Officials: US agrees to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine

originally posted by: yommm
Russia is a super power. Russia don't need Belarus backing. Crimea was illegally taken from Russia and given to Ukraine by Khruschev. Russia had the right to take it back.

No, Russia is not a superpower. They have no significant allies, low "soft power"and a GDP about the size of South Korea. The only thing that scares the grown ups is the number of nukes the Russians keep in their cupboard.

Russia had no right to take Crimea. On the basis of your logic the Germans should march into Kaliningrad (aka Konigsberg) as the place once belonged to them.

originally posted by: Xcathdra

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
a reply to: paraphi

I seriously don't get how people can continue to claim the annexation of Crimea was legitimate when not even Russia's supposed ally China is willing to back the move.

Neither did Belarus.

Of course Russian apologists invoke the russiaophobe lie to undermine the truth and reality of it.

It may not be legal. But Russia is there and has boots on the ground.

Aside from starting WW3 and killing everyone there is no way to dislodge Russia now.

Providing weapons ro Ukraine will only prevent further expansion it wont kick Russia out.

a reply to: yommm

No, Russia is not a superpower. Their economy is in shambles and their projection is negligible.

Also, your analogy makes no sense. Crimea wasn't given to Ukraine by some third party. Khrushchev was the Premier of the USSR, aka the leader. A more apt (but still not 100% comparison) would be the Louisiana Territory in the US. I don't think anyone claims that territory still legally belongs to France after Napoleon gave it to us.

So why would Crimea still belong to Russia when the leader of Russia gave it to Ukraine?

a reply to: paraphi

Russia is a superpower. It is the biggest country on Planet Earth by a mile. It has a space program that actually works. It has a military .. (number two) that doesn't need a dozen CSGs as it doesn't wage perpetual offensive wars against overseas towel head nations. It's missile technology is number one while it has when needed economic resources that no other nation can dream of matching due to its vastness.

originally posted by: paraphi


Russia had no right to take Crimea. On the basis of your logic the Germans should march into Kaliningrad (aka Konigsberg) as the place once belonged to them.

Kalingrad is Russian now th Germans lost it as it was taken from them. Jerusalem is Israel now as it was taken from the Arabs. Crimes is Russian now as it was taken from Ukraine. Cincinatti is American now as it was taken from the Indians. Are you seeing a well trodden path here?

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

Russia has no real power projection on a global scale. It's economy is nowhere near large enough to have a global impact. It doesn't really have any cultural impact on a worldwide scale. And while the size of their military is impressive it doesn't really have the means to wage war outside of its immediate vicinity.

All experts agree, since the fall of the Soviet Union the US is the only nation that can lay claim to the title of superpower. But there are some that say come 2030 the US will simply be first among equals and the age of the superpower will be over.

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
a reply to: yommm

No, Russia is not a superpower. Their economy is in shambles and their projection is negligible.

Russia doesn't need to project itself onto other nations as it already has enormous territories being the number one country on planet earth by a man mile. In addition to which Russia don't wage perpetual wars again towel head states. It defends it's own borders from a century of western sponsored holocaust against it. Considering the svonomic war being waged against it right now as ever, one can say Moscow is doings a great job in conditions imposed on it from an outside world heat is trying to snare it into destruction. Hats of to Put in for staying strong and continuing the fight against a war of evil outsiders

originally posted by: ufoorbhunter
Russia doesn't need to project itself onto other nations as it already has enormous territories being the number one country on planet earth by a man mile.

Making their invasions of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova all the more pathetic.

Russia is not a superpower. Their one and only aircraft carrier is broken and has to sail with a tow vessel in case it breaks down... again.

Crimea belongs to Ukraine just as the russian occupied territories in Georgia and Moldova belong to those countries.

The Soviet Union collapsed because of the mindset of people like Putin.

If Russia doesnt withdraw they should be completely sanctioned. Just as they were during the days of the USSR.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

The definition of a superpower is a country with the capability of global projection. Russia simply doesn't have that.

As you pointed out in your post, Russia's economy is struggling. That has had a pretty much no impact on any country not named Russia. In comparison, when the US economy took a downturn in 2008 the whole world took an economic downturn as well.

From a military standpoint, the US can wage war anywhere on the planet. Russia doesn't have the means to wage war on anyone that isn't their neighbor.

US culture has spread across the globe from Hollywood, to music, to books, etc. Russian culture has had nowhere near that level of impact.

China and India are closer to being superpowers than Russia. But they still lack the military projection.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Russia doesn't need aircraft carriers as it doesn't wage offensive wars against dark people overseas. It just defends it's own territory against asset strippers

originally posted by: ufoorbhunter
a reply to: Xcathdra

Russia doesn't need aircraft carriers as it doesn't wage offensive wars against dark people overseas. It just defends it's own territory against asset strippers

Except against Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova where Russia did wage an offensive war.

As for the color of peoples skin go ahead and point out pictures that show black Russian politicians or military personnel.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

Russia defends it's borders while USA invades and destroys towel head nations thus needing CSGS. Why not you understand?

Russia defends it's borders while USA invades and destroys towel head nations thus needing CSGS. Why not you understand?

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

You are correct. Regardless of the legality Crimea is now Russian due to them taking it. The difference from those other examples you used is that Russia had no kind of casus beli. It was simply an unprovoked aggressive action.

And annexation of territory without a casus beli is much more costly. Obviously the economic hit from the resultant sanctions is a big one. But not only that Russia took a hit to their political power. For example, I'm sure Russia's most important ally, China, was none to happy with the action.

Then there's the fact that for the foreseeable future Ukraine will have a legitimate claim over Crimea. So should the opportunity arise Ukraine can and will retake it with none of the political backlash has experienced.

And then there's the final issue. This action pretty much caused a coalition to form against Russia. If they take any more aggressive actions in the near future I have doubt that coalition will be ready to go to war and they would also Russia down.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Those incursions were pre emotive and you know it.

Russia an ancient society and the most ethnically diverse country ON planet Earth. Even it's banker is ethnic German. You need to educate yourself on FSU please Xcathdra find out the Russians defend not offend

a reply to: Xcalibur254

Yes Crimes is now Russian as it vurtually always was. Putin playing a great game here against asset strippers. Sure there is a coalition against Russia but there always is a coalition eager to destroy it. Moscow knows as number one country on earth smaller countries will always want it's resources but they are so good at defence. A hundred years of continuous attempts to asset strip Moscow still stands firm. Hats off to them when so many have been destroyed and neo colonised by the west

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

Why do you not understand that the term superpower refers to nations that have a global influence in pretty much every aspect? Even if we count Russia's capability to produce aircraft carriers, ignoring the fact that they lack the resources or facilities to so in any kind of significant number, as global military projection they still fail in pretty much every other criteria.

They have no economic projection outside their region and they don't really have the capability to change that any time soon.

The same goes for their cultural projection. It's pretty much non-existent at this point and they would have to compete with not only the US but countries whose cultural influence is on the rise globally, like China, India, and Japan.

It's pretty clear cut for anyone not blinded by Russophilia. Russia simply is not a superpower and is a long way off from having the capability to reclaim that title. They're way down the list when it comes to global power rankings and they don't really seem to be doing anything to change that.

originally posted by: ufoorbhunter
a reply to: Xcathdra

Those incursions were pre emotive and you know it.

Russia an ancient society and the most ethnically diverse country ON planet Earth. Even it's banker is ethnic German. You need to educate yourself on FSU please Xcathdra

find out the Russians defend not offend

No they were an act of war and a violation of those nations sovereignty. Unless you are saying Moldova, Georgia and Russia were going to somehow invade Russia, in which case you are conceding the russian military is crap.

But you arent that stupid, which is why your weak attempt to somehow justify russians invasions of its sovereign neighbors is failing so bad.


and no, the Russians don't defend. They invade and occupy.

If you understood history you would know this instead of parroting russian propaganda.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

For the same reasons Putin cant comprehend the USSR is dead and gone and that its not the 1980's any more.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

If Putin keeps up with his game he will lose. If he provokes a war with the West because of his aggressive expansion I can almost guarantee that China will not come to his rescue. Why would they waste their own men and resources on a war caused by Putin's foolish actions? Not to mention that China's economy is tied too much to the West.

Let's also not forget that in the modern world Russia's greatest defense, it's winter, doesn't really have the same impact it had in the past. It would really come down to the question of whether Putin is crazy enough to use the nuke card. In which case he still loses. He just takes the rest of the world down with him.