Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Putin beware the Mothers of Russia..

https://twitter.com/i/status/1744124099331526806

Yes, 842 billion to be exact (according to WIKI) of which something less than 5% will be earmarked for Ukraine, and of that amount, 90% will actually be spent in the US. Seems like a no-brainer, but when it comes to the US and its internal dynamics .....and you have to think just how that figure is made up. Is it based on the current replacement values of munitions and vehicles, artillery etc. Or is it "free" meaning equipment that was due for replacement? Best before date passed, and already costing for storage etc? In any case, it's a minuscule amount in the overall scheme of things in the US. But it's being used as blackmail by one side to force the other side to take a certain course of action, and meanwhile, Ukraine is suffering, and Putin is laughing.

I do believe the value of goods is based off what the ticket price was new ,I doubt they use depreciation when adding up the figures of stock that's coming to it's sell by date or date of destruction

Well, that would fit very well into to the US financial " Framework", but it stinks of sharp financial practice too. Holding vast quantities of obsolete or soon to be obsolete weapons / stock's etc. which are costing millions to store securely and are in fact a financial cost at this stage, and will cost even more to dispose of, valuing them at their original cost smacks of sharp practice. (That's if that is what's happening) When they have the Ukraine literally begging for weapons. Two birds with the one stone, in fact ( actually 3 birds, Russia is taking a big hit too)

If they haven't spoken up in two years of high attrition warfare, then I doubt they ever will.

The concept of fighting off the Nazis is still within living memory for some old Russians. It's an absolutely central part of the modern Russian story and supremely emotive. Think of how unpopular it is in Britain for someone to question the wearing of the poppy and extrapolate that to Russia and anyone who would question going to fight Nazis in Ukraine (to hear Putin tell it).

As I dont see any scenario where NATO is actually fighting Russia , its only going to be via proxies so you introduce all kinds of complications, training, shortages as can be seen in artillery etc. You really didnt respond to the thrust of my point which was the US has created problems for itsself by pushing a group of countries together sharing tech and know how. Also in absolute terms the Russian army that comes out of this will be much improved over the sleepy force it was before.

Billy Kelleher was on the radio this morning and said that there are 400,000 Russians in Ukraine fighting

Russia has 4 or 5 times the population of Ukraine, would you not expect the tipping point to go the other way? if there was anything to be picked up from watching this is that attrition is far higher attacking than defending especially if the attacking side is not actually breaking through

The best thing Ukraine could do now apart from calling it a day is to pull back to round out its lines and replicate the Russian strategy of having deep lines , creating a buzz saw for the Russians.

the 10 years would be the important point, I see the shooting part of this war ending next year, so I dont see war weariness in Russia being a make or break factor.

ChatGPT - give me a stereotypical tankie arguement for a Ukraine surrender which rewards Russia's murderous aggression

Do you know how many Russian bodies it would take to steal 20% more territory?

Thankfully I still dont know what a tankie is, except that I get an image of of that commie loon Clare Daly, im not making any moral argument so you dont need to get triggered so. As for the second part I dont and you dont either, it would depend on how stable the Ukraine defense is which is why I labelled it as the less likely option. If I had to put a number on it 70% lines say the same, 25% the lines move west, 5% Ukraine reaches Crimea, Ill await your sarcastic response ;-)

A few things.

1. This proposal to seize 300bn in Russian Assets to reconstruct Ukraine is legally ropey. However, it won't stop the US from spinning the line that 'Ukraine should receive Russian blood money' when everyone knows it will go straight to US defence contractors. The Ukraine war is a serious economic driver for the US.
2. Russia controls around 10tr in Ukrainian assets in the 4 occupied regions and Crimea. Ukraine can't keep sending men into a prolonged battle of attrition any longer. Any talk of ceding territory will mean the end of Ukraine as a viable state. It was already the 2nd poorest of the post-soviet states before the war. Ukraine will cease to exist as a sovereign nation within 50 years if they are forced into negotiations on that basis. Putin will be allowed back into the global financial system and Russia will control the mineral rich portion of Ukraine together with its major ports infrastructure.
3. Zelensky has stated thousands of times that the only way Russia can be defeated is by military means. He has seen the US lead other nations up the garden path to be tossed aside later on and to his credit, is determined not to let it happen to Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is no strong leadership in either Europe or the US right now and it doesn't look like there will be any time soon. However, the West needs to supply weaponry now to secure a decisive Russian defeat or else the consequences will be drastic for Europe in the future.

I'm not optimistic for Ukraine and by extension, I'm not optimistic for the future of Europe either.