Russia - threadbanned users in OP

The US are led by a war mongering arms industry more powerful than any government on the planet. I find it mad when people are up in arms about Russia, and supportive of the states. Both destabalise the world for their own gain and we shouldn't take either side, they're both horrible.

I don't particularly take a side between america and Russia -

But I definitely take a side when Russia invaded Ukraine again - remember Ukraine were neutral when Russia invaded the first time ( well the first time this century ... )

It's understandable that the public is not going to be generally worried about a potential event somewhere in between soft-touch espionage and hard ordinance. Not because nothing can happen but because life would be un-livable to think too much that way.

The big one I can think of as far as "Intermediate" threats go is cyber-attack. At least some of this threat can be mitigated by continuing to educate the public to "think about that link" and enforcing good safety practices in government departments. There haven't been any massive cyber attacks in the West, that I know of, since this invasion began. I would say it's something the USA is keeping a real close eye on and is disseminating advice to allies and partners on how to protect themselves.

Russia is going to get a hand up from the 3rd world.

Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany, we all know ow that couple, both volatile both extremely alike, an intense love that fell apart due to their shared pathologies.

Sanctions have very rarely changed any country from its path.

At the most it will stop Russia from its next imperial adventure.

It's not going to stop this one.

Yes, that would be one. I suppose information warfare & messing with elections and referendums here is another. Or disrupting or damaging the operations of those US MNCs we are so proud of in some way (dunno how exactly though - pilfering their IP for example?).

That is all staying on the low end of that aggression scale.

I don't want the Irish public to be worried and biting their nails over it (going to an opposite extreme)!

Just, I expect that if (or I suppose it will probably be when, with the way the world is going) the govt. starts to try and spend some more money on this stuff there will be a public outcry, stemming from or driven by the mindset I criticised. That belief we're either untouchable here or noone would wish us ill or bother with us, and security/defence etc. is really for others to consider somewhere out there in the big bad world perhaps.

It is a waste, who would harm us in Ireland anyway, what about the health service and housing etc. Anyway - sorry I'll pack up the soapbox and stop taking it off topic!

I wasn't commenting on military capability, I was just saying that both are a cancer. I couldn't care less who has better tactics, they'd both be better off ceasing to exist.

Why should a good deed in the past have me ignore the obvious attrocities in the present? The Russians arguably brought facism to an end anyway, and I don't think that gives them a free pass on the world stage. I'm glad for the western comforts I'm acustomed to but that doesn't mean I have to agree with US that exists today. They're not a democracy, it is clear that the strings are being pulled by lobbyists and the real power that is money. The whole thing is corrupt, there's no good side. Greed and corruption all round.

The US has mostly stopped meddling in overseas wars, given up of the idea of forcing regime change and even took a large amount of flak for withdrawing from Afghanistan last year (something that seems to have escaped the attention of the certified loons of the extreme left).

The US are funding a war in Yemen and have a military influence in every corner of the world. Them not being formally and directly involved in conflict doesn't take away the influence they're having in some of the most war torn regions at the moment. They haven't stopped meddling at all, Biden only signed off on 500m in arms support to Saudi Arabia, Trump provided them before him. This has nothing to do left v right politics, I've no interest in that simplistic shite.

No question in my mind this is one of the key areas where a significantly beefed up defense and security forces spending should be going. I would hope the past 6 odd months will prove to be a wake up call in that regard.