A war criminal who will never be brought to trial.
Worse than Stalin or Mao; even worse than Pol Pot.
All died of natural causes.
Greek historian, Herodotus in 445 BC. Wrote, “Whom the gods love dies young.”
As in 'Only the good die young'
Thanks markgraylish; saves me responding other than saying my knowledge of Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot is some way above the average based on 40+ years of interest and self-education about wars, oppression and dictatorship.
My general point remains.
“The conscripts are just following orders”. I’m sure that line has been trotted out before somewhere. And like last time they aren’t innocents caught up in the middle while the bigger boys commit all the atrocities.
I don’t care if it makes a bad person, but there’s a little pang of delight when I see a T72 or T80 brew up, or a BMP or BTR obliterated.
**** them.
As with most things the reality it will be a spectrum from conscripts lied to, to essentially nutters who will be happy committing war crimes.
Cheering the death of even nasty people isn't a good look but is understandable. I far rather they just went home and then let The Haig sort them out
I made no reference to how stalin, mao or pol pot died.
This is one of the very reasons why conscription/national service not existing is a good thing in the UK. Like it or not a military needs to be volunteers, not pressed-men.
The challenge to this is the Ukrainian law that prevents men of fighting age leave. It's a brave thing to do in a world where typically they are the ones who flee the furthest fastest. Personally I'm supportive of the decision but plenty of people on here aren't with their "cannon fodder" rants.
That's a fair counterpoint, I do think there's a stark difference between doing it for imminent national defence and waging war on another country.
The challenge to this is the Ukrainian law that prevents men of fighting age leave. It’s a brave thing to do in a world where typically they are the ones who flee the furthest fastest. Personally I’m supportive of the decision but plenty of people on here aren’t with their “cannon fodder” rants.
I don’t care if it makes a bad person, but there’s a little pang of delight when I see a T72 or T80 brew up, or a BMP or BTR obliterated.
This guy makes a very important point that those videos are basically Ukrainian snuff propaganda. I'm 100% behind Ukraine, but it's useful to stop and think about what you're watching.
https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1501602571923898373
@thols2 some people simply like the war porn. Often people with stuff lacking in their own lives.
You know that video of the helicopter getting shot down? Made me desperately sad to think of the terror of their last few seconds - doesn't matter which side, it's all so bloody unecessary. 🙁
Made me desperately sad to think of the terror of their last few seconds
Yup. Reality is a lot of those on the Russian side are as much a victim of Putin as the Ukranians.
If Putin or some of those neonazi leaders of the wagner group were reported as having fallen down some stairs multiple times I would raise a beer or two but even then I would give viewing the photos/videos a miss and I dont think it would be so much delight as hope.
I see China is following Russia's lead with the absolute BS claim of America developing chemical weapons etc in Ukraine. They are effectively green lighting a false flag operation if Russia goes that way. Utter *****.
China not even bothering to hide it's true colours here.
I hope the world also begins to truly regard China as the threat it currently is and is to become.
it’s all so bloody unecessary.
Which is the great sadness, the Ukrainians would probably have given up Crimea and the bugs of D and L they don't control just to stop the killing eventually. Now it's an existential fight and so many will die on both sides for one man's vanity
When people first started comparing Putin to Hitler I'm sure many of us might have raised an eyebrow, typical internet hyperbole.
Now it seems the comparison is apt and completely justified.
I can't help but think the 21dt century is make or break for mankind.
Poops, China will always do what's best for their long term interests and I would suggest that encompasses lying and dissembling.
Aeons ago I posted that their focus is always on the long term; short term tactical stuff is of limited interest to them.
Their objective, in my view, is to neutralise Russia and, possibly, relegate them to vassal state - support the econony but at a massive cost and make Russia almost totally dependant on China; drain it of natural resources inc rare earth metals, fossil fuels, minerals, precious metals.
You name it, China want it.
Xi is intent on global domination; doesn't have to be in his lifetime - the long game.
Look at the the tech sector - China is world leading in so many areas.
Will post more later.
This is really worth reading; Boris Yeltsin’s foreign minister’s take on Russia now, and the mistakes made dealing with it in the past, and how to deal with it in the future.
https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/russias-ex-foreign-minister-on-his-totalitarian-country/
Aeons ago I posted that their focus is always on the long term; short term tactical stuff is of limited interest to them.
Their objective, in my view, is to neutralise Russia and, possibly, relegate them to vassal state – support the econony but at a massive cost and make Russia almost totally dependant on China; drain it of natural resources inc rare earth metals, fossil fuels, minerals, precious metals.
You name it, China want it.
No, China will not neutralise Russia because that's not in their interest and will only weaken China. China wants to dominate SE Asia/Asia and pacific (Australia).
China wants to dominate
SE Asia/Asia and pacific (Australia)the entire planet.
FTFY. Centuries ago, China was a world power. It was ahead in technology and military power. The Chinese leaders considered Europe to be inferior. China then turned inwards and Europe surged ahead in science and technology leading to European countries dominating the globe. China was powerless in the face of European and American economic and military power. China has a very deep sense of grievance about this. They were treated terribly, but it goes much deeper than that. The Chinese view is that China is rightfully the dominant power in the world and that the U.S. and Europe have denied it what is due. Their ambitions are not limited to Asia, they intend to dominate the globe.
China wants to dominate
SE Asia/Asia and pacific (Australia)the entire planet.
I don't disagree ...
They do have that in mind.
Had a series of emails this morning at work saying that "there is a risk that Russia will soon be disconnecting the internet" - asking for people to prepare for this to happen imminently.
For context, we are a company with an annual revenue of about $3bn and about 50,000 employees, so we have clearly received some very specific intelligence, potentially from the hospitals/institutions that we are working with. We run medical research trials, so suddenly halting activities is not trivial.
Might be nothing, obviously
That's astonishing!
If they take themselves out of the loop how does that affect things in europe/UK/US ?. I was under the impression that although data center servers are everywhere, the majority are based in the US.
If anything, it sounds like they're trying to hide their activities form their own people.
Poopscoop
Full Member
When people first started comparing Putin to Hitler I’m sure many of us might have raised an eyebrow, typical internet hyperbole.Now it seems the comparison is apt and completely justified.
I can’t help but think the 21dt century is make or break for mankind.
Putin is Putin, there's absolutely no need for such comparisons.
Yeah - I remember a few years ago reading a headline that Russia was building it's own "internal" internet (intranet?) - it's clearly a way of further controlling what information gets through to the population
I think this thread really sums up the thinking behind disasters like Ukraine now and Iraq in 2003. And also why NATO getting actively involved (humanitarian intervention, for example) should not happen just because we feel it is imperative to do something.
https://twitter.com/MMazarr/status/1501688610575237124
https://twitter.com/MMazarr/status/1501688613649670145
... sounds positively North Korean.
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Movement of the lines has slowed considerably to almost a standstill over the last 4/5 days.
Hopefully Ukrainian lines are holding and Russia is really struggling as much as suggested. Longer this goes like this, think you kinda have to think they really are struggling. Dunno what that ultimately means though? Far too early to get too confident no doubt
Reports I read yesterday were that logistics and supplies were now catching up and things were going to get really ugly. I sincerely hope they're wrong.
I'm wondering if we are going to see some of the undersea cables that support much of the 'net around the world mysteriously getting severed.
The Russians are known to have been experimenting with this.
They could also simply tweak one of their satellites to plough into another one in orbit not just taking that one out but potentially starting a cascade effect.
It does have that feeling that yesterday's shelling of a children's hospital could've a significant event. Either:
Putin did it deliberately thus it's a War Crime.
Or it shows just how inaccurate the Russian weapons are.
I'm going with the first option and that he did so by telling the troops it was a military target and that the news reports coming out (if they can see them) are false Western propaganda. Either way though it does ratchet up the tensions.
If it goes to - 20c next week as forcast then the Russians may cease to become an effective fighting force
You need proper cold weather gear, rations, and sleep to function. If they have been idling their trucks to keep the cab warm then alot will be out of fuel by now
Also the mud will freeze so maybe they can move on unmade roads and not get bogged down.
as long as they're not on unmade roads when the thaw comes, otherwise they'll be stranded wherever they got to.
I’m wondering if we are going to see some of the undersea cables that support much of the ‘net around the world mysteriously getting severed.
Sure I read an article a few years ago about them trying to develop small nuclear powered drone submarines and cutting Internet cables was thought to be one of their main intentions. Basically they could be launched and lie at the bottom of the sea permanently until needed. No idea how successful they were, or if there was any truth in it at all but it would be a very powerful asset in a third world war
Top trolling by Lithuania, renaming the street the Russian embassy is on to Ukrainian Heroes St.
Yeah – I remember a few years ago reading a headline that Russia was building it’s own “internal” internet (intranet?) – it’s clearly a way of further controlling what information gets through to the population
There was an experiment a few years back where they disconnected the internet from the rest of the world. I can't remember if it's a firewall type effort or a complete disconnection but yeah, it's a thing.
Putin did it deliberately thus it’s a War Crime.
I’m going with the first option and that he did so by telling the troops it was a military target
You do realise Putin isn't giving targeting instructions to soldiers on the ground don't you?
.weong thread
Movement of the lines has slowed considerably to almost a standstill over the last 4/5 days.
It pretty much hasn't change significantly since 2nd March. I'll bet that wasn't the invasion, sorry "Special Operation" they had in mind. I wonder what Putin's being told? Also, hearing information that Russian conscripts weren't told about the whole "invading another country" thing. Which is revelatory about the state of the Russian military leadership .
In 10 or 20 years what lessons will we – humanity – have learned?
I think it's worth remembering that it's not "humanity" doing this, it's Putin. Sure, people are being manipulated but it's him doing the manipulation. Not just him, of course...
Does anyone else find it difficult to process the hyprocrisy and double standards here? It's laudable the international response to Russia's invasion, but what about Saudi? Saudi bomb the shit out of defenseless Yemem, blowing up hosptails, murdering civilians and destroying an already poverty-stricken country. Instead of sanctions, we prostitue out our military to tell them how to use the weapons we've sold them which they have no clue how to use. If only such international responses were standard for all invasions and acts of aggression, we'd have to endure them a lot less frequently.
Abramovic, Deripaska, Sechin and 4 others sanctioned by UK.
but what about Saudi?
For a full explanation of why the Saudi's are allowed to do what they like, with no sanction, watch Bitter Lake by Adam Curtis
To summarise: During the OPEC crisis in the 70's, the Saudi's agreed to break with the cartel and keep the taps turned on no matter what. In return they get to do absolutely anything they want
Probably even more so now, after the events of the last few weeks
Does anyone else find it difficult to process the hyprocrisy and double standards here? It’s laudable the international response to Russia’s invasion, but what about Saudi? Saudi bomb the shit out of defenseless Yemem, blowing up hosptails, murdering civilians and destroying an already poverty-stricken country. Instead of sanctions, we prostitue out our military to tell them how to use the weapons we’ve sold them which they have no clue how to use. If only such international responses were standard for all invasions and acts of aggression, we’d have to endure them a lot less frequently.
Absolutely agree. Though all war is horrific for civilian populations caught up in it, always has been and always will be.
Abramovich sanctioned.
Thanks it's good to know others feel this way. I feel like I've been losing my mind since around 2020.
If only such international responses were standard for all invasions and acts of aggression, we’d have to endure them a lot less frequently.
OPEC even refusing to increase output to counter oil price rises
Cheers Saudi
It pretty much hasn’t change significantly since 2nd March. I’ll bet that wasn’t the invasion, sorry “Special Operation” they had in mind.
I think the invasion was launched on the assumption that they wouldn't face serious resistance, would quickly capture the cities, be greeted as liberators, and could install a puppet government within a few days. For the first few days, Russian units (including elite paratroopers) just drove into Ukrainian ambushes and got slaughtered. Then they ran into logistics problems and had to change plan. They seem to have reverted back to what I'm told is standard Russian doctrine of just shelling and bombing the crap out of everything until the other side surrenders. I'm guessing that the Russian troops have figured out that charging into Ukrainian positions armed with anti-tank missiles is suicidal and the Ukrainians don't have the forces to counter attack and push the Russians back. My uninformed guess is that it's going to settle down to a bloody war of attrition now.
