12 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Judging by the pic, I'm going with airplane. 

Yeah, but he walked to Poland first. ???? 

 

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

No link? Where does it rate Russia?

The bias is real. Russia is rated as "Not free" ????

https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-world/scores

Off topic posts which were off topic to this topic have been removed as well as the replies. 

6 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Darn, I was thinking magic carpet, most of them are red I believe.

Lots of money for arms means lots of large political donors involved. Won't be any recession in the arms industry of the USA.

I was asking myself just the other day if I actually believed all the hype about the humanitarian support the Ukraine is getting from the US and others.

 

Then it dawned on me, the US took out the pipeline and is now negotiating with Europe to sell them gas via a new facility they have been building, hmmm.

 

Putting everything else aside, you know Putin and all, sounds like big business to me and anything to take Russia out of making the coin it what supposed to be making.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Well, well, what do you know. This little sweetheart was flown by the US air force, the bill for which will end up on NATO's desk in Brussels. Wondering if the incidents since 2014 in the East of Ukraine will be on the agenda ..... or not. Is there an American photo-op planned; I mean Vogue in Paris printed 16 pages extra with him and his wife while his country was bombed and on fire. Your call! 

You mean where Russia refused to recognize Minsk despite signing it? Doubt that will have been on the agenda no.

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

I was asking myself just the other day if I actually believed all the hype about the humanitarian support the Ukraine is getting from the US and others.

 

Then it dawned on me, the US took out the pipeline and is now negotiating with Europe to sell them gas, hmmm, putting everything else aside, you know Putin and all, sounds like big business to me and anything to take Russia out of making the coin is what supposed to be making.

 

Just my thoughts.

The US was opposed to Nordstream because they saw it as a mistake, which Merckel has already acknowledged.

7 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

The bias is real. Russia is rated as "Not free" ????

https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-world/scores

Not defending Russia at all, the place is a cesspit of corruption.  Just saying that holding Ukraine up as a beacon of democracy and freedom is simply not accurate.  A not free country invades a partly free country and.... 

LOL, now attempting justification for his blatant bias

8 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Not defending Russia at all, the place is a cesspit of corruption.  Just saying that holding Ukraine up as a beacon of democracy and freedom is simply not accurate.  A not free country invades a partly free country and.... 

The right to have freedom is the pillar of democracy. Russia invade and attempt to subjugate Ukraine is tantamount to taking away Ukrainians freedom. Fighting against Russia invasion is fighting for their freedom is a shining beacon for democracy. Simple notion to acknowledge to many but not you. 

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

But it may have been Air Force 2, which is the VPs call sign when the VP is aboard.

 

However it could also have been any other aircraft of the  89th Airlift Wing aircraft, such as the Boeing C-40 Clipper, C-20B, C-37A, and C-37B, have also served in this role.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Two

 

Air Force Two is the air traffic control designated call sign held by any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the U.S. vice president, but not the president.[1][2] The term is often associated with the Boeing C-32, a modified 757 which is most commonly used as the vice president's transport. Other 89th Airlift Wing aircraft, such as the Boeing C-40 Clipper, C-20B, C-37A, and C-37B, have also served in this role.[3] The VC-25A, the aircraft most often used by the president as Air Force One, has also been used by the vice president as Air Force Two

Definitely not a 75 - the droop nose is missing ... 

45 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Well, well, what do you know. This little sweetheart was flown by the US air force, the bill for which will end up on NATO's desk in Brussels. Wondering if the incidents since 2014 in the East of Ukraine will be on the agenda ..... or not. Is there an American photo-op planned; I mean Vogue in Paris printed 16 pages extra with him and his wife while his country was bombed and on fire. Your call! 

"Well, well, what do you know. This little sweetheart was flown by the US air force, the bill for which will end up on NATO's desk in Brussels."

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

"Wondering if the incidents since 2014 in the East of Ukraine will be on the agenda ..... or not."

They'll probably skip whatever "incidents" Putin is using as a lame excuse for his war crimes and focus on the slaughter of military and civilian personnel that's taking place right now due to Putin's naked aggression.

 

"Is there an American photo-op planned; I mean Vogue in Paris printed 16 pages extra with him and his wife while his country was bombed and on fire. Your call!"

The Zelenskyys' Vogue cover story is a brilliant war tactic

 

"The Zelenskyys are smart to use Vogue as a means of keeping attention on the grim situation in their country, helping to ensure the future flow of foreign weapons and aid."

 

My call you said? Brilliant!

 

 

30 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Not defending Russia at all, the place is a cesspit of corruption.  Just saying that holding Ukraine up as a beacon of democracy and freedom is simply not accurate.  A not free country invades a partly free country and.... 

I guess you use the expression "a little bit pregnant" as well.

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I guess you use the expression "a little bit pregnant" as well.

I agree. Fair enough. Neither country is free.

 

Better?

5 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Yea Russia Military complex doing very well too. Amazing how they start a war and their arms industry flourishes

Not any more, the way Russian military equipment is being annihilated or abandoned on the battlefield is causing quite a few countries to think again about buying stuff that is so vulnerable.

I would not describe an arms industry that has to raid refrigerators and washing machines for microchips as flourishing.

2 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

I agree. Fair enough. Neither country is free.

 

Better?

IIRC, Zelensky was elected after a popular revolution booted a Putin puppet out.

He has also appeared multiple times at the battlefront to encourage his troops by example. AFAIK the only time Putin has appeared was when he had a staged photo-op with a sniper rifle inside the safety of a Russian military base in Russia itself. He's never been near the frontlines.

On that basis, I'd say Zelensky and his people understand the concept of freedom better than Putin and Russians do, although there are about 1 million Russians voting with their feet to escape mobilization.

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

The US was opposed to Nordstream because they saw it as a mistake, which Merckel has already acknowledged.

You agree it was a threat to the US then ?

5 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

You agree it was a threat to the US then ?

No. The US saw German over dependence on Russian oil as a threat to its own interests.

5 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

No. The US saw German over dependence on Russian oil as a threat to its own interests.

Same, same but different, hence the billions they are spending to support Ukraine and NATO's agenda.

41 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I would not describe an arms industry that has to raid refrigerators and washing machines for microchips as flourishing.

Read an interesting article about microchips developed in Russia BUT they don't have a chip factory capable to produce them. So TSMC (Taiwan) did the production (as they do for a about half of the world production).

But no more, sanctions.

 

16 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Same, same but different, hence the billions they are spending to support Ukraine and NATO's agenda.

What agenda is that, to free Ukraine from the Russian terrorists, that one?

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Full List of Republicans Who Sat During Zelensky's Speech

Zelensky's address was enthusiastically received, with the vast majority of lawmakers joining repeated standing ovations as he vowed Ukraine would repel Putin's army.

However, a small group of right-wing House Republicans appeared less impressed, remaining seated during at least some ovations.

Washington Post reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell tweeted: "During one standing ovation, Rep. Clyde (R-Ga.) was one of the few who didn't stand. When Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) encouraged him to stand, Clyde seemed to mouth 'I'm not. I'm not,' while shaking his head."

https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-republicans-who-sat-during-zelenskys-speech-1768962

Apparently, Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz didn’t stand up and applaud either. And Marjorie Taylor Green and Josh Hawley didn’t even bother showing up. Disgraceful, to say the least.

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Same, same but different, hence the billions they are spending to support Ukraine and NATO's agenda.

The US has supported NATO since it was founded some 70 years ago.

But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your little agenda!????

4 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Not since Obama was elected.

 

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/record-gun-sales-cemented-obamas-conservation-legacy/

I wasn’t referring to firearms for “hunting” use by Americans…..the OP I responded to was referring to military armaments for government use.

1 hour ago, Phoenix Rising said:

The US has supported NATO since it was founded some 70 years ago.

But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your little agenda!????

750 military bases around the world in 80 countries, yep Putin certainly is a threat.

5 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

750 military bases around the world in 80 countries, yep Putin certainly is a threat.

Why don't you ask the Ukrainians if he's a threat?

5 minutes ago, Phoenix Rising said:

Why don't you ask the Ukrainians if he's a threat?

Was he a threat before Ukraine wanted to join NATO ?

 

Would the yanks like Russia to move their military up to their borders, come on, let's get real, who is the real threat.

6 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

750 military bases around the world in 80 countries, yep Putin certainly is a threat.

Putin is the first leader since World War II to threaten the use of nuclear weapons in a local war. He is on record as wanting the USSR back, which presumably includes the partition of Germany all over again. He and his military are deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, and deporting civilians to Russia in keeping with the Stalinist playbook during the Holomodor. That makes him a war criminal.

You may not regard Putin as a threat, I certainly do.

3 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

You agree it was a threat to the US then ?

No. The US saw making a country dependent solely on Russian gas and oil was a big mistake if Russia turned hostile, which has been borne out by events since 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea.

The US doesn't have a dog in that fight, they have all the oil and gas of their own that they need, and export some.

If Putin had not had his brain farts about restoring the USSR etc., the Russians would be doing very well with their economy, even with rampant corruption.

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Putin is the first leader since World War II to threaten the use of nuclear weapons in a local war. He is on record as wanting the USSR back, which presumably includes the partition of Germany all over again. He and his military are deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, and deporting civilians to Russia in keeping with the Stalinist playbook during the Holomodor. That makes him a war criminal.

You may not regard Putin as a threat, I certainly do.

Ummmm, not true, I believe Israel threatened Iraq in 1990 or thereabouts, and I believe India and Pakistan have used words in the 70's and 90's, but feel free to correct me.

 

You see to me there is a clear difference between words and actions, which brings me to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan where you would be aware that two nuclear bombs were dropped 3 days apart from each other, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people, just trying to remember which country that was that used those action, not words, apart from a few leaflets they dropped over the cities beforehand.

4 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

I was asking myself just the other day if I actually believed all the hype about the humanitarian support the Ukraine is getting from the US and others.

 

Then it dawned on me, the US took out the pipeline and is now negotiating with Europe to sell them gas via a new facility they have been building, hmmm.

 

Putting everything else aside, you know Putin and all, sounds like big business to me and anything to take Russia out of making the coin it what supposed to be making.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

 

Nearly two-thirds of US LNG went to Europe, up from roughly a third of the total in all of 2021. America has shot past Australia and Qatar to become the world's largest LNG exporter. A deal agreed to in March by America and the EU calls for an extra 50bcm per year of American LNG to flow to Europe this decade.