Posted on 12/03/2021 7:38:46 AM PST by Mariner
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is tracking enough indicators and warnings surrounding Russian military activity near Ukraine to trigger "a lot of concern" and Russian rhetoric appears increasingly strident, the top U.S. military officer said late on Thursday.
Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined to speculate about the kinds of options the United States might consider in the event of a Russian invasion. But Milley, in some of his most extensive remarks on the crisis, stressed the importance of Ukraine's sovereignty to Washington and to the NATO alliance.
"There's significant national security interests of the United States and of NATO member states at stake here if there was an overt act of aggressive action militarily by the Russians into a nation state that has been independent since 1991," Milley said during a flight from Seoul to Washington.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Agree 100%, except I would allow the return of Galicia to Austria or Poland if eithre of them would accept it.
EXACTYL!
ANYBODY who’s going to spew about “National Security interests” needs to step back from the Kool-Aid and look at the doddering old fool in the Oval Office; THAT is National Security Threat #1.
It’s probably all Kabuki theater at this point.
Given Ukraine’s current internal political troubles (oligarchs sqabbling and jostling for power, plus their brandy-new IMF deal), and with winter coming*, Putin is likely concerned Zelenskiy may try to wag the dog by pulling a Poroshenko (military provocations against the rebels as a distraction). The “Russian troops amassed near the border!” are actually some 260 clicks away, likely there to discourage such a play rather than poised for imminent ivasion. At least that’s the way it looks to me. (But I’m just a civvie and a female to boot, so what do I know?)
Moving from Russia vs Ukraine and onto the world stage now, the situation allows us to bluster (”NATO is relevant, y’all! — lookie lookie!) and for Putin to push for concessions. (And for Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic to holler for more NATO $ and other forms of aid.)
*A little story in headlines:
Protests incited by gas price hike grip Ukraine: Would they escalate into new Maidan? - Jan 12, 2021
https://112.international/ukraine-top-news/protests-incited-by-gas-price-hike-grip-ukraine-would-they-escalate-into-new-maidan-58051.html
Ukrainian government will cap natural gas price for households in a move that endangers its IMF deal - Jan 14, 2021
https://www.intellinews.com/ukrainian-government-will-cap-natural-gas-price-for-households-in-a-move-that-endangers-its-imf-deal-200264/
Tottering Gas Market Reforms in Ukraine: Paternalism and Political Games - Feb 11, 2021
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/tottering-gas-market-reforms-ukraine-paternalism-and-political-games
Ukraine Pledges To IMF Not To Limit Natural Gas Prices For Population Nov 25, 2021
https://ukranews.com/en/news/816954-ukraine-pledges-to-imf-not-to-limit-natural-gas-prices-for-population
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Apropos of nothing in particular, I came to the conclusion years ago that if you want to start a civil war in some poor benighted country, call the IMF.
>> Dumb dumb dumb!
Ukraine absolutely did not have a free hand in this. It’s fantasy football to think they had real agency at that time. Being a fledgling, politically unstable and extremely corrupt ex-Soviet republic, it was made an offer it could not refuse. If Kravchuk, the ex-Soviet boss and 1st president of the independent Ukraine refused, he would have probably be toppled by a joint US / Britain / Russia ops and someone more agreeable would sign in his place.
There was concern in the West the nukes could end up on the market for the highest bidder, like Iran. So everyone at the time was happy with the arrangement.
[flame resistant coveralls on] I like Putin because he pisses off the Bu$hes, the CIA, the EU, globalists, Hillary, homosexuals, the media, neocons, Obama, pedophiles, Pentagon swamp rats, radical feminists, $oros, “transgenders,” and other assorted vermin. Putin must be doing *something* right to make the aforementioned rat pack hate him!
It makes sense to mention that the first orange rat Yuschenko managed to sneak some ALCMs and sell them to China and Iran.
The last batch of Obama-league Maidon clowns helped North Korea to have ICBM too.
That’s funny. I thought our “ top “ generals only were concerned about teaching CRT and social equity to the new strain of military personnel!
Real Politik would disintegrate NATO? Allow the West to be picked off by Russia and China? Make us vulnerable to a suprise nuclear strike? No, this is just really dumb.
Russia has beautiful women, and therefor Russia should be an ally, not an adversary.
“Real Politik would disintegrate NATO?”
Withdraw from NATO is certainly in the interests of the US.
Europe, not so much.
Though they have ALL the necessary resources to protect their own interests and borders. They just refuse to do so.
Truly, the last free-range population of beautiful women not infected with feminism.
“ You’re so utterly confused and incapable of rational judgment that you don’t see the Russian nuclear missile with our name on it, hanging just over our head.”
I certainly do not. Nukes are a good deterrent. But, govts are more interested in resources and a world war would not do anyone any favors.
Stop using facts dammit.
The libertine liberaltarians and Russian Pooty Poot Lovers are on a roll, surrendering.
“Didn’t realize there were so many Neville Chamberlain fans here.”
Merely a vocal minority of liberaltarians. But, they make Neville Chamberlain look like a stud bull in action.
If they really wanted to invade, they would simply do it. Putin just create the crisis and next want to get something in exchange for “deescalation”. Personally, I think the best thing to do is to simply ignore this nonsense.
I'm waiting for a moment when you nutjobs claim that they only way to save America is to let Russians nuke 20 US cities. Given the trend, it is quite likely a matter of several months.
“Who cares if Russia swallow Georgia or Moldova or Ukraine?”
Yeah, who cares if China swallows Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Some strange countries far away from my farm...
Since you like ridiculous exaggeration, how about a very simple argument for you then? F*** Ukraine. They can defend themselves. Like Somalia, Afghanistan or Albania - not worth risking one US soldier's life. Or better yet, let the Europeans defend them. They had 25 years to form a nation, but instead, their leaders were too busy stripping the country bare.
Places like Iran or North Korea do the same trick. Do you like them too ?
+ If you take a closer look, you will find out that people like Merkel, Macron and many other “individuals” you most likely do not like, are in fact Putin's butt buddies. Dude even got Time's Man of the year award. No kidding. Just google it up.
Well, I can’t blame Iranians or North Koreans for hating a great many things about the western world’s cultural, economic, and political establishment. I wouldn’t fight for Xiden if he started a war with Iran, North Korea, or any other country, even if I were of military age.
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