLAWs by the thousands moving into Ukrainian hands, even (finally) from Germany.

Afghanistan was a relative walk in the park for Russia, and that brought down their whole way of life. Putin thought he could growl and Ukrainians would roll over. It will take time, but this ends Putin and also ends Russia as an economic world power (their economy is the size of Italy's, or was 3 days ago).

And now, even this: Reports and video footage on Saturday show a group of Iranians assembled outside of Ukraine’s embassy in Tehran urging the collapse of Vladimir Putin’s government in an audacious protest against the Islamic Republic’s full-throttled support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the Iranian regime’s ban of demonstrations against Putin, the group of Iranians declared “Death to Putin” in what might be an unprecedented move by anti-Putin Iranians.

Attention Required! | Cloudflare

 

[DWalt]

Not a chance Putin can do this now. Nearly all of his available forces are tied up in this operation; 190,000 total invaders aren't going to take and hold a country that is Texas-sized and whose occupants will die before submission. Ukraine's small air force remains active, as does portions of their air defense system, to say nothing of the individual MANPADs. The population is armed and angry, and there are Javelins and NLAWs by the thousands moving into Ukrainian hands, even (finally) from Germany.

Afghanistan was a relative walk in the park for Russia, and that brought down their whole way of life. Putin thought he could growl and Ukrainians would roll over. It will take time, but this ends Putin and also ends Russia as an economic world power (their economy is the size of Italy's, or was 3 days ago).

But the Russians still gotta lotta nukes and Putin may well decide to go all the way if he is not taken down first. I wouldn't be surprised if our silos and subs are not already on 24/7 full alert with keys out.

 

[biku324]

Putin's nuts, but the people around him could give him the Novichok Nap to calm him a bit. Russians also want to live.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Trying to equate the lead up to the current situation with Chamberlain is a futile exercise. Back then there was no satellite intel, and precious little clandestine photo recce because most gentlemen respected another gentleman's borders. ( what a concept) Besides, the Brits finally released most of their secret files from that period after 60+ years, and the information therein blurs the lines as to whether Chamberlain was an appeaser or bought time for Britain to rearm. As is often the case, the truth probably lies in between, or even a little off to the side.

We can disagree. Satellite Intel and old files and all, appeasement, we have the world's most powerful military and are not buying time and have no lack of "intelligence" gathering ability then or now. The parallel is the exploitation by an ego maniac dictator of the Western powers complete unwillingness to confront aggression in the conquest of democratic allies.

 

[Kinman]

Many of Putin's biggest supporters are the tens of thousands of retired Russian military, some of whom were also members of the old USSR. Russians as a general rule have respect for these old war dogs with their chests full of medals parading on special occasions. Many of those old dogs were retired in the Crimea and hence in collusion with Putin in that move, I believe the same is true in the smaller sections of "Russian Speaking" areas that Putin is claiming to be Russian anyway. Economy and way of life is more than likely much easier for those old retired troops and other retired ex USSR commie members in Ukraine, much in the way the old Yugoslavia had a much better living condition than other Soviet Bloc countries, Marshal Tito ruled with an iron fist but at least he wore a glove.

 

[UncleEd]

Saw a video where a Russian
tank was stalled on a Ukraine
road. It was out of gas.

Apparently Putin forgot to send
his army enough gasoline. And
Russia supposedly awash in
gasoline.

 

[Buford57]

I came across this from John Steinbeck recently

“Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat. Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars.”

May they do so in my lifetime.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Many of Putin's biggest supporters are the tens of thousands of retired Russian military, some of whom were also members of the old USSR. Russians as a general rule have respect for these old war dogs with their chests full of medals parading on special occasions.

 

[pharmer]

...... Many of those old dogs were retired in the Crimea and hence in collusion with Putin in that move, I believe the same is true in the smaller sections of "Russian Speaking" areas that Putin is claiming to be Russian anyway.

Therein lies the great danger of unrestricted immigration. The Baltics, Poland, all the "Stans" and the rest of Eastern Europe are 10-20% Russian. The enemy is already inside the wire and the attackers are calling for their "comrade support." At least the rest of the world is beginning to turn against Putin. Joe

 

[biku324]

We can disagree. Satellite Intel and old files and all, appeasement, we have the world's most powerful military and are not buying time and have no lack of "intelligence" gathering ability then or now. The parallel is the exploitation by an ego maniac dictator of the Western powers complete unwillingness to confront aggression in the conquest of democratic allies.

Not at all. How is arming those attacked and cutting off their attacker from finances to sustain their invasion an "...unwillingness to confront aggression..."? And what about putting state-of the art combat forces eyeball-to-eyeball with the attackers on alliance soil across an imaginary line from the invading country's territory? Chamberlain did none of these things.

Appeasement, or more accurately a too feeble response, is precisely what happened when Russia took South Ossetia from Georgia in 2008, then Crimea and the Donbas from the Ukraine in 2014. The exact steps being taken now would have, if taken in 2008 or 2014, at least given Putin pause while contemporaeously weakening his economy and slowing his (still incomplete) military modernization.

Not comparable, or not so for my money.

 

[jag312]

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of State of Chechnya, has sent Chechen fighters to join the Russian military in Ukraine. Without getting into the religious ramifications, this is a very dangerous variable in the equation of the war. There could be volunteers from other parts of Europe that would gladly join with the Ukraine military against the Chechens. This war can spread beyond what Putin thought was possible.

 

[Rudi]

I'm doing my part. Stopped buying Stoli, going with Absolute. Seriously though, looks like Vlad may be facing a resistance war that he is not ready for.

 

[OldYooper]

One thing about this - our intelligence services had it 100% right, all the way down to a 12-hour window before the attacks.

They just watched the fake news and took a stab in the dark.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Not a chance Putin can do this now. Nearly all of his available forces are tied up in this operation; 190,000 total invaders aren't going to take and hold a country that is Texas-sized and whose occupants will die before submission. Ukraine's small air force remains active, as does portions of their air defense system, to say nothing of the individual MANPADs. The population is armed and angry, and there are Javelins and NLAWs by the thousands moving into Ukrainian hands, even (finally) from Germany.

Afghanistan was a relative walk in the park for Russia, and that brought down their whole way of life. Putin thought he could growl and Ukrainians would roll over. It will take time, but this ends Putin and also ends Russia as an economic world power (their economy is the size of Italy's, or was 3 days ago).

And now, even this: Reports and video footage on Saturday show a group of Iranians assembled outside of Ukraine’s embassy in Tehran urging the collapse of Vladimir Putin’s government in an audacious protest against the Islamic Republic’s full-throttled support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the Iranian regime’s ban of demonstrations against Putin, the group of Iranians declared “Death to Putin” in what might be an unprecedented move by anti-Putin Iranians.

Great analysis, Biku, and I sure hope you're right.

Reaction around the world to this has been uniform: Nobody likes a bully, and when it's David-versus-Goliath, we all root for David.

Part of the reason the Ukranians are so energized and inspired right now is that President Zelensky is displaying the best qualities of leadership in wartime. He is rallying them, encouraging them, and refusing to flee to safety. He might be living on borrowed time, but he will go down fighting, and he will live forever in the hearts of his countrymen.

 

[UncleEd]

Therein lies the great danger of unrestricted immigration. The Baltics, Poland, all the "Stans" and the rest of Eastern Europe are 10-20% Russian. The enemy is already inside the wire and the attackers are calling for their "comrade support." At least the rest of the world is beginning to turn against Putin. Joe

Why do you say those Russian
speaking people in other countries
"are Russian?" So all those who
moved to or having been living in
all those countries are "enemies"
just waiting for Mother Russia
to reclaim them?

 

[Rustyt1953]

I'm doing my part. Stopped buying Stoli, going with Absolute. Seriously though, looks like Vlad may be facing a resistance war that he is not ready for.

I hear ya. My neighbor just canceled his bride order.