Scattershots – 22feb22 (updated 24feb22)

George Rebane

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.  As of tonight, our weak and incompetent president has done nothing to deter Putin from re-establishing dominion over Russia’s “near abroad”.  The Biden administration’s much-touted ‘prompt and severe’ sanctions are clearly neither, as they are revealed to be low-grade-ore that even now hang fire.  Contrary to the administration’s abysmally ignorant and hesitant assessment of Putin’s strategy, the Russian president’s image as the post-Stalinist incarnation of Russia’s next strong-man leader continues to grow in the eyes of his adoring people, and also in the calculations of the growing cohort of our geo-strategic enemies led by China and Iran.  We are still looking for that single thing that President Biden has accomplished for the benefit of the United States and its citizens.  Unchallenged, he solidly occupies one of the historical performance bookends of our presidency.

[23feb22 update] Many in the West saw the end of the Cold War as proof that free markets and the rule of law were universal values. When the EU began admitting eastern European and Baltic states, a few of its officials thought this was not a geopolitical ploy aimed at Russia but the product of “inevitable globalization,” said Adam Tooze, a historian at Columbia University.  Eastern Europeans didn’t share that view. Mr. Tooze said  accession to the EU, like NATO, was “a way of securing themselves against Russia, full stop,” while Russia similarly “refused to see NATO and the EU as separate entities.” He said the EU may be a bigger threat because while Russia can compete militarily with NATO, it can’t compete with the social, cultural and economic appeal of Europe. … Economic integration didn’t make Russia or China more liberal; they doubled down on autocracy and state capitalism.  (more here)

[24feb22 update]  It appears that the west’s day-late and dollar-short sanctions, advertised for weeks by Team Biden as a “deterrent” to Russian invasion, have gone over like a warm bucket of spit.  Today even Bumblebrain was forced to admit to the world that his invasion deterrent won’t kick in until about four weeks after the Russian invasion started.  That is an excellent example of this idiot’s ‘foreign policy expertise’, much vaunted by Democrats during the 2020 election campaign.  Every day continues to pour in more evidence that this administration, in its entirety, has no idea what are America’s interests and how to marshal the west to resist Putin, and Xi waiting in the wings.  Our front line offense seems to consist of cancelling the credit cards belonging to the kids of Russian oligarchs, and then threatening to really get tough and cancel their debit cards.  That should get Putin to order his armor out of the Ukraine and send in Russian contractors to fix the Ukrainian buildings that got damaged in the last 48 hours.  Then again, maybe not.

Comments

[scenes]

What is the US interest in forcing the Russians to leave Luhansk, Crimea, Donetsk?

[Paul Emery]

George

What do you propose Trumps response to Putins invasion of Ukraine would be that is different than Bidens?

[fish]

Posted by: Paul Emery | 22 February 2022 at 08:30 PM

Feeble old man defends another feeble old man……film at 11:00!

[Paul Emery]

fish

What do you propose Trumps response to Putins invasion of Ukraine would be that is different than Bidens?

[Barry Pruett]

Number one. Putin would not have risked invading Ukraine when trump was president. Trump is too unpredictable. Advantage trump

[Don Bessee]

Lame ass question ponytail of ignorance, it would never had happened under Trump in the first place. Note to koolaid drinker, Trump was the first to sell them lethal weapons and not just the mre's from the 0-creepy grampa joe admin.

;-)

[fish]

Posted by: Paul Emery | 22 February 2022 at 08:

What do you propose Trumps response to Putins invasion of Ukraine would be that is different than Bidens?

Oooh…..asking the same question twice…..bold strategy……Larry King approves!

[Barry Pruett]

The proof? Putin invaded Ukraine when Biden was president and not when trump was

[Gregory]

Time for a soft serve ice cream break, Mr President.

[Paul Emery]

Wow

Deep thinking Barry!

[Don Bessee]

Well vlad actually invaded Ukraine in 2014 under team 0 and now expanding under creepy grampa joe.

;-)

[George Rebane]

PaulE 830pm - I think the other commenters have already answered your question correctly. There is little that I can add.

[Bill Tozer]

Nice poetry there, Don. It rhymes.

“Well vlad actually invaded Ukraine in 2014 under team 0 and now expanding under creepy grampa joe.” Team 0 and Grandpa Joe.

Yep, and Clapper just said they wish they did more in 2014.
This would have never happened under Trump. We got a 4 year reprieve under Trump, wedged between Team O and Creepy Joe.

Now, back to Lefty Normal. Damn it. Everything Biden touches turns to shit. Is there anything he won’t screw up royally?

‘Victor Davis Hanson's advice to Biden: Don't call Putin a 'killer' unless you're going to back it up’

“When the United States is confident and the United States talks softly, but it has capability rather than loudly with a twig. Putin is deterred," the Hoover Institution fellow said. "So if you're … Joe Biden and you call him a killer or you call him a bully, but then you beg him to say, put 16 entities off your hacking list for us … then you've got problems. And that's where we are."

"Stop demonizing [Putin] and start showing strength. Get Germany and Turkey back as real members of NATO. And don't call him a killer unless you can back it up and we're not going to back it up," Hanson said.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/victor-davis-hanson-comments-on-biden-call-putin-killer

[fish]

Wow

Deep thinking Barry!

Yeah Barry….if you want to cultivate the air of the sophisticated…..you need to always have a presidential poll of some sort at the ready!

[BillyPilgrim]

Nature abhors a leadership vacuum, and we don't have anything to offer. Putin is not just the head of Russia, he has just been made a world leader - by default.
He is a communicator with no current equal. And he's a killer.
Anyone who's gone to Russia knows, they are not like us. They are serious. President Snoozevelt is a mockery of competence.

[Bill Tozer]

The question is not what would have Trump done different than Biden, but the rhetoric question is what Trump did (past tense) and Biden didn’t (present tense).

Trump left Biden a blueprint and playbook that works and Biden thinks he knows best.
Blueprint for the a border with Mexico supplying 28,000 of its own army troops to help out, threaten tariffs, close down crossings for a day to show your serious, Remain in Mexico…a friggin blueprint that Biden tossed on day one.

A blueprint for the economy, a blueprint to keep Rocketman from saber rattling, a blueprint for dealing with Iran, a blueprint for the Middle East, a blueprint for energy security, a blueprint for bring some jobs back to America, a new and much fairer NAFTA….that Biden shitcanned. Joe Biden does not have a clue and has been WRONG on every major foreign policy decision for his ENTIRE political career.

Each President is dealt with challenging situations. Joe is failing the task of leadership, he has mishandled the 3:00 am call, and has an unwarranted over confidence in his decision making.

We are seeing what Biden is doing with Russia moving into Ukraine in live time,

[Ho Hum Sam OL whatever]

Oooh…..asking the same question twice…..bold strategy…. puddin' n' tain ask me again I'll tell you the same…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFhRYkdaW8A

[scenes]

"He is a communicator with no current equal. And he's a killer." - Billy Pilgrim (h/t to Kurt V.)

Those aren't bad resume items. Anyone who gets their news from CNN (or Fox for that matter) could stand to watch Vovochka do his thing, especially in a more ad lib format. He combines strength of position (and so is more able to speak the truth) with being a helluva lot smarter than 90% of US Presidents. Bummer that we're saddled with Biden, but these things happen when a candidate is shoved forward by a party machine, leaderly skills will be lacking

In a contest of wills, I'd say it's probably game/set/match for the Russians. My guess is that they want Ukraine (or a chunk of it) far more than the West wants to lose control of it. Antes will be upped. The Ukranians are caught between puppetmasters, but for all I know it's not a viable size for a modern state. Naturally, everyone will claim victory. In the long run, lost down the memory hole.

I suppose it's all just Darwinism writ large. It isn't clear which countries and philosophies of culture and governance will dominate. I'm afraid that Grand Admiral Levine and the decline of the West in a soup of crazy isn't a good clue but maybe that's just a waypoint to some other system.

[scenes]

Paul The Political Philosopher asks: "What do you propose Trumps response to Putins invasion of Ukraine would be that is different than Bidens?"

Jeez, I don't know. I was wondering how Biden is different than Taft or Woodrow Wilson.

After years of assigning blame to Republicans for situations they happened to have power during, well, not so fast.

Biden: Highest inflation rate in decades and decades, Russians invade Europe, highest number of COVID deaths, Crazytown makes lotsa inroads into civic institutions, southern border breaks down.

A person could argue that Biden didn't make things worse, but it's a weak argument.

If nothing else, he's unlucky. That's absolutely the *worst* thing for a President to be. The rain stops and the crops don't grow. Better replace the king.

[Bill Tozer]

Seems to me that Putin has already weighted the consequences of the crippling banking sanctions, the future of the multi-generational revenues of the Nordic pipeline, all these factors and more…..and has decided to proceed at this time anyway.

From the US perspective, almost exactly two years ago today, the tough guy Joe Biden who grabbed a chain, wrapped it around his hand and stood down that notorious bad dude Corn Pop, boasted how he would take Trump behind the schoolyard gym and teach Trump a lesson…..that same Joe Biden (a legend in his own mind) said this:

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1230998887298564096?

[scenes]

" the future of the multi-generational revenues of the Nordic pipeline, "

Just to expel a guess that I'm not qualified to make, I'd say that the Russians already have contracts in place to greatly expand exports to China (Power of Siberia?). Maybe part of an agreement involving Taiwan/Ukraine etc.

Maybe the buildout of any to-Europe pipelines was merely a headfake to improve the bargaining position with China or simply as part of a clever scheme to make them dependent for a bit before Lucy pulls the football. or maybe space aliens are behind it all.

[Bill Tozer]

PSAKI SAYS BIDEN’S APPROACH TO RUSSIA DIFFERENT THAN TRUMP; PUTIN NEVER INVADED UKRAINE UNDER TRUMP

TRANSCRIPT:

PSAKI: "So, there’s a bit of a different tactic, a bit of a different approach, and that’s probably why President Biden, and not his predecessor, was able to rally the world and the global community in taking steps against Russia's aggression."

https://news.grabien.com/story-psaki-says-bidens-approach-russia-different-trump-putin-neve

[Bill Tozer]

A Skeleton in the ‘Transition Closet’

A “sleepover camp” is not on the agenda at this time, but organizers envision adding that option once the pandemic blows over. “We know for sure the camp will be more than just a camp. It will be an opportunity to create a regional network.”

https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/a-skeleton-in-the--transition-closet-/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LemG0cvc4oU

[Bill Tozer]

Biden’s Fog Can’t Hide His Incompetence on Russia, Ukraine

https://johnkassnews.com/fog-from-biden-cant-hide-his-epic-incompetence-on-russia-ukraine/

[Paul Emery]

Here's Trumps response to Putins invasion. Just a reminder that the RR's support rump fpr President. Kind of unbelievable he would actually say .

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to send Russian troops into Ukraine to support Russian-backed separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. In an appearance on the right-wing talk radio program "the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," Trump broke his conspicuous silence on the crisis to applaud the Russian dictator.

"This is genius," he said of Putin's decision on Monday to officially recognize the breakaway provinces and authorize the use of Russian military personnel to assist them. "So Putin is now saying it’s independent — a large section of Ukraine. I said, how smart is that? And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. We could use that on our southern border. That’s the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen. There were more army tanks than I’ve ever seen. They’re gonna keep peace, all right."

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-praises-putins-genius-incursion-into-ukraine-234001858.html

[Bill Tozer]

Ukraine 'invasion' not new: Russia has had troops in Donbas for 8 years, U.S. official admits
The comment seemingly contradicts Biden statement that Monday troop movements are "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.‘

https://justthenews.com/government/security/invasion-not-new-russian-troops-have-been-stationed-donbas-eight-years-us

[scenes]

Dunno if this was mentioned here.

Victor Davis Hanson: Biden is the most dangerously radical President in US history
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdkca09EHRI

Not a bad interview.

If you happen to watch it, consider how you think VDH might be wrong. Simply agreeing is boring.

[fish]

Posted by: Paul Emery | 23 February 2022 at 10:01 AM

…..the saddest part of all this is that society allows you to walk around without any adult supervision at all.

STAY TUNED - Punch is now conducting that internal dialogue where he debates a proper response but always just reposts the opening salvo of what he’s just sure is going to be a devastating salvo in another “Matlock” like denouement.

[🐠]

Sorry….too much “salvo”!

I need an editor!

[fish]

Posted by: scenes | 23 February 2022 at 10:20 AM

Joe is merely doing what he has been told to do.

[scenes]

Naturally Paul, being the shit newsman that he is, never looked at the actual interview.

"PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, what went wrong was a rigged election and what went wrong is a candidate that shouldn’t be there and a man that has no concept of what he’s doing. I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, “This is genius.” Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful.

So, Putin is now saying, “It’s independent,” a large section of Ukraine. I said, “How smart is that?” And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s strongest peace force… We could use that on our southern border. That’s the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen. There were more army tanks than I’ve ever seen. They’re gonna keep peace all right. No, but think of it. Here’s a guy who’s very savvy… I know him very well. Very, very well.

By the way, this never would have happened with us. Had I been in office, not even thinkable. This would never have happened. But here’s a guy that says, you know, “I’m gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent,” he used the word “independent,” “and we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna go in and we’re gonna help keep peace.” You gotta say that’s pretty savvy. And you know what the response was from Biden? There was no response. They didn’t have one for that. No, it’s very sad. Very sad."

I'd say that moving a sizeable body of troops in as 'peacekeepers' to a newly recognized independent region probably is genius. Time will tell of course.

Pro tip: 'Genius' is not the same thing as 'things that Paul likes'.

Pro tip 2: Listen to the interview and hear the words 'that's wonderful'. Marvel at the sarcasm.

Just imagine Paul what it would feel like to do actual research. You'll get that same tingly feeling as you get when playing E7sus4#9.

[George Rebane]

PaulE 1001am - Paul, I'm not sure you really understand the words you read, at least when it comes to geo-politics. I too agree with Trump's interpretation of Putin's tactics viz Ukraine. You misunderstand it as praising a thug who is destroying the Westphalian world order. The more perceptive reader interprets Putin's actions as brilliant in their objective, scope, and execution against an incoherent and disorganized international community, led by a demonstrably weak US president with a decades-long, established reputation of ignorance in foreign affairs (who has surrounded himself with equally misdirected naifs). Among many of us, Trump also sees Putin as a national leader who knows how to promote Russian interests and keep his country, a thugocracy and second-rate economical power, in the forefront of world affairs where his decisions and wants are carefully considered by ALL world leaders. And you don't seem to understand the thrust of any such laudatory assessments.

[fish]

Posted by: scenes | 23 February 2022 at 10:31 AM

Naturally Paul, being the shit newsman that he is, never looked at the actual interview.

Where’s the opportunity for moral preening in that……

[scenes]

re: GeorgeR@10:38AM

Exactly.

The thing is, folks like Paul never ever go beyond the initial clickbait article.

It's a combination of feeling well-informed because, well, you actually read a Yahoo News article. You follow the direction it wants to lead you. No further need to look into the matter. I'll go show them Circle of Jerks what fer.

God forbid he ever actually makes a good point, and there's plenty of nuance to all of this which gives opportunities. You just have to hope that being led by the nose by internet 'news' eventually averages out somehow. Maybe the crowd really can guess the weight of the elephant.

[Paul Emery]

Scenes and other RR'S
Do you believe this statement you quoted from Trump?

"PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, what went wrong was a rigged election........"

[scenes]

Paul Emery and other trolls
Do you believe that Trump thinks that Russia pushing more troops into the contested parts of Ukraine is good for the United States?

"PAUL EMERY: Kind of unbelievable he would actually say . "

[Ho Hum Sam OL whatever]

Nobody has come up with any ideas as to why we are bombing Syria. Are they a threat to the mainland of our country?

Posted by: Paul Emery | 13 April 2018 at 11:33 PM

[fish]

Posted by: Paul Emery | 23 February 2022 at 10:52 AM

I realize that you're having difficulty letting him go...don't feel bad so are CNN and MSNBC.....but have you considered addressing scenes 10:31 in a manner other than your standard breathless pearl clutching?

[scenes]

On a separate matter from Never-ending Paul Drama, these were actually pretty good remarks.

Vladimir Pozner: How the United States Created Vladimir Putin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7Ng75e5gQ

Actual speech begins at the 5:00 or so mark, ends at about 40:00

One point he makes, that I think you could expand on, is the higher likelihood of a nuclear exchange in modern days.

To expand slightly, it seems to me that the incredible growth in growth of both military communications and military sensor systems might lead down the path of bad-things-happening. Two reasons. (1)We don't deal with complexity well (2)Modern military personnel and civilian policy makers are more likely to trust what a machine tells them than in prior years. Look at it as the Armageddon version of modern stock crashes. Lack of circuit breakers, operates at faster than human speeds.

[Paul's Stand-In]

You Circle of Jerks are all Putin cuddlers just like your buddy tRUmPt

[scenes]

moi: 'growth in growth'?

Jeez, I wish you could edit these little missives. It's almost as charming a feature as the poor search engine...or the oddball spam detection.

Typepad, world's worst software.

What the world really needs is the ability for people to easily self-host their own stuff (blogs/email/etc.). My guess is that evil hackers make it difficult to do.

(mini-rant) No matter who much promise the web has, it's punched back down by the needs of surveillance capitalism and the wiles of hackers. It's unbelievable how awful, fer example, newspaper websites have become. Too much trickery, too many software things bidding for and serving up ads.

How the web could act:
https://based.cooking/

How it does:
https://www.yummly.com/

[scenes]

lol. These guys are in lockstep with Mr. Paul.

"It's time to admit the obvious: Donald Trump sure is acting like a Russian agent"
Ja'han Jones sez:

https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/trump-putin-genius-russia-ukraine-rcna17328

I guess that 'genius' will be redefined in the dictionary, much like 'vaccine' and 'racism'.

God protect from dealing with the activists and mentally ill of this world.

[Don Bessee]

You have to wonder if creepy grampa joe even knows that he is reversing his own screw up that signaled that Ukraine is on its own?! -

Biden announces sanctions against Nord Stream 2 owner, reversing 2021 decision

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-sanctions-nord-stream-2-pipeline-russia-germany

;-)

[Don Bessee]

Its a tough day to be a po ol fakenewsman with TDS oozing from every pore another case crashes and burns and they know there is no there there! And guess what no flipping. LOL-

A source familiar with the investigation pointed Fox News, specifically, to Trump’s "Statement of Financial Condition," which reports an entity’s assets, liabilities and abilities to raise and use funds.

The source told Fox News that Trump did not inflate his financial statements, as prosecutors had anticipated, but instead, undervalued his assets.

The source also pointed to Trump's financial disclaimer--which is a statement about financial information that is included to reduce liability for the source of that information.

The statement was not inflated," the source told Fox News, adding that Trump's assets, instead, were "higher."

"After years of investigation, they've figured this out," the source continued. "And Bragg won't prosecute it."

The source added: "They have no case."

This week, lawyers for Weisselberg and the Trump Organization filed court papers seeking to throw out the case, and argued that the district attorney’s office was targeting him as a punishment for not flipping on former President Trump.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-prosecutors-in-manhattan-da-case-against-trump-resign

;-)

[Bill Tozer]

Scenes @ 1:16 pm. re: lockstep with Mr. Paul.

THE HOT TAKE BOILS OVER

…….As for the rest of the “Trump wing” of the Republican Party, is there any validity to Tribe’s claim that it is “throwing its weight behind Putin”? Trump himself has denounced Joe Biden for imposing only “weak” sanctions on Russia:

“Russia has become very very rich during the Biden Administration, with oil prices doubling and soon to be tripling and quadrupling. The weak sanctions are insignificant relative to taking over a country and a massive piece of strategically located land….”

Trump says–correctly, it seems–that “[Putin] would have never done during the Trump administration what he is doing now, no way!” It is hard to understand how this constitutes “throwing [Trump’s] weight behind Putin.”

How about the rest of the “Trump wing” of the Republican Party? The place to start, presumably, is with Trump’s Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. Has Pompeo been “throwing [his] weight behind Putin”? It doesn’t seem so. Pompeo says that “we should be crushing the Russians on this.”

“Larry Tribe’s suggestion that the “Trump wing” of the Republican Party is somehow pro-Putin is literally demented. It makes me sad that Tribe, whom I considered a friend and a normal and reasonable person when I knew him decades ago, has fallen so far.”

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/02/the-hot-take-boils-over.php

[Scott O]

Having a good time watching Pelosi lecture us on standing up to the "enemies of democracy".
Well - OK, Nancy.
So do I hear that we are going to war with China?
We're supposed to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Hmmm...
But not that of our own country?
Biden claimed he was going to do everything he could to bring down petro-fuel prices and what did he actually do?
The opposite.
Boy - that'll show Putin!
Hey Putin - you better not invade the Ukraine or I'll make sure the oil dollars you depend on will go waaaaay up!
AND.
Wait til Putin sees our newest fashion lines in military apparel. The pregnant men's and non-binary aviator onesies are killer!

[Bill Tozer]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec
Biden is a strategic genius. There's no
way Putin can know what Biden is up to
when Biden doesn't himself. Brilliant.

[Don Bessee]

Creepy grampa joes news convf. showed how incredibly weak the response was the word pussy comes to mind.

;-)

[Don Bessee]

Admitting it was all bullshit -

Biden says 'no-one expected sanctions to prevent anything from happening,' despite prior White House claims

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-says-no-one-sanctions-prevent-happening-prior-white-house-claims

;-)

[scenes]

Ukraine update.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russia-ukraine-warning-update-initial-russian-offensive-campaign-assessment

"Biden says 'no-one expected sanctions to prevent anything from happening,'"

This has likely been in the works long enough that the Russians shored up what needed shoring up.

You can argue that, from their standpoint, it needed doing. The alternative is having your country completely dependent on someone, somewhere else, not pulling the plug on a service you depend on. The same hand that shut down VISA service to a badthinker in the US can close off banking access to a country. There's too many single points of failure anymore.

[scenes]

DonB: "Creepy grampa joes news convf. showed how incredibly weak the response was the word pussy comes to mind."

While Biden is not the sharpest tool in the shed, and he has the obvious disabilities of old age, he's basically just the mouthpiece for a mafia.

What would you have them do?

[scenes]

worth a glance.

https://unherd.com/2022/02/putins-spiritual-destiny/

[scenes]

I didn't foresee this one at all. Maybe too pat an answer but it's a good point.

(from Zerohedge)

"Russian Forces Seize Chernobyl Nuclear Plant;
.....
Holding Chernobyl would provide Russian troops a staging point that couldn’t be shelled,"

OK, that really is genius.

[Bill Tozer]

Scenes @ 12:52 pm

Thanks for link.

“Immediate items to watch
Russian Naval Infantry have not yet conducted amphibious landings but retain the capability to do so against the Odesa or the Azov Sea coasts or both.”

Odesa? Third biggest city in Ukraine with the best tourist attractions and jet-set European hotties. Also from The Encyclopedia of Worthless Information (especially worthless at this current hour)…

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-34594262

Lev Davidovich Bronstein better known as Leon Trotsky was born in Ukraine, as well as was Vladimir the Great, Yaroslav the Wise, Oleg of Novgorod, and Mr. Unibrow himself, Leonid Brezhnev.

[George Rebane]

Ukrainians know if they cave to Putin’s puppet government, they will become like Belarus, ruled by a boot-licking dictator in a third world country. That should stiffen some spines. Ukrainians also know they have a chance to dominate in urban warfare that do not favor armored vehicles. We need to keep air-dropping them Javelins where they can reach them. Hard times.

[scenes]

It'll be interesting to watch the Democrats spin Ukraine into a few more votes for the midterms, as long as you can hold the House or Senate, what are a few bodies in central Europe?

Some combination of blaming Trump and rally-round-the-flag tough talking, but it isn't like the Republicans wouldn't do it under similar circumstances.

This is the real value of Twitter to me. You can watch the memes flow through people who honestly believe they are independent thinkers.

[scenes]

GeorgeR: "Ukrainians know if they cave to Putin’s puppet government, they will become like Belarus, ruled by a boot-licking dictator in a third world country. "

I don't see a regime change built in to the demands, but it isn't like national leaders ever tell the truth.

https://www.rt.com/russia/550505-kremlin-presents-demands-kiev/

[Bill Tozer]

Doc @ 2:24 pm

Putin is sure moving methodically and the initial wave got slowed. Still, no air supremacy where needed for Putin. My whole take on the ground so far is that Putin did not go for a shock and awe on the Capitol. That surprise rush out of Crimea got bogged down at 60Km, then 120 Km. But , they did break out.

Just seems to me that Putin is holding a lot back. Did you see that link posted by Scenes or fish with the pic of the damage a Javelin missile can do to a Russian tank? A couple thousand more of those babies today would be of big help right now. The last batch came from Poland.

BTW, Dr. Rebane, I finally saw a great regional map that showed the country of Estonia. Holy Smokes. Sticking right out there in the ocean in the perfect strategic place!!! Now it all makes sense. No wonder Putin wants it back. The Vikings, the Russians, probably a few more enslaved your people.
I thought the Baltic states were down near Turkey.
Hey, I am a North American born and raised in the New World. If I came from the Old World, I would have a great interest in the Baltic States. You guys were no dummies when the door opened to join NATO. Didn’t have to asked twice.

Smart tribe, Dr. Rebane. Sign of higher intelligence….or just an easy choice. :)

[scenes]

" Still, no air supremacy where needed for Putin."

I can't imagine that'll take long. Put lots of holes in airfields. Wash, rinse, repeat. All incoming can be from protected enclaves in Russia if you are willing to spend a little more ₽₽₽₽. No doubt there's a bundle of Spetsnaz running around earning their daily bread, not to mention simple attrition. It's only Day 1 after all.

You do have to wonder how long a country without a US-sized logistics chain can keep up a modern fighter at a combat tempo. My uneducated guess is that an F-35 is a bad buy for anyone who doesn't want to simply be an auxiliary for the USAF.

An in-for-a-penny, in-for-a-pound situation. The Russian ruling class decided that (a)it was worth it and (b) the response from the West would be the same no matter how hard they hit. Obvious (like most things) in retrospect.

[scenes]

"I thought the Baltic states were down near Turkey."
lol, I guess it does sound like 'Balkan', the place with the mean quote by Bismark. The Balkamp states are the ones that sell all the auto parts.

"You guys were no dummies when the door opened to join NATO."
It seems like it's darned hard for countries that size, especially those who are in the way of large powers, to avoid become a cadet branch of a larger bloc. You give up sovereignty to keep sovereignty or something like that.

[Don Bessee]

Creepy grampa joe was already in trouble on this before the full invasion -

https://www.foxnews.com/official-polls/fox-news-poll-president-biden-not-tough-russia

;-)

[Don Bessee]

Oh ya those sanctions are going to bite NOT -

https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2022/02/24/russia-too-late-for-sanctions-hurt/

;-)

[George Rebane]

I guess the Baltic Sea needs a better PR team so that more people know where it's located and therefore where the Baltic nations are located. Since it's been such an important commercial waterway of Europe, some of us haven't had a second thought that its location would still be a mystery.

[scenes]

For oddball corners of the planet, how many people know about Kaliningrad? (Königsberg)

Maybe the go-to-war folks can convince the Lithuanians to cut off road/rail traffic to the mothership. Hilarity ensues.

It's funny how plastic those borders have been, what with the various empires to'ing and fro'ing (and Poland making a Great Leap Left after WWII).

(just looked for a map). Here's Poland over time.
https://brilliantmaps.com/poland-territory/

[Don Bessee]

A glaring example of Trump getting it right when it came to nato -

The ministry told Germans to be prepared for movements by the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, through “public space.” In addition, there could be transit restrictions because transport capacities on land, at sea and in the air must be set aside for NATO activation plans, according to the announcement.

The triggering of “national alarm measures,” as German defense officials called them, flows from a NATO catalog of steps, dubbed “crisis response measures,” activated by the alliance early Thursday. Those, in turn, are part of the NATO Crisis Response System, which addresses everything from conflict monitoring to mutual-defense operations under Article 5.

According to the German defense ministry, all levels of the Bundeswehr are tasked to make preparations for switching to a quick-reaction posture in case of a NATO Response Force deployment. Germany has pledged a contingent of almost 14,000 troops in that event.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has led to a marked shift in tone in a country that has exhibited a deep-seated aversion to anything military in recent decades. German military Twitter was abuzz Thursday with analysts and politicians calling for a wholesale reexamination of the country’s defense capabilities and the money to be spent on them.

As it stands, however, parts of Germany’s armed forces remain in lackluster shape. German Army Chief of Staff Gen. Alfons Mais lamented the state of his service in a widely shared LinkedIn post on Thursday morning. “Imagine you wake up in the morning, and there’s a war in Europe. And the [Germany Army] finds itself more or less blank,” he wrote. “The options we can offer to policymakers in support of the alliance are extremely limited.”

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/german-defense-ministry-preps-citizens-202013631.html

;-)

[Bill Tozer]

thats old Europe. WW1 and WW11 were fought "overthere". From the land of sky blue waters....

[scenes]

re: DonB@5:34

It strikes me as a really good question.

Can you form a decent set of armed services without either a strong notion of a 'nation' (which the EU dearly hates) or some form of national 'religion' (like the USSR)?

The EU seems uniquely suited to not being able to provide any kind of martial tendencies.

[Bill Tozer]

Sorry Doc. Poland is in the spotlight now, having the largest and only large army in the region. 350,000 standing army versus Germany's 14,000 on the fly ready to only last only a full week of winter combat. Reserves needed to make it 30 days. Germany, the biggest economic powerhouse on the continent and running surplus budgets....

Don: Yep, Trump was right. Now we are going back into the Cold War with uncertain fuel supplies. war eats up alot of petrol. Not the time to wait for algea gas to fight in a War Zone.

Trump was right. He did all he could to make NATO stronger. In contrast, Poland and Estonia have paid their dues and actually contribute.

I hope Germany has its military transport planes up off the ground. Hopefully at least one Last I checked, ALL four were down for neglected repairs and had been down for awhile. Been that way. Trump said mean things about incompetence.

[The Estonian Fox]

Here in the U.S., the Baltics net you $200 when you pass GO. The future question for Europe is: if the Russians pass GO on the northern front, will the Estonians have to settle for 200 rubles (again), or rely on NATO to earn their 200 kroons?

Can NATO do anything without a resolute American president? I won't take that bet. The polls in Tallinn put Joe at 2% approval. The other 98% voted with 1 finger.

[Don Bessee]

Now thats funny that they think we will believe all the pain creepy grampa joe has inflicted through policy can be blamed on the Ukraine war -

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/24/barack-obama-urges-americans-to-unite-behind-joe-biden-and-embrace-economic-pain-for-ukraine/

Creepy grampa joe and the socialists could take the handcuffs off our energy sector and relieve the worlds pain as well as ours -

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2022/02/24/blinken-were-not-halting-gas-and-oil-purchases-from-russia-because-were-trying-to-minimize-pain-to-us/

The russians cannot help but be russians -

https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2022/02/24/russia-denies-bombing-ukrainian-cities-despite-extensive-evidence/

;-)

[Bill Tozer]

WHY DID PUTIN INVADE?

I guessed wrong on this one. I thought Putin would bluff and bluster, and then cash in his chips. I thought the weak Western powers would agree to a partition of Ukraine, with the largely Russian-speaking Eastern provinces going to Russia, along with other considerations, unrelated to Ukraine, that would be more or less secret. But Putin invaded instead, and seems bent on conquering all of Ukraine and perhaps more besides.

What made Putin so bold? A key factor..

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/02/why-did-putin-invade.php

[Don Bessee]

Just saw a report the woke secdef told senators today that he was looking at ways to train Ukrainians remotely on how to fight russia!

So let me get that straight, Ukraine is fully mobilized to stop vlad and our secdef wants to set up zoom calls! WTF.

Only someone in creepy grampa joes admin could even consider uttering that crazy thought as a serious response to war in europe?

;-)

[George Rebane]

My likelihood for Putin changing Ukraine's government is abetted by the way he is approaching Kyiv. He does not want to destroy the city in which the new government will be sworn in and 'rule'. Showing rubbled streets of the post-war capital will not support his arguments for 'keeping the peace' in Ukraine.

[Don Bessee]

Starting to look like Poland is in the crosshairs -

MOSCOW, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Eastbound natural gas flows via the Yamal-Europe pipeline halved on Thursday morning on their way to Poland - the same day that Moscow ordered forces to invade Ukraine.

It was not immediately clear whether the lower flows were related to the developments in Ukraine, another major route for Russian gas exports to Europe. Russian state gas company Gazprom declined immediate comment.

The pipeline between Poland and Germany usually accounts for about 15% of Russia's westbound supply of gas to Europe and Turkey but since December has been operating in reverse, driving European gas price rises.

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/finance/news/russian-yamal-europe-pipelines-eastbound-072422444.html

;-)

[Don Bessee]

The masters of the universe like their own kind, you know authoritarian commies -

https://www.foxnews.com/media/twitter-facebook-instagram-allowing-kremlin-officials-to-promote-war-efforts-on-social-media

;-)

[Barry Pruett]

Russian battleship. Go fuck yourself.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LXXA6hsATDE

[Paul Emery]

George

What in your opinion should our course of action be in dealing with the Russian invasion of the Ukraine?

[Don Bessee]

The real putin cuddlers @ 806.
===================================

Creepy gampa joe has more blood on his transparent bloodless liver spotted hands as well as pudding and old ice cream. -

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rick-perry-biden-admin-gave-putin-leverage-blocking-american-pipelines-drilling

;-)

[scenes]

Paul Emery@8:06PM (ooooh, pick me, pick me)

I'll give you three possibilities.

The likely US response, realpolitik style: fight the Russians to the last Ukrainian. Their army really isn't big enough to hold the country. Lots of doom and damage. Everyone declares victory.

Less likely US response: Shut down Poland to transshipment (Germany->Russia). Shut down banking interaction. Later, involve Poland, other Baltic States, maybe even US ground forces in Germany, 6th Fleet etc. Build a fallout shelter.

My response after giving it a good two minutes thought: Give the Russians everything they want. Declare Ukraine as perpetual non-NATO member, no offensive weapons etc. Putin goes home satisfied, everybody cleans up. Part 2. Get Europe off the Russian natgas tit, pack the Russia-adjacent countries with scads of *defensive* weapons (small arms, surface-air missiles, all that amazing smallish anti-tank stuff) and generally harden the places in non-threatening ways.

The thing is, the Russians might just burn down the world before they get embarrassed. Better to throw 'em a bone and then make it impossible to happen twice.

[scenes]

(addendum)

Why my response would never fly?

Because a US administration would rather burn down the world than be embarrassed itself. Results matter *far* less than saving face. It's simply the nature of the psychopaths who hold high office.

[Barry Pruett]

“The thing is, the Russians might just burn down the world before they get embarrassed.” Putin might burn down the world. The Russians don’t support this action against their brethren.

[Bill Tozer]

I liked KT McFarland’s simple solution on this morning clips. Work? Probably, but it would never fly.

KT McFarland on the 'single most important thing' Biden can do to counter Russia's war in Ukraine

https://www.foxnews.com/media/russia-ukraine-war-kt-mcfarland-biden-energy-sanctions-putin

[Barry Pruett]

Yup. Got off all their revenue and bankrupt Putin. Just like Ronny Raygun

[Don Bessee]

The practical political reality in the US is that the creepy grampa joe green new deal is all about destroying the energy sector in any way they can. Saving the world from vlad is not a factor. Nor is what they have been doing to the poor people of color that are citizens who will never afford a tesla. But that can change first the midterms and then..........

;-)

[Bill Tozer]

Biden Halts Oil, Gas Leases As Oil Prices Skyrocket At Home

https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-halts-oil-gas-leases-as-oil-prices-skyrocket-at-home
———————————————
As Ukrainians Fear For Their Lives, Joy Behar’s ‘Scared’ Because Her Italian Vacation Might Be Ruined
————————
Not A Joke: John Kerry Is Worried War In Ukraine Will Distract World Leaders From Climate Change

https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-a-joke-john-kerry-is-worried-war-in-ukraine-will-distract-world-leaders-from-climate-change
————————-
Who farted? Who else but Eric Swalwell.

Democrat Took Donations From ‘Putin Pipeline’ Lobbyist While Alleging GOP Ties To Russia

https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-took-donations-from-putin-pipeline-lobbyist-while-alleging-gop-ties-to-russia

[scenes]

BillT: "I liked KT McFarland’s simple solution on this morning clips. Work? Probably, but it would never fly. "

Increase oil production? You are basically talking increasing the numbers from now to the most recent peak. Something like a 20% increase. I can't say that increasing the US production would change the world price by a tremendous amount, even though I don't doubt that the futures market is driven on the margin. Bear in mind that you are selling into a post-COVID increase in demand.

I'm afraid that any US response will (a) be thoroughly mixed into US domestic politics and (b) be predicated on forcing a regime change in Russia, a dangerous proposition.

I realize that it's fun to daydream about punishment rather than looking for the optimal outcome, but that's just tribalism in action.

[scenes]

BarryP: "The Russians don’t support this action against their brethren. "

I'd say that's way too simplistic. As usual, there's different factions, and judging from a quick pass through a bunch of web forums, it isn't even very true. I wouldn't be surprised if things change the longer this lasts, but Russian leadership likely is hoping for a quick resolution.

Speaking of a country as a monolithic belief system is fraught with problems. It's like judging the United States on the Administration's appointment of an individual to a senior Department of Energy job who proudly states that his favorite thing in life is to sodomize trussed-up men dressed in puppy costumes while wearing high heels. No wonder the Russians picked this time in history to force something they think is important.

[Bill Tozer]

Morning Scenes @ 7:37 am

Got a half cup down the gluten.

What I am seeing out there in Lefty land and what you, Don, and Fish have noted is COVID is simply a dry run for the GND.

John Kerry, Greenies, and those wonderful guests on MSPMS and CNNee are quite worried that first COVID and now Ukraine are distracting people from the existential REAL THREAT to our National Security and Democracy is Man Made Global Climate Change.

What KT McFarland simply said, IMHO, to really hurt Putin, Biden should announce he is going to dismantle the New Raw Deal and open up America and her taps to supply Europe with gas all the gas and oil they need. Like Trump trying to persuade Angie to get clean cheap reliable gas from the good old USA. The store is open and no supply chain issues.

But, that would never fly. GND trumps Ukraine which trumps Corona. A bit off topic….or is it?

In Milloy’s view, CCDH’s behavior is the death rattle of a dying eco-activist movement: [T]he public should not be fooled,” he said. “The junk science-fueled climate agenda is dying because of its own intellectual and moral bankruptcy. These efforts to disparage and silence opponents are the frantic last gasps of a nasty anti-America and anti-human movement.”

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/business/joseph-vazquez/2022/02/25/special-report-digital-brownshirts-attacking-free-speech
————-
How the Left's 'Green' Climate Policies Enabled Putin's Aggression

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2022/02/24/how-the-lefts-green-policies-enabled-russias-aggression-n2603740

[scenes]

lol. You just have to love US (and no doubt everyone else's) media outlets.

Headline on Drudge Report: "Russian space chief threatens to allow ISS to FALL onto USA or Europe..."
Actual article: "RUSSIA has warned President Biden that it needs their tech and expertise to prevent the International Space Station from crashing down onto the US or Europe." ...because of some Biden sanction intended to degrade their aerospace sector.

Everyone is played like a fiddle, especially people who get their news from headlines.

[scenes]

The People speak on Twitter. The state of modern political discourse.

https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3bcacc6f-7af5-46c0-a170-eab0be8569ba_3396x1824.jpeg

BillT: " existential REAL THREAT to our National Security and Democracy is Man Made Global Climate Change."

Well that, and white supremacy. and the lack of a transgender person on the Supreme Court.

I can see developing and re-starting all the petro taps, but doubt it'll make a dime's worth of difference in Ukraine. What it does do is spread the supply around a bit, keeps things more stable, less likely to upset the apple cart because some country has a Bad Hair Day.

By the same token, the US could probably stand to figure out how to make it's own shoes, headlight assemblies, consumer electronics again (and by multiple companies). You're just cruisin' for a bruisin' when so much of everyday life is single-sourced.

[Bill Tozer]

Circling the barn one mo time before moving on.

https://www.facebook.com/100044538125175/posts/502455934582340/

[Barry Pruett]

Admittedly I am basing my opinion on the anti-war demonstrators in Moscow and the words of my Russian friends who live there (small sample set). One ☝️ f my friends had no idea that Putin was actually going to send troops into a country which shares a common identify. She said that they are one nation and one people. Her meaning was why are we killing them?

[Bill Tozer]

Barry @ 10:27 am

No doubt that’s how Ivan Q Public view the situation on the streets of Moscow. But, the western half of Ukraine may not feel that way on the streets of Kiey. No doubt there are strong long cultural ties between Mother Russia and the Ukrainians due to centuries of inter-marriage if nothing else.

I need to remind myself of this also, so I am not pointing fingers at you. Ukraine is a vast country. Vast. I need to remember that watching Putin sending in his US Grant to pound, pound, pound his way to Richmond Kiey.

You should hear what my Muscovite friend said, when asked, why the USSR went into Afghanistan. It was to help our friend in Kabul and to free Afghanistan people from the bad people who were trying to overthrow the government. Purely for honorable reasons. And this Moscow U professor believed that view without hesitation. Rather matter of factly. Completely justified, even when a lot of wounded soldiers started coming home. For a good cause. Helping a friend in need.

In the 20th Century, the USSR did some rather nasty things to Ukraine which may have soured the way they see things. Just saying. Don’t call me bro, bro-in-law. :). Ukraine is a vast country.

[scenes]

See now, this is where it gets interesting.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/nato-allies-to-provide-more-weapons-to-ukraine-stoltenberg-says/ar-AAUjn8v

I expect the Russians might, logically, view this as NATO entry into the fray. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Keep in mind that the Russians have a first-use doctrine for nuclear weapons if conventionally attacked (in situations critical to the national security of the Russian Federation).

BarryP: "Her meaning was why are we killing them?"

You can ask that question for most wars. There's a logic to the things that really isn't human scale I think.

[Bill Tozer]

Re: All eyes are on Poland. Well, when the chips are down….

TURNING THE OTTOMAN TIDE – JOHN III SOBIESKI AT VIENNA 1683
In 1683 at Vienna, a Christian relief force led by John III Sobieski, King of Poland, repulsed the army of Mehmed IV, saving Western Europe from seemingly inevitable Muslim conquest.

https://www.historynet.com/turning-the-ottoman-tide-john-iii-sobieski-at-vienna-1683/
—————————
I guess the Ukrainians do have their own unique culture and pride. Never knew that the “Russian” Squat Drinking Dance was from Ukraine, not Russia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_man,_in_a_satin_tunic_and_fur_hat,_dancing_a_%22Cossack%22_measure_in_a_studio_setting._Photograph,_ca.1899-1908.jpg

File this post in the Encyclopedia of Worthless Information.

[scenes]

re: BillT@11:13AM

It's worth noting that Putin's approval rating jumped from 65% to 88% when Crimea was annexed.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/896181/putin-approval-rating-russia/

It's certainly hard to tell what anyone thinks, and to what extent they're being manipulated (a lot).

I was just reading about Twitter's statement on Ukraine

“We’ve been proactively monitoring for emerging narratives that are violative of our policies.”

As another arm of government, don't doubt that social media is in the bag for some viewpoint or the other.

My own take is that we, China/Russia/Europe/US, are all headed for the same endgame, just at different rates. Universal surveillance, highly sophisticated gaming of public opinion, increasing dependency on centralized resources, some sort of technocratic overclass (probably living in sky cities). It appears to be a model that works and lacking any countervailing force will slide right into place. You can still have wars between oligarchs of course, you can't have too much gold or good lookin' wimmen.

[scenes]

alternative view (warning op-ed alert)
-------------------------

The Party of Chaos Blows Its Cover

The Ukraine blow-up is more a humiliation for “Joe Biden” and his faction than for the US per se, for the truth is that we have scant interest in that corner of the world and what goes on there is none of our business, and never was….

It is fair to say that the “Joe Biden” government dearly wanted a Russian invasion of Ukraine in order to divert attention from the “Joe Biden” government’s war on its own people in the United States.
....

https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/the-party-of-chaos-blows-its-cover/

[Bill Tozer]

Scenes @ 11:41 am.

Why are you such an optimist? Yep, the future does not look rosy, especially when all the parts are being put in place at an accelerated rate. All the parts will all fall in place, like the last tumblers to open for the safecracker.

And then one day, for no apparent reason, people began to speak in hushed tones.

Yep, the War between the Oligarchs would be better viewing than War of The Worlds. Oh, that might create some moral conflicts choosing a side.

Escaping dwelling on that most likely outcome, did you know that…..

“Soviet leader Joseph Stalin once famously forced his eventual successor Nikita Khrushchev (who had been the Communist Party chief in Ukraine) to dance the Hopak”

When Joseph Stalin said “Dance”, a wise person would dance. —Former Russian General.

[Don Bessee]

The Ukrainians are putting up a hell of a fight and now have the first ace of the 21st century -

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/who-is-the-ghost-of-kyiv-ukraine-mig-29-fighter-pilot-becomes-viral-hit/vi-AAUj6CI?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

;-)