Ukraine

[Stingray~]

He has. His videos have been well tailored to audiences too. So for US he compared events to pearl harbour, for Brits he evoked Churchillian themes, for Canada he asked how they would feel if bombs were falling on Toronto and Montreal.

That may sound obvious, but all were quite well done. Impressively so given his situation.

And his addresses to Ukraine have been very inspiring

Agreed. And today (was it?) he tailored his speech to a German audience to include big references to the Berlin Wall. Inspiring is right.

He also spoke in surprisingly good English when addressing the US Congress, the first time I can recall him speaking English. Also looked direct at the camera any time he said 'Biden.' Am sure that made for better impact too, it was well done.

 

[Fiji Bitter]

I sometimes wonder if he is getting help, being 'stage-managed' by some real pro's. 

Really?

I thought he wrote his speech to Congress all by himself.

Agreed?

 

[accnick]

Not just you. I have been thinking the same, especially the bloated part. 

On a similar subject, Pres Z has looked remarkably strong throughout, his presence and his speeches have been surprisingly impressive given the situation. I sometimes wonder if he is getting help, being 'stage-managed' by some real pro's. 

He doesn't need them. He is a real pro.

He is considered the Tom Hanks of Ukraine: a highly-recognized and respected actor who has grown into the role of President.

Like all good actors, he knows how to play to his audience, and I do not mean that in a negative way.

Remember, they called Reagan the "Great Communicator."  While I was not a Reagan fan, he knew how to make a point and bend people to his will without threats or force.

 

[Stingray~]

He doesn't need them. He is a real pro.

He is considered the Tom Hanks of Ukraine: a highly-recognized and respected actor who has grown into the role of President.

Like all good actors, he knows how to play to his audience, and I do not mean that in a negative way.

Remember, they called Reagan the "Great Communicator."  While I was not a Reagan fan, he knew how to make a point and bend people to his will without threats or force.

Reagan was a great communicator (and actor too) too before dementia destroyed his brain. His 'Bring down the wall' speech to open a new era convinced even Gorbachev that intentions were good for all.

 

[Stingray~]

Like many probably, I've had shifting takes on this f'ing disaster in UKR but here is my latest rumination. And yes, I am glad to have a 'safe place' familiar forum to post my opinions. thank you again to Dogwatch for having the wisdom to offer a place for doing so, I did look recently, and the PA forum is completely nuts.

Questions being thrown around on NPR Radio (on in my background for many hours each day) and elsewhere include questions like

Is Putin a war-criminal, a homicidal nut-case, a wannabe Czarist, crazy, an (insert it here), or what? The personification angle, basically pointless clickbait to me. He is whatever he is.

Is Putin losing the war, did he miscalculate, will he go bezerk and start using WMD's if he feels cornered, and should we all be freaked out, and such? More unnecessary clickbait, is my take on it. The key is to end the shelling asap.

My big-picture takeaway today is the larger realization that when (especially) the US saw the troop buildup and recognized the probable war to follow, they made a very big call on it. They looked at Putin's situation, convinced and united a variety of powerful counter forces, and so when Feb 24 happened: They called him on it. Putin may have WMD's but they did it anyway. They were not afraid to 'call his bluff.'

They made the calculation that Putin is a lot less powerful than what he thinks. 

The evidence includes the almost-shocking amount of money and military support being dumped into Ukraine. I'm guessing Pres Z was given that assurance ahead of time. He believes in it too.

 

[accnick]

Like many probably, I've had shifting takes on this f'ing disaster in UKR but here is my latest rumination. And yes, I am glad to have a 'safe place' familiar forum to post my opinions. thank you again to Dogwatch for having the wisdom to offer a place for doing so, I did look recently, and the PA forum is completely nuts.

Questions being thrown around on NPR Radio (on in my background for many hours each day) and elsewhere include questions like

Is Putin a war-criminal, a homicidal nut-case, a wannabe Czarist, crazy, an (insert it here), or what? The personification angle, basically pointless clickbait to me.

Is Putin losing the war, did he miscalculate, will he go bezerk and start using WMD's if he feels cornered, and should be all be freaked out, and such? More unnecessary clickbait, is my take on it.

My big-picture takeaway today is the larger realization that when (especially) the US saw the troop buildup and recognized the probable war to follow, they made a very big call on it. They looked at Putin's situation, united a variety of counter forces and so when Feb 24 happened: They called him on it. Putin may have WMD's but they did it anyway. They were not afraid to 'call his bluff.' They think Putin is a lot less powerful than what he thinks. 

This was not guesswork. The US intelligence on the buildup and the invasion was near-perfect. The US knew exactly what was going to happen, and they let Putin--and the rest of the world-- know beforehand that they were aware of what was going to happen, despite Putin swearing he had no intention of invading Ukraine.

The fact that much of the rest of the West jumped on the bandwagon immediately after the invasion may in part have been because the US proved to be right about the whole thing. Most of the others just didn't want to believe it was going to happen.

Sometimes, the sky actually is falling.

 

[Stingray~]

This was not guesswork. The US intelligence on the buildup and the invasion was near-perfect. The US knew exactly what was going to happen, and they let Putin--and the rest of the world-- know beforehand that they were aware of what was going to happen, despite Putin swearing he had no intention of invading Ukraine.

The fact that much of the rest of the West jumped on the bandwagon immediately after the invasion may in part have been because the US proved to be right about the whole thing. Most of the others just didn't want to believe it was going to happen.

Sometimes, the sky actually is falling.

Sure, the US nailed that part. Hopefully they also calculated correctly that (unlike with what was decided when Georgia and Crimea happened) a decision to go confrontational this time was the right choice.

It was a big call.

 

[ro!]

Like many probably, I've had shifting takes on this f'ing disaster in UKR but here is my latest rumination. And yes, I am glad to have a 'safe place' familiar forum to post my opinions. thank you again to Dogwatch for having the wisdom to offer a place for doing so, I did look recently, and the PA forum is completely nuts.

Questions being thrown around on NPR Radio (on in my background for many hours each day) and elsewhere include questions like

Is Putin a war-criminal, a homicidal nut-case, a wannabe Czarist, crazy, an (insert it here), or what? The personification angle, basically pointless clickbait to me. He is whatever he is.

Is Putin losing the war, did he miscalculate, will he go bezerk and start using WMD's if he feels cornered, and should we all be freaked out, and such? More unnecessary clickbait, is my take on it. The key is to end the shelling asap.

My big-picture takeaway today is the larger realization that when (especially) the US saw the troop buildup and recognized the probable war to follow, they made a very big call on it. They looked at Putin's situation, convinced and united a variety of powerful counter forces, and so when Feb 24 happened: They called him on it. Putin may have WMD's but they did it anyway. They were not afraid to 'call his bluff.'

They made the calculation that Putin is a lot less powerful than what he thinks. 

The evidence includes the almost-shocking amount of money and military support being dumped into Ukraine. I'm guessing Pres Z was given that assurance ahead of time. He believes in it too.

Here we go again,  the pinots kicked in and it’s let’s go on the post count.

the PNW surrender monkey is changing his tune, everyone should surrender on day 1 is now the calc is Putin is not that fucking dangerous…

This is Battle of Britain type epic courage, a David and Goliath war, and spinbot will never ever begin to know what it’s all about..but that won’t stop him from posting bullshit..

 

[dogwatch]

I have seen suggestions that is caused by steroids for treatment of cancer. 

Who knows but the rumours of cancer go back to at least 2014. Of course it is also possible he has been fighting cancer that long. It can happen. 

 

[enigmatically2]

This was not guesswork. The US intelligence on the buildup and the invasion was near-perfect. The US knew exactly what was going to happen, and they let Putin--and the rest of the world-- know beforehand that they were aware of what was going to happen, despite Putin swearing he had no intention of invading Ukraine.

The fact that much of the rest of the West jumped on the bandwagon immediately after the invasion may in part have been because the US proved to be right about the whole thing. Most of the others just didn't want to believe it was going to happen.

Sometimes, the sky actually is falling.

The UK intelligence said the same thing (unsurprising given how much they share), so had delivered thousands of weapons prior to the invasion starting.

I did wonder whether a significant deployment of NATO troops might have stopped the whole thing, but I suspect it would have given Putin more grounds and WW3 would have started

 

[dogwatch]

^

Tbh, I am not sure that his intensions in mustering a six figure number of troops on the border to shiver in the Russian winter necessarily needed a professional intelligence assessment.

 

[enigmatically2]

^

Tbh, I am not sure that his intensions in mustering a six figure number of troops on the border to shiver in the Russian winter necessarily needed a professional intelligence assessment.

Perhaps, there were a lot of other observers who were saying it was all a bluff to put pressure on and he wouldn't invade though

 

[dogwatch]

^

As far as I recall, that noise mostly came from Ukrainians in understandable denial.

Apart from which, Russia Today continuously claimed it was just exercises. Clearly therefore, the opposite was true. 

 

[enigmatically2]

^

As far as I recall, that noise mostly came from Ukrainians in understandable denial.

Apart from which, Russia Today continuously claimed it was just exercises. Clearly therefore, the opposite was true. 

Some Western European countries also thought there was less risk of an imminent invasion, e.g. France:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/26/nato-allies-policy-russia-ukraine-analysis

In looking back to find that google also threw up that US intelligence assessment was that Ukraine would be over-run in 2 days. 

 

[Schakel]

To get political.
Do you call this a strong leader after what happened?




800 women and children were in that theater before it was bombed.
Wiped away with one bomb. Is that a war crime? I think it is.
They had nowhere else to go, Mariepol is completely surounded and more then 100.000 civilians, women, children and grandparents are being slaugthered.
Is that a war crime? 100 % sure it is.
We welcome mr. Putin in the "The hague peace palace" where Milosevic was condemned.
https://www.vredespaleis.nl/?lang=en

 

 

[accnick]

45 minutes ago, Schakel said:

To get political.
Do you call this a strong leader after what happened?

Are you blaming Biden for what Putin is doing in Ukraine?

 

[Schakel]

Are you blaming Biden for what Putin is doing in Ukraine?

Of course not.
He is acting moderatly like he should.
Beter leave international justice to the UN.
They have more money and more power then the US of A.
get used to it.

The peace palace is actualy a militairy court room from the United Nations.
It's a very costly afair.
New world order, or actualy old since the beginning of last century.
People all over the world want that.

 

[idontwan2know]

Two things worth noting today:

First, even Kharkiv, which is basically right on the border with Russia has not been sufficiently "encircled" to prevent trains running in and out and the highways are still open as well. The city is under heavy bombardment from many angles, but you really can't be said to have besieged a city if supply lines are still open into it.


Second, Ukrainian counteroffensives have retaken Myokalaiv and several surrounding villages in the south, further indicating that even the more successful Russian efforts in the south are overextended, poorly coordinated and vulnerable.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukrainian-counteroffensive-near-mykolaiv-relieves-strategic-port-city-11647605489?st=uzbpp3onglva3rf&reflink=share_mobilewebshare

Russia can continue to pound these cities into rubble, but it's increasingly clear that's all they can do.

 

[Stingray~]

Russia can continue to pound these cities into rubble, but it's increasingly clear that's all they can do.

So we should expect more Mariupols? Yikes....

 

[Keith]