ChicagoExpat

One side invades a country three times based on transparent lies, hits kindergartens, tortures and executes both civilians and POWs as a matter of policy: THEIR CAUSE IS RIGHTEOUS. ViCtORiA NuLaNd! WW3! NUKES! EsCaLaTiOn! One side hits military targets as part of a long series of brilliant, next-level actions: TERRORISTS

Yes, I would say the long list of reasons I might know something about this issue matters -- discount it if you want, who cares. Congrats on almost quadruple majoring -- amazing you say my background is worthless while claiming yours makes you an expert. You are shockingly deficient in self-awareness. Cry if you want about Ritter's past being brought up -- it is relevant, especially when added to the long list of shady, shameful, and discreditable events that make the man Scott Ritter. I'd say you're just mad about your brilliant got-to source being exposed. "Alex, I'll take Russian simps who are also kiddy diddlers for $200." Again, I'll put my knowledge on all of this against yours any day and wipe the floor with you... oh, look, I already am. And a reminder that you're the one who made this personal.

Well, I lived in Russia, I worked in Russia in a firm that was targeted by the FSB, I speak some Russian, I have Russian friends, I have read a ton of Russian history, I even know one of the hostages the FSB took and held in gulag until traded for a truly loathsome Kremlin-sponsored reptile. It's astonishing that you consider having taken a class in college as "I have some background." No, you don't. It's not a smear or a cheap shot. He is TWICE convicted as a pedophile over a span of years. He did time for it. That speaks to his character and credibility. And while excusing the horrific crimes and sins of someone on your side is certainly not unique to you or the Russian side, it speaks to the lengths your side will go to push Russia's viewpoint on us. And 100%, if someone on the Ukrainian side were a pedophile but somehow recognized as an expert who can CONNECT THE DOTS for us, you guys would be trumpeting it to the moon and back.

Completely false. I'd put my understanding of Russia against his any day. And while his being a convicted pedophile doesn't in itself disqualify the value of the nonsense he shares, it is surprising that somehow this isn't a problem for his supporters. "Connect the dots" -- i.e. believe that which is not supported by facts -- is a common claim of the tinfoil hat crowd.

It HASN'T won the war on the ground. That is obvious and only an idiot or a Russian stooge would say so. I don't think you're the former. Who cares if the Free World helped plan the attack or not? Not sure of the relevance. We help Ukraine all the time, just as China, Iran, North Korea, and Belarus -- the world's pariah nations -- help Russia. It's incredible, jas007, that you support a nation whose only allies are the worst regimes on earth.

Scott Ritter is an @ssclown. If it's true that official Russians are feeding him info for his clown show, it's incredible that anyone would believe that information to be useful or genuine, and that it shows anything besides the fact that Ritter is a tool. Russia labeling Zelenskiy as a "terrorist." The arrogance is just astonishing -- we can hit civilian targets all day and claim the moral high ground, you hit legitimate military targets and are therefore a terrorist. But the wonderful part of this is, yet again, Vlad is losing his sh!t after yet again, the Ukrainians outperforming his orc army. NUKES! >>DRINK<<

No one denies the CIA supplies Ukraine with intel. The very start of Russia's third invasion was the U.S. trying to warn everyone it was coming -- Burns went openly to Moscow to ask them not to invade. Russia denied they were going to, and Ukraine didn't believe they would. And during one of Trump's more obvious acts of serving Russia he cut off intelsharing -- particularly related to targeting. Again, this is all open.

Why WOULDN'T Europe want to see him weakened? Russia supporters always reveal this like it's some hidden knowledge or damning information that only the truly wise can see... You want to see your enemies weakened. It's what Russia did to Georgia, Moldova, and in its first two invasions of Ukraine.

Except he doesn't believe it himself.

Nuke threats!! >>DRINK<<

Holy crap. He put it out there for all to see. I'm embarrassed I didn't pick up on it. The guy WHO DEFINITELY DOES NOT SUPPORT RUSSIA chose the former head of the Soviet secret police as his avatar. Another sign he DEFINITELY DOES NOT SUPPORT RUSSIA. Fun fact: When I lived in Moscow I lived close to Lavrenty Beria's place -- another guy I'm sure our friend here admires.

And at last we arrive at the real cause of all this: Putin's insistence that he has the right to determine the course of the countries that border the Russian Empire.

Fanboy dreamland is so much better than Putin toesucking dreamland. We've got beer, pelmeni, and sushki; you've got lube, and nothing else.

Except the countries with the highest HIV rates aren't predominantly Catholic. What about STDs? Same thing. In fact, what's remarkable about the countries is how NOT CATHOLIC they are. Want to blame overall religiosity? To take just Europe, it's actually the most SECULAR countries that lead (Scandinavia, Russia, and the Baltics are heavily overrepresented). The 40 spots for the top 5 countries in 8 different STD areas have historically Catholic countries taking only 3 spots out of 40 (Portugal, Ireland, and Monaco appear once each). If you have any other great social theories to share, don't hold back!

Prove all of it. Or you're lying. (I learned these sooper smart debating tactics from a sooper smart guy WHO DEFINITELY WAS NOT A RUSSIA SUPPORTER.)