ClashAndBurn Posted May 2, 2023 Posted May 2, 2023 LOL, the community notes. What a shameless liar she is.
ClashAndBurn Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 Oh boy, another “Willow Project” is in the… pipeline… And yet, Biden is supposed to be better for the environment than Trump? Seems to me like he’s worse with all of the drilling he’s been approving.
Vermillion Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 South Florida now is such a joke And the Cubans can't be blamed for its entirety anymore either
Vermillion Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 Latest episode of Lindsay Graham shamelessness
ATRL Moderator khalyan Posted May 3, 2023 ATRL Moderator Posted May 3, 2023 This is such an odd take? 1. Who knows if Russia is actually telling the truth 2. What is Ukraine supposed to do, just sit there and allow Russia to invade?
Bears01 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 9 minutes ago, khalyan said: This is such an odd take? 1. Who knows if Russia is actually telling the truth 2. What is Ukraine supposed to do, just sit there and allow Russia to invade? See, this is my whole thing with the the people demanding Ukraine surrender and the U.S. step in to force a peaceful resolution. Ukraine was attacked. If they wanna defend themselves and retaliate, they should. THEY were attacked, they were minding their own business. They wanted to separate themselves from Russia and be closer to the west. That’s their business.
Vermillion Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 1 hour ago, khalyan said: This is such an odd take? 1. Who knows if Russia is actually telling the truth 2. What is Ukraine supposed to do, just sit there and allow Russia to invade? 1 hour ago, Bears01 said: See, this is my whole thing with the the people demanding Ukraine surrender and the U.S. step in to force a peaceful resolution. Ukraine was attacked. If they wanna defend themselves and retaliate, they should. THEY were attacked, they were minding their own business. They wanted to separate themselves from Russia and be closer to the west. That’s their business. It's not worth even unpacking Krystal's takes on this. A few dead-on progressive talking points elsewhere of hers are cancelled out for me when she defended Tucker's white nationalism on economic grounds, and literal get-rich PAC despite crowing for years against them. Much like the recently unmasked Ana Kasparian (and Briahna Joy Gray who I have a more conflicted view on), Krystal's an ambulance-chasing fraud. There are plenty of worthy conversations to be had on fear of poking any nuclear power, but not by her. Furthermore, worthy counterpoints regard state media literally saying daily they'll be bombing American cities to attempt immobilizing any progress on even discussion of treaties, let alone giving up any territory.
ClashAndBurn Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 3 hours ago, Bears01 said: See, this is my whole thing with the the people demanding Ukraine surrender and the U.S. step in to force a peaceful resolution. Ukraine was attacked. If they wanna defend themselves and retaliate, they should. THEY were attacked, they were minding their own business. They wanted to separate themselves from Russia and be closer to the west. That’s their business. By that logic, Russia not wanting NATO nukes pointed at Moscow on the Russia-Ukraine border (which is exactly what the US would do if Ukraine were admitted to NATO and also something that Zelenskyy would happily accept, let's be real) is also Russia's business. That absolutely doesn't excuse the illegal invasion of another country, but let's not pretend that the American bloc isn't a bellicose, threatening force willing to threaten other countries with nuclear brinksmanship to coerce favorable outcomes to our continued hegemony as well. Democrats especially have had it out for Russia ever since 2016 and have been hoping for a chance to bring Russia to its knees as revenge for "what they did to Hillary Clinton." Ukraine retaliating directly within Russia's borders has been a red line for a reason. It WILL push Russia to escalate to a tactical nuclear response, which will spell the end for humanity and the world as a whole when the West responds in kind. Ukraine doesn't care about that. They face annihilation either way. The only way they have a chance to survive beyond a protracted and indefinite stalemate is if they drag us into becoming an active participant in the war and they know that. That's why they lied about their missile killing 2 people in Poland, blamed it on Russia immediate, and demanded that we invoke Article V. Speaking of the Clintons, Bill Clinton is also explicitly at fault here more than anyone other than Putin. He's the one who stupidly forced Ukraine to give up its nuclear stockpiles and hand them over to Russia.
Bears01 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 25 minutes ago, ClashAndBurn said: By that logic, Russia not wanting NATO nukes pointed at Moscow on the Russia-Ukraine border (which is exactly what the US would do if Ukraine were admitted to NATO and also something that Zelenskyy would happily accept, let's be real) is also Russia's business. That absolutely doesn't excuse the illegal invasion of another country, but let's not pretend that the American bloc isn't a bellicose, threatening force willing to threaten other countries with nuclear brinksmanship to coerce favorable outcomes to our continued hegemony as well. Democrats especially have had it out for Russia ever since 2016 and have been hoping for a chance to bring Russia to its knees as revenge for "what they did to Hillary Clinton." Ukraine retaliating directly within Russia's borders has been a red line for a reason. It WILL push Russia to escalate to a tactical nuclear response, which will spell the end for humanity and the world as a whole when the West responds in kind. Ukraine doesn't care about that. They face annihilation either way. The only way they have a chance to survive beyond a protracted and indefinite stalemate is if they drag us into becoming an active participant in the war and they know that. That's why they lied about their missile killing 2 people in Poland, blamed it on Russia immediate, and demanded that we invoke Article V. Speaking of the Clintons, Bill Clinton is also explicitly at fault here more than anyone other than Putin. He's the one who stupidly forced Ukraine to give up its nuclear stockpiles and hand them over to Russia. Then you can make the argument: why didn’t Russia invade Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and now Finland? All those countries border Russia and either already joined nato decades ago, or literally just joined. It’s fair to say they don’t want it, but Ukraine is its own nation. They don’t owe Russia anything (and I’ll say the same thing regarding Cuba and how the U.S. treats them). And based on historically reasons, it’s fair to say other countries want to be protected, they all lived under the rule of the U.S.S.R. And they didn’t like it
ClashAndBurn Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 5 minutes ago, Bears01 said: Then you can make the argument: why didn’t Russia invade Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and now Finland? All those countries border Russia and either already joined nato decades ago, or literally just joined. It’s fair to say they don’t want it, but Ukraine is its own nation. They don’t owe Russia anything (and I’ll say the same thing regarding Cuba and how the U.S. treats them). And based on historically reasons, it’s fair to say other countries want to be protected, they all lived under the rule of the U.S.S.R. And they didn’t like it Russia couldn't do anything to stop those countries from joining NATO. They met the conditions much more easily. Poland joined before Putin even became president. The Baltics joining in 2004 ended up being his last straw, and that's why he moved to make Georgia ineligible by initiating the ongoing border disputes in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Ukraine did not initially meet NATO requirements due to decades of longstanding government corruption that have only recently been addressed, but the Crimea annexation in 2014 has rendered that discussion entirely a moot point. Russia can't stop Finland either because they've overextended themselves in Ukraine. It would be a very big ask for them to make any moves to stop that from happening. Not to mention, their history isn't as fraught.
Bears01 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 56 minutes ago, ClashAndBurn said: Russia couldn't do anything to stop those countries from joining NATO. They met the conditions much more easily. Poland joined before Putin even became president. The Baltics joining in 2004 ended up being his last straw, and that's why he moved to make Georgia ineligible by initiating the ongoing border disputes in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Ukraine did not initially meet NATO requirements due to decades of longstanding government corruption that have only recently been addressed, but the Crimea annexation in 2014 has rendered that discussion entirely a moot point. Russia can't stop Finland either because they've overextended themselves in Ukraine. It would be a very big ask for them to make any moves to stop that from happening. Not to mention, their history isn't as fraught. Regardless, they are their own nation. Requirements be damned. Granted, I’m not saying NATO is a beacon of peace, democracy, and prosperity, but there’s a reason why nations joined it and it was to keep Stalin and the USSR OUT. Putin invading Ukraine essentially displayed why it was even necessary to continue in the first place. I just don’t think it’s necessary for any nation to tell other nations what to do (and yes, that goes exactly for the United States and our bad foreign policy). It’s the exact argument for why we invaded Iraq (let’s be real, we did it because Saddam was trying to move off the U.S. dollar and tptb didn’t take kindly to that). Leave other countries alone, let them do what they want.
ClashAndBurn Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 28 minutes ago, Bears01 said: Regardless, they are their own nation. Requirements be damned. Granted, I’m not saying NATO is a beacon of peace, democracy, and prosperity, but there’s a reason why nations joined it and it was to keep Stalin and the USSR OUT. Putin invading Ukraine essentially displayed why it was even necessary to continue in the first place. I just don’t think it’s necessary for any nation to tell other nations what to do (and yes, that goes exactly for the United States and our bad foreign policy). It’s the exact argument for why we invaded Iraq (let’s be real, we did it because Saddam was trying to move off the U.S. dollar and tptb didn’t take kindly to that). Leave other countries alone, let them do what they want. The reason NATO exists is to antagonize America's adversaries, like Russia, and box them in. They're not a defensive pact so much as they are an aggressive force. That Article V has been invoked only to drag other countries into Afghanistan for DECADES because Saudi nationals hijacked planes into American buildings should tell you as much. Once Bin Laden was killed not even a decade later, and not even IN Afghanistan, the decision to remain was but a show of force. Any defensive claim to the occupation of that land had long faded away by the time Biden was forced to pack up and leave (unwillingly, because I have no doubt he would have stayed had Trump's one-sided deal where he gave the Taliban everything they asked with nothing in return... not taken place). The invasion of Ukraine was genuinely the dumbest decision Putin could have made. NATO was in the process of losing its legitimacy and becoming braindead, thanks to Trump. One more term of a NATO-skeptical Republican screaming about how no other country in the alliance spends nearly as much on defense could have caused the entire thing to crumble had the invasion not happened. Yet another example of an egomaniac getting in his own way.
Bears01 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 7 minutes ago, ClashAndBurn said: The reason NATO exists is to antagonize America's adversaries, like Russia, and box them in. They're not a defensive pact so much as they are an aggressive force. That Article V has been invoked only to drag other countries into Afghanistan for DECADES because Saudi nationals hijacked planes into American buildings should tell you as much. Once Bin Laden was killed not even a decade later, and not even IN Afghanistan, the decision to remain was but a show of force. Any defensive claim to the occupation of that land had long faded away by the time Biden was forced to pack up and leave (unwillingly, because I have no doubt he would have stayed had Trump's one-sided deal where he gave the Taliban everything they asked with nothing in return... not taken place). The invasion of Ukraine was genuinely the dumbest decision Putin could have made. NATO was in the process of losing its legitimacy and becoming braindead, thanks to Trump. One more term of a NATO-skeptical Republican screaming about how no other country in the alliance spends nearly as much on defense could have caused the entire thing to crumble had the invasion not happened. Yet another example of an egomaniac getting in his own way. We are largely in agreement friend (as always ) I just think Ukraine should be making their own choices, without Russia telling them jackshit, and regardless of how U.S. foreign Policy operates, it should be their choice regardless.
ClashAndBurn Posted May 4, 2023 Posted May 4, 2023 56 minutes ago, Bears01 said: We are largely in agreement friend (as always ) I just think Ukraine should be making their own choices, without Russia telling them jackshit, and regardless of how U.S. foreign Policy operates, it should be their choice regardless. I agree with that premise as well. I just think the US stringing Ukraine along with half-measures isn't a good thing. If you support Ukraine "fully," as Biden says he does, then you escalate the arms deal to include whatever they're asking for and accept whatever consequences that may come of it. Especially if your public stance is that Russia is bluffing and would never escalate to tactical deployment of nukes. What they're doing is letting the Ukrainians believe they can win without them actually having the tools to do so. It's straddling a thin line and... frankly, is quite cowardly for Biden to be doing so, since there's no American loss of life at stake, but the stated goal is to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian.
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