Russia invades Ukraine

[monkey brewery]

Originally Posted by Azure

Has a country ever made this serious of a strategic screw up? There is literally nothing going right from Russia's perspective right now.

I don't know about a country, but Target's incursion into the Canadian retail market is pretty close.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by tony-soprano

https://twitter.com/user/status/1498452454626799616

Oh no! The NHL is suspending Business Relations with a Country that is rapidly going broke.

I think I have a pack of O-pee-chee NHL cards that is currently worth more than most Russian's monthly salary at the moment.

They're going to be burning Rubles to stay warm. Who thought war in Eastern Europe in February was a bright idea?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I really don't think there is much alternative but to continue to apply economic pressure and support for the Ukrainians to hold them off while the pain accumulates... even if Putin turns the country into a parking lot, that's all that can realistically be done.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by tony-soprano

https://twitter.com/user/status/1498448724204437508

I guess, I would wonder where they were coming from. I mean the only European ally that has the Mig 29 in inventory is Poland.



Its not like they can just give them for example Eurofighters and expect those pilots to hop in and fly.


I would be surprised if Poland handed over a bunch of Mig 29s as they're also threatened by Russia.

[Murph]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/28/europ...led/index.html

I have a 6 year old daughter. I've run the gamut from sorrow to fury.

Warning: Graphic content in the link.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by calculoso

https://twitter.com/user/status/1498349668522201099

Vladdy Bond

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I wonder what China is thinking. There was always a hypothetical, how would America and the World react if they ever attacked Taiwan. Are we seeing this hypothetical in reality? Would it be the same type of response? China is in a stronger position than Russia but does this put the brakes on any Chinese ambition of invading Taiwan? Would an Asian NATO be established?

My wife is Vietnamese, and there's always been a long hatred of China there with some worries about a potential invasion. Talking to her friends and family those worries are a lot more pronounced now after watching Russia walk into Ukraine. Vietnam has already grown closer with Japan in the last year signing a defense equipment pact, I'd bet on that pact growing now with maybe some US involvement as well

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Murph

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/28/europ...led/index.html

I have a 6 year old daughter. I've run the gamut from sorrow to fury.

Warning: Graphic content in the link.

My daughter is 5, I had to close that site after looking briefly at the pictures before I completely broke down. Someone needs to ends Putin existence soon, what a vile ####ing waste of skin

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Murph

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/28/europ...led/index.html

I have a 6 year old daughter. I've run the gamut from sorrow to fury.

Warning: Graphic content in the link.

Same 6 year old daughter here and this freaking brought me to tears I wish I didn't open it

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think people who don't want to intervene believe that is the best way to minimize total human loss and suffering here.

If you believe as I do that Putin would use nukes, then nato jumping in can't be on the table.

If you think a cornered and outgunned Putin would not use nukes, then yeah, we should help out. Quite the gamble, though.

The problem with that argument is that you can't win. Because he won't stop.

If you don't intervene (allow him this move), he will make another. And then you will be faced with the same dilemma (if we intervene, he may use nukes). And then another.

You can hope that he'll stop on his own, but that is incredibly naïve IMO.

Putin is a bully and he respects strength, and despises weakness. He will have to be stood up to at some point, and the best time to do that is now - each time we wait, each move we allow him, only emboldens him to be more aggressive.

And with each move in this game becoming a larger play, the likelihood of nukes actually goes up.

[FlamesAddiction]

Yep, I have a six year old daughter. Same hair colour and side profile. Anxiety going through the roof right now. I wish I didn't open it.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The problem with that argument is that you can't win. Because he won't stop.

If you don't intervene (allow him this move), he will make another. And then you will be faced with the same dilemma (if we intervene, he may use nukes). And then another.

You can hope that he'll stop on his own, but that is incredibly naïve IMO.

Putin is a bully and he respects strength, and despises weakness. He will have to be stood up to at some point, and the best time to do that is now - each time we wait, each move we allow him, only emboldens him to be more aggressive.

And with each move in this game becoming a larger play, the likelihood of nukes actually goes up.

Putin stopping at nothing short of world domination if not met with NATO military intervention is probably less likely than a nuclear war marking the end of humanity.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I wonder what China is thinking. There was always a hypothetical, how would America and the World react if they ever attacked Taiwan. Are we seeing this hypothetical in reality? Would it be the same type of response? China is in a stronger position than Russia but does this put the brakes on any Chinese ambition of invading Taiwan? Would an Asian NATO be established?

China has a long way to go before they achieve the air and naval supremacy necessary to invade Taiwan. The U.S. has left no doubt that they will oppose an attack on Taiwan, and they have the forces in place to make good on that guarantee.

[Plett25]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I guess, I would wonder where they were coming from. I mean the only European ally that has the Mig 29 in inventory is Poland.

Its not like they can just give them for example Eurofighters and expect those pilots to hop in and fly.

I would be surprised if Poland handed over a bunch of Mig 29s as they're also threatened by Russia.

Any Polish requirement for the Mig 29's can be filled in the sort to medium to long term with British or German or French or American or Italian or Spanish or Dutch or Norwegian or Canadian aircraft, because they're already in NATO.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

My wife is Vietnamese, and there's always been a long hatred of China there with some worries about a potential invasion. Talking to her friends and family those worries are a lot more pronounced now after watching Russia walk into Ukraine. Vietnam has already grown closer with Japan in the last year signing a defense equipment pact, I'd bet on that pact growing now with maybe some US involvement as well

Vietnam is a closer comparable to Ukraine than Taiwan is. I think an invasion by China would bring down the same kind of global condemnation and sanctions as Ukraine, but the U.S., Japan. etc would not directly intervene.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Putin stopping at nothing short of world domination if not met with NATO military intervention is probably less likely than a nuclear war marking the end of humanity.

Putin wins by taking these steps. Putin loses with nuclear war. Putin likes to win.

The threat of nukes is his ace in the hole - he knows everyone will back off and let him have his little win this time (each time)

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Plett25

Any Polish requirement for the Mig 29's can be filled in the sort to medium to long term with British or German or French or American or Italian or Spanish or Dutch or Norwegian or Canadian aircraft, because they're already in NATO.

I could also see NATO members who have Russian made planes and equipment to start to divest themselves of much of it in the coming years. Might as well use them.

[cam_wmh]

While Russian excelled at Pravda for a half century, today China is so much better at indoctrinating it’s citizens.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

The problem with that argument is that you can't win. Because he won't stop.

If you don't intervene (allow him this move), he will make another. And then you will be faced with the same dilemma (if we intervene, he may use nukes). And then another.

You can hope that he'll stop on his own, but that is incredibly naïve IMO.

Putin is a bully and he respects strength, and despises weakness. He will have to be stood up to at some point, and the best time to do that is now - each time we wait, each move we allow him, only emboldens him to be more aggressive.

And with each move in this game becoming a larger play, the likelihood of nukes actually goes up.

The line has been established. If he attacks a Nato country - they will get involved. Ukraine is not a Nato country.

There's a reason why Finland and Sweden are considering joining Nato now as they are the two countries near Russia who are not in Nato (plus Moldova).

[chubeyr1]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I don't get it. Why do we need Russian oil in the first place?

Are we getting them at pennies on the dollar?

Or Saudi oil? No carbon tax on that!


Canada should be self sufficient. We should be exporting energy. Our economy should be booming.

Yet we are not doing that!