I would like to know what evidence or convincing indication there is that Prigozhin is a free man, or even still alive. And where is Sergei Shoigu? It seems as though the Kremlin is being taken at their word, with little good cause.
It would be an incredibly risky strategy to do away with Prigozhin while he still commands the loyalty of a well armed and battle hardened group of mercenaries, especially as Wagner seems to be quite popular amongst the general population. It’s quite different scenario to those usually bumped off by Putin, who tend to have fled abroad or been relentlessly attacked by state media for years beforehand
It would be an incredibly risky strategy to do away with Prigozhin while he still commands the loyalty of a well armed and battle hardened group of mercenaries, especially as Wagner seems to be quite popular amongst the general population. It’s quite different scenario to those usually bumped off by Putin, who tend to have fled abroad or been relentlessly attacked by state media for years beforehand
AJ Mac
9 months ago
I would like to know what evidence or convincing indication there is that Prigozhin is a free man, or even still alive. And where is Sergei Shoigu? It seems as though the Kremlin is being taken at their word, with little good cause.
Why do you believe that to be the case? And let’s have something more substantial in your reasoning this time, rather than simply repeating “Russia is winning” over and over again like you normally do
Wanting Putin to be removed from power is fine, but it leads people into believing all kinds of hopeium, last year many believed he had cancer and was on the way out. Putin is actually popular with the public, they really do support him. if he was by some chance to be replaced, the next Russian president would from a Western/Ukrainie POV be even worse than Putin
Winning? If anyone predicted on Feb 24, 2022, when Putin launched the attack, that in 500 days the Russians would be bogged down with marginal territorial gains in the south, Zelensky would remain firmly in command in Kiev, that Finland and Sweden would join NATO, and that in the last month Putin would face an armed insurrection by a renegade Russian army that took control of Rostov, you would have declared them delusional. The Russians might be your team, and you can cheerlead for them, but if you check the score, they aren’t winning.
Well, I’m just quoting president Biden who said “This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it” That is why he is sending them the banned cluster bomb munitions.
Here is the deal Steve, I like truth, I don’t like lies or liars. I’d love to hear an ugly truth more than a beautiful lie. How about you?
They had been telling us that the Russians were running out, and Ukraine is doing great, and now we hear the opposite, straight from Biden’s lips. So, what that means is they have been lying… It’s a narrative collapse… I don’t like the fact that these people lie to us…
But I do like truth, and when I find out someone has been lying, I tend to point it out. What’s so hard to understand with that, and why wouldn’t you also appriciate that? It helps us all out when the truth they have been hiding is revealed, does it not? Even if it’s ugly, I want truth!
I had never really heard of the guy, but I listened to the interview and he said a lot of true things. Remember..I love truth! Give me truth! A lot of people just want to be told or shown what they want too see. I want to know, hold to, and promote truth. Hate me for it, call me bad names, whatever. I will take the truth over all that any day.
Fine. Sift through his ugliness to find the truth about him, as presented for Tucker’s audience. I can see the value and virtue in that approach and to some extent I share it, though I find Tate mostly contemptible.
I’m not going to take the bait on calling you names, nor am I inclined to do that. I do believe that facts or perceived truths which wallow in the ugly and cruel are not truth of a needful and admirable kind, or rarely so at least. One doesn’t see the entire scope of reality–not you, me, our neighbors, nor the Great Sages of History–so any so-called truth that traffics heavily in sadism, selective self-interest, or schadenfreude doesn’t earn the name truth, in my view.
Again, I dispute the notion that truth is synonymous with (quite inescapably some portion or one version of) the facts in many, perhaps most cases. And sometimes they are one and the same. Honesty is different; that’s saying what you think or perceive without (necessarily) equating it with truth itself. Brutal honesty–though not always called for–strikes me as more often “a thing” than brutal or “ugly truth”.
Fine. Sift through his ugliness to find the truth about him, as presented for Tucker’s audience. I can see the value and virtue in that approach and to some extent I share it, though I find Tate mostly contemptible.
I’m not going to take the bait on calling you names, nor am I inclined to do that. I do believe that facts or perceived truths which wallow in the ugly and cruel are not truth of a needful and admirable kind, or rarely so at least. One doesn’t see the entire scope of reality–not you, me, our neighbors, nor the Great Sages of History–so any so-called truth that traffics heavily in sadism, selective self-interest, or schadenfreude doesn’t earn the name truth, in my view.
Again, I dispute the notion that truth is synonymous with (quite inescapably some portion or one version of) the facts in many, perhaps most cases. And sometimes they are one and the same. Honesty is different; that’s saying what you think or perceive without (necessarily) equating it with truth itself. Brutal honesty–though not always called for–strikes me as more often “a thing” than brutal or “ugly truth”.
I had never really heard of the guy, but I listened to the interview and he said a lot of true things. Remember..I love truth! Give me truth! A lot of people just want to be told or shown what they want too see. I want to know, hold to, and promote truth. Hate me for it, call me bad names, whatever. I will take the truth over all that any day.
Truth. First casualty of war?
Of course it suits Biden to ring the alarm bells now to justify sending Ukraine what most of the civilised world considers illegal weapons.
The ‘truth’ is we don’t know where Wally is. Everything else is speculation.
Truth. First casualty of war?
Of course it suits Biden to ring the alarm bells now to justify sending Ukraine what most of the civilised world considers illegal weapons.
The ‘truth’ is we don’t know where Wally is. Everything else is speculation.
Well, I’m just quoting president Biden who said “This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it” That is why he is sending them the banned cluster bomb munitions.
Here is the deal Steve, I like truth, I don’t like lies or liars. I’d love to hear an ugly truth more than a beautiful lie. How about you?
They had been telling us that the Russians were running out, and Ukraine is doing great, and now we hear the opposite, straight from Biden’s lips. So, what that means is they have been lying… It’s a narrative collapse… I don’t like the fact that these people lie to us…
But I do like truth, and when I find out someone has been lying, I tend to point it out. What’s so hard to understand with that, and why wouldn’t you also appriciate that? It helps us all out when the truth they have been hiding is revealed, does it not? Even if it’s ugly, I want truth!
“when Putin launched the attack”
The Russians were outnumbered 3:1 (whereas you ideally need the reverse when attacking), declined to launch an all out attack on Ukrainian transport and power infrastructure (that could have disrupted Ukrainian military movements), against an Ukrainian army that was in well prepared defensive positions (often in towns that were naturally formidable positions), sanctioned and facing being cutoff from vital electronic weapon components against an enemy being restocked constantly by the West.
The Russians today control a quarter of Ukraine. The part that, other than being Russian majority and who had voted for the leader forced to flee for his life in 2014, also happens to be the most well developed and industrialised part of Russia.
And Ukraine have spent the last month proving just how difficult it is to attack prepared defensive positions.
What part of Special Military Operation do you not understand? Putin didn’t think he’d need to do any more than march on Kiev and take over without any bloodshed, just like he did in Crimea. Why would he need to inflict any more damage or risk greater numbers of troops?
What part of Special Military Operation do you not understand? Putin didn’t think he’d need to do any more than march on Kiev and take over without any bloodshed, just like he did in Crimea. Why would he need to inflict any more damage or risk greater numbers of troops?
“when Putin launched the attack”
The Russians were outnumbered 3:1 (whereas you ideally need the reverse when attacking), declined to launch an all out attack on Ukrainian transport and power infrastructure (that could have disrupted Ukrainian military movements), against an Ukrainian army that was in well prepared defensive positions (often in towns that were naturally formidable positions), sanctioned and facing being cutoff from vital electronic weapon components against an enemy being restocked constantly by the West.
The Russians today control a quarter of Ukraine. The part that, other than being Russian majority and who had voted for the leader forced to flee for his life in 2014, also happens to be the most well developed and industrialised part of Russia.
And Ukraine have spent the last month proving just how difficult it is to attack prepared defensive positions.
Winning? If anyone predicted on Feb 24, 2022, when Putin launched the attack, that in 500 days the Russians would be bogged down with marginal territorial gains in the south, Zelensky would remain firmly in command in Kiev, that Finland and Sweden would join NATO, and that in the last month Putin would face an armed insurrection by a renegade Russian army that took control of Rostov, you would have declared them delusional. The Russians might be your team, and you can cheerlead for them, but if you check the score, they aren’t winning.
Wanting Putin to be removed from power is fine, but it leads people into believing all kinds of hopeium, last year many believed he had cancer and was on the way out. Putin is actually popular with the public, they really do support him. if he was by some chance to be replaced, the next Russian president would from a Western/Ukrainie POV be even worse than Putin
Why do you believe that to be the case? And let’s have something more substantial in your reasoning this time, rather than simply repeating “Russia is winning” over and over again like you normally do
To all you root’n’-toot’n armchair cowboys waving your hats for Ukraine and believing that Putin is among the walking dead: Yesterday the Daily Mail reported: “Retired General Robert Abrams, who served as the commander of US Forces-Korea, said that Prigozhin is most likely dead and will likely never be seen again publicly. He told ABC News: ‘I think he’ll either be put in hiding or sent to prison or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we’ll ever see him again.’”
As the pages of the calendar flip by, Ukraine’s counteroffensive looks increasingly like a bust. No significant weak spots have been reported in the Russian defense line to exploit. Zelensky has become more obviously desperate. This week he all but demanded immediate membership in NATO – so foolish a proposition for the world that even U.S. President Biden comprehends it would mean the requirement of sending Western troops to Ukraine’s aid and the real risk of starting WW3. This is not going to happen. The West may be willing to help Ukraine fight to its last soldier, but not to our first.
Ukraine isn’t worth that. Democracy? Schmemocracy. Notwithstanding the superb patriotic acting job of former comedian Zelensky, Ukraine is as corrupt as they come.
And what is left in the area that Zelensky calls a country? A decimated, energy-bereft industrial base and soon agricultural land peppered with unexploded cluster bombs. As recently as 1990 Ukraine’s population was 53 million. One of the world’s lowest birthrates and the loss or Crimea took that down to 45 million at the start of the current conflict. 10 million Ukrainians then had the good sense to leave. Most of these were the land’s best and brightest women – and their children. The additional 40,000 square miles that Russia now sits resolutely upon contains or contained at least 2 million more. UN estimates last year put the population of the remaining rump of Ukraine at just above 30 million. The longer the war goes on the less likely those 10 million ex-pat women and children will return. More likely, they will draw their men to them and away from Ukraine.
The sooner peace is negotiated, the better for all in this conflict.
“the area that Zelensky calls a country”
Well, your pro-Putin bias is clear, as is the motivation for your call for “peace”.
Ira Perman
9 months ago
To all you root’n’-toot’n armchair cowboys waving your hats for Ukraine and believing that Putin is among the walking dead: Yesterday the Daily Mail reported: “Retired General Robert Abrams, who served as the commander of US Forces-Korea, said that Prigozhin is most likely dead and will likely never be seen again publicly. He told ABC News: ‘I think he’ll either be put in hiding or sent to prison or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we’ll ever see him again.’”
As the pages of the calendar flip by, Ukraine’s counteroffensive looks increasingly like a bust. No significant weak spots have been reported in the Russian defense line to exploit. Zelensky has become more obviously desperate. This week he all but demanded immediate membership in NATO – so foolish a proposition for the world that even U.S. President Biden comprehends it would mean the requirement of sending Western troops to Ukraine’s aid and the real risk of starting WW3. This is not going to happen. The West may be willing to help Ukraine fight to its last soldier, but not to our first.
Ukraine isn’t worth that. Democracy? Schmemocracy. Notwithstanding the superb patriotic acting job of former comedian Zelensky, Ukraine is as corrupt as they come.
And what is left in the area that Zelensky calls a country? A decimated, energy-bereft industrial base and soon agricultural land peppered with unexploded cluster bombs. As recently as 1990 Ukraine’s population was 53 million. One of the world’s lowest birthrates and the loss or Crimea took that down to 45 million at the start of the current conflict. 10 million Ukrainians then had the good sense to leave. Most of these were the land’s best and brightest women – and their children. The additional 40,000 square miles that Russia now sits resolutely upon contains or contained at least 2 million more. UN estimates last year put the population of the remaining rump of Ukraine at just above 30 million. The longer the war goes on the less likely those 10 million ex-pat women and children will return. More likely, they will draw their men to them and away from Ukraine.
The sooner peace is negotiated, the better for all in this conflict.
Last edited 9 months ago by Ira Perman
Jim C
9 months ago
As a general rule, whenever you read a piece written as if the author can read Putin’s mind – that the Russian leader is “frustrated”, or that he finds something “terrifying” – it’s a pretty good indication that the writer is penning propaganda (a very common example of this is the claim that Putin “expected” to take Kiev in 3 days).
The fact is, Prigozhin’s “coup” failed quickly because he failed to gain significant support from other power brokers in Russia. And although in theory he commands tens of thousands of troops, only a few thousand accompanied him on his march on Moscow.
You can make the argument that this coup actually cements Putin’s power, as it shows everyone that even the popular Prigozhin couldn’t gain enough support to threaten Putin, and Putin now has a list of those amongst the elites who didn’t immediately support him.
I expert reports of a few more oligarchs being defenestrated in the upcoming weeks.
Last edited 9 months ago by Jim C
Jim C
9 months ago
As a general rule, whenever you read a piece written as if the author can read Putin’s mind – that the Russian leader is “frustrated”, or that he finds something “terrifying” – it’s a pretty good indication that the writer is penning propaganda (a very common example of this is the claim that Putin “expected” to take Kiev in 3 days).
The fact is, Prigozhin’s “coup” failed quickly because he failed to gain significant support from other power brokers in Russia. And although in theory he commands tens of thousands of troops, only a few thousand accompanied him on his march on Moscow.
You can make the argument that this coup actually cements Putin’s power, as it shows everyone that even the popular Prigozhin couldn’t gain enough support to threaten Putin, and Putin now has a list of those amongst the elites who didn’t immediately support him.
I expert reports of a few more oligarchs being defenestrated in the upcoming weeks.
I would like to know what evidence or convincing indication there is that Prigozhin is a free man, or even still alive. And where is Sergei Shoigu? It seems as though the Kremlin is being taken at their word, with little good cause.
It would be an incredibly risky strategy to do away with Prigozhin while he still commands the loyalty of a well armed and battle hardened group of mercenaries, especially as Wagner seems to be quite popular amongst the general population. It’s quite different scenario to those usually bumped off by Putin, who tend to have fled abroad or been relentlessly attacked by state media for years beforehand
I agree in the main. But where is he?
Magaluf?
Haha. Ok, maybe.
Haha. Ok, maybe.
Magaluf?
I agree in the main. But where is he?
It would be an incredibly risky strategy to do away with Prigozhin while he still commands the loyalty of a well armed and battle hardened group of mercenaries, especially as Wagner seems to be quite popular amongst the general population. It’s quite different scenario to those usually bumped off by Putin, who tend to have fled abroad or been relentlessly attacked by state media for years beforehand
I would like to know what evidence or convincing indication there is that Prigozhin is a free man, or even still alive. And where is Sergei Shoigu? It seems as though the Kremlin is being taken at their word, with little good cause.
Clutching at straws
Why do you believe that to be the case? And let’s have something more substantial in your reasoning this time, rather than simply repeating “Russia is winning” over and over again like you normally do
Wanting Putin to be removed from power is fine, but it leads people into believing all kinds of hopeium, last year many believed he had cancer and was on the way out. Putin is actually popular with the public, they really do support him. if he was by some chance to be replaced, the next Russian president would from a Western/Ukrainie POV be even worse than Putin
Oh yeah and BTW, Russia is winning
Winning? If anyone predicted on Feb 24, 2022, when Putin launched the attack, that in 500 days the Russians would be bogged down with marginal territorial gains in the south, Zelensky would remain firmly in command in Kiev, that Finland and Sweden would join NATO, and that in the last month Putin would face an armed insurrection by a renegade Russian army that took control of Rostov, you would have declared them delusional. The Russians might be your team, and you can cheerlead for them, but if you check the score, they aren’t winning.
It all comes down to the fact that the Russians have ammunition. Ukraine is nearly out. This is narrative collapse time. We’ve all been lied to again.
When is “nearly”?
I challenge you to return to this in three months time with a raincheck (but weren’t you saying similar three months ago?)
Well, I’m just quoting president Biden who said “This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it” That is why he is sending them the banned cluster bomb munitions.
Here is the deal Steve, I like truth, I don’t like lies or liars. I’d love to hear an ugly truth more than a beautiful lie. How about you?
They had been telling us that the Russians were running out, and Ukraine is doing great, and now we hear the opposite, straight from Biden’s lips. So, what that means is they have been lying… It’s a narrative collapse… I don’t like the fact that these people lie to us…
But I do like truth, and when I find out someone has been lying, I tend to point it out. What’s so hard to understand with that, and why wouldn’t you also appriciate that? It helps us all out when the truth they have been hiding is revealed, does it not? Even if it’s ugly, I want truth!
But you almost seem to think that ugliness is a prerequisite for truth. For instance in your defense and promotion of Andrew Tate.
I had never really heard of the guy, but I listened to the interview and he said a lot of true things. Remember..I love truth! Give me truth! A lot of people just want to be told or shown what they want too see. I want to know, hold to, and promote truth. Hate me for it, call me bad names, whatever. I will take the truth over all that any day.
Fine. Sift through his ugliness to find the truth about him, as presented for Tucker’s audience. I can see the value and virtue in that approach and to some extent I share it, though I find Tate mostly contemptible.
I’m not going to take the bait on calling you names, nor am I inclined to do that. I do believe that facts or perceived truths which wallow in the ugly and cruel are not truth of a needful and admirable kind, or rarely so at least. One doesn’t see the entire scope of reality–not you, me, our neighbors, nor the Great Sages of History–so any so-called truth that traffics heavily in sadism, selective self-interest, or schadenfreude doesn’t earn the name truth, in my view.
Again, I dispute the notion that truth is synonymous with (quite inescapably some portion or one version of) the facts in many, perhaps most cases. And sometimes they are one and the same. Honesty is different; that’s saying what you think or perceive without (necessarily) equating it with truth itself. Brutal honesty–though not always called for–strikes me as more often “a thing” than brutal or “ugly truth”.
You sound like a failed preacher.
Fine. Sift through his ugliness to find the truth about him, as presented for Tucker’s audience. I can see the value and virtue in that approach and to some extent I share it, though I find Tate mostly contemptible.
I’m not going to take the bait on calling you names, nor am I inclined to do that. I do believe that facts or perceived truths which wallow in the ugly and cruel are not truth of a needful and admirable kind, or rarely so at least. One doesn’t see the entire scope of reality–not you, me, our neighbors, nor the Great Sages of History–so any so-called truth that traffics heavily in sadism, selective self-interest, or schadenfreude doesn’t earn the name truth, in my view.
Again, I dispute the notion that truth is synonymous with (quite inescapably some portion or one version of) the facts in many, perhaps most cases. And sometimes they are one and the same. Honesty is different; that’s saying what you think or perceive without (necessarily) equating it with truth itself. Brutal honesty–though not always called for–strikes me as more often “a thing” than brutal or “ugly truth”.
You sound like a failed preacher.
I had never really heard of the guy, but I listened to the interview and he said a lot of true things. Remember..I love truth! Give me truth! A lot of people just want to be told or shown what they want too see. I want to know, hold to, and promote truth. Hate me for it, call me bad names, whatever. I will take the truth over all that any day.
Truth. First casualty of war?
Of course it suits Biden to ring the alarm bells now to justify sending Ukraine what most of the civilised world considers illegal weapons.
The ‘truth’ is we don’t know where Wally is. Everything else is speculation.
But you almost seem to think that ugliness is a prerequisite for truth. For instance in your defense and promotion of Andrew Tate.
Truth. First casualty of war?
Of course it suits Biden to ring the alarm bells now to justify sending Ukraine what most of the civilised world considers illegal weapons.
The ‘truth’ is we don’t know where Wally is. Everything else is speculation.
Well, I’m just quoting president Biden who said “This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it” That is why he is sending them the banned cluster bomb munitions.
Here is the deal Steve, I like truth, I don’t like lies or liars. I’d love to hear an ugly truth more than a beautiful lie. How about you?
They had been telling us that the Russians were running out, and Ukraine is doing great, and now we hear the opposite, straight from Biden’s lips. So, what that means is they have been lying… It’s a narrative collapse… I don’t like the fact that these people lie to us…
But I do like truth, and when I find out someone has been lying, I tend to point it out. What’s so hard to understand with that, and why wouldn’t you also appriciate that? It helps us all out when the truth they have been hiding is revealed, does it not? Even if it’s ugly, I want truth!
When is “nearly”?
I challenge you to return to this in three months time with a raincheck (but weren’t you saying similar three months ago?)
“when Putin launched the attack”
The Russians were outnumbered 3:1 (whereas you ideally need the reverse when attacking), declined to launch an all out attack on Ukrainian transport and power infrastructure (that could have disrupted Ukrainian military movements), against an Ukrainian army that was in well prepared defensive positions (often in towns that were naturally formidable positions), sanctioned and facing being cutoff from vital electronic weapon components against an enemy being restocked constantly by the West.
The Russians today control a quarter of Ukraine. The part that, other than being Russian majority and who had voted for the leader forced to flee for his life in 2014, also happens to be the most well developed and industrialised part of Russia.
And Ukraine have spent the last month proving just how difficult it is to attack prepared defensive positions.
What part of Special Military Operation do you not understand? Putin didn’t think he’d need to do any more than march on Kiev and take over without any bloodshed, just like he did in Crimea. Why would he need to inflict any more damage or risk greater numbers of troops?
Lots of nice cluster bombs will soon test the comfort of their defensive positions, mate.
What part of Special Military Operation do you not understand? Putin didn’t think he’d need to do any more than march on Kiev and take over without any bloodshed, just like he did in Crimea. Why would he need to inflict any more damage or risk greater numbers of troops?
Lots of nice cluster bombs will soon test the comfort of their defensive positions, mate.
It all comes down to the fact that the Russians have ammunition. Ukraine is nearly out. This is narrative collapse time. We’ve all been lied to again.
“when Putin launched the attack”
The Russians were outnumbered 3:1 (whereas you ideally need the reverse when attacking), declined to launch an all out attack on Ukrainian transport and power infrastructure (that could have disrupted Ukrainian military movements), against an Ukrainian army that was in well prepared defensive positions (often in towns that were naturally formidable positions), sanctioned and facing being cutoff from vital electronic weapon components against an enemy being restocked constantly by the West.
The Russians today control a quarter of Ukraine. The part that, other than being Russian majority and who had voted for the leader forced to flee for his life in 2014, also happens to be the most well developed and industrialised part of Russia.
And Ukraine have spent the last month proving just how difficult it is to attack prepared defensive positions.
Winning? If anyone predicted on Feb 24, 2022, when Putin launched the attack, that in 500 days the Russians would be bogged down with marginal territorial gains in the south, Zelensky would remain firmly in command in Kiev, that Finland and Sweden would join NATO, and that in the last month Putin would face an armed insurrection by a renegade Russian army that took control of Rostov, you would have declared them delusional. The Russians might be your team, and you can cheerlead for them, but if you check the score, they aren’t winning.
Wanting Putin to be removed from power is fine, but it leads people into believing all kinds of hopeium, last year many believed he had cancer and was on the way out. Putin is actually popular with the public, they really do support him. if he was by some chance to be replaced, the next Russian president would from a Western/Ukrainie POV be even worse than Putin
Oh yeah and BTW, Russia is winning
.
Why do you believe that to be the case? And let’s have something more substantial in your reasoning this time, rather than simply repeating “Russia is winning” over and over again like you normally do
.
Clutching at straws
To all you root’n’-toot’n armchair cowboys waving your hats for Ukraine and believing that Putin is among the walking dead: Yesterday the Daily Mail reported: “Retired General Robert Abrams, who served as the commander of US Forces-Korea, said that Prigozhin is most likely dead and will likely never be seen again publicly. He told ABC News: ‘I think he’ll either be put in hiding or sent to prison or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we’ll ever see him again.’”
As the pages of the calendar flip by, Ukraine’s counteroffensive looks increasingly like a bust. No significant weak spots have been reported in the Russian defense line to exploit. Zelensky has become more obviously desperate. This week he all but demanded immediate membership in NATO – so foolish a proposition for the world that even U.S. President Biden comprehends it would mean the requirement of sending Western troops to Ukraine’s aid and the real risk of starting WW3. This is not going to happen. The West may be willing to help Ukraine fight to its last soldier, but not to our first.
Ukraine isn’t worth that. Democracy? Schmemocracy. Notwithstanding the superb patriotic acting job of former comedian Zelensky, Ukraine is as corrupt as they come.
And what is left in the area that Zelensky calls a country? A decimated, energy-bereft industrial base and soon agricultural land peppered with unexploded cluster bombs. As recently as 1990 Ukraine’s population was 53 million. One of the world’s lowest birthrates and the loss or Crimea took that down to 45 million at the start of the current conflict. 10 million Ukrainians then had the good sense to leave. Most of these were the land’s best and brightest women – and their children. The additional 40,000 square miles that Russia now sits resolutely upon contains or contained at least 2 million more. UN estimates last year put the population of the remaining rump of Ukraine at just above 30 million. The longer the war goes on the less likely those 10 million ex-pat women and children will return. More likely, they will draw their men to them and away from Ukraine.
The sooner peace is negotiated, the better for all in this conflict.
“the area that Zelensky calls a country”
Well, your pro-Putin bias is clear, as is the motivation for your call for “peace”.
“the area that Zelensky calls a country”
Well, your pro-Putin bias is clear, as is the motivation for your call for “peace”.
To all you root’n’-toot’n armchair cowboys waving your hats for Ukraine and believing that Putin is among the walking dead: Yesterday the Daily Mail reported: “Retired General Robert Abrams, who served as the commander of US Forces-Korea, said that Prigozhin is most likely dead and will likely never be seen again publicly. He told ABC News: ‘I think he’ll either be put in hiding or sent to prison or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we’ll ever see him again.’”
As the pages of the calendar flip by, Ukraine’s counteroffensive looks increasingly like a bust. No significant weak spots have been reported in the Russian defense line to exploit. Zelensky has become more obviously desperate. This week he all but demanded immediate membership in NATO – so foolish a proposition for the world that even U.S. President Biden comprehends it would mean the requirement of sending Western troops to Ukraine’s aid and the real risk of starting WW3. This is not going to happen. The West may be willing to help Ukraine fight to its last soldier, but not to our first.
Ukraine isn’t worth that. Democracy? Schmemocracy. Notwithstanding the superb patriotic acting job of former comedian Zelensky, Ukraine is as corrupt as they come.
And what is left in the area that Zelensky calls a country? A decimated, energy-bereft industrial base and soon agricultural land peppered with unexploded cluster bombs. As recently as 1990 Ukraine’s population was 53 million. One of the world’s lowest birthrates and the loss or Crimea took that down to 45 million at the start of the current conflict. 10 million Ukrainians then had the good sense to leave. Most of these were the land’s best and brightest women – and their children. The additional 40,000 square miles that Russia now sits resolutely upon contains or contained at least 2 million more. UN estimates last year put the population of the remaining rump of Ukraine at just above 30 million. The longer the war goes on the less likely those 10 million ex-pat women and children will return. More likely, they will draw their men to them and away from Ukraine.
The sooner peace is negotiated, the better for all in this conflict.
As a general rule, whenever you read a piece written as if the author can read Putin’s mind – that the Russian leader is “frustrated”, or that he finds something “terrifying” – it’s a pretty good indication that the writer is penning propaganda (a very common example of this is the claim that Putin “expected” to take Kiev in 3 days).
The fact is, Prigozhin’s “coup” failed quickly because he failed to gain significant support from other power brokers in Russia. And although in theory he commands tens of thousands of troops, only a few thousand accompanied him on his march on Moscow.
You can make the argument that this coup actually cements Putin’s power, as it shows everyone that even the popular Prigozhin couldn’t gain enough support to threaten Putin, and Putin now has a list of those amongst the elites who didn’t immediately support him.
I expert reports of a few more oligarchs being defenestrated in the upcoming weeks.
As a general rule, whenever you read a piece written as if the author can read Putin’s mind – that the Russian leader is “frustrated”, or that he finds something “terrifying” – it’s a pretty good indication that the writer is penning propaganda (a very common example of this is the claim that Putin “expected” to take Kiev in 3 days).
The fact is, Prigozhin’s “coup” failed quickly because he failed to gain significant support from other power brokers in Russia. And although in theory he commands tens of thousands of troops, only a few thousand accompanied him on his march on Moscow.
You can make the argument that this coup actually cements Putin’s power, as it shows everyone that even the popular Prigozhin couldn’t gain enough support to threaten Putin, and Putin now has a list of those amongst the elites who didn’t immediately support him.
I expert reports of a few more oligarchs being defenestrated in the upcoming weeks.