23 hours ago, CharlieKo said:

https://www.reuters.com/article/fact-check/video-showing-president-zelenskiy-admitting-to-using-cocaine-is-digitally-alte-idUSL1N31S1RD/

From that report

 

Social media users are claiming a video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shows him saying he uses cocaine – but the clip was digitally altered. The video was edited to combine several clipped fragments from a 2019 interview in which he actually said he is addicted to coffee and does not use drugs.

2 hours ago, rabas said:

 

This is also false.

 

There is a voluntary convention on cluster munitions, there is no enforced international ban. Neither Russia, the United States, nor Ukraine have signed. 

 

The 16 countries that have not signed and who produce cluster munitions includ Brazil, China, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey and the United States.

 

The problem with cluster munitions is some don't explode. The U.S. has acknowledged humanitarian concerns and has pledged not to use any cluster munitions with a failure rate higher than 1 percent after 2018. [link] Russia has made no such commitment.

 So that's ok then? I thought you had a modicum of humanity - I was wrong.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Cluster_Munitions

 

2 hours ago, rabas said:

 

There, I cluster posted.

 

But they all hit their targets successfully.

 

 No, you did something much worse.

3 hours ago, stoner said:

 

predictable indeed...

 

https://euroweeklynews.com/2023/05/06/professional-base-jumper-alex-villar-falls-to-his-death-in-spain/

 

and of note the only other guy to do this stunt successfully...

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/uli-emanuele-basejumper-filmed-his-own-death-swiss-alps-stunt-a7201021.html

 

 

 

You can be the THIRD, IMHO....

 

But, I would not wish to lose you from this glorious forum by having you repeat this stunt....

 

I care THAT much about you, Stoner!

 

You are NOT half-bad....IMHO.

 

 

Still the only one who ticked all out war, it will happen by the end of the summer, if not before 🚀🚀

3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

You can be the THIRD, IMHO....

 

But, I would not wish to lose you from this glorious forum by having you repeat this stunt....

 

I care THAT much about you, Stoner!

 

You are NOT half-bad....IMHO.

 

 

 

I am simply dysfunctional to the institutions.

2 hours ago, stoner said:

 

I am simply dysfunctional to the institutions.

 

Your comments are improving....

 

And, I am enjoying them, even more, the more I try to understand them....

 

 

On 6/20/2024 at 1:29 AM, Gsxrnz said:

Russia has already won.

Ukraine is destroyed and poses no future threat as a potential NATO or EU member. That was Putin's primary objective.

Any future settlement will cede territories already gained to Russia.

 

And the unexpected outcome of the war from the West's perspective is the fast-tracking of the BRICS+ development. It will be carnage when the US can't fund it's debt because nobody wants to buy T-Bills.

 

Don't think it can happen? It's already happening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An update from a St Petersburg bot farm ... Russia would take Kyiv in 3 days? How's that working out for ya?

 

If Trump loses in November expect a Russian capitulation ... with some chaos in Russia as Putin gets "disappeared". Stroke or heart attack would be my best guess.

 

Whenever you hear Putin talk about peace talks ... you know he is losing.  

14 hours ago, BobBKK said:

 
Be careful what you wish for. Putin has been very controlled and restrained so far.

 

 

Don't you just love those Putin is holding back comments ... i.e. he could win but chooses not to? Fairy story ... it's all going very wrong for Putin ... we are all expected to believe that if we don't let him win he will engage in his own suicide by using nuclear weapons ... a misunderstanding of the Russian mentality. 

 

“You probe with bayonets: if you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw”

Lenin quote. 

 

You have to show them steel ... then watch them withdraw. They fear strength, and exploit weakness. 

it will keep going on as long as leaders have huge egos and the munitions industries profit 

 

10 hours ago, AlexRich said:

 

 

Don't you just love those Putin is holding back comments ... i.e. he could win but chooses not to? Fairy story ... it's all going very wrong for Putin ... we are all expected to believe that if we don't let him win he will engage in his own suicide by using nuclear weapons ... a misunderstanding of the Russian mentality. 

 

 

“You probe with bayonets: if you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw”

Lenin quote. 

 

You have to show them steel ... then watch them withdraw. They fear strength, and exploit weakness. 

 You will see soon enough

2 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

 You will see soon enough

Which is something that you couldn't possibly know.

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Which is something that you couldn't possibly know.

 No, none of us know, but I'm sure Russia will win, and Ukraine will eventually crawl to the negotiating table. How else could it end?  no one in their right mind thinks Russia is going to leave Ukraine empty-handed.

2 hours ago, BobBKK said:

 You will see soon enough

You’ll be wrong of course, but you’ll explain it away as a show of “humanity” on the part of Putin. 
 

He could do it anytime he wanted to, because he is so powerful and tough, and his army are unbeatable … but his humanitarian side took over. Looking forward to it. 

5 hours ago, BobBKK said:

 You will see soon enough

You on your way out there then....?

You seem to be needed.......🤕

On 6/25/2024 at 6:27 PM, ChicagoExpat said:

"Putin has been very controlled and restrained so far."  Who in the world would say that?   Other than using nukes, share with us how he is showing any restraint at all.

He could go Dresden on a few Ukrainian cities. He only has to send enough drones to use up all the air defense missiles Ukraine has and then it's open season on any Ukrainian target.

Other than going to war with Russia what else could the west do about it other than what they already have?

On 6/25/2024 at 6:44 PM, ChicagoExpat said:

Bob, what you're unaware of is that on Day One -- the FULL invasion of Ukraine over many borders -- Ukraine WAS on its own.  And it held Russia off.  Russia's failure to win it's war of choice is NOT because of "restraint" -- it's because of corruption, incompetence, and inability.

and Ukraine for 2 years has had everything the west was going to give them, and they have not been able to drive Russian forces back across the border. Tell us how it's going to get better for their chances short of getting NATO directly involved? They are running out of men wiling to fight, and conscripts are not the best troops to use.

Money will not win this war, and even the foolish leaders of America and the UK do not have an actual money tree. Eventually western money will stop. All Russia has to do is hold in place till then.

Zelensky should negotiate now, while he has something to negotiate with.

On 6/25/2024 at 7:01 PM, BobBKK said:

And are you at the front line? Wow, I didn't know - how brave you are, Trans, with your 88,000 posts

Seems we have a lot of armchair warriors demanding more deaths in Ukraine while at ZERO risk of being involved in the conflict itself.

There are probably enough of them on here to form a platoon to serve there. One wonders why they didn't volunteer to fight for Ukraine 2 years ago. They could be flying their flag over the Kremlin by now had they done so.

On 6/26/2024 at 8:12 AM, AlexRich said:

Don't you just love those Putin is holding back comments ... i.e. he could win but chooses not to? Fairy story ... it's all going very wrong for Putin ... we are all expected to believe that if we don't let him win he will engage in his own suicide by using nuclear weapons ... a misunderstanding of the Russian mentality. 

IMO Putin already won. All he has to do now is wait till the west runs out of money ( and the west is already broke - how much does the US owe already? ), and it's all over for Ukraine, whoever wins in November.

 

He's seen it all before when the US and it's puppies allies go to war in "defense of freedom" ( and massive profits for the 1% ), and after wasting billions of $ and losing thousands of lives they give up and leave.

 

Apparently Russia is gearing up for a long war, but the west certainly isn't. They can barely afford to raise their military spending to the previously agreed amount, and didn't spend enough for decades. One only has to look at the British navy to see the result of that.

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

and Ukraine for 2 years has had everything the west was going to give them, and they have not been able to drive Russian forces back across the border. Tell us how it's going to get better for their chances short of getting NATO directly involved? They are running out of men wiling to fight, and conscripts are not the best troops to use.

Money will not win this war, and even the foolish leaders of America and the UK do not have an actual money tree. Eventually western money will stop. All Russia has to do is hold in place till then.

Zelensky should negotiate now, while he has something to negotiate with.

Would you capitulate to this third invasion by Russia, knowing that the fourth is just around the corner?  While it's true that the West may eventually lose the political will to continue aid, surrender is for Zelenskiy and Ukraine to decide.  And you overstate Russia's position -- 2.5 years in, Russia has made few substantive gains beyond the first few months.  And the longer Ukraine holds out, while it holds risks for them, it also increases the chances Putin will end up hanging from a lamppost, Mussolini-style, if a few of his fellow kleptocrats decide they can do better.

 

We all know the solution won't come from ordinary Russians, who are docile sheep.

On 6/26/2024 at 3:04 AM, AlexRich said:

Whenever you hear Putin talk about peace talks ... you know he is losing.  

This is 100% true.

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

and Ukraine for 2 years has had everything the west was going to give them, and they have not been able to drive Russian forces back across the border. Tell us how it's going to get better for their chances short of getting NATO directly involved? They are running out of men wiling to fight, and conscripts are not the best troops to use.

Money will not win this war, and even the foolish leaders of America and the UK do not have an actual money tree. Eventually western money will stop. All Russia has to do is hold in place till then.

Zelensky should negotiate now, while he has something to negotiate with.

 

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO Putin already won. All he has to do now is wait till the west runs out of money ( and the west is already broke - how much does the US owe already? ), and it's all over for Ukraine, whoever wins in November.

 

He's seen it all before when the US and it's puppies allies go to war in "defense of freedom" ( and massive profits for the 1% ), and after wasting billions of $ and losing thousands of lives they give up and leave.

 

Apparently Russia is gearing up for a long war, but the west certainly isn't. They can barely afford to raise their military spending to the previously agreed amount, and didn't spend enough for decades. One only has to look at the British navy to see the result of that.

This is so glaringly obvious that I’m amazed that so many on here can’t see this. Or “won’t”? Some even go so far as to claim that Ukraine is in fact winning. What planet do these people live on? Which “experts” are they listening to?

 

Reminds me of so called China “experts” like Gordon Chang who predicted the coming collapse of China within months, 15 years ago lol.

1 minute ago, Gweiloman said:

Ukraine is in fact winning. What planet do these people live on? Which “experts” are they listening to?

They live on the planet msm in the realm of contorted experts 

6 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

Reminds me of so called China “experts” like Gordon Chang who predicted the coming collapse of China within months, 15 years ago lol.

Perhaps it did, but they managed to cover it up 🙂 

It is, after all, a very controlled society.

12 minutes ago, ChicagoExpat said:

Would you capitulate to this third invasion by Russia, knowing that the fourth is just around the corner?  While it's true that the West may eventually lose the political will to continue aid, surrender is for Zelenskiy and Ukraine to decide.  And you overstate Russia's position -- 2.5 years in, Russia has made few substantive gains beyond the first few months.  And the longer Ukraine holds out, while it holds risks for them, it also increases the chances Putin will end up hanging from a lamppost, Mussolini-style, if a few of his fellow kleptocrats decide they can do better.

 

We all know the solution won't come from ordinary Russians, who are docile sheep.

And you are totally incorrect because you believe the western propaganda and narrative as to the reasons behind this SMO (Special Military Operation). Putin is not interested in gaining territory. Why bother? Do you realise how big a country Russia is?

 

One of his aims is to de-militarise Ukraine. You do this by wearing down your opponent, in a war of attrition, which he is doing very well, at the same time, keeping his casualties as low as possible. An unexpected bonus has been that the west is being de-militarised as well. I don’t think he, or anyone else, realised how weak NATO actually is. It has also shown up the pitfalls and shortcomings of having a privatised, for profit, MIC. The big winners are the major countries of the global majority who are just getting stronger while the US pays $50,000 for a shovel that China makes for Thb 100 and sends to Russia..😂

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Perhaps it did, but they managed to cover it up 🙂 

It is, after all, a very controlled society.

Very clever people, them…(insert uneducated ex-mechanic remark here).

19 minutes ago, ChicagoExpat said:

Would you capitulate to this third invasion by Russia, knowing that the fourth is just around the corner?  While it's true that the West may eventually lose the political will to continue aid, surrender is for Zelenskiy and Ukraine to decide.  And you overstate Russia's position -- 2.5 years in, Russia has made few substantive gains beyond the first few months.  And the longer Ukraine holds out, while it holds risks for them, it also increases the chances Putin will end up hanging from a lamppost, Mussolini-style, if a few of his fellow kleptocrats decide they can do better.

 

We all know the solution won't come from ordinary Russians, who are docile sheep.

What invasion? Does Washington have the Russian flag on the W H, is Buckingham Palace Putin's home?

 

It's a squabble between 2 ex Soviets that IMO became a war because the US neocons thought they could bleed Russia.

 

Zelensky can decide what he likes if he is paying the bills, but he's not and the west will decide for him when they can no longer justify giving him all the money.

 

it also increases the chances Putin will end up hanging from a lamppost, Mussolini-style, if a few of his fellow kleptocrats decide they can do better.

You have a vivid imagination. Mussolini was killed after his country lost the war- had the Axis won he'd be feted by his countrymen. In case you hadn't noticed, Russia has not been defeated.

 

And you overstate Russia's position -- 2.5 years in, Russia has made few substantive gains beyond the first few months.

They likely have what they want, and don't need any more. They straightened the line, didn't they? They can dig in there and hold it no matter how many Leopards Ukraine gets sent. BTW, the ones they had were not exactly a rousing success, and I haven't heard of any more been posted to Ukraine.

 

Ukraine's last much vaunted offensive turned into a damp squib- funny how nobody mentions that any more! No mention of another- even funnier!

 

 

10 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

It has also shown up the pitfalls and shortcomings of having a privatised, for profit, MIC.

Let us never forget the US airforce cost for a toilet seat.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/the-air-forces-10000-toilet-cover/2018/07/14/c33d325a-85df-11e8-8f6c-46cb43e3f306_story.html

The Air Force’s $10,000 toilet cover

2 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

And you are totally incorrect because you believe the western propaganda and narrative as to the reasons behind this SMO (Special Military Operation). Putin is not interested in gaining territory. Why bother? Do you realise how big a country Russia is?

 

One of his aims is to de-militarise Ukraine. You do this by wearing down your opponent, in a war of attrition, which he is doing very well, at the same time, keeping his casualties as low as possible. An unexpected bonus has been that the west is being de-militarised as well. I don’t think he, or anyone else, realised how weak NATO actually is. It has also shown up the pitfalls and shortcomings of having a privatised, for profit, MIC. The big winners are the major countries of the global majority who are just getting stronger while the US pays $50,000 for a shovel that China makes for Thb 100 and sends to Russia..😂

There is no such thing as an SMO.

 

"Putin is not interested in gaining territory."  He annexed Crimea and in October 2022 signed paperwork to annex eastern Ukraine.  Are you totally unaware of what is actually happening to Ukraine?  These are public actions, Gweiloman.

 

Wow, Gweiloman.  Just wow.

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What invasion? Does Washington have the Russian flag on the W H, is Buckingham Palace Putin's home?

 

It's a squabble between 2 ex Soviets that IMO became a war because the US neocons thought they could bleed Russia.

 

Zelensky can decide what he likes if he is paying the bills, but he's not and the west will decide for him when they can no longer justify giving him all the money.

 

it also increases the chances Putin will end up hanging from a lamppost, Mussolini-style, if a few of his fellow kleptocrats decide they can do better.

You have a vivid imagination. Mussolini was killed after his country lost the war- had the Axis won he'd be feted by his countrymen. In case you hadn't noticed, Russia has not been defeated.

 

And you overstate Russia's position -- 2.5 years in, Russia has made few substantive gains beyond the first few months.

They likely have what they want, and don't need any more. They straightened the line, didn't they? They can dig in there and hold it no matter how many Leopards Ukraine gets sent. BTW, the ones they had were not exactly a rousing success, and I haven't heard of any more been posted to Ukraine.

 

Ukraine's last much vaunted offensive turned into a damp squib- funny how nobody mentions that any more! No mention of another- even funnier!

 

 

You're really saying Russia didn't invade Ukraine?  And they don't want more land?  Like Gweiloman's claims Putin doesn't want Ukrainian land (after publicly, formally signing annexation papers of all of the east)?

 

Ukraine's failed offensive is well known.  There's no reason to continue to mention it even as we don't mention the massive failure of the initial Russian offensive.  SO.  FUNNY.

 

You guys are pathetic.