Putin's opening gambit
Vladimir Putin is going to recognize two breakaway Ukrainian states. He has has informed the leaders of France and Germany Monday that he will recognize the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, Russian state media is reporting. They will ask for Russian forces and Putin will oblige. He is about to announce all this within moments. Massive forces could be sent in from the north. Markets especially the energy market is bracing for what is coming. There shall be global repercussions.
What will Biden do?
This may be all Putin takes.
The Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic declared independence from Ukraine following an unofficial status referendum in May 2014. The French president has called for an emergency session of NATO.
Russian media is reporting Monday that President Vladimir Putin will address his nation soon.
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The first move will be in the Donbas region of what has been called Ukraine.
We await Vladimir Putin.
What will Biden do?
I predict something you will spasmodically disagree with no matter what.
I'm open to him doing what he promised - stopping Nord Stream 2! If he does that I'll give him credit. I don't want to hear any excuses.
White opens P-K4
Black responds P-K4
How do I play it? Should I go small or go big?
I realize that you believe Putin is a genius, but then you also thought Trump was one.
Trump is off topic
OK, fine, but you cannot flag the comment as off topic and respond to it,
all further references to Trump will be deleted as OT by author if requested. SP
Putin could have been stopped back in March when he put 70,000 troops on the border and dumbass was preoccupied with Afghanistan.
All the while blaming him for the rise in gas prices sure to follow. Don't forget your mission Vic.
That's another thing that shouldn't have happened. He was too busy doing everything the green energy fanatics told him to do. Here is his chance to keep one of the few good promises he ever made!
[removed]
I'm following the recent ruling.
Predictable as ever. Do enjoy Vlad's 6 hour filibuster, I hear he will list the ingredients of Green Kaviar and Ukha.
Actually, today's press conference is already over, as emotional as it was.
Everyone has pulled themselves together. You see, they are going to bring all of Russia's people back to the motherland.
And you know what they say about he who laughs last?
The only country that can stop Nord Stream 2 is Germany.
Then it won't be stopped.
So why did Biden promise something he can't deliver?
"If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine, again, then there will be — there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2," the president told reporters. "We will bring an end to it.
Did he say the US would stop it all alone? Of course not it will take Germany as the final say.
Gee a photo from February 7, 2019 ... @!@
As to what 'they' say ... "he who laughs last is just a (ham)hand in the bush"?
He did!
I guess Germany having final say will be the excuse.
Now everyone should know what a worthless ass he is.
All of a sudden you are no fan of gambits?
Those who play with Mouses usually do.
Gambit? Please note who well it worked.
That's quite the ignorant comment, Vic. Germany, in case you're not familiar, is an independent country and does not have to listen to or abide by what the US wants or doesn't want.
I know that you seem to be incapable of understanding that concept but it has nothing to do with Biden, if Germany wants to stop it they will, if not they won't and there isn't a damn thing that the US can do about it either way.
You still hold the Masters in that.
Vic. Germany, in case you're not familiar, is an independent country and does not have to listen to or abide by what the US wants or doesn't want.
Then, for the second time, why did Biden vow to end it?
know that you seem to be incapable of understanding that concept but it has nothing to do with Biden, if Germany wants to stop it they will,
It's you that is having trouble with understanding. They say it's 3 times for the normal mind. Why would fucking Biden threaten to do something he has little control over?
... and what of thoses who play with mices?
Biden's version of Obama's "red line in the sand"?
I suspect you mean how and not 'who'. I have noted how well he has used such figures as Tucker [deleted pawns in his 'gambit'.]
Or rats
Trying to insult again and once again an abject fail on your part. Did you think that there could be back-channel communications between the two countries?
Or then there is this.
You launched the insult and it came right back at ya.
He made no effort to dispel Biden’s pledge that the pipeline would be stopped.
And he refused to confirm it.
[deleted]
Not at all, I said your comment was ignorant and it was. Most people are well aware that the US has no control over what Germany does or doesn't do.
You, of course, tried to take it up a notch and all that did was show that you really don't seem to have a grip on the situation.
Cheers
And I said many of yours are and they are.
Most people are well aware that the US has no control over what Germany does or doesn't do.
I'm sure thats what they were thinking when Biden said he would stop it.
You, of course
You of course never explain away Biden's promise
Cheers
Have a good one!
I pointed out the comment regarding this article which is accurate but keep tilting at windmills, but don't fall off the horse.
You have no idea what they were thinking, only the Great Karnac would know and you ain't him. LOL
I don't have to explain his promise, I gave you the link, accept it or don't it makes no difference to me.
I always do.
Absolutely nothing. Ukraine's internal problems don't concern us. Biden will be berated for being a toothless tiger.
Not being privy to what the boys in the backroom are up to, I have no idea and nor do you.
"The boys in the back room" fucked up Afghanistan. Russia isn't the Taliban. Fucking this up will be much, much, worse. Think China isn't watching this attentively? Taiwan is next; or maybe it is first? Who knows how Putin and Xi will play this?
Really wish we had a better leader than Brandon in the White House.
[Deleted]
Putin is currently speaking to the Russian people. This could take a while, since Putin commonly does 4 - 5 hour press conferences. (He talked about the break up of the Soviet Union.) It is expected that the two break away Republics will ask for Russian military support. After Putin sends in Russian forces, it is expected that Putin will ask the Ukrainian president Zelensky to remove all Ukrainian forces.
That may begin phase 2
If Zelensky resists, it could be the pretext for a full scale invasion.
"As a result of the artificial separation of Russian peoples, I have little choice."
Yes, the situation is evolving into a full-blown proxy war; not an invasion. What is happening in Ukraine is little different than what happened in Syria. We're just on the other side this time.
The Obama administration backed the Euromaidan insurrection in 2014. The Euromaidan insurrection prompted Russia to annex Crimea. And the Euromaidan insurrection resulted in a low level civil war in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military have been engaged in open combat in eastern Ukraine since 2014. The Ukrainian government (and western backers) have spun the war in Donbas as a war on terrorism. What has transpired in Ukraine is not very different than what transpired in Syria except the US and Russia are backing different sides. The US backed the separatists in Syria, Russia backed the Assad regime in Syria. And the war in Syria became a proxy war.
The Biden administration has already signaled its intention with the rhetoric of 'Russia further invading Ukraine'. The Biden administration wants to take back Crimea and drive Russia from the Black Sea. That policy is likely influenced by hopes of bringing Turkey back into the NATO and EU sphere of influence. Russia is not going to give up Crimea or the Black Sea without a fight.
Don't dismiss the Ukrainian/Russian disputes over natural gas, too. Ukraine was obtaining natural gas from Russia at steep discounts. After the Euromaidan insurrection there was little incentive for Russia to continue the steep discounts. Ukraine has replaced Russian natural gas with supplies from Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary. Ukrainian demand for natural gas increases the need for Nord Stream 2. Ukraine imports a lot of natural gas in spite of possessing fairly larger reserves.
I guess as long as Putin starts declaring that this or that section of Ukraine is not actually Ukraine, then he can move Russian-marked tanks onto that land and it’s “not an invasion.”
Remember the annexation of the Sudetenland into Germany. This seems to be very similar.
The annexation of Sudetenland was prelude to Germany invading Russia. German annexation of Poland, Belarus, Czechoslovakia, and Ukraine made the invasion of the Soviet Union possible.
Keep in mind that the Euromaidan insurrection backed by Europe and the United States coupled with the possibility of Ukraine becoming a member of NATO is also a European annexation threatening Russia. Why would Russia ignore the history of European expansion to the east?
The pretext was to reunite German people.
And how long had Czechoslovakia been fighting a civil war before Germany annexed Sudetenland? The war in Donbas has been going on for eight years. The war in Donbas began after Europe backed an insurrection in Ukraine and upset the balance.
How many tons of munitions has the United States dumped into Ukraine? And where will the Ukrainian military use those munitions? The United States military has altered the balance of power in the Donbas region on the pretext of Russian invasion. Explain why that is different than German annexation of Sudetenland?
After Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya why should we have faith in US military leadership and European diplomacy? Why should Americans trust NATO? Where was NATO after Sept. 11? The Royal Canadian Air Force was patrolling the US coastlines while Europe did less than nothing.
Are you sure? Kamala Harris just said that there hasn't been war in Europe in 70 years!
Explain why that is different than German annexation of Sudetenland?
I can't, except for the minor fact that nobody wanted the Sudeten Germans other than Hitler.
After Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya why should we have faith in US military leadership and European diplomacy?
You mean we have Generals who don't win wars anymore?
Why should Americans trust NATO?
I don't know.
Where was NATO after Sept. 11?
Good question.
NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time in its history. Numerous countries sent troops and supplies to Afghanistan in support of the US, including NATO countries.
Our allies lost over 1,000 KIA there. Here is a list.
Number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan
TOTAL : 3,502
Will they do it now, Kavika?
As you can see many of the coutries that sent troops were NATO countries. I answered your question since you didn't seem to have any idea at all.
Do what, Vic, send troops into Ukraine or sent weapons and supplies?
It wasn't my question. You better read it again.
Do what, Vic, send troops into Ukraine or sent weapons and supplies?
Invoke Article 5 ?
If it wasn't your question you sure don't seem to have any idea what the answer was...
No, they won't invoke Article 5.
You should never combine the statements of two people like that.
No, they won't invoke Article 5.
They can't. Ukraine is not a NATO member, nor would if they could, they because they know what it would mean.
Look, the west won the Cold War. Germany was reunified in 1990. The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. The European Union was created in 1993. The European Union has been attempting to annex and occupy the Baltic and Balkan states for almost thirty years. Ukraine is another domino in Europe's eastward expansion. The history of the annexation of Sudetenland isn't that different than how the European Union has been attempting to annex and occupy the Baltic and Balkan states. NATO has expanded into eastern Europe by promising to stop a Russian invasion. Yet NATO doesn't fight; only the United States carries the burden.
How many times has Russia invaded Europe? How many times have European countries invaded Russia? The European allies sent troops into Russia to fight the Bolsheviks in the midst of World War I.
The global influence of European countries have been declining since the turn of the 20th century. The European Union was a last ditch effort for Europe to remain a player as a global superpower. That effort failed. Europe is becoming Africa or South America.
The European Union GDP is around $17 trillion with a population twice that of the United States. The European Union should be a much larger consumer market than the United States. That's not a measure of success.
We're supposed to simply believe the same propaganda that we've heard since the end of World War II? The United States has deployed more troops to eastern Europe than were withdrawn from Afghanistan. The United States is delivering more munitions to Ukraine than we lost in Afghanistan. For what purpose?
The United States was attacked -- not Afghanistan. What did NATO do to protect the United States after the attack?
The Royal Canadian Air Force was armed and on the line patrolling the coasts of the United States. The Canadians didn't invoke anything, the Canadians didn't make some damned political show; the Canadians were there and ready to fight on the day the United States was attacked. Where was NATO?
The attack originated in Afghanistan what the fuck was NATO going to do send troops to the US? Like the US they helped attack the source of the terrorist movement. Most people can understand that but it seems to be above your paygrade.
A 1,000 dead isn't a political statement, you could take yourself to Canada and tell them that, or Australia or Norway or any of the other countries that lost troops there.
BTW, Canada is one of the founding members of NATO so NATO was here day one.
The aircraft didn't fly from Kabul.
The only relevance for Sept. 11, 2001, is to show that NATO is doing today what they did then --- less than nothing. It's the United States bearing the burden in Europe now just as the United States carried the burden on Sept. 11, 2001, and in Afghanistan.
Europe is dead weight dragging down the United States. The American people are going to suffer once again because Europe and NATO does less than nothing.
You should go tell the families of the countries that supported us in Afghanistan and died that their lives were less than nothing. There are over 1,000 that died and thousands more that were wounded yet to you they mean nothing.
Ignorant beyond imagination.
The Tea Party response. Channel Dick Cheney and spout Rumsfeld gibberish.
Democrats great white dope has fucked up. The least that we can do is stand in the line at the airport and thank troops for their service. If people really gave a damn then they wouldn't be expecting our soldiers to die on this hill.
How long before Biden starts blaming Russia for everything else he's screwed up?
Dead allies are a Tea Party response What a disgusting comment, I do not disrespect fallen members of the military, ours, or our allies. Your comment certainly shows what you are, best that you crawl back into the shithole you came out of.
Unless, of course, they are dead Israeli allies. No mention of sanctions there.
Ukraine is on its own. Biden has assured us that no US or NATO troops will be fighting in Ukraine. We're only giving Ukraine guns, bullets, bombs, and missiles. That's not surprising since Ukraine already has more troops fighting the war in Donbas than NATO can put in the field in a month.
Quite a nice little proxy war Biden has created. Lyndon Biden stands behind the Ukrainian Ngo Dinh Diem. But we've learned our lesson: this time we're watching from Poland. How effective will sanctions be if the European and US economies collapse? No worries, Biden can blame Russia.
Biden should visit Ukraine; then we'd have a dumbass in Donbas. Just remember there is what we know, what we know we don't know, and what we don't know we don't know. At least we do know for certain that Russia has weapons of mass destruction. And we do know that NATO will do less than nothing.
Which has nothing to do with the subject, but strawman and deflections seems to be your MO [Deleted.]
The rest of your word salad comment is a couple of steps beyond bizarre, [Deleted.]
So what else is new?????????????????????????????????????????
Sec of State Blinken on Wednesday:
"Enactment of this resolution would further undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, call into further question Russia’s stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis, and necessitate a swift and firm response from the United States in full coordination with our Allies and partners"
So let's see what our swift and firm response is.
Have you written out a list of all the possible responses with corresponding reflexive outrage commentary?
No telling, really, what Biden and his handlers will do.
I just heard that Biden is placing sanctions on the two Republics. Is that a valid response?
That is going to hurt Putin again how?
Putin himself? Not at all. He is countering what happened under Gorbachev, the 8th and final leader of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev sought to reform what had become a rotten system. He wanted to improve the economics of the Soviet Union, allow freedom of speech and enable legitimate voting as in a true democracy. However, the system of reforms involving the Russian economy kept failing. Each reform kept deviating and gradually moving away, but never totally abandoning the Communist system. Eventually people realized that Communism was the problem and various regions voted themselves out of the Soviet Union. The husk that was left also voted to abandon the Communist system. That is what led to the Russia we now know. Today Vladimir Putin referred to those actions as "madness."
Whatever the cost of sanctions it seems that Putin is prepared to shoulder them as long as he can bring back all those regions that he believes belong to Russia. If he needed anymore convincing, Biden's first year in office was the clincher.
Former Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell today:
"History will show that Barack Obama and Joe Biden allowed Russia to rewrite Europe’s borders twice and gave Russia a massive pipeline of cash & influence….all while claiming their enemies were either weak on Russia or working for Russia."
This is the Crimea ploy all over again... the only difference is the vote to succeed took place back in 2014... Official recognition by Russia establishes diplomatic relations which then allows mutual defense treaties to be agreed to... Then comes the invitation to enter the "New" country.... Not a shot fired, then comes the order for Ukrainian's to leave...
What people don't seem to realize Putin's already won...
Now a strong leader would put have a sizeable force of troops into the country by invitation of the nation attacked... Under mutual defense treaties... then Putin would have his "Kruschev moment" where he would have to decide to actually attack or not...
As it stands right now he doesn't have to make that decision, and the weak kneed will allow it to happen... Where is Jack Kennedy or Dwight Eisenhower when you need them...
Chamberlains all....
Nord Stream 2, waiting to be flooded with seawater or destroyed by Seals?
If Putin cuts the natural gas, who wins? The USA.
Arlington.
Putin has many options.
His goals are known. His chief foreign policy goal is the return of the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries to Russia’s sphere of influence. Beyond that He wants to blow up the post-Cold War global order. He told us over and over since his rise to power in the 90's.
We have plenty of natural gas. What about that "green energy policy' of Biden's? Angela Merkel got rid of Germany's nuclear power, which paved the way for German dependence on Russia. That was mistake # 1 for Biden. Strike 2 was doing nothing back in March when Putin put 70,000 men on the Ukraine border.
Eisenhower we could use.
The other guy NO!
That was my point. All those LNG plants that Obama started and have been steadily coming on line need a market;
What about it?
Those reactors were turned off. They are still there as reserves ( and targets )
We have nothing to do with running Germany...
Nice. Let's start WWIII and then you will cheer Biden?
Really? Another VietNam or Afghanistan in the ring of fire?
Tell it to NWM, it was his comment not mine.
Eisenhower is buried in Abilene Kansas...
Oh, Obama? He's already married.
We have nothing to do with running Germany..
Then why do keep so many troops there?
Nice. Let's start WWIII and then you will cheer Biden?
Really? Another VietNam or Afghanistan in the ring of fire?
There is a huge gulf between doing nothing and going to war.
Former acting director ...
I knew that but I wanted to see who would catch it, lol.
for a whopping 96 days
Not to some folks--they see no difference, sadly.
never mind...asking you why you think anything will result in a third ticket.
What?
It was JBB. He was right on it!
Are you saying that you can see no other alternatives except going to war or doing nothing?
Really?
May I answer that? Biden just applied sanctions to those two break away Republics, but not Russia. That may be because Putin said he considers sanctions to be an act of war.
We shall find out because at 2 PM Biden will speak. It will be his move.
Personally, I am flabbergasted that anyone can only see two possible solutions, war or doing nothing at all.
It is hard to believe isn't it? However, as I say, Joe Biden will be making his move in about 30 minutes. All eyes are on the guy who stood up to Corn Pop.
I wonder if Biden will be chastised if he does anything at all besides full-scale war.
Following the dubious logic of only doing nothing or going to war he should be roundly criticized if he does anything else.
He's already ruled out fighting over the Ukraine. On that I agree with him.
Following the dubious logic of only doing nothing or going to war he should be roundly criticized if he does anything else.
Like the great strategist he is, I'm sure he has prepared for this possibility. I can't wait to hear from him.
No.
I suppose there is zero point in asking you how you arrived at that conclusion.
And I suppose it is pointless to try to explain it.
Meh, there was no investment in those shit holes anyway.
You forgot the proposed hotel in Moscow?
How soon they forget.
Breaking news flash Vic, Moscow is nowhere near Donetsk or Lushank.
Please try to keep up with the very words you posted.
Nothing in you post or the EO that I can see is about Moscow.
Maybe you can lend me a secret decoder ring or 4D decoder glasses./s
No, I need them for all the sarcasm & nasty comments.
$100 Biden's crackhead kid will get a pass?
Their president will be making an announcement at 2:PM: EST.
Live from the East Room of the White House.
I'll be covering it right here!
The briefing was originally scheduled for 1 PM, but it got delayed.
Then it was supposed to be 2 PM
Now we don't know?
The press has been told to gather. He may be prepped & ready!
NEW: McConnell calls for "toughest possible sanctions" against Russia
http:// hill.cm/xW7moGk
Thirteen minutes past 2 and Biden is still not prepared to speak