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Joe is a disaster obviously but so are all the warhawks on the left and right that lead Ukraine down this path, and in many cases personally profited from this country. We encouraged them to befriend the west and gave hints that “we got your back” when we knew how Putin felt about further NATO eastward expansion for decades. Zelensky took the bait and played along, praising those like Trudeau and others. When the time came the west cannot commit to war with Putin over Ukraine, in the end we will isolate Russia further and push them fully into the arms of China. Just look at this video to see what I mean.
Our major defense contractor stocks like Lockheed are already up 20% since the invasion, there will be a lot of money to be made here, and massive spending bills are already proposed by Biden. Why couldn’t we have stopped NATO expansion with Poland, why do we have to stick our nose in everything? We can’t help ourselves and death and destruction always follows. Who elected McCain and Graham to go make promises to these poor people that we cannot keep? McCain was on his death bed at the time. Now they are staring down the bear and we have to watch.
Back to the topic, what Biden did wrong was get elected. He is so clearly not up to the task mentally or physically and that became obvious after his first 6 months. Weakness and incompetence encourages evil, so here we are.
NATO countries can stop Putin by holding up NATO commitments to NATO countries (e.g. Poland), including credible nuclear deterrents. NATO countries are avoiding direct military involvement in Ukraine because the Russians have posed a credible nuclear deterrent for Crimea and the Black Sea littoral, as well as at least parts of eastern Ukraine. I’m not so sure about western Ukraine (Lviv capital). In any case, I don’t think the Russians have the manpower or the firepower to hold all of Ukraine, much less to move on another country in the face of solid on the ground resistance and/or a credible nuclear deterrent.
Here’s a question: who has the impression that a NATO nuclear deterrent for the Baltic countries is credible?
Regarding China, I share your impressions that the relationship is more poisonous than healthy for commoners on US soil, and in Western Europe too.
Good Luck!
I honestly think the "credible nuclear threat" is the least important part of this. Putin gave a speech last week. That speech clearly outlined his view of the world and forecast his actions. The man has made up his mind and will proceed as he outlined until and unless he is stopped. period.
As for your question, I honestly am not confident that NATO would trigger article 5 if Poland, Romania, Slovakia or the Baltics.
The west (America included) are feckless. FEAR is the only thing that will move them to action. There will absolutely be members who want to appease when Putin makes his next move. Even if that move is into the Baltics or other former Eastern Bloc NATO members.
Engaging with Russia in dialog as the President of one of the worlds strongest nations is what. If Russia knew that serious consequences would follow, they most likely would have rethought the entire thing before executing the plan. Brandon just sat there for weeks with his thumb up is colon watching the Russians moving troops and weaponry towards Ukraine. Brandon did absolutely nothing until after the invasion took place. Just like the Afghanistan pullout. Did absolutely nothing until the very last second when the aircraft were trying to flee.
Huge part of being the POTUS is being able to effectively negotiate with other countries around the world and have positive outcomes. Brandon has absolutely zero negotiation skills, as does the entire Brandon administration. And it shows with the current issue between Ukraine and Russia. It showed during the failed Afghanistan pullout, and it's going to show in future situations until Brandon has been relieved of his duties.
If you don't get it you never will.
And exactly how do you engage with a madman who is intent on recapturing a country that has evaded his tentacles for decades? It was just a matter of time. I have an inkling Putin was well aware of the consequences of his actions before the invasion. He either didn't care or didn't realize the global implications.
I honestly think the "credible nuclear threat" is the least important part of this. Putin gave a speech last week. That speech clearly outlined his view of the world and forecast his actions. The man has made up his mind and will proceed as he outlined until and unless he is stopped. period.
As for your question, I honestly am not confident that NATO would trigger article 5 if Poland, Romania, Slovakia or the Baltics.
The west (America included) are feckless. FEAR is the only thing that will move them to action. There will absolutely be members who want to appease when Putin makes his next move. Even if that move is into the Baltics or other former Eastern Bloc NATO members.
Overall you seem to mean that credible nuclear deterrent is the most important part of this, even if at one point you write that credible nuclear deterrent is the least important part of this.
From the point of view of US potentates, they are doing it about right: push political expansion to the limit of encountering credible nuclear deterrent.
They have reached that limit, unless the Russians suddenly roll over and play dead.
I don’t have the impression that the Russians will want to test whether article 5 is worthless, nor do they seem to have the capability, unless westerners roll over and play dead.
There is an array of emotions at play here. Fear is certainly one of them. Greed is also a player, a skilled one.
The US may have a half brain dead figure head of a president, but I don’t see the real potentates rolling over and playing dead; they are playing a serious game here and have little to lose, unless they trigger the nuclear trip wire.
I don’t have the impression that “blame” is a useful question right now. It may be when the shroud of smoke screens from various quarters clears from reality on the ground. But not right now.
Anyway, it’s normal for distant observers, like keyboard posters on CD, to have varying impressions among themselves and oscillating impressions within themselves.
How could it be otherwise?
We are naked-eye star gazers on a humid night. We enjoy painting pictures of our impressions with words.
Engaging with Russia in dialog as the President of one of the worlds strongest nations is what. If Russia knew that serious consequences would follow, they most likely would have rethought the entire thing before executing the plan. Brandon just sat there for weeks with his thumb up is colon watching the Russians moving troops and weaponry towards Ukraine. Brandon did absolutely nothing until after the invasion took place. Just like the Afghanistan pullout. Did absolutely nothing until the very last second when the aircraft were trying to flee.
Huge part of being the POTUS is being able to effectively negotiate with other countries around the world and have positive outcomes. Brandon has absolutely zero negotiation skills, as does the entire Brandon administration. And it shows with the current issue between Ukraine and Russia. It showed during the failed Afghanistan pullout, and it's going to show in future situations until Brandon has been relieved of his duties.
If you don't get it you never will.
We had exchanges with Putin leading up to this invasion and they were useless, it's pure fantasy to think that this would have turned out differently no matter who was in charge. This needs to play out as difficult as it is on Ukraine but Russia is certainly going to suffer consequences. I think he has miscalculated the worldwide condemnation and he is certainly stretched thin. Maybe you think another president could threaten him harder.
Start arming Ukraine too early and we are to blame for the invasion, wait too long and we are criticized. There were no easy answers.
We have a vastly superior military...if we hit them hard enough and quick enough we can knock their nuclear weapons out and destroy them.
We could destroy their nation and end this if we wanted to...and we should destroy these evil bastards.
Are you not aware that the ballistic missiles are in underground silos? Oh, except for the ones that are on submarines. No, we can’t just take them out. All we can do is destroy Moscow, while they destroy New York and LA.
That's absurd to think that putting sanctions on Russia would cause anyone to blame Biden for the Russian attack. No one but idiots thought that the huge buildup of troops on the Ukraine border was just a "military exercise". Now, due to Biden's "too little, too late" response, Biden definitely DOES share some of the blame.
Sorry, but EVERYONE was saying that Putin would never actually invade, that this was just an exercise or an empty bluff. Biden was one of the few that was warning that Putin was dangerous.
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