Russia - threadbanned users in OP

They don't really want that. That stuff about the border security is a load of bollox.

It is pure obstructionism IMO (and a small contingent of quite noisy and determined Putin/Russia friendly Republican politicians).

Must be worrying for the countries allied to the US, with more formal security guarantees etc. (e.g. NATO members, likes of S. Korea and Taiwan) watching this play out in their politics.

I don't think spunking billions on buying the USs military toys is going to save them from the growing flakiness/irrationality of the US political system, and words on paper only mean stuff if the signatories have integrity and will honour them.

Could be cowardice (?). Perhaps they would get rounded on by others in the party as a traitor/"RINO" for backing anything that comes from the Democrats and Biden? So you get a lockstep.

Anyway the Trump/MAGA type Republicans and their core vote don't care much about democracy in the US any more (winning any way you can and holding political power is the higher principle).

So the old belief of defending it overseas (e.g. by doing the obvious/normal thing looking at all of post WW2 US policy and helping Ukraine) is going to be even more malleable + their instincts are to isolationism anyway.

Probably his Ukrainian military identification and passport or similar,

There's been claims previously that the majority of the Ukrainian marine's can't actually swim ,but they are expected to fight on water and from boats it's not a great situation for any of them involved,but I've noticed a lot of the foreign volunteers were drafted into the Ukrainian marine's , likely to help shore them up and give them much needed experienced soldiers

They seem to be asking the latest of everything not the stuff due to be scrapped, as far as I'm aware they have no where to land heavy lift aircraft outside of their main airports so I can't see them being used to cross the Dnipro unless they are planning to drop cargo from altitude and even at that they are an easy target to hit with long Range air2 air missles, or drone even

Posters who stated obviously wanted the counter offensive had to have failed on here weeks ago where were called putinbots etc...

What about the right wing twats who also voted to block it. Why did you not mention them ?

Oh look it's a live one

Well I was wrong about the counter offensive.

I thought Russian defensive lines would collapse. Clearly they haven't. Surovikin defenses were no doubt a big part in this, but trying to conduct an offensive without at least parity in the air was a near impossible task on reflection. This conflict,as has been stated many times, can't be allowed to end in a stalemate. It will only embolden other actors watching on that if you can wait it out then the west's resolve will crumble- which is what Putin was banking on all along.

God I remember you used to give some dogs abuse to the posters that were far more pessimistic about Ukraine making a lot progress than you back in late 2022 (days of Spring or Summer in Crimea?).

I almost think my memory is failing me, such is your reversal this year.

You used to post to lay into countries that appeared to be questioning Ukraine's strategy (the old, defunct, arguments on give Ukraine all means necessary to push Russia back vs Ukraine cedeing some territory for a "peace" deal), or questioning any of Ukraine's equipment asks, or seen as not delivering their military requirements rapidly enough!

Now it is unrelenting pessimism and quite regular criticism of Ukraine over various issues!

Do you still think US/NATO should intervene directly [at least I think you used to believe that?] (not just give Ukraine plenty of weapons and support)?

To be fair there probably is not many countries who think they could outlast the west's resolve. China/Russia. I can't think of any other.