Posted on 06/11/2022 5:51:33 PM PDT by Its All Over Except ...
Despite all the effusive praise the brave Ukrainian military has received in the western press, extolling all the humiliating defeats the Ukrainians have dealt the Russians, the reality on the ground appears to be entirely in Russia’s favor. And that reality was acknowledged on a recent Council of Foreign Relations Zoom call by retired lieutenant general and former deputy commander of United States European Command Stephen Twitty, who told the other neocons on the call that Ukraine simply cannot win this war and needs to sue for peace as soon as possible.
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(Excerpt) Read more at youtu.be ...
Attack the generals arguments, not him with name calling.
There’s too many here using the left-wing strategy of personally attacking the general because they arent capable of sound, cogent rebuttals to his arguments.
Left-wing style attacks here at FR. Who woulda thunk it.
Come up with arguments againt what he said or go to DU or MSNBC.
Russia is the largest country in the world, with the 9th largest population, and is the wealthiest in terms of natural resources in the entire world. Yet, it is only 11th in GDP, and a pathetic 57th in GDP per capita, behind such economic powerhouses as Greece and Kazakhstan. How is that even possible given all those natural resources?
I think Russia will be hurt far worse by the lack of European spare parts, machinery, and investment than will Europe by the loss of Russia resources.
Russia's dream for centuries - even much of the motivation for this war - is based upon Russia's desire to be a European great power. And that's in part because Russia still has a fear of Asia. Economic, social, and cultural to the West are supposed to be what gives them strength against the East.
Well, Russia will always have those nukes, so it will always be a great power in that sense. But Europe shutting and locking its doors to Russia is one of Russia's worst nightmares, because then they can no longer play off the East against the West as they have done for centuries. They'll be on their own.
That'll be a long term disaster for them economically, and in other ways as well. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch as far as I'm concerned.
“Yet, it is only 11th in GDP, and a pathetic 57th in GDP per capita, behind such economic powerhouses as Greece and Kazakhstan. How is that even possible given all those natural resources?”
Maybe because they’re measuring wrong.
Who supplies stuff?
Who makes stuff?
Who grows stuff?
Versus:
Who has the largest entertainment industry?
Who has the largest insurance industry?
Who has the largest banking industry?
Who has the most lawyers?
There’s a reason that, despite throwing virtually everything that we had at Russia, that crappy little country, USING ONLY THEIR PINKY, is beating the crap out of a country we spent 8 years arming and training...while the West is watching their economies get DESTROYED right in front of their faces, while that crappy little country has its strongest currency in 4 years.
Time the West to re-write their Economics Books, it seems.
That's simply wrong. We did train them and provide limited defensive munitions, which explains why they've managed to hold out against what was supposedly the greatest land power in the world for nearly four months. But we have never provided aircraft, which was their single biggest need. Nor did we ever provided artillery or armor in any real quantity. That means the Russians have held a massive superiority in supporting arms. As a former artillery officer myself, that's an almost handicap to overcome, especially in the steppe areas of southern Ukraine.
Despite that, the attempted Russian mobile/tank advances have all failed. What has succeeded is the slog provided by simple weight of massive ordnance - their massive advantage in artillery and Air support, and grinding infantry asvance. But it is a rather pathetic commentary on their overall military effectiveness that it has taken them this long to accomplish even the limited gains they have.
If you want to go with the entire West being more dependent on Russia's economy than vice-versa...I guess we'll just have to wait this one out and see. But I'm guessing that six months from now, we're going to be hearing an awful lot of calls from those siding with Russia that we.much lift sanctions because it is so "unfair".
[That means the Russians have held a massive superiority in supporting arms. As a former artillery officer myself, that’s an almost handicap to overcome, especially in the steppe areas of southern Ukraine.
Despite that, the attempted Russian mobile/tank advances have all failed. What has succeeded is the slog provided by simple weight of massive ordnance - their massive advantage in artillery and Air support, and grinding infantry asvance. But it is a rather pathetic commentary on their overall military effectiveness that it has taken them this long to accomplish even the limited gains they have.]
The Ukrainian problem is that they started the war with 1500 tubes of 152mm and up howitzers. They are running out of shells, and Ukrainian plants are presumably either not making enough to replace their stocks or not in working order, thanks to Russian missile attacks. In theory, they could rebore the tubes to 155mm. I gotta wonder how much time this takes, and whether the Ukrainians have the tooling and skilled personnel necessary to do this, due to Russian attacks on their industrial base.
Steven Twitty is a twit.
3 months on and Russia is retreating
You ought to tell those "intelligence report" writers that they lack intelligence...
So you think dying for your loved ones and your home is a "hopeless cause"? You wouldn't fight for your loved ones?
and nope, Russia is NOT doing better now - their economy has shrunk by 16% already.
They are getting limited supplies of 152mm, as at least one Romanian plant has spun up production, for Ukraine.
XXVII
Then out spake brave Horatius,
The Captain of the gate:
‘To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his Gods?
“Horatius”, Macaulay
“So you think dying for your loved ones and your home is a “hopeless cause”? You wouldn’t fight for your loved ones?”
Considering the situation for the Russians in Donbass last February, I agree with you on that. Huge enemy buildup, backed by the strongest Nazi party in present-day Europe, about to attack and subjugate millions of Russian speakers - what choice did Russia have? Cut and run and while another Armenia took place (like the US does)...I guess, but they chose otherwise. Perhaps Ukraine should have let go of their past grudges, rather than get cute with a country as strong as Russia?
Where we are today is the result of decisions made by the West, enforced by the Azovs - not decisions made by Ukrainians.
“and nope, Russia is NOT doing better now - their economy has shrunk by 16% already.”
I don’t know of any Western (or other) media making that claim today and there’s a good chance that Europe will decline EVEN MORE than Russia’s small decline. You really do need to update your sources.
The strongest nazi party in present day Europe is to be found in Putin’s Russia.
The rest of your post is nonsensical.
You want Ukraine to give up and surrender? So you also blame rape victims?
“The strongest nazi party in present day Europe is to be found in Putin’s Russia.”
They were outlawed when Putin took power, not welcomed into the government, as the Neocons had Ukraine do. The vast majority of the European Nazi articles in the Western Media since Putin took power had to do with UKRAINE, not Russia...at least until the Western Media ‘rehabilitated’ the Ukrainian Nazis this year (they’re now ‘good Nazis’). But then you already know all that, as does every other Ukraine Cheerleader here.
“You want Ukraine to give up and surrender?”
At this point, not much choice, and not my choice.
“So you also blame rape victims?”
I do if they wear a shirt saying “Rape me, please”.
“When the pentagon says 200,000 troops are missing it’s time to face the facts.”
The same Pentagon that said the Taliban couldn’t take over in Afghanistan?
That Pentagon?
L
The nazi groups like Wagner are fighting on Putin’s side
“The nazi groups like Wagner are fighting on Putin’s side”
Mercenaries yes, Nazis no. Never mentioned once (at least until the Western Media needed to come up with Russian ‘Nazis’, this year):
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wagner_Group&oldid=982653691
Here is a definition of Naziism
“Nazism is a form of fascism, with disdain for democracy and which incorporates fervent antisemitism, scientific racism, and the use of eugenics into its creed.”
Which of these characteristics have we seen in Ukraine?
Lack of democracy? No, free and fair elections.
Anti-semitism? No, they democratically elected a Jewish President.
Racism? A bit, in common with much of Eastern Europe and Russia, but it is not systemic or official.
So Nazi? No, not even close. On the other hand, if you apply those tests to Russia, you get a much closer match.
“Which of these characteristics have we seen in Ukraine?”
I know, all those articles before this year, IN YOUR MEDIA, were BS. We Russia-haters must think that.
There were never Nazis in Ukraine...it was all BS
(even if no one denied it at the time).
Yep, it’s all BS...must be, yep, must be.
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