No absolutely nobody should think that. Did you miss the war in Afghanistan? The US failed against literal primitive goat herders living in caves using hand me down weapons.
War threat in Ukraine
No absolutely nobody should think that. Did you miss the war in Afghanistan? The US failed against literal primitive goat herders living in caves using hand me down weapons.
Dona Ferentes
Abrió la caja, vio al gatito, y sonrió
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Ease up on the stereotypes, pal !
Garpal Gumnut
Ross Island Hotel
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NATO has never been really tested. The Europeans have been led by a ragtag mob of political elites since WW2. They too have their own Oligarchs through corruption and jobs for insiders. Even Australia is developing a “Political Class” and Roogarchs from years of Liberal and Labor Corruption.
Putin is Old KGB. Always has been. Still is. He knows the West’s weaknesses. Corruption on one side and Snowflakes on the other.
I would hope that a strong military response by NATO and its allies might hobble Putin and lead to a more fair Europe. I’m not holding my breath though.
Even for Australia an intervention now by NATO with US support would be a outcome better for Australia. It would be a signal to China that this far is far enough.
gg
Putin is Old KGB. Always has been. Still is. He knows the West’s weaknesses. Corruption on one side and Snowflakes on the other.
I would hope that a strong military response by NATO and its allies might hobble Putin and lead to a more fair Europe. I’m not holding my breath though.
Even for Australia an intervention now by NATO with US support would be a outcome better for Australia. It would be a signal to China that this far is far enough.
gg
Or the US gets tangled up in a shooting war with Russia and China takes it as the perfect opportunity to further and strengthen its position and dominance in Taiwan, Africa, the Pacific.... and so on. Like it did throughout our entire excursion in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Nothing prevents NATO becoming a de facto UN and beginning a "peace keeping" function which can be rolled out progressively from west to east.
In carrying out this role they simply rely on a no fly over for areas they progressively protect, and only engage the Russians if directly attacked.
If the Russians were concerned about it serving any other purpose they could embed their own officers. In fact, it would be preferable they did from the outset as that would also allow them to weed out the Nazis with help from NATO.
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I'll simply say I just don't get how anyone in the West, referring to leaders and so on, can possibly say they didn't know this decades ago.
Energy is the master resource without which all others are useless. Cut-offs of energy supply aren't exactly unprecedented indeed there's been quite a few occasions where putting the lights out and stopping the wheels of industry has been the tactic used to force someone's hand over an unrelated issue either domestic or international.
It does make me angry that these clowns pretend they somehow didn't know.
Garpal Gumnut
Ross Island Hotel
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The Chinese imo are not ready to take Taiwan.
They will one day if only to neutralise a powerful force close offshore if there is internal dissent in China or a chance of internal opposition to the CPC.
gg
Craton
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I'll simply say I just don't get how anyone in the West, referring to leaders and so on, can possibly say they didn't know this decades ago.
Energy is the master resource without which all others are useless. Cut-offs of energy supply aren't exactly unprecedented indeed there's been quite a few occasions where putting the lights out and stopping the wheels of industry has been the tactic used to force someone's hand over an unrelated issue either domestic or international.
It does make me angry that these clowns pretend they somehow didn't know.
Wasn't this a plot in many-a-film, in particular the 007 film, The World Is Not Enough?
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I'm not familiar with the film but the basic concept has historically been the reason anyone saw energy as something worth worrying about.
Even within countries that has been the case. Plenty of coal miners' strikes around the world over the years for example then there's things like the Oil Embargo. Even within Australia energy has been weaponised in the past either state versus state or workers and unions versus government.
That energy's such a vulnerability comes down to two basic things. First that it's the master resource, if you don't have energy then that immediately renders just about all other resources useless and second because in the case of gas and oil in particular they're physically somewhat difficult to store, they can't just be piled up on the ground or shoved into any random warehouse, meaning that the stock on hand tends to be pretty limited.
So I do find it all rather disappointing on the part of the West with the EU in particular having gotten itself into a situation that wasn't just foreseeable, it was actually foreseen by more than a few. It's something they've no excuse to not know - France's nuclear power came about as a direct response to concerns about the vulnerability of fuel imports meanwhile the headquarters of OPEC is in Vienna.
Hence my disappointment. EU leaders ignoring this is akin to a ship captain somehow missing the point that the ship can't go on land, it's rather fundamental stuff. Pardon my frustration but it seems like the West is being run by fools.....
JohnDe
La dolce vita
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If the USA start using missiles to shoot down Russian aircraft, could Putin call this an act of aggression and a declaration of war, and use nuclear weapons against US bases in Europe?
Stockbailx
"Profit Compoundd" Rules
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@JohnDe You need stress relief!?%$*&^Don't play by Putins rules, he's a insidious mongrel. Couldn't give him time of day!
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JohnDe
La dolce vita
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Why, because I ask the question that intelligent people know to be an issue, while the trigger happy few spout delusions of sending in the calvary with no consequences?
You are more than welcome to back up your convictions and be a volunteer soldier for Ukraine just leave the rest of us out of it thanks.
If Putin invades Australia then I will be more concerned about fighting him. But you do what you feel you need to do.
JohnDe
La dolce vita
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Hi hound, interesting to see you in a new profile.
??
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For them Nazism is not a false sprectre. Having visited there a number of times and seeing how they celebrate "Victory Day" and the defeat of Nazi Germany even 77 years later it's ingrained into them.
Interestingly however, last December the US and Ukraine where the only two countries to vote against a UN adopted anti Nazi resolution and this was the second time thr other being in 2016. Now why would that be?
Clearly this is not a new Russian concern as the US has had it's people on the ground in the Ukraine since 2014.
US, Ukraine vote against anti-Nazism UNGA resolution
The United States, which has long championed "human rights," voted against a resolution to combat the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism, and xenophobia.english.almayadeen.net
Bioweapons Expert Speaks Out About US Biolabs in Ukraine
Francis Boyle, Ph.D., recently spoke about the Russian government's claim that the US funded bioweapons research in Ukraine. Here's the interview.articles.mercola.com
For the last number of years in particular the Western MSM has been not very reliable and one needs to look further do their own research
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There were good reasons.
Also, where was Australia?
The irony of Russia's position is that the Ukranian President is a Jew!
I would not give an iota of credibility to either Mercola or Boyle who, incidentally, is a lawyer and has no bioweapons expertise.
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Australia
Although no official statement has been made, in line with the Foreign Policy White Paper and traditional policy direction, Australia acts along with its allies and like-minded partners within the international organizations to advance its interests and support US global leadership, especially in the areas of human rights, trade, terrorism, security, refugees, and strengthening of rules-based order.More importantly, problems with free speech protections and restrictions on other fundamental rights in this particular resolution, very likely, make it impossible for Australia to support it. Australia is a party to seven core international human rights treaties and has a relatively good track record on free speech.
Free speech in Australia? You are joking aren't you..... Look what has been happening in Australia the last 3 years
Putin won't hesitate to use nuclear weapons against Europe or any other country for that matter if they confront/strike Russia directly - I don't condone the use of nuclear weapons or any conflict/war for that matter. War is not the solution.
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The US detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6th & 9th August 1945, respectively. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict.
Was the US ever taken to the human rights/international tribunal to answer for these atrocities ? curious to know as I've never really taken much interest in history & war's as such
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The US detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6th & 9th August 1945, respectively. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict.
Was the US ever taken to the human rights/international tribunal to answer for these atrocities ? curious to know as I've never really taken much interest in history & war's as such
Craton
Mostly passive, contrarian.
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The 007 film mentioned uses the weaponised theme:
Further into the film:
As disappointing as the EU energy reliance is, I'd assume that the situation came about with the desire and a path for peace, placating Putin via trade and thus economic means. In hindsight, we can see now that any diplomacy on Putin's part was just a ruse and it's apparent that he has a much larger stomach for aggression and hence, war than the EU.That energy's such a vulnerability comes down to two basic things. First that it's the master resource, if you don't have energy then that immediately renders just about all other resources useless and second because in the case of gas and oil in particular they're physically somewhat difficult to store, they can't just be piled up on the ground or shoved into any random warehouse, meaning that the stock on hand tends to be pretty limited.
So I do find it all rather disappointing on the part of the West with the EU in particular having gotten itself into a situation that wasn't just foreseeable, it was actually foreseen by more than a few. It's something they've no excuse to not know - France's nuclear power came about as a direct response to concerns about the vulnerability of fuel imports meanwhile the headquarters of OPEC is in Vienna.
Hence my disappointment. EU leaders ignoring this is akin to a ship captain somehow missing the point that the ship can't go on land, it's rather fundamental stuff. Pardon my frustration but it seems like the West is being run by fools.....
However, I do agree that there should've been a lot more foresight and planning in the event in this very situation.
As you say, it's a master resource and as per the IEA, that there is still a substaintial reserve in eastern Ukraine. The very the reason Crimea was annexed. Surely this fact alone should've been a wake up call for the EU and NATO partners!!!
