Ukraine conflict

Quote: rxwine

I don't tend to buy reasoning that Russia will be ready to move on other countries in the region any time soon, though I understand the incentive by Ukrainian supporters to push that view.

That they may accidently involve nearby countries seems a more reasonable worry.

It's pretty sad that even in the best case scenario, they will have destroyed a lot of property, and killed plenty on both sides even if they pulled back today.

And all for what?

Based on what is going on in Ukraine, it seems like Russia would have a hard time prosecuting an expanding war in Europe with conventional weapons. They have a large military but beyond the professionals, a lot of conscripts who are not as well trained in war fighting skills are part of their numbers based on what I see reported. I am not an expert on their military forces, but it just seems like they are not doing a good job at executing their original plan or at adapting to a different plan....in fighting battles, the first plan usually has a problem when initial contact is made; leaders must quickly react and change the plan to match what happens on the field of battle.

That makes Putin's desires even more dangerous. If he can't succeed conventionally, he may use the weapons of mass destruction. That is a horrible possibility.

Even if this attack stopped today, the damage to the Ukraine in both life and property has already been immense.

Quote: RonC

That makes Putin's desires even more dangerous. If he can't succeed conventionally, he may use the weapons of mass destruction. That is a horrible possibility.

What would happen if he unleashed several nuclear weapons is easier to guess than a limited use.

What if he took out most of Kiev with one but nothing else?

Do we want to start a full on nuclear war? Can we even make a limited response without getting into a nuclear exchange? I don't see how we can afford to ignore it either.

I am glad I don't have to make the decision on that.

Quote: rxwine

I am glad I don't have to make the decision on that.

As much as I believe the President has been slow in his responses to the situation in Ukraine based on the timing of the build up and attack, I pray for him to have the ability to successfully navigate the perils of this situation. Not that I think that he has total control of the situation; I just hope his actions help bring it under control as quickly as possible.

Yeah, right.

There is nothing Biden can do. Putin demands total disarmament and the surrender of two more regions, plus 'denazification'.

Looking more and more like he's preparing a nuclear attack on the US and Western Europe. He always shows his hand early, never bluffs, and always attacks first.

His girlfriend and four kids are in a secret location in Siberia or Switzerland, and five more of his oligarchs fled Moscow yesterday, in their private jets, for Dubai.

State television saying ‘there is no world without Russia’, and how they can wipe out the US, and that their navy can launch 500 nuclear missiles and their nuclear bombers are the fastest in the world.

Yesterday, Medvedev said ‘Russia has the might to put all of our brash enemies in their place’.

Whoever strikes first, wins.

Quote: Tanko

Yeah, right.

There is nothing Biden can do. Putin demands total disarmament and the surrender of two more regions, plus 'denazification'.

Looking more and more like he's preparing a nuclear attack on the US and Western Europe. He always shows his hand early, never bluffs, and always attacks first.

His girlfriend and four kids are in a secret location in Siberia or Switzerland, and five more of his oligarchs fled Moscow yesterday, in their private jets, for Dubai.

State television saying ‘there is no world without Russia’, and how they can wipe out the US, and that their navy can launch 500 nuclear missiles and their nuclear bombers are the fastest in the world.

Yesterday, Medvedev said ‘Russia has the might to put all of our brash enemies in their place’.

Whoever strikes first, wins.

What exactly do you want Biden to do???????????
Silence from the right

the Russians since Cuban Missile Crisis have accepted that nuclear weapons are unusable

except as a threat, which Putin just utilized

I don't think Putin is a madman who would try to actually use them. Of course, though, that is in the realm of possibility.

I finally tried to find something on how matched up things are in Ukraine. In terms of number of troops, they may be somewhat even as far as what is deployed. The Russians have more of tanks and planes and that sort of thing. I think we know now that Ukrainian motivation is evening things up some. Morale is perhaps bad generally for the Russians ... according to reports. Hard to know what to trust.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/how-ukraines-armed-forces-shape-up-against-russias-2022-02-01/

Russian parliament member suggests Russia should get Alaska back.

Quote:

“This is my next point – recognizing Alaska, Fort Ross and Antarctica,” Matveychev responded, according to the Anchorage Daily News. “We actually discovered it, so it rightfully belongs to us.”

Quote: rxwine

Russian parliament member suggests Russia should get Alaska back.

They probably banned all books talking about the sale of Alaska to the US and didn’t allow that to be taught in school…

Quote: RonC

They probably banned all books talking about the sale of Alaska to the US and didn’t allow that to be taught in school…

Similar to how our schools teach about Russia supporting Lincoln during our civil war.