Russia - threadbanned users in OP

What if, perish the thought, Russia nukes Kyiv to end the war to avoid any more losses and claims they were just doing what the US did to Japan? Does the West step in then or what?

If civilians take up arms they are considered combatants, according to the Geneva Convention. They're soldiers without a uniform and a fair target.

So handing out arms to civilians is a double-edged sword. Not that I would ever question the wisdom of Vlydymyr Zelenskyyyy!!

Big warning on this one (this is the aftermath of the Russian attack on a civilian car).

I think you are being a bit obtuse. Populations tend to be roughly 50:50 in terms of male/female. If you see a wave of refugees that are 90% male, then you have to wonder why are all the females left behind. Most societies do prioritise women and children.

If you get 1m "refugees" and 900k of them are men, then people will obviously question whether those 900k men are actually refugees fleeing a place of war. Nobody begrudges people fleeing an actual war. But they are entitled to be skeptical whether those individuals who claim to be fleeing a war are actually fleeing it. It would not be impossible for someone to hop into a boat and land in Europe and claim to be coming from somewhere they were never within 500 miles of.

The Syrians were fleeing a war. And I think Euope rightly took at least 1m of them. If you have a huge number of people with no documents landing and claiming to be fleeing persecution from some remote part of Africa that has been on the news as being taken over by militants, it is not unfair to treat the lack of evidence or documentation as being perhaps a little convenient.

Big Russian Kyiv assault finally seems to be almost ready - https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-news-putin-zelenskyy-latest-live-updates-12541713?postid=3498774#liveblog-body

Not really, the yanks have shipped out hundreds of light anti armour weapons to the Uks, this is one result, anything approaching Russian armour aggressively will be taken out.

Can you please cite any evidence whereby the refugees from Syria are overwhelmingly male?

I'm honestly not sure what part of my posts you are disputing here.

As far as I can see there are only 5 possible outcomes to this.

1) Ukraine defeat Russia - possibility almost zero.

2) Russia Defeat Ukraine, install puppet Government and put up with years/decades of internal strife, terrorism and sanctions.

3) Conflict expands into neighboring Nato member countries - escalation leading to possible nuclear war

4) Putin get taken out by an internal coup and replaced, Russia pull out - ideal but not guaranteed

5) Negotiated settlement with Russia - Putin gets assurances regarding Nato's future expansions, Ukraine sign up to certain stipulations and Putin pulls out.

Of the above options, other than 4, option 5 is by far the most attractive and one hopes there are back-channel discussions on-going at present. What isn't helpful in the hysterical media (traditional and social) coverage which have portrayed Putin as a mentally unstable psychopathic cross between Hitler and Stalin. It's quite likely that the West will need to do a deal with this guy, a deal than involves giving him certain assurances and ramping back the sanctions. Even Option 4 will likely require the same deal but with a different leader.

What Putin has done is despicable but it's not necessarily illogical. Time people wised up to the realpolitik of what's going on.

@[Deleted User]

Iv read a few of your posts. And with all that is going on, its difficult to keep up with posts. I want to say that i have sympathy for your position. We all feel impotent at this point. Because we are impotent, at least, militarily.

how many in the west are willing to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian: It can seem this way, i admit that. And there are very sad, frankly disturbing precedents.

The above all refers to Hard Power - and i admit, there is a HUGE IMBALANCE in this that favors the Russians.

SOFT POWER - on the other hand (Economics, Public Relations, Public perceptions, Diplomacy) - There is an imbalance on this too, but it is ENTIRELY the reverse of the Military situation. Now you may ask, what does it matter? I would answer, believe me; It matters. If it DID NOT MATTER, the Russians would not be

• Requesting 'Normalization' of Economic Relations
• Accusing the west of declaring 'Economic war' on Russia (im willing to state, that in effect, the west has done so)
• Bemoaning the realities of the above statement, and threatening that It could lead to Military war
• Accusing WW2 era former Axis powers of 'Siding with the NAZIs'
• Standing up and retaliating in the UN, and via their (and their allies) embassies throughout the world
• Desperately trying to restrict access to News, and Western Media in Russia

All of the above matters. And so, frankly, does everything that Western Populations say and do. And our multinational companies are now Voluntarily leaving Russia. They are no longer WAITING for sanctions. And this is BECAUSE of the General Populations REVULSION for what Russia is doing.

All of this matters. We can't fight Russia militarily (i cannot see this ever happening) - but we can continue to make our voices loud and united, against Russia, and her Allies

Im not going to call you a 'Chamberlain' or a 'Defeatist' - nonsense to do so. And i am happy to debate (a fellow trekkie if im not mistaken) at any time

Slava Ukraini

I never said the refugees from Syria were overwhelmingly male. In fact I explicitly pointed them out as legitimate refugees.

Ok, so I'm not sure what point you are disputing or where you think I am being obtuse.

And the same cranks taking up the contrarian/conspiracy theorist position every time because they are special.

Doh! Welcome to day one!