If that situation unfolded & most major powers were spent & enough damage was done - it seems natural that an international entity or group of power brokers would find a way into that vacuum
Last edited:
The Ukraine war. (Yes, we'll mind our manners)
- Thread starter BigBlueFanGA
- Start date
If that situation unfolded & most major powers were spent & enough damage was done - it seems natural that an international entity or group of power brokers would find a way into that vacuum
For those that take a view that Ukraine is meaningless to the US, I think this shows that's only true if Europe and Taiwan are also meaningless.
"Some of these analysts’ conclusions about the war in Ukraine—for instance, that the United States’ domestic consensus in favor of arming Kyiv would falter—have been borne out. But other realities are conspicuously absent from the Chinese public discourse. China has, in fact, incurred costs as a result of Putin’s war and Beijing’s economic and diplomatic support for it. Europe has not completely turned its back on China, but the country’s deepening relationship with Russia has caused a significant deterioration in its relations with many European countries that cannot easily be reversed. And the symmetry between Putin’s lust to seize Ukrainian territory and Beijing’s long-standing appetite to absorb Taiwan has provoked the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific to harden their defenses.
These blind spots matter because in China, the war in Ukraine is serving as both an observatory and a laboratory as the country prepares for heightened geopolitical conflict with the United States. As they analyze events in Ukraine, Chinese scholars seek to assess the United States’ and Europe’s resolve and understand what risks China might be forced to bear in a geopolitical or military crisis. Some experts, such as the leading military strategist Zhou Bo, have concluded that NATO’s hesitancy to make certain major interventions on Ukraine’s behalf proves that, aside from the United States, Taiwan would lack defenders in a future conflict with China. Although these scholars tend to be careful not to discuss the contours of a potential war in the Taiwan Strait too explicitly, many seem to be drawing a straight line from the cracks in the United States’ determination to support Ukraine and its likely will to stomach a possible protracted conflict with Beijing."
China Is in Denial About the War in Ukraine
Why Chinese thinkers underestimate the costs of complicity in Russia’s aggression.www.foreignaffairs.com
This is exactly something i posted in here months ago but it somehow reaches the opposite conclusion. I guess thats because it started with a conclusion before making their case.
The west ganging up on Russia is what drove them to china. We ganged up on them to defend a country of zero value to this country unless you consider the money laundering it did for some politicians.
Contrast that with Taiwan who produces tons of stuff and is probably already under the involuntary dominion of china. Who knows because you cant get straight info and our politicians dont care because china owns them.
In the end the real concern shouldn't be china and Russia being aligned. Its the fact now we alienated Russia in the event we ever have to actually go to war with china who is literally in the midst of world domination.
I would say we were played like a fiddle but not really. Just bought and paid for.
With such view of the future, you must come to the football forum and engage in some pigskin prognostication!!
Damn.
That is one detailed analysis . . . going out on several limbs simultaneously, and providing the basis for at least six futuristic screenplays/movies. . . .
For all that, I just hope my hometown gets a Wal Mart, and Ford keeps building Mustangs!!
And I’ll settle for two Sugar Bowls!!
China has made some investments, but if you look cumulatively at the visits/statements the last 3 years of Congressional members, our “strategic ambiguity” doesn’t look very ambiguous, now.
Among dozens of islands we are prepping for the showdown with China, we have re-militarized Tinian . . . yeah, THAT Tinian, the one used by the 29th Nuclear Bomb Group in WWII.
We went 26 years without a major Congressional representative visiting Taiwan, but Speakers from both parties have visited there in the last two years.
But in the meantime, Trump appears to have written Taiwan off, completely.
FWIW, I've always found presentations that provide conclusions & recommendations before the data that supports it to be more forceful. Those receiving the data already know where it's headed.
"When you cut out a cancerous tumor, what do you replace it with? Nothing.”-Ron Paul
I just found this for comparisons’ sake:
“By Monday, Kyiv claimed to have control over some 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of Russian territory. In terms of its size, it’s similar to the amount of Ukrainian land Russia managed to seize so far this year, estimated by the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) at 1,175 square kilometers (453 square miles).”
I’m also reminded of Kentucky’s legal definition of rape: “penetration, no matter how slight.”
I agree. It should have been done decades ago. But the money printing continued.
I don't know what any particular politician thinks about it. I just know its under a huge amount of duress, is much more important, yet noone seems to care.
For my part, i don't think we should get involved in either. If i had to choose one to risk war to protect it definitely wouldn't be Ukraine.
Also china is way beyond anything Russia could dream of in terms of global dominion. Theyre way more of a threat. Yet noone dare checks them.
That answer isn't sufficient. Monetary policy will be decided by someone. Who do you suggest once the Feds are shut down.
**I think you mean Thomas Sowell.
For instance, Sowell wants no government intrusion, wants the return of the gold standard and simply allow the open market to dictate how things sort out. I will say I was very disappointed to read much of Sowells thoughts on this. He approaches it superficially and is often wrong by omission of key data.
Last edited:
Iran's central bank & outlets we're apparently hit with a cyber attack between yesterday and today -
Jerusalem Post - Irans Central Bank Offline fm Cyber Attack
Props to Ukraine for taking Uncle Joe Stalin's push where there is mush strategy and giving it to Mother Russia raw dog for a couple of miles.
So the new official nord stream pipeline story is much like old one, except a little more official this time. Turns out supposedly it was Ukraine that did it with the cia pleading for them not to.
While I don't believe for a second the cia plead their case for inaction, its interesting even in this newest story they had knowledge of it well in advance.
I think its probably much closer to the truth to say the cia did it with the backing of the Ukraine.
Either way, its no longer Russian disinformation to say Russia didn't self destroy their own pipeline. Logic and rational thought should've made this clear from the beginning, but the Ukraine situation has a way of ridding people of such facilities.
While I don't believe for a second the cia plead their case for inaction, its interesting even in this newest story they had knowledge of it well in advance.
I think its probably much closer to the truth to say the cia did it with the backing of the Ukraine.
Either way, its no longer Russian disinformation to say Russia didn't self destroy their own pipeline. Logic and rational thought should've made this clear from the beginning, but the Ukraine situation has a way of ridding people of such facilities.
Love Sowell. But no idea why currency value should be tied to any commodity. Instead of gold, lets use pork bellies or oil or aluminum. If you don't like the value of printed paper, just buy gold yourself.
The old unofficial nord stream pipeline story was Ukraine. There was detailed description writeup of the plot over a year ago. No idea what makes the story more official now.
I clearly remember in this very thread and on Twitter many people with the aksually Russia did it themselves so they could garner sympathy. As if they would ever destroy something of such value to win pr they could never get
Not saying they didn't. Just saying this believable story has been out there for a long time & I recall reading a long writeup of it. May have even posted link to it on here at the time. Haven't read new WSJ article yet. Rented yacht in Rostock, went to island in Baltic to pick up gear & supplies, then did it. Now will go read article. Rostock is a very nice town with many yachts in harbor.
I was informed. Don't know how the Putin supporters here were informed. There's tons of posts from back then. So people chose to disregard them.
Just preserving dumbassery. Nothing more.
Dont know how people knew Russia didn't destroy their very own extremely lucrative asset?
Again, go back & read the June, 2023 posts that show how Ukraine did it. If you believe that, then you must have believed/known Russia didn't. It's one or the other.
It was almost surely American assets that executed the mission. That isn't the point. The point is in retort to people like myself making such a point, we were told Russia destroyed it themselves.
I definitely never believe the media especially on this issue. The point in the swing in perception and whitewashing of an obviously absurd past narrative.
Speaking of prisoners -
Has anyone seen the clips that purportedly show an Israeli detention center : dehumanizing station ?
I don't know for certain that what they show is real -
But the articles describe types of torture ISR soldiers are inflicting - and has embedded video of the soldiers casually owning up to it and examples of public support - Israeli civilians entirely Ok with the "dehumanization"
Obviously there has been a stark change in how nations, people, organizations view israel lately -
curious it anyone here has had their opinion or mind changed about ISR since the "Gaza Ops" began
We just sold them some F15s I believe too -
Good point.
As was your speculative citation of “The Battle of the Bulge.”
Another possible comparison: the invasion of Russia might be Ukraine’s “Tet Offensive.” Though they may ultimately be repelled as completely as we’re the VC in ‘68, the simple fact they can rattle the Super-Power’s cage deeply into home territory sows seeds of doubt in the enemy population and leadership.
Quit trying to sound like you thought out an argument. It just comes off as a weird guy on benzos.
Rumor is that 80 countries are debating joining BRICS. Rus, China, IRan and Brazil may just say "F it".... Lets go. They split the world in half and one half is going to use fossil fuels and the other half is going to try harvest fairy dust... Are you shocked that Rus and China are acting out?
It's wild how much leverage people give to a 22km incursion and totally ignore the Texas size takeover.... But I'm sure it isn't wishful thinking.
And it just the weapons alone... It's the tech swap. More and more rockets and drones are penetrating the Iron Dome. That is a tech transfer and "some on here" seem to be willing to give up our advantage in order to save a heavily Russian area of Ukraine.
