I'm convinced rare earth minerals aren't even rare. Every few months we hear about how we find huge deposits of them somewhere. Two months ago it was Wyoming.
The Ukraine war. (Yes, we'll mind our manners)
- Thread starter BigBlueFanGA
- Start date
I'm convinced rare earth minerals aren't even rare. Every few months we hear about how we find huge deposits of them somewhere. Two months ago it was Wyoming.
WHY ZELENSKY CANNOT MAKE PEACE
Zelensky’s meltdown in the Oval Office began over his refusal to accept a negotiated settlement to the war. Even the Vice President’s use of the word “diplomacy” provoked a heated response.So why can’t Zelensky make a peace deal?
1) He will lose power. Zelensky cancelled elections in Ukraine and remains in power through martial law. Despite what USAID propaganda polls may claim, Zelensky is unpopular in Ukraine and would likely lose a fair election. That could leave him vulnerable to retaliation from political opponents he has imprisoned or seized assets from. In short, Zelensky needs the war to justify his continued rule.
2) The gravy train will end. Ukraine was widely acknowledged as the most corrupt country in Europe before the war, and there is abundant evidence that Ukrainian elites have been hugely profiting from the billions in Western aid. If the war ends, so does the gravy train. A post-war audit of where the money went would also be disastrous for Zelensky’s supporters.
3) He fears the ultra-nationalists. Most Ukrainians say they want the war to end, but the ultra-nationalist faction (a relative minority but well-armed and willing to use violence to achieve their ends) refuses to accept any territorial concessions to Russia. If Zelensky signs such a deal, he has reason to fear for his safety.
4) He’s psychologically committed. Zelensky’s belief in ultimate victory over Russia has “hardened into a form that worries some of his advisors,” according to a report by TIME Magazine, which described Zelensky’s faith as “immovable, verging on the messianic.” According to one of Zelensky’s aides, “He is delusional. We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.” Zelensky may be in too deep to see the situation objectively.
5) History will judge him harshly. Zelensky could have accepted a draft peace deal signed in the first month of the war, the Istanbul Accords, under which Ukraine would have kept all of its territory in exchange for neutrality. A deal now will likely be modeled on Istanbul but require Ukraine to recognize realities on the ground (ie loss of territory). Acknowledging that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have died only to get a worse deal may be too bitter a pill for Zelensky to swallow, now or ever.
In summary, Zelensky has powerful motivations to reject a deal, no matter how bad the battlefield realities get. His incentive is to continue a doomed war even if it leads to the complete destruction of Ukraine. Instead of offering unconditional support, Zelensky’s supporters in the West should be urging him to seek a diplomatic off-ramp. Certainly they should stop catering to his unrealistic and maximalist demands. As Solzhenitsyn said, the yes-man is your enemy, but a friend will argue with you.
Zelensky’s meltdown in the Oval Office began over his refusal to accept a negotiated settlement to the war. Even the Vice President’s use of the word “diplomacy” provoked a heated response.So why can’t Zelensky make a peace deal?
1) He will lose power. Zelensky cancelled elections in Ukraine and remains in power through martial law. Despite what USAID propaganda polls may claim, Zelensky is unpopular in Ukraine and would likely lose a fair election. That could leave him vulnerable to retaliation from political opponents he has imprisoned or seized assets from. In short, Zelensky needs the war to justify his continued rule.
2) The gravy train will end. Ukraine was widely acknowledged as the most corrupt country in Europe before the war, and there is abundant evidence that Ukrainian elites have been hugely profiting from the billions in Western aid. If the war ends, so does the gravy train. A post-war audit of where the money went would also be disastrous for Zelensky’s supporters.
3) He fears the ultra-nationalists. Most Ukrainians say they want the war to end, but the ultra-nationalist faction (a relative minority but well-armed and willing to use violence to achieve their ends) refuses to accept any territorial concessions to Russia. If Zelensky signs such a deal, he has reason to fear for his safety.
4) He’s psychologically committed. Zelensky’s belief in ultimate victory over Russia has “hardened into a form that worries some of his advisors,” according to a report by TIME Magazine, which described Zelensky’s faith as “immovable, verging on the messianic.” According to one of Zelensky’s aides, “He is delusional. We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.” Zelensky may be in too deep to see the situation objectively.
5) History will judge him harshly. Zelensky could have accepted a draft peace deal signed in the first month of the war, the Istanbul Accords, under which Ukraine would have kept all of its territory in exchange for neutrality. A deal now will likely be modeled on Istanbul but require Ukraine to recognize realities on the ground (ie loss of territory). Acknowledging that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have died only to get a worse deal may be too bitter a pill for Zelensky to swallow, now or ever.
In summary, Zelensky has powerful motivations to reject a deal, no matter how bad the battlefield realities get. His incentive is to continue a doomed war even if it leads to the complete destruction of Ukraine. Instead of offering unconditional support, Zelensky’s supporters in the West should be urging him to seek a diplomatic off-ramp. Certainly they should stop catering to his unrealistic and maximalist demands. As Solzhenitsyn said, the yes-man is your enemy, but a friend will argue with you.
^^^Too wordy, not enough emotion and mention of Churchill and Munich.
I think the issue with these pro-Zelenskyy losers on here is that they think that this is like an after school TV show playground fight where Russia's the bully, Ukraine is the dorky kid being picked on, the US is the hero on the football team (and of course Europe is the witty handicapped kid who is in a wheelchair and can't help with the bully). The left expects the US to stand up to the bully, win the fight with a single-well placed punch (anything more would get teachers involved), and then the bully (Russia) will say "gee whiz, I respect you now, here is all your lunch money I stole from you."
In reality, Russia would be a gang banger, the US would be the QB of the football team, Ukraine would be the shady school drug dealer, and the Europeans would be some goth dorks. The gang banger is beating the crap out of drug dealer for moving in his turf, and the QB should just stay the F out of it because while he could easily beat the crap out of the gang banger, it doesn't involve him and the last thing he wants is for the gang banger to shoot him.
In reality, Russia would be a gang banger, the US would be the QB of the football team, Ukraine would be the shady school drug dealer, and the Europeans would be some goth dorks. The gang banger is beating the crap out of drug dealer for moving in his turf, and the QB should just stay the F out of it because while he could easily beat the crap out of the gang banger, it doesn't involve him and the last thing he wants is for the gang banger to shoot him.
That's my fear. I think they started talking Rare Earth when they saw the polls showing less support for this war. Graham went on TV and was selling this point last year and it was the first time I heard that mentioned.
I heard a guy say that Southeast KY may have a huge supply in former coal mines. A few of the mines were supposedly loaded with them. They were too expensive to separate out back in the day so they just reburied them when they shuttered a mine. I saw where UK was looking into it around 2018 but didn't see anything since. That would be a really easy source to get to if true.
Good. we are done funding the rebuilding when Russia responds. I hope they hit the entire Ukraine grid and UK enjoys rebuilding it. LOL.
7 barrels = 1 ton. 20M tons = 140M barrels/365 days = 380K barrels/day. US uses 20M barrels/day, so USA needs around 55 refineries of that size or equivalent.
If I were picking one Euro partner today, it would be Poland. They are tough & serious.
I sometimes think Poland should annex Ukraine.
So you finally come out as pro-Russia. It's been well known, but don't recall you saying so out loud till now.
Did their plan for sabotage include making Zelensky eff it up right before signing?
A truly brilliant take. TDS takes many forms; in this case, the big lie of 2017: more Russian collusion and interference.
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