Just replace the subject to something from the other side and see if such claim can still be applied to the other side.
We've seen all kinds of whataboutism in this thread and none of it has made any sense so far. Neither does this. Nor does it make sense for you to be trying so hard to prove that Russia has blackmail potential. I mean of all things... this is important? |
|
|
|
Yep just because you claim that all blackmail potential has been exhausted (during the third lowest demand month) we don't have any critical thinking and just totally believe you! (26 September 2022) Germans call for Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline opening now that there's nothing to open tell me again how that's a benefit to Russia? I'm not even talking about hundreds of millions of m^2 of gas Russia lost there NS2 was dead already. "Germans call for [...] opening" is bullshit, a few people protesting won't make that happen. Let's say Putin decided to shut NS1 off in January. Would that change Germany's policies towards Ukraine or Russia? There is no indication that it would. That's what I mean by exhausted blackmail potential. As for lost gas and whatnot... you're assuming that Putin is a rational actor, which he clearly is not. If he cared about Russia's economy he wouldn't have invaded Ukraine, or would have retreated when the crushing sanctions became evident. He will happily run the country into the ground to feed his imperial ego. Blowing up a pipeline, or like Russian propagandists now propose - blowing up gas tankers, underwater fiber cables, etc - to harm the "enemy" is small potatoes compared to the overall destructiveness of the regime, so your feigned outrage as to why we would even think that Russia could do this makes no sense. |
|
|
|
“Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes & even seas that aren’t too choppy“
And you really believe this crap Musk is saying?  Yes. This isn't the first time he's claimed that Teslas are waterproof to some extent and the fact that this seems to be a design choice he's made now and he even gives a specific use case of traveling from Starbase to South Padre Island, I do believe him. I can't wait to see these things skiing along the channel. I'll admit the idea of a chunk of steel floating across a body of water seems a little crazy, but no less crazy than sending people to Mars. I believe he'll do that also. I do enjoy the doubters though. Hopefully they can talk some folks out of their preorders so I can get mine sooner. It will need propulsion and steering in water though... maybe they can use the giant wiper blade as a rudder. Come to think of it, they could also make the wiper blade spin really fast and make it a flying car. Musk is a genius. I think we can see where this is going. There is no way CT can be road-legal in some (or most) countries so they make it a boat. Boats tend to be large, heavy, slow... perfect pivot. |
|
|
|
Ohh what a clever idea, think so far this one takes the prize, following that logic instead of just turning the pipelines off, Russia should just start blowing all of them up, you know that'll really get the gas prices going up. You should've been more careful disclosing such ingenious ideas, now Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Iran/Venezuela might find out just how lucrative it can be to blow up their own most valuable pipelines! Uhm... make sure you're sitting down for this one: Russia had already turned the pipeline off. They've done it multiple times for ridiculous made up reasons. They've exhausted the blackmail potential on that one. Closing it off for a few weeks apparently just makes Germany work even harder on arranging alternative supplies, instead of wanting to cave (stop Ukraine weapon supplies, open NS2 etc), who could have possibly guessed. Blowing it up though creates a few new potential scenarios, like threats to other pipelines etc. Again, this is Russian propaganda staple, what with apocalyptic "Europe freezing" scenarios etc. I'm not sure why you're now doing 180 from the gas blackmail and claim Russia couldn't have possibly done it. I guess trying to drive a wedge between the US and Europe is the new propaganda pivot. Good luck with that. Nothing unites more than a common enemy, especially a deranged lunatic like Putin. |
|
|
|
Clearly US and EU perceived the pipeline as a threat to the point where US president is on record saying that he'll bring the pipe between Russia and Germany to the end. So you're saying that Russia did just that themselves to make some point  that point being that they can shoot themselves in the foot? You are aware that there are other gas pipes besides this most critical one for Russia, and Denmark is part of NATO last i checked. Is that your best theory? Gas prices going up benefit Russia. They've done this trick many times, including recently with the NS shutdown shenanigans. But what do I know, maybe Biden blew the pipeline up to help Putin finance the war. Weirder things have happened. You disappoint me, weakest one so far!! No aliens, or Germans were some kind of triple agents that why RU decided to take them out? At least please tell us that you're some kind of underwater pipe expert? These kind of weak arguments would be a hard sell even for the most retarded mass media consumer! NORD STREAM is feared to have been damaged beyond repair and left crippled indefinitely after it was torn open by a series of explosions. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19945821/nord-stream-damaged-beyond-repair/Sure, Murdoch's tabloid knows best. You can also quote Tucker Carlson, another Murdoch employee and Kremlin's darling. Unless "beyond repair" means "Germany doesn't buy enough gas from Russia anymore to justify the cost of repair", which might actually be true. But that invalidates the rest of your conspiratardery, doesn't it. Europe's not gonna freeze this winter, etc. |
|
|
|
Hueristic, aren't you supposed to be an underdog   Hopefully Yahoo is wrong with its projections, as it usually is. |
|
|
|
LOL, from your post it looks that Ukraine attacked Russia. How they're escalating war if Ukraine is just defending their own land. You're trying to make image that they attack Russia. You're probably right that without NATO support this war would had ended already. But outcome of it probably would be occupation of huge part of Ukraine or maybe end of story of Ukraine as independent state.
Apologize Russia? Lol, for waht? You must be living in alternative reality if you're seriously posting such stuff.
I'd give that one the benefit of the doubt and assume that's just a shitposter trying to meet their quota. But otherwise I'm amazed at the number of lemmings chanting Putin's propaganda here. War with NATO LOL... why doesn't he try invading NATO countries to teach them a lesson. Impotent gnome. |
|
|
|
If you can't bear responsibility of UA attacks on a nuclear power plant you can hand it over to Ukraine or some sort of international control. Love it! Absolutely perfect logic, nothing more needs to be added!
Except that "UA attacks" is likely bullshit. For example Russian MOD showed a propaganda video where they bombed a pylon of an abandoned WWII bridge on the Dnieper and claimed it was a Ukrainian boat or barge or whatever. As for "handing it over"... it's a Ukrainian power plant. There is no reason whatsoever for Russia to hold it hostage, other than terrorism. Not dissimilar to holding a school full of kids. Your kindergarten propaganda is tiresome. Pick one, either, US leveraging it's alliance and status of its dollar as a global reserve currency to apply pressure everywhere, and Russia is leveraging it's resources, OR US is blackmailing with its alliance, finances, technological dominance etc etc etc and Russia is blackmailing with its resources. I'm fine with either, but you can mix them up for a cheap propaganda shot.
Not sure why I need to pick one of your straw people. Russia is well known for its resource blackmail. How about you pick a lane and call things their real names, not "special operation" or "it's actually a good thing but the US did worse so it's ok if it's a bad thing". The reason RU cannot "blackmail" UK or say Australia is because it doesn't have a pipeline to them, do you now see how having a pipeline in the first place is kind of important to the whole "blackmailing" part. No pipeline, no more "blackmailing", with which I believe you uncovered the whole point here, good job!
The pipeline hasn't disappeared. It can and likely will be fixed and Kremlin will surely be extremely gleeful about it. |
|
|
|
Oh Yanukovych just resigned now did he? Is that how Ukrainian school books are being rewritten now, were the other alternatives "he just left on a very long vacation" and "he went out to get a pack of cigs"?
Everything was fine, Yanukovych resigned to pick up a pack of smokes and then Russian orcs showed up? No one could possibly predicted that majority that elected him could be a bit unhappy about that.
Just like i guess it must take some kind of a genius to predict that further escalations risk to destabilize EU altogether?
EUs 3rd economy becoming "euroskeptic" with "neo-fascist" roots, people might start asking questions soon, think majority would eat up that Putin did it as well? I guess US elections in November already have Putin written all over them?
You seem to be very unsure as to what you're talking about, so many questions... So at first there was a claim that RU is not allowing civilians to leave Mariupol before they take the city, logic being cause that's just what Orcs do Logic being that they had the city surrounded and in control of all roads out of it. Logic being because that's just what Orcs do? They take over a nuclear plant then shoot at it so they're forced to shut it down before winter starts
Again, Russian forces are in control of it. If they don't want or can't bear that responsibility they can hand it over to Ukraine or some sort of international control. It's a civilian object useless for military purposes unless the military purpose is nuclear blackmail. Can't wait for coverage of Orcs blowing up their own pipelines which they stopped themselves. Logic being that's just what Orcs do? After stopping the gas flow, they blow up the pipeline to make sure they loose all of leverage over Germany for the winter
Funny how you pretend like this is something new (unless you've been in a cave the last 20-30 years and it is indeed new to you). Russians have been using gas and oil for blackmail for decades. Mostly against smaller countries like the Baltic states so it wasn't as newsworthy until they hit Germany. |
|
|
|
Ukraine somehow coped with the task of mobilizing more than 800k civilians, Russia has a simpler task.
Sending thousands of untrained drunks armed with rusty kalashnikovs against HIMARS is indeed quite simple. Not very effective though. |
|
|
|
I need three sacks and a turnover from the Cowboys' defense tonight and also keep the Giants away from scoring more than 27pts. Jones has 1x fumble and an interception in those first two games, has also been sacked 8 times....just 5 points, pretty pleaaase! Let's go Big D!  You should have asked for a blocked field goal. |
|
|
|
totally obliterate what is left of Ukraine... with nukes if necessary.
Then start over, with the people moving back to their lands that are no longer controlled by the US.
Solid story for a comic book, as a bonus the new population may grow a third arm or gain superpowers. |
|
|
|
|
It looks like everyone in our league will have at least one win and one loss after week 3, which I think is great.
Congrats to Cows and Barbarians for defeating the two top teams.
|
|
|
|
Do we really need ANY advertising? I for one would be more than happy for the forum to be ad free !
Forum banner ads are unobtrusive enough so I don't mind them, especially considering the amount of signature ads. |
|
|
|
Think of it.. had zelensky gave up the donbask region. (Crimea was a gift to them afterall) had Putin and zelensky sat for a solution some 4years ago..
Zelensky was elected in 2019. But this was not a feasible solution for many reasons other than calendar. Donbas is not Zelensky's to give - Ukraine is not a kingdom where the king owns the country. He (like other government officials) is constitutionally obligated to protect territorial integrity of Ukraine and to do otherwise would be treason. Also giving in to blackmail never works. You give Donbas to Putin today, he'll want Lviv, Poland, Germany, Portugal, and the state of Oregon next. Instead of trying to appease murderous dictators we should be grateful to Ukrainians for trying to stop one. |
|
|
|
I am reading quite a bit about compulsory conscriptions, protests and people flying to avoid going to the war. It is clear that RF has become a military dictatorship. Adolf Putin is not much in charge any longer, the army has decided to take matters into their hands, starting by forcing civils to go to their war.
I can't stop laughing every time I read news reports of lines of Russians trying to leave at Kazakhstan border. How the mighty have fallen, berating and discriminating migrants from Central Asia for decades, now running there themselves. The only thing more cringy than that is some of the new migrants asking if they should remove "Z" stickers from their cars before crossing the border... I mean WTF is wrong with these people, literally running from a fascist regime but still not sure if carrying the symbol of the regime is a good idea or not. I don't however quite understand why Putin (or whoever is in charge now LOL) hasn't closed the borders. Rumor has it that's coming soon but they already let thousands of good cannon fodder out for no good reason. |
|
|
|
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, Hoping for a FIRST win today against Dires Brutal Team!
I'm rooting for you. Nothing against DireWolf, just need to level the competition The closest matchup right now seems to be Taco vs Chi:  And I can't decide if I should play Herbert. I have a feeling they might bench him at some point. Edit: well, Herbert sucked but so did Stafford so my decision didn't matter in the end but damn... the Jaguars crushed the Chargers, didn't see that coming. |
|
|
|
A "yes UA's goal is still to take back Crimea" would suffice, so do you personally agree with the "even though we lived fine up to 2014, we're now going to suicide everyone in order to prove a point to the world of just how bad Putin is" strategy? After RU escalates with mobilization and US backs off and doesn't make any new significant military aid commitments to the UA, what exactly is the point of sending UA military to the front lines? Is it to become a bigger victim?
No. Have you considered that people who can remember and compare Donetsk before and after the coup came to town and replaced their duly elected president (who they overwhelmingly voted for) might care too? But i guess that's where you say if they didn't resist and accepted the coup they'd be totally fine?
Yanik's resignation didn't ruin Donetsk, the Russian invasion (2014 and even more so 2022) did. You need to clarify your point here if you have one. Reposting Kremlin propaganda in the form of loaded questions doesn't make it any more valid. So you agree that Soviet leadership was fully diversified and represented with different nationalities all the way to the top. So Soviet famine that killed millions of Russians under non ethnically Russian leader is not that leader's nation fault, yet famine that killed millions of Ukrainians under non Russian leaders i still somehow Russia's fault? You're the one bringing up "leader" nationality. I'm saying it means jack shit, it's the fucked up Russian/Soviet regime that caused this and it makes sense that Russia's neighbors (other than ones with their own wannabe dictators like Belarus' potato fuehrer) don't want any of that. Which part of it is still too difficult for you to understand? |
|
|
|
Is UA's goal still to take Crimea? If so they must start doing work to manage expectations, "we tried to take Crimea, so we ended up loosing 20% of UA"
Ukraine didn't try to "take" anything. If Putin hadn't invaded Ukraine in February, likely eventually some sort of solution could have been reached that did not involve Crimea going back to Ukraine. But now that's less likely as it was proven quite comprehensively that any kind of territorial (or any other kind really) compromise with Putin is impossible. Just like Finland/Sweden staying neutral is no longer an option, great geopolitical victory. I just stated my personal opinion if Z stays in power and continues to hold Odessa I will fully admit that it won't be a full win for RU. See you can do these things when you're not just pushing propaganda, and always forced to claim that whatever happens is actually somehow good for your side. Putin's claimed goals of denazification and demilitarization are pretty amorphous so don't really see a point in changing them.
Meanwhile in the real world, Ukraine is more militarized than it was in February, and nazis are fighting on Russian side. Another goal of "special operation"... achieved? I guess it won't "become RU" just as Donetsk and Crimea didn't became RU, doubt people living there care much about semantics.
People who can remember and compare Mariupol before and after "RU" came to town - they might care. Did a quick search on UA leaders in USSR and came up with the following:
Stalin was from Georgia, doesn't mean Georgia wasn't/isn't oppressed, attacked, or otherwise negatively affected by Russia. I'm sure there were soviet leaders on many levels from many nations that suffered from the soviet regime. This proves nothing and surely doesn't mean that those nations now would want Russia to impose another regime on them, whether they call it soviet, "novorussia", or whatever. 730 million people in Ukraine... that explains why Putin's invasion is failing. How did he miscalculate so badly. |
|
|
|
|
Show Posts
