ChicagoExpat

I wish Putin many, many, many more such victories.

That is so obviously not true, I assumed it was sarcastic.

There is no scenario in which this war is a strategic victory for Putin -- feel free to try and make that argument -- and if you think moving a frontline forward by a few kilometers per month over three years is a tactical victory... wow. The certain end result of all of this: A little more land to add to the Empire, Europe finally taking its own defense seriously, at least two new NATO members, hundreds of thousands of Russians dead and wounded, its military hardware wiped out, permanent loss of most of Europe as energy customers, Russia diminished in the eyes of the world, and now a debtor to China, Iran, and North Korea. Again, if you want to call this victory, feel free.

🤣 How fragile our feelings are. I literally just wrote what you wrote. If knowing the subject better than you makes me an <deleted>, if whooping your butt in an argument makes me an <deleted>, if not eagerely lining up to suck fascist <deleted> makes me an <deleted>... then I'm a proud <deleted>.

If you're going to accept Russia's view of the world -- that the inevitable rebirth of the Russian Empire allows them permanent sovereignty over any country they think is Slavic, a former vassal state/SSR, and that any state they do not dominate must be feared, undermined, and viewed as an enemy -- then you'll believe that Russia gets to determine how other sovereign nations conduct themselves, and has the right to invade anytime the czar is displeased. How about this -- if Russia weren't an eternal aggressor, constantly terrorizing its neighbors, then bordering countries wouldn't want to join NATO. Among Putin's many epic fails in the last few years is to convince countries to join NATO that for decades said they wouldn't. Your Russkiy Mir view of the world also ignores the last hundred years of Russian brutality and mass murder in Ukraine that even those decades of colonization couldn't erase.

Putin publicly dissing Trump is a good thing; Trump has a fragile ego and it might wake him up to the fact that Putin DOESN'T view him as a fellow tough guy dictator but a pansy, a cuck, a simp, a chump.

Simply a lie. I was living in Russia when the war started and remember the public warnings to Russia not to invade and Ukraine to accept the fact that they were about to be invaded. The Russians were delighted when Ukraine thought all was well and did not prepare; Russia got its @ss thoroughly kicked, however, and the joy was muted and turned into this strategic and tactical defeat for Russia that we now see.

Putin is responsible for the war, dummy. Next you'll claim you're not a Russia supporter and eager consumer of Kremlin-approved media.

Agree, with the caveat that Ukraine surrendered nuclear weapons with assurances that Russia would respect its territorial integrity. 3 Russian invasions later... everyone but Russia wishes they kept their nukes.

Do you really think that alone will cause a sudden and total collapse? The great majority of Ukrainian hardware is most definitely not American. And the far more important question -- is this a desirable outcome for the American people?

Why after 3+ years of fruitless effort is Russia suddenly going to "crush and defeat" Ukraine? And why, after the incredible sacrifices of his people in the face of a brutal dictator, would he throw it all away because Trump and Vance demand he bows to Russia?

If that is true, why do you support the one who is far and away the worst of the two?

Nope. Read it again. Ukraine’s constitution prohibits the holding of elections during martial law, which was extended in July 2023, one year after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Which part, Frank?

Yes, that's a big part of it. But I think there's more. **Fringe rightwing media (no longer fringe anymore actually) are infiltrated or outright produced by bad foreign actors. As long as they aren't reading the "Western MSM" MAGA-Headswill gladly slurp down whatever slop is fed to them, never question its source, and faithfully regurgitate it. **There is a misdirected aspect of conservatism here -- when it comes to gender roles, few countries are less woke than Russia, so MAGA-Heads think they are owning the libs by admiring Russia. Nevermind that in every other respect, Russia is a cesspit for family values and ACTUAL conservatism. **There is a severe dissonance in MAGA Russia support -- while they have problems with some attention-grabbing aspects of Western culture (don't we all!), they happily ignore the fact that 1) Russia is usually the worst of the worst in many things MAGA-Heads claim to value and 2) they themselves, while reviling the West, happily remain to enjoy the prosperity, freedom, and comforts it provides.

I've always loved this bit of Russian agitprop that Trumpies swallow so eagerly. "Ukraine's constitution doesn't permit elections when a large part of the country is occupied by a foreign invader. ZELENSKIY IS A DICTATOR!" Meanwhile, the ACTUAL dictator who is in office for life, who kills opponents, shut down the free press, bans free assembly, and cooks "elections" -- THAT'S the guy they support. Do you guys have any self-awareness at all of how stupid you look?

A summary of what has happened so far: Trump/Vance demand that Zelenskiy and Putin come to the negotiating table. Zelenskiy agrees. Putin refuses. Trump/Vance: UkRaINe Is AT FauLt! How any can conclude that Trump/Vance are not in Putin's pocket, it's unfathomable.

Rattle rattle rattle!

People who don't understand how the world works are always good for a laugh. Combined with the poo-flinging rage and the erroneous assumptions about my politics, you made my morning, Felton!

It's impossible to overestimate the stupidity of this comment. And where does it say they flew to Thailand to arrest him? Why in the world would you think someone who makes repeated violent threats is "harmless"? Good to know that if someone makes specific violent threats against you you'll consider the person harmless.

Threatening people’s lives isn’t free speech.

If you can find someone from “the left cult” you can ask them. That said, I’m glad you agree that Putin’s third invasion of Ukraine was a totally unjustified act of aggression that any sane and moral person condemns. Edit: I gave you your sad emoji right back.

Ah yes, the “scam” that a murderous dictator has invaded his country for the third time.

Ah yes, “the Russia was forced by Ukraine and the West to invade” trope, created by the FSB and faithfully parroted by the MAGA acolytes.

All Americans have 2nd Amendment rights.