On 2/20/2025 at 7:19 AM, bangadang said:

 Many Ukrainians, yes Jews, fought and collaborated in WW2. But that is past and it is unfair to taint current generations with past misdeeds. BTW he is NOT democratically elected as there were no elections.

How you want to organise an election with millions displaced in their own country or abroad, locked in occupied areas, and the country under siege ? Did the USA hold elections during the independence war, as later, never any territory was under occupation. 

During WW2 there were NO elections in Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Tsjechoslowakia, Poland etc, so all "governemts" were illegal ?

Only an American, with close to zero knowledge about the history of other countries can come on such ideas.

22 minutes ago, PuiPuiHarry said:

How you want to organise an election with millions displaced in their own country or abroad, locked in occupied areas, and the country under siege ? Did the USA hold elections during the independence war, as later, never any territory was under occupation. 

During WW2 there were NO elections in Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Tsjechoslowakia, Poland etc, so all "governemts" were illegal ?

Only an American, with close to zero knowledge about the history of other countries can come on such ideas.

The poster you are responding to is ignorant of Ukrainian history.

 

During WW2, the Germans were greeted as liberators by Ukrainians. Kiev surrendered without firing a shot.

 

It didn't take long for the Ukrainians to realize they had only exchanged a Russian jackboot for a German one. A number of resistance groups formed which fought on one side or the other.

 

It suited Putin's book to label all Ukrainians as Nazis and collaborators. However, history is a lot more complex than a Kremlin lie.

 

 

5 hours ago, ChicagoExpat said:

Please back up the Mossad allegation.  That's interesting.

 

Plenty online about CIA setting up SAVAK.  Not much available on MOSSAD. 

 

A few interesting tidbits in wiki...........a general Schwarzkopf, yes that very same Stormin' Norman's daddy, helped set it up.

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

 

An Iranian site has a bit of info

https://irdc.ir/en/news/26/how-cia-mossad-helped-form-savak

Inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.

 

A post with a trolling video using profane language and the replies have been removed.

On 2/20/2025 at 12:01 PM, Harrisfan said:

Says a guy in a condo.

Not many condo's in Phetchabun, 18 years now in the same Soi & house.

anything you need to ask about living here in TH,  just ask.

6 minutes ago, brianburi said:

Not many condo's in Phetchabun, 18 years now in the same Soi & house.

anything you need to ask about living here in TH,  just ask.

No, I would ask somebody who gets out more.

Trending story on X former Kremlin spy revealed Trump's codename was Krasnov.

Hardly a reputable source but you never know.

#Krasnov

A post with a trolling video containing profane language and the replies have been removed.

On 2/20/2025 at 11:04 AM, Harrisfan said:

Ukraine are nazis

 

https://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/stories/ukraine-historical-background.html

If Ukraine are nazis, then america are SUPER-nazis...

Proof is to find every day while america's super-fuhrer vomits lies and hate into the world.

Two of the leading neo Nazis in the USA, plus the original, all giving the Nazi salute.

And let's not hear any nonsense about they were just waving to the crowd.

When someone waves to a crowd their arm is usually bent, the palm of the hand cupped and the fingers outspread as in the Obama example below.

 

 

On 2/19/2025 at 10:48 PM, KireB said:

How can a country in war hold elections? 

Like this:

https://babel.ua/en/texts/107260-is-it-possible-and-necessary-to-hold-elections-during-war-we-explain-using-the-examples-of-the-usa-great-britain-canada-and-israel

 

And then there's this:

"Ukraine’s constitution holds that the country may not hold parliamentary elections until martial law, in effect since February 24, 2022, is lifted, and for six months thereafter."

"President Zelensky has stated that he will not hold elections on credit, nor will he “take money from weapons and give it to elections.” Instead, he has suggested that Western countries, especially the United States, that are pressing Ukraine to hold elections could help fund them, in this way sharing the financial risk. With funding and security assured, the country could potentially develop a legal framework to hold elections during wartime, he implied."

 

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/wartime-ukraines-election-dilemma

 

Guess me misplaced the $300+ Billion the US already gave him as well as the additional $16 Billion that USAID gave him last year.

On 2/21/2025 at 1:02 PM, Lacessit said:

The poster you are responding to is ignorant of Ukrainian history.

 

During WW2, the Germans were greeted as liberators by Ukrainians. Kiev surrendered without firing a shot.

 

It didn't take long for the Ukrainians to realize they had only exchanged a Russian jackboot for a German one. A number of resistance groups formed which fought on one side or the other.

 

It suited Putin's book to label all Ukrainians as Nazis and collaborators. However, history is a lot more complex than a Kremlin lie.

 

 

 

 

As a kid, I knew an old boy at the footie supporters club, Gregory. He was a Ukrainian. I suspect he joined the German forces. He was no Nazi though. Nice bloke. Hated the Communists though.

 

In WW2, Ukrainian and Belarussians took the brunt of deaths, not the Russians.

 

Yes, probably a fair few of those Partizans were just as opposed to Soviet rule as they were German rule. Its not really clear why Crimea was transferred to Ukraine in 1954. I suspect there was a tacit acknowledgement that Ukrainians were very justified to be hostile to Stalin, and there was genuine gratitude  for how they ultimately in the end, sided with Stalin.

35 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Guess me misplaced the $300+ Billion the US already gave him as well as the additional $16 Billion that USAID gave him last year.

 

The $300 billion is a fiction. its nowhere near that. 

 

https://www.state.gov/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/releases/2025/01/u-s-security-cooperation-with-ukraine

 

Quote

To date, we have provided $65.9 billion in military assistance since Russia launched its premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and approximately $69.2 billion in military assistance since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. We have now used the emergency Presidential Drawdown Authority on 55 occasions since August 2021 to provide Ukraine military assistance totaling approximately $27.688 billion from DoD stockpiles.

 

 

 

The US military failed to properly account for stuff that was shipped, and in the end, a lot of stuff wasn't shipped. Much of the kit shipped had zero value, ie old equipment held in long term storage, essentially waiting to be scrapped (and scrapping/storage costs money, about $5-7 billion each year is spent on decommisssioning) or was out of date (minitions have an expiry date, as any one buying bullets knows), It was a sunk cost, relating to a budget spent when Ronnie Reagan was president. Some of the value has been based on replacement costs. Other moneys is not sent to Ukraine; its sent to US factories, and goes into the pockets of C-Level, shareholders, workers. Some is returned to government as tax. A portion is spend on logistics, reimbursing the US Airforce for fuel. But there are extra savings, because now the pilots don't have to spend so long training at 100% taxpayer expense.

 

Its like you have a $1000 car.  It runs ok, ok for A to B, but the seats are worn out, the rust is starting to peep through.  You want a new car and want to treat yourself to a new $40,000 car, and want to trade your old car in. The dealer isn't all that interested in a $1000 banger, it will go straight to recycling anyhow. He would have given you $1000 discount anyhow, as you are a cash buyer.

 

Your neighbour has spent his life savings treating his youngest for cancer, and had to sell his car to pay the bills. So he can't get to work. So you decide to help him give him your old car. It ain't pretty, but it works, you had looked after it.He's very happy.

 

A few months later, you approach the neighbour asking him for the $39,000 you had to spend on buying a new car. He doesn't have the money, so you suggest taking half his garden, and then you move on to the question of his daughters, and how old they are, as you need a new wife.

On 2/21/2025 at 11:11 AM, xylophone said:

What a load of old cobblers, hogwash and nonsense..........and you are proud to say this???? I haven't laughed so much since granny got her tits caught in the mangle!!!!!

 

 

 

Hes using a code and recycling an old trope. He's referencing the Ukrainian Leader's faith. Used the same term in other posts, and needs to be challenged on it.

On 2/21/2025 at 11:23 AM, Mavideol said:

Why didn't Britain hold elections during WWII?

List of United Kingdom general elections

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

 

 

The 1945 election was carried out a few months after the war in Europe was concluded, and London was no longer under the threat of V1 and V2 attack.

 

There was debate on which day to hold the poll; the original date was objected to because it would have been at the time Coventry factory workers were on holiday (the first peace holiday).

 

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1945-06-11/debates/6899cc6d-cf82-4396-8fc1-33c66caaeb28/PostponementOfPollingDayBill?highlight=general election#contribution-cc1de64e-0be1-47d3-b672-ea2db4b647ae

 

Britain has had many wars and elections were not affected. But it was the fact that the homeland was directly affected that was the deciding factor.

 

VE Day was the true end of WW2. A war carried on in the Pacific for a few months, but by then, the War had assumed a different dimension. Hence there are widespread events marking VE Day, but those marking VJ Day are more muted. My grandad was a POW of Japan, and finally got home in December 1945. Cetainly by then, no one at home wanted to hear about the war anymore. After May 1945, it was no longer a wartime Britain, no more that it has been wartime US since 2001.

 

on the contrary no ww3 possible with US, Russia and China become friends again! it is biden who wants ww3 by allying with countries together and NATO to threaten against Russia and China, isn't it 

WW1and WW2 starts with one group against another group?

35 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Is it possible the invent of the internet could facilitate an election? Not really a like for like comparison to 80 years ago, is it. If little Z wanted to end his de facto dictatorship he could easily hold an election.

America couldn't organise an election without controversy in 2020 and 2024, how could the Ukraine do that with displaced populace, and 25% of the country occupied. How could Zelensky campaign in the occupied areas?

 

The nearest comparison I suppose that comes to mind is the 1864 US Election, when a large portion of the country never participated.

 

Ukraine has a hybrid Presidency. Unlike the US system, the Ukrainian Parliament can simply dismiss the President through a vote of no confidence. So its inaccurate to say Zelensky is a dictator, ie has absolute power.

 

I am not permitted to post a non-English link on this site, but the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (you will have to google to find it, unless there is a rule change) ran a survey which indicated about 85% of Ukrainians were opposed to a wartime election.

 

 

The poll reveals Ukrainians are quite sophisicated in their understanding of their vote. People had firm opinions.

 

 

All of Ukraine is represented in the Rada, including Crimea. The members of the Rada, in their respective parties, nominate Presidential candidates, so very different to the US system, where there is an election before the election. Unlike the US elections, but more like European elections, elections include many more candidates with a realistic shot of power. We all know that effectively the US is a two party state. At the last election in 2019, there were 39 Ukrainian candidates, which lead to a second run off poll. SO in wartime, you are expecting UKrainians to go to polling stations twice.

 

The question is do you hold a Presidential election before or after a Parliamentary election. Ukraine has a proportional voting system. Voting districts, like anywhere, are set based on population. The war has resulted in some districts becoming swollen with refugees, but others are under populated, resulting in a parliament being controlled by a handful of districts.

 

The constitution forbids an election right now. The CEC controls when an election is helpd. To hold the election would need the support of the Rada to change the law.

 

Finally, consider the funding of the political parties. The displacement of citizens has meant the parties are more dependant on oligarchs, increasing the fears it won't be a fair election (eg money from Russia).

 

Most naive Americans don't know anyone who has really lived in wartime conditions. In Western Europe, we at least still have a generation of Grandparents who can relate. The American objection to not holding an election under truly wartime conditions has never been tested. Basically, they don't know what they are talking about. Come baqck when you've fixed your hanging chads and lecture the world. We know they have an unfair system, the electoral college, plus the ridiculous candidate selection system. The make up of Congress and Senate defy belief that Americans really only support one of two parties. We know other systems are unfair, eg Westmnister, but we aren;t going around lecturing other countries.

 

Americans, even when they are opposed to "nation building" still have a natural instinct to lecture other people to follow the "American Way". Can't help themselves.

 

 

 

53 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

If he was such a dictator then there would be signs of it by now......zilch so far . 

 

 

I think an odd pidgeon English phrase like "invent of the internet" says enough, that he's probably not in Bangrak.

7 hours ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

1)he wears a Hillary/Kim Jong pant suit.

 

Well Sunny if you really want to go there I know someone in a similar political position of power who wears a silly Mao like  cult linked red  cap  !

On 2/20/2025 at 11:50 AM, Harrisfan said:

So you don't know the Soviets killed the most Nazis. Enough said.

And the most Polish fighters 

Trump is honoring an old partnership with commies.

US went to bed with Russia in WWII.

Was that necessary? Maybe. Maybe not. Many smaller countries got raped by Russia and lost independency.

Russian son in law, who was reading secret docs over Donny's shoulder, may be Putin mole?

Is that reason Donny's firing many in justice department? Something was going on...

 

 

 

On 2/20/2025 at 11:27 AM, johng said:

 

His mandated /elected term ended a long time ago,  by his dictate there are  no more elections,  so he is now the unelected "leader".

I have read that all Ukraine's political parties agreed to allowing Zelenski to stay in power while the war continues.

On 2/20/2025 at 11:11 AM, bannork said:

Zelensky, the democratically elected leader, is Jewish.

He is what ever they say he is a "puppet" is more becoming 

On 2/20/2025 at 12:09 PM, Dan O said:

What internet would that be? The internet running at the homes and towns that have been destroyed?  

Apparently the latest in the news in about the internet in Ukraine. It seems that they are getting Starlink for free there supplied by the US. 

The Us has sent billions to them in weapons and supplies under Biden. Now in the news Trump wants that reimbursed with minerals to compensate the governments expenditures. He said that if Ukraine does not want to repay the money with minerals then the US would cut the countries access to Starlink effectively leaving them in the dark with the world. 

The Biden admin has dumped so much money into the Ukraine without anything to show for it. Win or lose the US/Ukraine posture does not change. It seems feasible that if the Ukraine war continues they will be begging the US for more and again without any reimbursement. Those are American taxpayers money used to supply the Ukraine war for the last 3 years. With nothing in return except their hands out for more. 

 

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

Apparently the latest in the news in about the internet in Ukraine. It seems that they are getting Starlink for free there supplied by the US. 

The Us has sent billions to them in weapons and supplies under Biden. Now in the news Trump wants that reimbursed with minerals to compensate the governments expenditures. He said that if Ukraine does not want to repay the money with minerals then the US would cut the countries access to Starlink effectively leaving them in the dark with the world. 

The Biden admin has dumped so much money into the Ukraine without anything to show for it. Win or lose the US/Ukraine posture does not change. It seems feasible that if the Ukraine war continues they will be begging the US for more and again without any reimbursement. Those are American taxpayers money used to supply the Ukraine war for the last 3 years. With nothing in return except their hands out for more. 

 

I don't suppose for one nano second the US was giving the miltary aid for free and was expecting some pay back eventually.

7 hours ago, thesetat said:

Apparently the latest in the news in about the internet in Ukraine. It seems that they are getting Starlink for free there supplied by the US.

 

 

Poland is the biggest contributor of Starlink terminals, and is also paying Ukraine;s subscription to the service.

 

https://www.voanews.com/a/poland-pays-for-ukraine-s-starlink-subscription- users subscribing to the service.

says-its-deputy-pm/7984648.html

 

SpaceX has a commerical relationship with the Polish government. It is not a servent of the US government. The US government might regard "Starlink" as a controlled export, but they have made no indication they will block Russian subscribers.

 

On 2/21/2025 at 7:31 PM, PuiPuiHarry said:

How you want to organise an election with millions displaced in their own country or abroad, locked in occupied areas, and the country under siege ? Did the USA hold elections during the independence war, as later, never any territory was under occupation. 

During WW2 there were NO elections in Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Tsjechoslowakia, Poland etc, so all "governemts" were illegal ?

Only an American, with close to zero knowledge about the history of other countries can come on such ideas.

Hummm, According to 3 years of MSM coverage Ukraine have been winning this war from day 1 and Russia was on its arse... but now elections are mentioned the country is under siege and millions displaced. Seems like a bit of a flip-flop to me.

On 2/22/2025 at 4:19 PM, SunnyinBangrak said:

Is it possible the invent of the internet could facilitate an election? Not really a like for like comparison to 80 years ago, is it. If little Z wanted to end his de facto dictatorship he could easily hold an election.

 

Deliberate mis-spelling of a name . Reported.

Some suggestions that a deal wont be struck just yet .....

 

On 2/20/2025 at 10:51 AM, Old Croc said:

He is placing personal wealth, power or embarrassment before world order.

 

He is placing power or embarrassment before world order?

 

Which is it?

Power?

Or...

Embarrassment?

 

Let's make up our minds here.