Meanwhile in Ukraine

[Smitty-48]

Great, so fuck off then...

I ain't stopping' ya.

I just pop in here in there

I saw OneX put words in my mouth

I was just clarifying

don't mind me, carry on

[Martin Hash]

The question is, is this move insane? It seems insane.

Gaining control of the gas and oil may be technically possible, but alienating the entire world to do so?

Is this the gamble of a madman... or is there some scenario where Putin pulls this off?

Does Putin come to regret entering a quagmire in the Ukraine?

Does it become a bleeding ulcer that drains Putin of his credibility and where he is ultimately overthrown by an usurper?

Or is there some scenario where this actually works?

I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t work.

[DrYouth]

I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t work.

I mean, I guess if he could just roll in lightning quick and take over...

Maybe he could get away with it...

But it's looking like its not going to be that easy...

And losing men and taking economic losses is going to get old really fast.

His people don't seem to be enthusiastic about this war now... how are they going to feel if it drags on?

[Smitty-48]

Ukrainian forces are rushing to Kiev now

they've fallen back from their positions in the Donbass

crossed the Dneiper and are going flat out up the main highway to save the capital

the Russians are striking from the air

BBC filming from the wreckage of an Ukrainian convoy struck

it was ZSU-23-4 armored air defence vehicles being carried on HET's

[Martin Hash]

Like Iraq

[Smitty-48]

Like Iraq

the Kremlin has the same imperatives as Washington

minimize boots on the ground, maximize air power, to limit flag draped caskets coming home

the problem they have is that the Ukrainians have gone full mobilization for total war

[Smitty-48]

now that might be "good" if you are an Ukrainian nationalist

but it's not particularly good for the rest of us

because the Russians are over the Rubicon fully committed

and the Ukrainians are fully mobilized for total war

so there are no clear off ramps here

this can keep expanding and escalating until all of Europe and so NATO in deeply embroiled in it

[Smitty-48]

like I said, I was rooting for the Russians

not because I like the Russian oligarchy more than I like the Ukranian oligarchy

I honestly can't tell the difference between Russians & Ukrainians, they're all Soviets to me

the reason I was rooting for the Russians was entirely practical

if the Russians won this quick & clean, then it was contained

now that they haven't won this quick & clean, it is Pandora's Box

if you believe nuclear weapons are real, and that no system is infallible, so shit happens ?

then this is not a good thing, not something to be rooting for

[C-Mag]

Kim Jong III fired of a missile.

The predators smell weakness.

[Smitty-48]

The predators smell weakness.

mother of mayhem