Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Her damage lives on.

But Putin knows that already, that was never on the cards. Why put a huge military force at the border to achieve so little, back himself into a corner , whatever he does he is going to be seen as the bad guy. All the US and Nato have to do is sit back and let Putin make the moves. If Putin messes up well then the US and Nato are going to be the good guys again. He has basically revitalised Nato given it a new purpose and brought Eastern Europe back in from the cold and closer to mother Europe again and further than ever from Mother Russia

This is Putins "George Bush" moment before the Iraq invasion, hopefully he sees sense soon

That's it , when you think about it he has the ability to turn off the heating ,and the lights ,if the lights go out we lose the internet and communications we all rely on both our phones and internet devices ,no communication and or internet and markets and economies crash , banking Will be effected ,add that to angry people and you get mass civil unrest .

But not in Russia

Seems a certain picture didn't go down well at all.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has criticised a recent meeting between the new chief of staff of the Defence Forces and the Russian ambassador to Ireland.

Mr Coveney, who is also Minister for Defence, told the Fine Gael parliamentary party on Wednesday that he was “surprised to put it mildly” at Lieutenant General Seán Clancy’s meeting with Yury Filatov last Friday.

Mr Coveney said he had spoken to the recently appointed chief of staff and that he viewed what happened as ill-judged, according to sources at the Fine Gael meeting who said it was clear from his comments that Mr Coveney had reprimanded the State’s top military official.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/simon-coveney-criticises-meeting-between-new-defence-forces-chief-of-staff-and-russian-ambassador-41282029.html

Good read about Germany's abject reliance on Russian gas, coal etc.

No it doesn't have 750 bases in 80 countries .....

Less invasion more education

I suppose if you were going to dispute something in that post it was this point the rest is simply beyond argument. Now on the bases....there's any number of sources but here's one..knock yourself out!

'Despite recently closing hundreds of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States still maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories abroad—from giant “Little Americas” to small radar facilities. Britain, France and Russia, by contrast, have about 30 foreign bases combined'

I suppose that's easy to say if you don't live in a country that the US hasn't destroyed or directly or indirectly slaughtered innocent people.

You seem to have no issue with Saudi Arabia I see, your mighty US are not doing much to stop them killing innocent people in Yemen...oh hold on they are, they're financing it! But then again you couldn't care less about them, they're irrelevant because it's not Russia doing it!

Irish Ukrainians, not Russians!

😁

China statement

Renewables are the future but closing down existing plants across Europe and here before enough capacity had been built was deeply and profoundly stupid.

China who themselves are preparing to attack Taiwan....

Oh the irony

I don't think any other European leader (or Biden?) has made public comments quite like that (if article linked is correct). He is not a journalist or commentator making such statements. I don't think it is very helpful really.

Germany has not sent weapons to Ukraine but that is not surprising to me at all really. Germany doesn't want to impose sanctions that could leave them (and others around Europe) with an energy crunch/shades of the 70s and alot of hardship, perhaps economic crises post covid etc. unless they have to, that is not very surprising either for all the bleating about it.

I did not hear of any (let alone 3) EU leaders making it clear there will be "no (long term) reaction" to an invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

If worst really happens, you might see US/UK govts. not quite so eager to just cut Russia off completely in every way possible e.g. likes of banking.

But sure the various economic interconnections and dependencies of Western countries on likes of Putin which have grown up as a result of either greed, or a naive faith that free markets and trade relations would eventually bring forth democracy and freedom etc. everywhere + an end to war are now suddenly all (Bad) Germany's fault.

I just get a bit cheesed off with that narrative (resulting in my posts + responses to you, though you're not the only one), but think that's the last I'll say on it.