Are retirees moving to the new DTV visa - anybody done it?

[CharlieH]

 

 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned there could be bad news coming out about Ukraine, as fears grow of a stalemate with Russia and allies such as the U.S. debate whether to send more aid to the country.

“Wars develop in phases. We have to support Ukraine in both good and bad times. We should also be prepared for bad news,” Stoltenberg said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD on Saturday, according to Politico Europe. 

 

Stoltenberg said Ukraine’s small victories are important in ending the war, despite Ukraine’s recent counter-offensive not resulting in major headway. However, Ukrainian troops secured a victory last month by pushing Russian forces back on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River.

“These are big victories even though they haven’t been able to move the front line,” Stoltenberg said.

The NATO chief also urged allies to continue sending support to Ukraine in the interview.

“The more we support the Ukraine, the faster the war will end,” he said.

Stoltenberg’s comments come just as the White House issued a warning Monday saying it will run out of funds to provide weapons to Ukraine in its fight against Russia without congressional action by the end of the year. Additional aid for Ukraine has hit a wall in the House, while Senate Republicans are looking to tie support for Kyiv with border security changes.

 

FULL STORY

[thaibeachlovers]

23 hours ago, CharlieH said:

“These are big victories even though they haven’t been able to move the front line,” Stoltenberg said.

The NATO chief also urged allies to continue sending support to Ukraine in the interview.

“The more we support the Ukraine, the faster the war will end,” he said.

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

[Dcheech]

26 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

 

No tax or skin off your nose as you are a Kiwi. Relax, this is not going to end until Putin passes. 

[ozimoron]

41 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

 

US reluctance to go all in on weapons supplies from the nget go has given Russia time to regroup after initial combat disasters.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

Let Russia Win, Says Anti-West Poster.

 

As for 'western taxes'...seriously, were you actually taxed for this? Not in some roundabout global economy BS way - I mean directly taxed?

[RayC]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

 

Same old, same old from the board's biggest Putin supporter.

 

Many of us have torn apart his pro-Russian stance but, unfortunately, it has no effect and he still peddles the same old nonsense.

[Seppius]

I think events in Moscow will end the war, not on the battlefield

[RayC]

46 minutes ago, Seppius said:

I think events in Moscow will end the war, not on the battlefield

 

Can you elaborate please?

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, Seppius said:

I think events in Moscow will end the war, not on the battlefield

Any time soon, or just hoping?

[rabas]

On 12/7/2023 at 1:39 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Any time soon, or just hoping?

 

Ukraine’s General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of military intelligence operations has the greatest means and opportunity to get at Putin and his cronies. He's responsible for many attacks in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia.

 

Now he's got the motive. His wife was just poisoned with toxic heavy metals. Almost certainly Putin, from his decades long spree of assassinating enemies with poison in and out of Russia. (Yes, Ukraine has accused Russia). ref

 

Other events in Moscow could spell the end of Putin's war, particularly if he starts locking up wives of soldiers or further abusing Russian citizens. 

[Skipalongcassidy]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:54 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

Where's the stupid emoji... you just earned it.

[beautifulthailand99]

3 hours ago, rabas said:

 

Ukraine’s General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of military intelligence operations has the greatest means and opportunity to get at Putin and his cronies. He's responsible for many attacks in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia.

 

Now he's got the motive. His wife was just poisoned with toxic heavy metals. Almost certainly Putin, from his decades long spree of assassinating enemies with poison in and out of Russia. (Yes, Ukraine has accused Russia). ref

 

Other events in Moscow could spell the end of Putin's war, particularly if he starts locking up wives of soldiers or further abusing Russian citizens. 

Apparently, she spends a lot of time with her husband which should be some of the safest spaces in Ukraine. It may well be the Russians sending out a chilling message we can get you anywhere or it could on on outside probability be internal power struggles within the high command. There are a lot of dark forces on both sides. If Western aid falters or withdraws there will be a brutal power struggle for control of the country. The Kyiv mayor has already made his feelings clear.

 

https://gazette.com/news/wex/kyiv-mayor-issues-harsh-condemnation-of-zelensky-as-internal-tensions-grow/article_f552efb6-0d63-58a7-a0a6-0c07fc639717.html

 

This could be tit-for-tat revenge as could be this.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-partisans-claim-killed-24-russia-soldiers-arsenic-in-vodka-2023-12

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/illia-kyva-pro-kremlin-ukrainian-politician-assassinated-near-moscow/

[novacova]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:54 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

It’s a war of attrition without time parameters aimed at the West, primarily towards the US. China can care less if Russia loses. The only benefactors are the MIC and China. This war was the beginning of one piece of a larger front that is spiraling and now getting towards the point of no return. So many mistakes occurred to this point, the first was giving ear to Zelenskyy.

Edited December 8, 2023 by novacova

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/8/2023 at 1:33 PM, rabas said:

 

Ukraine’s General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of military intelligence operations has the greatest means and opportunity to get at Putin and his cronies. He's responsible for many attacks in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia.

 

Now he's got the motive. His wife was just poisoned with toxic heavy metals. Almost certainly Putin, from his decades long spree of assassinating enemies with poison in and out of Russia. (Yes, Ukraine has accused Russia). ref

 

Other events in Moscow could spell the end of Putin's war, particularly if he starts locking up wives of soldiers or further abusing Russian citizens. 

Do you assume that if Putin died his successor would end the war? I don't.

[billd766]

14 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Do you assume that if Putin died his successor would end the war? I don't.

His successor, who ever that will be may not be given the choice. That of course depends on who is chosen, who does the choosing, and how much support that they have in Russian politics.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 minutes ago, billd766 said:

His successor, who ever that will be may not be given the choice. That of course depends on who is chosen, who does the choosing, and how much support that they have in Russian politics.

You and I are not privvy to internal Russian politics, so I, at least, am prepared to wait and see, assuming Putin is replaced, which I doubt will happen.

[Thorgal]

Putin says he will run for president again in 2024 elections...looks like wants to go for victory of the Ukrainian war...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo28hQFTp_I

[Morch]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Do you assume that if Putin died his successor would end the war? I don't.

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

Why not? Is the war going anywhere for Russia? Is it very popular with Russians?

I think it's more about you not wanting Russia to stop.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You and I are not privvy to internal Russian politics, so I, at least, am prepared to wait and see, assuming Putin is replaced, which I doubt will happen.

Well he is 71 years old, (b 07 October 1952) which seems to be an average age for a politician nowadays.

 

As for his opponents inside Russia there is 

 

Alexei Anatolievich Navalny (Russian: Алексей Анатольевич Навальный, IPA: [ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej ɐnɐˈtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ nɐˈvalʲnɨj]; born 4 June 1976) is a Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist.

 

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

 

There is too long a long list in this link to copy and paste in reply.

 

However a small part claims that "According to Russian NGO Levada Center, about 15% of the Russian population disapproved of Putin in the beginning of 2023."

 

However it is difficult to figure out the real truth as the Russian state controls 99% or more of the media.

 

There is large opposition in the west among the politicians and the people in opposition to Putin, however the GOP in the Senate is not happy  with the amount of funds being sent to the Ukraine.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67667035

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67637679

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67355423

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-67630934

 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

There is large opposition in the west among the politicians and the people in opposition to Putin, however the GOP in the Senate is not happy  with the amount of funds being sent to the Ukraine.

To disregard the rest of your post, the GOP have finally wised up to the reality that Russians were not going to fold easily, and run away, despite western propaganda. Simply put, Aragorn isn't going to ride in with an army of the dead and put the orcs to flight. It's going to be a long fight, and it's a bottomless pit for western money, for a conflict that was never what it was conflated to be- a cataclysmic battle between the forces of good and darkness. When it's all over it's going to be just another European stoush, till the next one comes along.

[billd766]

25 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

To disregard the rest of your post, the GOP have finally wised up to the reality that Russians were not going to fold easily, and run away, despite western propaganda. Simply put, Aragorn isn't going to ride in with an army of the dead and put the orcs to flight. It's going to be a long fight, and it's a bottomless pit for western money, for a conflict that was never what it was conflated to be- a cataclysmic battle between the forces of good and darkness. When it's all over it's going to be just another European stoush, till the next one comes along.

I suppose it depends on which side "wins", loses, or it ends up as a stalemate. Then comes the pertinent question as to who pays for what, who goes to trial and is or is not jailed and for what war or humanitarian crimes.

 

IMHO Putin will either be eliminated by either the Russians or the Ukrainians or simply vanish in the fog of war.

 

The West want him to go on trial for various war or humanitarian crimes. Depending on who replaces him, the Russians may send him for trial to the ICC in the Hague, or try him themselves or just disappear him.

 

Nobody can see into the future more than a few hours.

[heybruce]

On 12/5/2023 at 8:54 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Oh the BS!

A "victory" that didn't achieve anything- that sounds like Haig after the Battle of the Somme ended with nothing to show for thousands upon thousands of dead.

 

The west has been "supporting" Ukraine for over a year and only stalemate to show for it. Time to end the bottomless pit for western taxes, admit they were wrong and leave Zelensky to try and salvage something from the disaster.

 

IMO just another US mess leaving thousands of dead, massive destruction and weeping widows to add to the list since the rout from Vietnam.

Russia invades a neighbor and you call it a US mess.  Could you be any more obvious in your support for Russia?

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, billd766 said:

Then comes the pertinent question as to who pays for what,

If I can be so bold as to hazard a guess about that, the European and American long suffering taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for the "reconstruction" of Ukraine. The 1% will not be deprived of the rich pickings  from this conflict, even if they don't get to sell as many of those lovely expensive weapons any more, though no doubt the Ukrainians will be re arming with western arms, tanks etc. All good for the 1%.

Follow the money.

[RayC]

18 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 

 

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If I can be so bold as to hazard a guess about that, the European and American long suffering taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for the "reconstruction" of Ukraine. The 1% will not be deprived of the rich pickings  from this conflict, even if they don't get to sell as many of those lovely expensive weapons any more, though no doubt the Ukrainians will be re arming with western arms, tanks etc. All good for the 1%.

Follow the money.

 

Which is what happened post-WW2. Are you suggesting that wasn't a war worth fighting?

 

Often there is a cost of victory as well as defeat.

[RayC]

16 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

To disregard the rest of your post, the GOP have finally wised up to the reality that Russians were not going to fold easily, and run away, despite western propaganda. Simply put, Aragorn isn't going to ride in with an army of the dead and put the orcs to flight. It's going to be a long fight, and it's a bottomless pit for western money, for a conflict that was never what it was conflated to be- a cataclysmic battle between the forces of good and darkness. When it's all over it's going to be just another European stoush, till the next one comes along.

 

You ignore the majority of a well reasoned argument why Putin might be replaced as Russian leader and offer an analogy based on a work of fiction in support of your position?!

 

😂😂😂😂😂

[Morch]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If I can be so bold as to hazard a guess about that, the European and American long suffering taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for the "reconstruction" of Ukraine. The 1% will not be deprived of the rich pickings  from this conflict, even if they don't get to sell as many of those lovely expensive weapons any more, though no doubt the Ukrainians will be re arming with western arms, tanks etc. All good for the 1%.

Follow the money.

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

Wars Cost Money, Poster Astonished

Edited December 10, 2023 by Morch