Ukraine Forever

[SeanF]

9 minutes ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

Likely. I suspect had Trump been in power and took the position that Ukraine was part of Russia, Boris Johnson’s support would have been a lot less. Same with Germany

It’s possible that Eastern European countries would have given greater aid - they would be terrified.

There might even be real war between Poland, Romania and the Baltic States and Russia.

The US would probably have had to intervene, but with Russian forces well advanced into Ukraine.

[Tywin et al.]

10 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

I think one thing giving China pause is seeing that it's fookin' hard for Russia to cross bodies of water that are 20m wide. If Taiwan has ground to air and ground to sea capability it will prove extremely difficult to land enough troops to do anything, unless they turn Taiwan into a smoking ruin, which I'm sure they don't want. I imagine China wants to take ownership of an industrially fully functioning economy.

And the West has learned that it needs to produce it's own tech here as a result. I was shocked to learn just how dependent the world is on Taiwan for all our computers and cars to function. That will certainly change over the next five years.

[polishgenius]

3 hours ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

Likely. I suspect had Trump been in power and took the position that Ukraine was part of Russia, Boris Johnson’s support would have been a lot less. Same with Germany

 

Germany would have been interesting because they might have seen Ukraine as a hopeless cause and not done much there directly but at the same time a lot of Germany's response since has been based on not just Ukraine itself but Putin's implicit (only barely) belief that he considers East German independence, and thus reuinification,  to be illegitimate. And they couldn't have sat still on that no matter what the US do.

[SeanF]

4 hours ago, polishgenius said:

 

Germany would have been interesting because they might have seen Ukraine as a hopeless cause and not done much there directly but at the same time a lot of Germany's response since has been based on not just Ukraine itself but Putin's implicit (only barely) belief that he considers East German independence, and thus reuinification,  to be illegitimate. And they couldn't have sat still on that no matter what the US do.

The end result (as so often with appeasement) would have been a more brutal war than if firmness had been shown at the outset.

[Zorral]

4 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

And the West has learned that it needs to produce it's own tech here as a result. I was shocked to learn just how dependent the world is on Taiwan for all our computers and cars to function. That will certainly change over the next five years.

Not if the reichlicans have the White House.

[JGP]

1 hour ago, SeanF said:

The end result (as so often with appeasement) would have been a more brutal war than if firmness had been shown at the outset.

Or yah know, particular firmness in 2014.

[The Anti-Targ]

6 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

And the West has learned that it needs to produce it's own tech here as a result. I was shocked to learn just how dependent the world is on Taiwan for all our computers and cars to function. That will certainly change over the next five years.

The world is actually dependent on a single company, if Joe is correct here.

The title is a bit click-baity but indirectly it seems to be true.

[Wilbur]

A bleak post-apocalyptic future for Russia:

 

[JGP]

13 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

A bleak post-apocalyptic future for Russia:

 

That read was a trip. 

[Varysblackfyre321]

23 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

A bleak post-apocalyptic future for Russia:

 

Oh yeah Russia is also promising violent prisoners release from prison if they join the military or a Nazi battalion.

 

[Werthead]

Apparently the last time it was this dangerous to be in Kursk was in 1943 and the biggest tank battle in human history was going on.

[Arakasi]

I normally haves mixed feelings on lindybeige but there is a really good three part interview he has with a British volunteer in Ukraine. Worth checking out.

 

[maarsen]

15 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

The world is actually dependent on a single company, if Joe is correct here.

The title is a bit click-baity but indirectly it seems to be true.

Click bait. One company does  make the newest chips making machines but older chips are still being made and used, especially in cars, with older obsolete equipment.

I worked in the glass industry many years ago, making state of the art windows in North America. The dirty secret was our machines were obsolete in Europe and sold here because even then they were better than anything made here in North America. 

Edited December 25, 2022 by maarsen

[James Arryn]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

A bleak post-apocalyptic future for Russia:

 

But to be clear, it’s not the guns. 

[horangi]

From BBC:

"A Ukrainian drone attack on Engels bomber base in south Russia has left three people dead, Moscow says.

Air defences reportedly shot down the drone but falling debris caused the casualties in the overnight attack."

Either the report is dubious or the families of those three casualties should have bought lottery tickets last night. One might be forgiven for thinking that the falling debris was caused by an explosive device in the drone. 

[Wilbur]

The Russian military and economic corruption issue can be overcome, although at a cost to Putin and the overall economy.

Trent Telenko talks about the function in this process of the "honest broker" model, with references to the Perun "Vranyo" video:

And he acknowledges that some within the Russian MIC are working to help Russia succeed to the best of their ability, as noted by Kamil Galaav.  Somebody is doing excellent technical work to create those rockets and artillery pieces Russia is using.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by Wilbur
cain't spel

[Wilbur]

Another good thread from Alexander Gabuev on the changing relationship between Moscow and Beijing as the invasion drags along.

 

[SpaceChampion]

Windows are so dangerous!  This must be why Santa chooses to use chimneys.

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by SpaceChampion

[Varysblackfyre321]

5 hours ago, SpaceChampion said:

Windows are so dangerous!  This must be why Santa chooses to use chimneys.

 

Damn the guy killed himself by shooting himself in the back of the head next to a window.

[SeanF]

8 hours ago, SpaceChampion said:

Windows are so dangerous!  This must be why Santa chooses to use chimneys.

 

They’re turning on each other like rats in a sack.