| williamb | 03 Aug 2025 8:26 p.m. PST |
The Military Show YouTube channel released a video earlier today about a possible reason for Putin's invasion of Ukraine. It is interesting, but I have no other comment about it, nor am I going to discuss it. I am not the one to address if you have comments about the video. It also explains why Ukraine and Georgia, both of which were interested in joining NATO cannot do so at this time. YouTube link |
| Stoppage | 04 Aug 2025 7:57 a.m. PST |
What a load of old cobblers. I've heard that the Ukraine Special Operation is a diversion to stop people looking at Putler and his mates' mulcting of the Russian State Treasury activities too closely. If it is a diversionary tactic then it's actually good news – business as usual for everyone, and bestly – no reason for nuculear escalation. If it isn't – and the operation is actually part of the Alexander Dugin-ist "Russkii Mir" – then we are all doomed because they'll have gone mad. Standing off from it all and comparing with Galtieris's 1982 invasion of the Falklands – which was a diversion from the Argies economic woes – there is a resemblence. |
| Andy ONeill | 04 Aug 2025 9:03 a.m. PST |
It seems a reasonable theory. If I were to point the finger of blame it'd be at Bill Clinton's administration. Should have given Ukraine substantive support rather than just a signature on paper. |
 John the OFM  | 04 Aug 2025 9:31 a.m. PST |
As much as I like to blame Bill Clinton for everything from the state of music today to moral decay in the White House, I think blaming him for Putin's vile imperialism is a bit much. |
| Captain Sensible | 04 Aug 2025 12:07 p.m. PST |
He invaded Ukraine because: 1: They were gravitating towards Europe and he sees them as permanently within the Russian sphere of influence, if not direct control. 2: Nobody stopped him when he invaded and seized Crimea so he thought it would be easy. 3: He has more men and more resources than Ukraine, so even now he is sure that he can win a war of attrition. Putin is a cold warrior who is well past his time. He wants Russia to be a global power and it just isn't going to happen. Nothing will get better until he dies. |
| OSCS74 | 04 Aug 2025 2:44 p.m. PST |
Captain Sensible, finally a person that calls himself sensible actually makes sense! I would add rare earth minerals to that list. |
| Inch High Guy | 04 Aug 2025 3:06 p.m. PST |
Whatever his goal it could not possibly be worth the cost. Only a sociopath would kill or wound over a million of his countrymen and still keep going. |
| Oberlindes Sol LIC | 04 Aug 2025 6:22 p.m. PST |
Only a sociopath That's a Russian tradition going back at least to Ivan the Terrible. (Remember the Livonian War of 1558 to 1583.) |
| williamb | 04 Aug 2025 6:27 p.m. PST |
As if one video about the reason Russia invaded Ukraine wasn't enough. This one was posted within a day of the one of the first post. This one is from a former USSR citizen. Again, I have no comment on the content of this video other than it is interesting. YouTube link |
| Bunkermeister | 04 Aug 2025 6:53 p.m. PST |
Russia is always invading someone, four nations since Putin has been in power. Ukraine was just next on the list. Putin is a fool, he should stop the war and engage in trade with the world instead. Make his people prosperous instead of having an endless war. Mike |
| Shagnasty | 05 Aug 2025 8:41 a.m. PST |
The video williamb found is brilliant. This lady should be working for NATO or the CIA . |
 Legion 4 | 05 Aug 2025 5:25 p.m. PST |
|
| Cuprum2 | 06 Aug 2025 5:33 p.m. PST |
Shagnasty, yes, I agree. Let there be more such specialists in your services)))
By the way, she describes the ideas and aspirations of the West well… First – "the white man's burden", then "democracy" and human rights"… There is a joke: "The inscription on the American bomber: do you have oil? It means you have problems with democracy and we are flying to you!" |
| ThunderAZ | 07 Aug 2025 9:03 a.m. PST |
The premise mentioned for the invasion at the beginning of the video are and clearly always have been complete nonsense. It has nothing to do with NATO, de-Nazification, or otherwise. Its a simple land grab, and Putin's appetite is insatiable. Its not for Russia's benefit or its defense (although if successful will benefit this); its for the head thug's ego. Beneficial side-affects include tightening his iron grip on the country. He's ended up as a Stalin, version 2. |
| Grattan54 | 07 Aug 2025 11:53 a.m. PST |
+5 ThunderAZ. You nailed it. |
| Stoppage | 07 Aug 2025 1:51 p.m. PST |
Watched the Elvira Bary video – interesting but wandered about a bit. So whilst the oligarchs, etc mulct the Russian State/Mir/People, the latter are expected to: - Love the language
- Distrust the west
- Revere the past
- Obey the authorities Interestingly the modern inclinication of dictators and autocrats is to let the dissenters escape – all the better to let the remainers obey the supplied mantra. |
| Cuprum2 | 07 Aug 2025 7:38 p.m. PST |
ThunderAZ, this is a pure lie. It is NATO's creeping advance to the East that is the cause of the war. Stoppage, would you prefer that dissidents, like in Ukraine, were imprisoned and then exchanged as prisoners of war?))) |
| Legion 4 | 07 Aug 2025 8:19 p.m. PST |
|
| Stoppage | 09 Aug 2025 8:19 a.m. PST |
@copperII Actually I'd prefer that no one had to be a "dissident" in the first place. But, perhaps, better a confucian-style "Golden Bridge" to let them escape abroad than detention in a "Gulag", or concentration-camp (viz Boer War). --- Let's see what transpires next week between Trump and Putler. |
| John the OFM | 10 Aug 2025 6:59 p.m. PST |
Trump will either prove or smash the old rumors that he's a Soviet asset. I'm hoping those rumors are false.
If they're not, he will channel Neville Chamberlain at Munich.
I hope not. 🤷 |
| Stoppage | 11 Aug 2025 3:41 a.m. PST |
Trump…channel Neville Chamberlain at Munich Let's hope not: - Britain was giving Germany a get-out clause (for Peace in Our Time)
- Britain knew war was coming – gearing up for 1942
- Britain had already placed orders for military equipment with America (ditto France) Substituting USA for Britain, EU for France, The West generally for America, and Russia for Germany… …better start hoarding tinned food, water containers, and plastic bags to crap into. |
| Legion 4 | 11 Aug 2025 8:09 p.m. PST |
Trump will either prove or smash the old rumors that he's a Soviet asset. He never was or ever will a Russian[not Soviet] asset. I'm hoping those rumors are false. Those rumors are totally false and more of propaganda from others in DC, etc.
If they're not, he will channel Neville Chamberlain at Munich. That will never happen either … You will never see the POTUS pull something like that … I'm not a blind MAGA Trumper … But watching Trump he is very aggressive, driven etc. He has done more positives in 200 days than the massive train wreck of the last admin did in 4 years … That circus would never have got all that done that this POTUS not only done overseas. But he what has fixed/ing in the US. Much of what the POTUS and his admin are doing is "repair" to the horrendous damage that the last admin did … |
| 35thOVI | 12 Aug 2025 6:51 a.m. PST |
Legion +1 I will only add, if the Ukraine cedes anything, they will still blame Trump and call him weak. Even though the Crimea was ceded under Obama and it would be hard to force them off a lot of what they have already taken, no matter how you sanction them and those buying from them. As long as the leadership and people of Russia back him. And They currently show no signs of faltering in doing so in over 3 years… unfortunately. |
| Tortorella | 12 Aug 2025 7:16 a.m. PST |
I would certainly blame Obama for being weak on Crimea. Trump looks weak on Ukraine in part because he could not stop bragging about taking care of it.This makes people wonder where the guy with all the Ukraine swagger last summer disappeared to. In both cases the pragmatic choices were not very good, short of US involvement in war. Trump is transactional, but strategic vision It is Stephen Miller'sjob. Grab your Project 25 playbook for possible clues?
I think nothing will happen on Friday. Putin looks down on Trump and has no reason to settle a war he will likely win, since he has no regard for casualties. |
| 35thOVI | 12 Aug 2025 7:23 a.m. PST |
Tort agree on the "I can settle it" talk. There are times to just not speak. Unfortunately or sometimes fortunately, that is not his way. We have no idea who Putin looks down on. 😉 If Trump, how much more so Obama, Biden and European leaders, since he made his moves when Trump was NOT in office? 🤔 |
| Tortorella | 12 Aug 2025 7:34 a.m. PST |
Just coincidence, IMO. It took time for him to get ready to invade. He was not especially dependent on who was elected. He knew Trump from Helsinki. Biden's advisors were running the country and they were reasonably competent and experienced. I can't imagine what would have happened under Harris – yikes. We are having trouble finding leaders from either side with vision and skills in diplomacy, effective leadership that unites instead of divides, fosters trust and and loyalty the old-fashioned inspirational way. Reagan was better at this than anyone now, although he had his faults. But we are getting challenged more and more around the world because we continue to look weak at the top in election after election on both sides. |
| Grattan54 | 12 Aug 2025 9:55 a.m. PST |
I think if Trump does get criticized for how the war ends it will also come from how earlier on he seemed to come out against Ukraine. Saying that they had started the war, calling Putin's invasion brilliant and saying Zelensky was the real dictator. As 35th said sometimes better to keep your mouth shut. Thus if Russia does gain land ect it will leave Trump open to negative views. |
| Grattan54 | 12 Aug 2025 9:59 a.m. PST |
Tort, You are right. We have gotten to a point where no matter what a Republican president does Democrats will never support it and no matter what a Democrat president does Republicans will never support it. We are being pulled to extremes. Not that long ago a president could get as high as 80% approval in polls. Just don't think that would happen anymore. This does weaken the US in the world. |
| Stoppage | 12 Aug 2025 10:20 a.m. PST |
Why the f@ck are you going on about elephants and donkeys when this thread is about Putler's invasion of Ukraine? All of you – please keep taking your meds and at least pretend to try to stay on topic. Sheesh. |
| Tortorella | 12 Aug 2025 10:37 a.m. PST |
All due respect Stoppage, I thought we were talking about the balance of world power, changes that are happening in the US that affect that balance, and the difficulty of stopping Putin, in the context of the Ukraine war, Crimea, leadership. |
| 35thOVI | 12 Aug 2025 10:40 a.m. PST |
Because all these Ukrainian topics drift off into attacks on Trump the U.S. and perceived US weakness, normally from Europeans (but not always). Go back through the threads and see. 😉 |
| Tortorella | 12 Aug 2025 7:43 p.m. PST |
Thinking about the attacks on Biden as well here, he was always taking the hits for weakness. Our presidents have been weak, but not the US. |
| Stoppage | 13 Aug 2025 10:18 a.m. PST |
Look, I just threw the toys out of my pram. My problem… …I can't reach my toy donkey nor the toy elephant. --- Meanwhile. DJT(*) is standing up as the only adult in the world – banging heads together and trying to sort something
out – admirable.
(*) Just checked his wiki entry – born in Jamaica!
|
| Legion 4 | 13 Aug 2025 11:41 a.m. PST |
Well the POTUS is going to meet Putin in AK soon. But it is clear … Once KGB … always KGB … Putin has been deceiving, lying, etc., etc., to many POTUSs. But by now it appears this is another KGB ploy to make it look like he's willing to talk. But intel says his forces are prepping to go on the offensive. They have been making an all out push to gain as much land as they can. And continue to take advantage of the West. As if/when the war ends. He's not going to give back any ground. So Putin will keep pushing bodies into the meat grinder. And it is fairly clear he is trying to bring old Imperial Russia back on the map. Like many islamists, Putin is living in a past century … That makes both of them dangerous … To many in the world … |
| Tortorella | 13 Aug 2025 12:34 p.m. PST |
I think you are spot on Legion. There are no deals..you cannot trust him to honor any agreement. He is pounding Ukraine as hard as ever and will no stop until he has it. |
| 35thOVI | 13 Aug 2025 1:31 p.m. PST |
Yes he launched another offensive and as with others, casualties are no issue. They also broke through. As myself and others have said before: Russian population 143.5 m
Ukrainian population 37.86 m As of 2024. As long as the Russians are willing to absorb casualties, the numbers will tell. It takes a lot of casualties to break the people of Russia, and a million is a drop in the Russian bucket. Negotiations have nothing to do with this, one way or another. No negotiations, the Russians would still attack. I hope they can negotiate something, because I still don't think the Ukrainians can sustain this. I don't think they feel they can either. From Gallup Subject: Ukrainian Support for War Effort Collapses
link So short of someone sending millions of armed troops in on their side, (anyone???) Negotiations may be the only hope. I'm not happy with concessions for the one attacked. I'd say Putin might be hit by Karma, but I really have no faith in it. What happens to the Russian economy if this ends? They are on a war footing right now. Does the economy dive if they try and go off? That might be Karma. But Will Putin let it go off? |
| Grattan54 | 13 Aug 2025 2:19 p.m. PST |
And you can be sure Putin saw that poll. I just don't see Trump getting a deal done. Putin holds too many cards. There is nothing that is forcing him to end the war. Trump thought he had an understanding with Putin, that he could talk to him. Well, even Trump admits now that that just wasn't the case. Putin is a 100% real dictator. Only true economic or military pain will make him balk. Even then, he is rich, he will feel no economic pain. Military pain does not impact him as he is not the one doing the fighting. What is it to him if another 100,000 Russians die if he gains what he wants in the end. |
| Legion 4 | 13 Aug 2025 7:57 p.m. PST |
There are no deals..you cannot trust him to honor any agreement. He is pounding Ukraine as hard as ever and will no stop until he has it. Yes I think many of our leaders underestimated Putin. And not just currently. Putin is former KGB. He hates the West, always has… He has been lying, taking advantage, being deceitful, etc. forever to the USA. He knows how do that. He's a spy. It's part of his craft as well as his personal nature. He is truly evil … |
| 35thOVI | 14 Aug 2025 6:20 a.m. PST |
I will say: all the experts who have attacked the President about this and his weaknesses, have negotiated no peace treaties, including the Ukraine. Although the MSM and others give him no credit for them, he has negotiated four or five ceasefires and peace treaties in the just over six months of his second term. All and with the exception of Isreal, never hit the Iranian nuclear program. |
| SBminisguy | 14 Aug 2025 8:30 a.m. PST |
Why did Putin invade? Because he thought he could get away with it! He saw the Euros as yappy little dogs with no bite and that the US under Biden was weak and indecisive. He wanted to topple the Pro-Western regime and install a Putin Puppet to run Ukrain on Russia-favorable terms. Then he got the GREEN LIGHT y'all, from Biden himself! Remember that? Biden said the US would NOT react to a "minor Russian incursion into Ukraine." So Putin launched what HE thought was "Minor" -- a focused military blitz to take Kyiv and install a Russian puppet regime. He really expected, based on what his "yes men" told him that it would be an easy tank ride into downtown Kyiv. But he was shocked when Ukrainian defenders skillfully and tenaciously opposed the Russian advance with Javelin ATGMS (courtesy of Trump and NOT Obama/Biden) and artillery ambushes, combined with the "Mud Season" that funneled Russian attacks down a few major roads AND the Russians had their attack echelons all misplaced. Then when Putin realized what a dog's breakfast it was he wanted out and started negotiating a peace deal with Zelensky with th help of Israel and Turkey…but Biden and the Europeans killed that deal as dead as the 2,000 young men blow up every week in that war, eh? They saw too much profit and opportunity in war. 1. The US and Europeans anticipated toppling Putin 2. Europe would get a pro-Euro leader in Moscow for access to cheap Russian resources, and the US under Obama's team felt they'd depose 1) a threat to the New World Order and 2) topple an ancient foe (which is HILLARIOUS since the Democrats did nothing but suck up to the Russians and the Commies MY whole life!). 3. Oh, and public contract $$$ getting siphoned out of the public treasury into Defense and Reconstruction contracts and into a vast network of Pro-Left/Pro-Democrat NGOs and Consultants (like Vindman, remember that dude who's "testimony" sparked the Trump Impeachment? He made BANK, his consulting firm was paid MILLIONS by the Biden admin!) |
| Legion 4 | 14 Aug 2025 10:16 a.m. PST |
Those in the US attack anything Trump does … How many conflicts has he successfully brokered in his short time in office ? IIRC, about 7 … The puppet Biden … well I know he and his minions are responsible for at least two. The Ukraine and Gaza … everyone saw he was not up to the task, his Admin and VP were DEI hires. Elections have consequences e.g. open border, the horrendous A'stan withdrawal, the conflicts I just mentioned. Off the top of my head … The list of negatives is long. E.g. Green agenda/war on fossil fuels, LGBTQ+, DEI, CRT, woke progressive initiatives, rampant crime, etc., etc. Someone with real leadership capabilities is not a puppet. And the Dems knew it … and let it go … The new POTUS not only has a lot of clean up to do, but also initiated many programs, plans, etc. to fix things that needed to be fixed before even his 1st Term … Also Note: If Russia didn't have nukes, based on their very poor warfighting abilities, they'd be a big a threat to the US/NATO, etc. as some dictatorship in Africa or the Mid East. They'd be laughed at … A failing state in decline … |
| SBminisguy | 14 Aug 2025 10:19 a.m. PST |
|
| Grattan54 | 14 Aug 2025 11:36 a.m. PST |
35th, Could name these ceasefires and peace deals he has made? Cuz I keep seeing this number but outside of Thailand/Cambodia and maybe Iran/Israel, I can't think of any others. |
| 35thOVI | 14 Aug 2025 1:01 p.m. PST |
Sure. I have before but will again. 🙂 Of course the media ignores them and continues with their daily " outrage Du Jour". So many do not know of them. The latest: Azerbaijan-Armenia Peace Agreement ""When President Donald Trump sat between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan last week, few people realized the significance of the meeting and the months of negotiations that took place beforehand to get two hostile nations to come together at the White House. Just weeks before the president and his team stepped in to maintain stability in the South Caucasus earlier this year, a full-scale invasion of Armenia's southernmost province, Syunik, appeared imminent, according to Dr. Nerses Kopalyan, an Armenian-American political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Kopalyan informally advised and supported negotiations between the Trump administration and Armenia …" … "In March, Trump administration officials were briefed on U.S. intelligence that Azerbaijan was planning a major offensive against Armenia, reigniting hostilities two years after Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing campaign uprooted thousands of Armenians from their ancestral homeland in Nagorno-Karabakh, Kopalyan said. The American intelligence assessment sparked immediate action from the Trump administration. Later that month, the president's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, opened up negotiations with Azerbaijan as the White House sought to prevent another armed conflict." You mentioned Thailand/Cambodia Add to that: Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo: The Trump administration also facilitated peace efforts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. India and Pakistan: The Trump administration also engaged in peace efforts between India and Pakistan. Egypt and Ethiopia: The Trump administration also worked to broker peace between Egypt and Ethiopia.
Yes Iran and Isreal goes on the list so far.
Back in the first administration: Multiple Abraham accords. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which of course shattered on 10/7. Serbia and Kosovo Agreement: In September 2020, the Trump administration brokered an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo focusing on economic normalization and cooperation. 🤔 that is as much as I remember right now. |
| Legion 4 | 14 Aug 2025 10:11 p.m. PST |
OVI +1 The only in the media that mentions all that are FOX and Newsmax. The rest still hate Trump. He could cure cancer and they'd still find something negative to say … IMO the most important thing the POTUS did/is doing … Closing the border tight. And start mass deportations. |
| Grattan54 | 15 Aug 2025 10:04 a.m. PST |
Thank you 35th I did not remember all of those. |
| 35thOVI | 15 Aug 2025 10:18 a.m. PST |
|
| Grattan54 | 15 Aug 2025 5:05 p.m. PST |
Let me just add, I don't think Trump got enough credit for the Abraham Accords. |
with some 'babes', and she did the rest...
