Bakhmut about to fall.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

You mean, he didn't?

And how's that working out for him?

All going to plan?

"Yoda"?

images.app.goo.gl...

a reply to: Oldcarpy2

The topic is Ukraine.

I think redefinitions are always a part of the topic. What's a "war" for the goose is a "war" for the gander.

However, my point is this is indeed a war... just undeclared at this time. That'll be fixed soon enough, don't worry.

Russia invaded Ukraine with the aim...

Still channeling Putin, I take it. Could you do me a favor and ask him what his next move is? Might make it easier to thwart him.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Cutepants

So they're gonna buy their own products from themselves?

Nah, Russia has something to pay them with: natural gas and oil. We made sure Russia has no one else to sell it to, remember? I bet they're getting a good price, too.

They'll still sell us our knick-knacks too, I'm sure. Just maybe not weapons components.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Xcalibur254

Our foray into Korea was not an official war but it's called the Korean War. Same goes for Vietnam. Our "special operations" in the Middle East? I'm pretty sure that was called the War on Terror from Day One. Hell, our attempt to combat the drug problem in this country was even a war.

Yeah, we like to call a turd a rock. Those "wars" were never declared by Congress. I don't think we have had an actual, declared war in something like 80 years. Maybe we forgot what a war is?

If memory serves, you left out Vietnam.

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

The Russian market is very limited size.

a reply to: Cutepants

Ever hear of "barter"?

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

It's not a market if you don't use money? What's your point? Ask yourself what they're going to do with all that gas and oil if they stop producing for export.

originally posted by: Cutepants
a reply to: TheRedneck

And China can stop selling but then they'll stop getting paid too.

We need China to sell us things a lot more than they need us to buy them at this point. The big difference there is China is a dictatorship. If we decided to break most of our economic ties, yeah their economy would suffer. Does the government there care? It's not like the people can vote them out of office. It would have much more serious consequences here. Why do you think our government has been so reluctant to get tough on China all these years? We're crazy dependent on them.

Initially with covid when people realized how bad this dependence was, there was a big call to bring manufacturing back here. Like usual that lasted about 2 weeks before the people got distracted with more important things like British royal family tiffs and whether guys can use women's bathrooms.

a reply to: TheRedneck

Ok. And? Yes, we haven't declared an official war since WWII. But that hasn't stopped our government from referring to every military interaction, and then some, we've had since then a war.

Russia has been at war with Ukraine since February of last year even if you and Putin don't want to admit it.

a reply to: face23785

They still haven't played that card though. Why would they even need to attack Taiwan if it was that easy? They could just cut us off and start selling again if we capitulate.

Look I agree we're dependent on them, but they also need that wealth to compete with India and Russia, and to keep their own people content.

a reply to: TheRedneck

Definitions, old son. Not your "redifinitions", which sound a bit Orwellian.

I'm "channeling Putin"?!!!!

Yeah, I'll ask him.

I'm down the local pub with him on Tuesday.

I'll be sure to let you know what he tells me about his plans.

Jeezus, fella?!!!!

originally posted by: anonentity
so it looks like this war is reaching a critical stage.

How is Bakhmut a critical stage in the war?.. The Ukrainians took it from the ruZZians before, they've held it and turned it into a ruZZian meat grinder for months and months to the point wag(k)ner are running out of guys and weapons and the ruZZian DoD are ignoring their requests for prisoners and ammo lol.

As they say why stop an enemy from continuing to make the same mistake over and over... Bakhmut has been ruZZias and more significantly wag(k)ners running mistake for a long time now. But they gotta get that 'win' for their taskmaster lest they find them selves singing 'I believe i can fly' while leaping 'voluntarily' out the 10th story window.

If it falls it still did its job, and they'll take it back again at some point like they did the first time... you putlerites must be desperate for a win if Bakhmut being taken is considered a critical moment. Given the land around Bakhmut is very similar to the battle fields else where the last month where the ruZZians have been utterly curb stomped (remember Bakhmut isnt the only place fighting in Ukraine is currently happening, although ruZZia is very myopic in how it views a fight)... taking Bakhmut aint gonna do #.

'precision missiles'... riiiight.

Meanwhile Turkey has blocked ruZZian shipments of sanctioned goods and potentially the UAE is going to ban parallel imports to ruZZia.

Taking Kyiv in 3 days... remember when that was the goal?

originally posted by: Cutepants
a reply to: face23785

They still haven't played that card though. Why would they even need to attack Taiwan if it was that easy? They could just cut us off and start selling again if we capitulate.

The real question to ask is would we actually defend Taiwan if they attacked, given the economic pain it would cause us. Our people are already tiring of the mild economic pain supporting Ukraine has caused us. The economic disruption if China cut us off because we tried to fight them over Taiwan would be much worse. Our people simply wouldn't stand for it for long.

Not to mention Biden already gave the game away. He says we'll defend Taiwan, but then he turned around and said we can't fight Russia because they're a nuclear power. That's a red line he won't cross.

Guess what. China is a nuclear power. And I'm sure they took note. He won't engage a nuclear power. He's not going to engage them in a kinetic war over Taiwan. I don't care what he says.

Look I agree we're dependent on them, but they also need that wealth to compete with India and Russia, and to keep their own people content.

I'm afraid that's old wisdom. China has made big gains in the relationships with other parts of the world and they've done so with a purpose. Are you gonna replace the sales they make to the US with another country? Of course not. We're the largest economy in the world. But they've been cultivating relationships with dozens of other nations including a lot of other wealthy nations for a good reason. So they're not dependent on our patronage. And as I noted before, their government can weather hard times a lot easier than ours can. We'd fold before they did.

a reply to: TheRedneck

Ever heard of "banter"?

a reply to: face23785

Well the polls disagree with you, most Americans favor defending Taiwan. I can see that changing over time, but it's harder to end wars than start.

And you're saying Biden is reliable when he says he wont but not when he says he will? You're telling me you don't care what he says, but in fact your whole take is based on what Biden said.


Which nations are you referring to?

a reply to: Cutepants

It's not a market if you don't use money? What's your point? Ask yourself what they're going to do with all that gas and oil if they stop producing for export.

If gas and oil are considered "currency," Russia is filthy, filthy rich. China is grabbing all the gas/oil it can. That's what they need and want... not dollars. They get dollars just so they can get gas/oil.

I'm sure Russians like nice cheap stuff and fancy weapons components, too.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Oldcarpy2

I'm "channeling Putin"?!!!!

You seem to know exactly what he's thinking.

It would be nice if just once, someone could drop the arrogance just enough to say "I'm not really sure what Putin has up his sleeve" instead of claiming to know his innermost thoughts. That kinda bugs me.

TheRedneck

man i love all the keyboard warrior generals who larp every on ats

Sounds like a WWII History Channel guy wrote this article...

The bloody battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut wages on, but Russian mercenary group Wagner may be taking a “tactical pause,” according to the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank.

More at: www.cnbc.com...

a reply to: Xcalibur254

They have been at war since the Obama era.....