Russia Russia Russia

[Deranged Rhino]

Remember when people were saying there is no one in the west trying to exacerbate this conflict? Fun times... 

 

 

And this is EXACTLY why questioning Joe's team on this issue remains vital. It's not helping Putin to question our leaders, it's our job as citizens. Why? Because Joe and his team, like Bush and Obama before them, will use this "war" to stifle dissent at home. Not just on the war, but dissent about their leadership and domestic agendas as well. 

 

Why, it's almost like there's a MULTITUDE of benefits for our leaders to plunge this nations into unending conflict beyond just the profit motives. There's fringe benefits like this squashing of dissent that go hand in hand with moves to restrict our liberties and civil rights. All in the name of fighting our "enemy".  

 

It's about CONTROL. First and foremost. And if they can't get you to willingly go along with their agenda of control, they'll use FEAR to drive you into their arms. And if that doesn't work, they'll move to shame and finally state-sanctioned assaults on your liberty. 

 

We're in the shame stage - and we're only 9 weeks in. 

 

 

[Deranged Rhino]

5 minutes ago, IDBillzFan said:

Nice to see Rand Paul blocking the money...at least temporarily.

 

But we all know...it's gonna pass quickly. Those congress peeps have got some seriously laundering to work on.

 

 

 

[Deranged Rhino]

Shame stage: 

 

Gov't sanctioned assaults on your liberty next. 

 

All in the name of "fighting tyranny".  

[Deranged Rhino]

 

Remember, this is JUST about defending democracy. Not WEF agendas, western corruption, or anything else.

 

And if you buy that, I have a bridge to sell you.

[Deranged Rhino]

 

I'd take Sweden and Finland over Turkey any day of the week and twice on Sunday, personally. 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

18 minutes ago, Deranged Rhino said:

Shame stage: 

 

Gov't sanctioned assaults on your liberty next. 

 

All in the name of "fighting tyranny".  

 

 

 

@$$h@l&.

[Deranged Rhino]

Nonsense. I was told repeatedly that this is just a Russian talking point... 

 

[Deranged Rhino]

 

But talking about the motivations of proven corrupt western officials and their family's ties to Ukraine is not allowed. Truth is always the first casualty in war...

[Robs House]

Like all other political issues for the last year and a 1/2 I have not followed this story at all.  The reason is because I find it a fool's errand to try to keep abreast of something I have no control over, and which I can't possibly have first-hand knowledge of because there is no reliable source of information that I can independently verify.

 

Nevertheless, despite not being a betting man, I'd be willing to wager everything I own on the proposition that this pro-Ukraine military escalation movement the mass media is so giddily pedaling is a bad idea & based on bullshit. It's not because I claim to know who's right or wrong in this conflict - I have no idea.  It's entirely possible that if I knew the whole story I would find that Russia is clearly and unequivocally the aggressor in this situation and that Putin should burn in hell.  Even then I imagine I'd still find the media narrative to be horse shit.

 

My guess is there is some degree of blame on both sides, because reality is always more complex than the cartoon narratives that are spoonfed to us by corporate media, but I don't really know.

 

What I do know with absolute certainty is that nearly every devout member of the woke cult who passionately embraced every demonstrably false story from Russian collusion to COVID hysteria and everything in between has bought into this narrative without reservation. I realize a broken clock is right twice a day, but if my analysis is based on statistical probabilities I'd  feel more confident buying a ticket for Mega Millions than betting on the accuracy and righteousness of the pop-media narrative.

 

Even if Putin is a monster, Russia is the devil, and Ukraine and its leader are as pure as the wind-driven snow, I'd still comfortably wager my life on the position that the prevailing media approach to this situation is dangerous, destructive, and mired in misinformation. 

Edited May 14, 2022 by Robs House

[Nanker]

 

[Deranged Rhino]

Spooky games: More than one story has broken over the past 24/48 hours stating that Putin "very sick with blood cancer". Of course these are the sorts of IW operations spooks use to cause instability in adversarial governments, so it might be complete bunk. My suspicions lean that way, however if it's accurate then things are about to get a whole lot worse and much more dangerous.  

 

 

What makes me suspicious that this is more smoke than fire are these stories which have also hit this past week, albeit from far less reliable sources:

 

 

Remember, the Washington establishment (neocon/neoliberal wings) have been ITCHING for Regime Change in Moscow since at least 2014. They've tried to force that issue. They've tried to rally the country around it. Nothing's worked so far. The truth is that no one, not the neocon/neolibs running point or the media spox, know who would replace Putin should he be taken down. The next in line might be an even more truculent hardliner - history, in fact, suggests that's the most likely outcome.

 

Things won't only become dangerous because the new person in Moscow will strive to "prove" themselves immediately to cement their power - but also because the dummies running point in the west will see blood in the water and try to push all their chips in on regime change to get "their guy" in the big seat.

 

And that always goes well for the US. And by always I mean never. 

 

See: any coup ever orchestrated by the CIA from Iran to Libya to Ukraine .  

 

 

[Nanker]

Putin does look and act ill. He has cortisone chipmunk cheeks - a tell tale. 
 

I think his military will take him out. He’s embarrassed them on the world stage. The Russian military incompetence is on parade for all to see. They’ve lost more of their sons than they did in the entire Afghanistan incursion by many accounts. The “Pride of the Russian fleet” was sunk either by a Javelin or the crew’s utter incompetence. 
 

Russia is an international pariah now because of his aggression. The new guy might want to stop the aggression and just lick their wounds. 
 

Of course, our IC thinks this is just another season of A House of Cards/Homeland. How anybody could watch those shows - and others like them and not believe that the very things they see on the TV screen are actually happening in the “real” world. 

[Deranged Rhino]

True.

 

 

 

 

Again, if you are confused as to what's happening regarding US involvement in Ukraine, and you find yourself supporting the likes of Obama, Clinton, Bush, McCain, and all their acolytes, chances are you're not only on the wrong side of the equation, you're on the side that's trying to destroy the Republic from within. 

 

Peramawar and its grift is one of the primary tools to do so. It's created nothing but global instability, poverty abroad and at home, and multiple avenues of wealth transfer from the tax payer to the pockets of the ones claiming to be in this fight to "save democracy". 

Edited May 14, 2022 by Deranged Rhino

[Deranged Rhino]

 

 

Those numbers are insane. 

 

If you think it's just for warfighting, you're not only wrong, you're part of the problem. 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 hour ago, Deranged Rhino said:

 

 

Those numbers are insane. 

 

If you think it's just for warfighting, you're not only wrong, you're part of the problem. 

 

It's not even just for Ukraine.  

 

A portion of it, for example, is going towards Afghani refugees.  Some of it may be for COVID relief, too.

 

The actual amount of "Ukrainian aid" actually aiding Ukraine is largely unknown, I'd say.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

And if anyone's interested in the actual text of the Bill...

 

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7691/text

 

It's simultaneous less and more ridiculous than you'd think.  Less, because maybe a third of the money appropriated is actually going to Ukraine.  More because...well, read the bill.  Some of those appropriations are ludicrous.  A half-billion for anti-narcotics programs?  Doubling the budget for Defense Production Act Purchases?  A quarter-billion for DOD research and development?  Twenty million to deliver food to developing countries (i.e. not Ukraine).  $174k to Don Young's widow.

[IDBillzFan]

 

[Deranged Rhino]

What? The weapons brought in are being immediately sold to other buyers? Why, that was completely unexpected! 

 

 

 

And of course the priorities of the American people do not matter. Not when there's money to be made from permawar and neocons/neoliberals running things... 

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by Deranged Rhino

[Deranged Rhino]

Remember, the west is completely innocent in this. They've done nothing to provoke Russian responses. To think otherwise may be factually and historically accurate, but it helps Putin so shuddyaup about it!

 

 

[devnull]

14 minutes ago, Deranged Rhino said:

What? The weapons brought in are being immediately sold to other buyers? Why, that was completely unexpected!