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Message Board User

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Everything posted by Message Board User

  1. Well, we'll see if the Russian economy can take Putin's length.
  2. Not sure why but this tweet and image made me tear up more than anything from last night.
  3. That's always going to be the advantage that Putin (and Xi and Rocket Man for that matter) enjoys over his Western counterparts - he doesn't give too shits about the peasants in Vladivostock and how they are affected by his global ambitions as he is going to be "re-elected" with approximately 99% of the vote no matter what he does. Western leaders actually at least pretend to care their citizens and are somewhat accountable.
  4. Sorry Ukraine but thanks for giving up your nukes. The inability of the U.S. to enforce its Budapest commitments will also echo in allied capitals that rely on America’s military assurances. Don’t be surprised if Japan or South Korea seek their own nuclear deterrent. If Americans want to know why they should care about Ukraine, nuclear proliferation is one reason. Betrayal has consequences, as the world seems destined to learn again the hard way.
  5. Pretty sobering article right here. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/why-is-the-u-s-still-importing-so-much-russian-oil-and-petroleum-products/ Here’s a flashing neon sign that U.S. energy policy has gone terribly, terribly wrong. Throughout 2021, the U.S. has imported 12 million to 26 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products per month from Russia — that same country we keep enacting new sanctions on, in an effort to deter Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambitions. The most recent month from the Energy Information Agency’s figures is November 2021, at 17.8 million barrels. Last spring, imports of Russian oil hit the highest level in a decade; in August, Russia became the second-highest exporter of oil to the United States. Think that might be a reason Putin feels so confident?
  6. No we can't. Inflation has been the biggest story in the news for the last 6 months because it's been impacting everybody and is the quintessential kitchen table issue. Almost every person I talk to (whether they be rich or poor) has at some point over the past few months mentioned how much their regular bills are skyrocketing. What do you think giving the peace sign to China would do to inflation and do you really think most Americans would stand for it? This is exactly the reason the USA won't do anything meaningful to stop Putin's ambitions in eastern Europe or to stop China's ambitions in Taiwan/Hong Kong (if I mean when it happens) - we are not willing to make those sacrifices.
  7. There's what should happen...and then there's reality. We like our cheap stuff and that's not going to change anytime soon. Do you think Americans have the stomach to pay $50 for t-shirts and $120 for hoodies? I don't. If our leaders were to wave a magic wand and say "Ok no more imports from China" what do you think that would do to the cost of...everything? China has us by the balls.
  8. Taking notes to prepare for their own invasion of Taiwan.
  9. I just don't see these "crippling sanctions" having any significant effect on Putin's ambitions. So Russia no longer does business with the West (and we'll see if the West can wean itself from Russian oil - I have doubts)? They have plenty of trading partners in China and the Middle East that will keep the cash flowing. And even if the citizens of the Rodina go hungry (or hungrier), since when does Putin care about the well-being of its citizens? There's enough money to be made outside of the West to keep his and the oligarchs' coffers full for more yachts and whatever other playthings they want. Putin may be an evil narcissist but he's not stupid and is about 5 steps ahead of the rest of the world on this.
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