World Politics

[Tracker]

China's patience with Russia is running out. China's Foreign Ministry called for calming the situation on Monday after Russia showered Ukraine's city centres and energy infrastructure with dozens of missiles.

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-nord-stream-sabotage-is-act-international-terrorism-2022-10-12/

Quote

MOSCOW, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that major leaks which suddenly erupted in the Nord Stream gas pipelines running from Russia to Europe were an "act of international terrorism".

Putin said the attacks on the pipelines, which European and Western governments have called sabotage, set a "dangerous precedent".

[Tracker]

6 hours ago, blue_gold_84 said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-nord-stream-sabotage-is-act-international-terrorism-2022-10-12/

He has also said that he is ready to negotiate turning the gas on again. 

[Mark F]

16 minutes ago, Tracker said:

He has also said that he is ready to negotiate turning the gas on again. 

too late. had his chance to fit in, now it's fukk off

Edited October 12, 2022 by Mark F

[Tracker]

Ukraine's victory "almost a done deal": Military expert on how Russia's invasion imploded

Eight months ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a "special military operation." Most military analysts expected an easy victory. The Russians had a significant numerical advantage in personnel and equipment, much greater firepower, air and naval superiority and seemingly bottomless resources with which to impose its will. It was reasonable to believe that Russia would conquer Ukraine rapidly and then replace the existing government before declaring "victory". 

Of course, that did not happen.

The Ukrainians had been preparing for this eventuality since at least 2014, when the Russian military and its allied forces invaded eastern Ukraine and illegally occupied and annexed Crimea. With the help of the U.S. and other Western allies, the Ukrainians put in place an extremely effective system of total resistance, in which nearly the entire society was mobilized to defend the nation. 

The Ukrainian military has greatly modernized its forces, tactics, strategy and style of leadership and command — again, with significant aid from the West. In contrast, despite the Russian military's efforts at modernization, it remains largely guided by Stalin's famous diktat that "quantity has a quality all its own." That may have been true when it came to defending the Soviet Union against Hitler in 1941, but the realities of warfare in the 21st century have greatly complicated that statement.

Putin really could fall — but will that help the West as much as we think? 
Russia's military has suffered numerous setbacks and been exposed as a hollow force, poorly equipped and even more poorly led. Russian forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, with the Ukrainian government claiming that 50,000 Russian soldiers have died, although U.S. estimates are around half that number. Experts have concluded that it will take years to rebuild the Russian military.

After a brief period of initial successes that included the siege of Kyiv and rapid occupation of parts of southern and eastern Ukraine, Russian forces have been consistently pushed back. After a successful offensive several weeks ago in the northeast, Ukraine is now moving against Russian forces as part of an effort to recapture the strategically important city of Kherson.

Russian forces continue to retreat, abandoning vehicles, artillery, ammunition and other critical equipment and supplies. In a stark contrast, the U.S. and NATO allies are providing advanced weaponry, key intelligence and other assistance to the Ukrainians, which they are using to great effect.

Putin has now enacted a de facto draft intended to force 300,000 Russian men into military service, a move that is widely unpopular. There are even rumors that Putin's rule may be imperiled because of the failures in Ukraine, a scenario that seemed unthinkable even a few weeks ago.

John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army major who is chair of urban warfare studies at the Madison Policy Forum. He also consults for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the UN and other military and national security organizations. Spencer's essays and other writing have been featured by the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy and other leading publications.

His new book "Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War," was published in July.

In this conversation, Spencer explains how and why the Ukrainian military has been so successful in its fight against the Russian invasion. Ukraine now holds the advantage, he argues, and the tide has turned against Putin and the Russian military. Despite Russia's numerical advantage, Spencer argues, intangible factors such as the will to fight, love of country, trusted leadership and a belief in the justness of one's cause have played important roles in Ukraine's success. 

At the end of this conversation, Spencer draws on his own experiences in combat to explain how the average Ukrainian soldier and their Russian counterparts are likely feeling right now. He concludes that the Russian military is broken from the inside out and that the average Russian soldier — especially among the newest wave of "recruits" — has no heart for the fight in Ukraine and just wants it to end so he can just return home alive.

https://www.salon.com/2022/10/11/ukraines-victory-almost-a-done-deal-military-expert-on-how-invasion-imploded/

[Tracker]

New British PM Liz Truss’ First Month in Power Is Officially a Record-Breaking Sh*tshow
-Getty
Shortly after making it into the final two for the Tory leadership race in July, Liz Truss sent out a message of thanks to her supporters with an oddly prophetic typo. “I’m ready to hit the ground from day one,” she wrote.

What was once just an amusing typo has turned out to be a well-kept promise. Even with Truss’ first two weeks in office being eclipsed by the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the new regime has already managed to inflict a surprising array of disasters on the country and itself. The so-called “mini-budget” delivered by fledgling finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng on Sept. 23 has been at the heart of the mayhem.

(Truss not being supportive enough?)

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/intense-fighting-flares-ukraines-donetsk-region-2022-10-17/

Quote

KYIV, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with drones on Monday, killing at least four people in an apartment building in downtown Kyiv during morning rush hour, and targeted infrastructure across the country in the second wave of air strikes in a week.

Ukrainian soldiers fired into the air trying to shoot down the drones after blasts rocked central Kyiv. An anti-aircraft rocket could be seen streaking into the morning sky, followed by an explosion and orange flames, as residents raced for shelter.

Reuters saw pieces of a drone used in the attack that bore the words: "For Belgorod" - an apparent reference to Ukrainian shelling of a Russian border region.

The strikes took place one week after Russia unleashed its heaviest aerial bombardment of Kyiv and other cities since the start of the war...

 

[Tracker]

2 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/intense-fighting-flares-ukraines-donetsk-region-2022-10-17/

 

There is evidence that Russia drone-bombed a city in occupied Donbas region. They then blamed it on Ukraine and used that to resume attacks on free Ukrainian cities. More proof that anything and everything Putin says is not to be trusted.

[Fatty Liver]

On 2022-10-13 at 10:43 AM, Tracker said:

Ukraine's victory "almost a done deal": Military expert on how Russia's invasion imploded

Eight months ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a "special military operation." Most military analysts expected an easy victory. The Russians had a significant numerical advantage in personnel and equipment, much greater firepower, air and naval superiority and seemingly bottomless resources with which to impose its will. It was reasonable to believe that Russia would conquer Ukraine rapidly and then replace the existing government before declaring "victory". 

Of course, that did not happen.

The Ukrainians had been preparing for this eventuality since at least 2014, when the Russian military and its allied forces invaded eastern Ukraine and illegally occupied and annexed Crimea. With the help of the U.S. and other Western allies, the Ukrainians put in place an extremely effective system of total resistance, in which nearly the entire society was mobilized to defend the nation. 

The Ukrainian military has greatly modernized its forces, tactics, strategy and style of leadership and command — again, with significant aid from the West. In contrast, despite the Russian military's efforts at modernization, it remains largely guided by Stalin's famous diktat that "quantity has a quality all its own." That may have been true when it came to defending the Soviet Union against Hitler in 1941, but the realities of warfare in the 21st century have greatly complicated that statement.

Putin really could fall — but will that help the West as much as we think? 
Russia's military has suffered numerous setbacks and been exposed as a hollow force, poorly equipped and even more poorly led. Russian forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, with the Ukrainian government claiming that 50,000 Russian soldiers have died, although U.S. estimates are around half that number. Experts have concluded that it will take years to rebuild the Russian military.

After a brief period of initial successes that included the siege of Kyiv and rapid occupation of parts of southern and eastern Ukraine, Russian forces have been consistently pushed back. After a successful offensive several weeks ago in the northeast, Ukraine is now moving against Russian forces as part of an effort to recapture the strategically important city of Kherson.

Russian forces continue to retreat, abandoning vehicles, artillery, ammunition and other critical equipment and supplies. In a stark contrast, the U.S. and NATO allies are providing advanced weaponry, key intelligence and other assistance to the Ukrainians, which they are using to great effect.

Putin has now enacted a de facto draft intended to force 300,000 Russian men into military service, a move that is widely unpopular. There are even rumors that Putin's rule may be imperiled because of the failures in Ukraine, a scenario that seemed unthinkable even a few weeks ago.

John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army major who is chair of urban warfare studies at the Madison Policy Forum. He also consults for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the UN and other military and national security organizations. Spencer's essays and other writing have been featured by the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy and other leading publications.

His new book "Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War," was published in July.

In this conversation, Spencer explains how and why the Ukrainian military has been so successful in its fight against the Russian invasion. Ukraine now holds the advantage, he argues, and the tide has turned against Putin and the Russian military. Despite Russia's numerical advantage, Spencer argues, intangible factors such as the will to fight, love of country, trusted leadership and a belief in the justness of one's cause have played important roles in Ukraine's success. 

At the end of this conversation, Spencer draws on his own experiences in combat to explain how the average Ukrainian soldier and their Russian counterparts are likely feeling right now. He concludes that the Russian military is broken from the inside out and that the average Russian soldier — especially among the newest wave of "recruits" — has no heart for the fight in Ukraine and just wants it to end so he can just return home alive.

https://www.salon.com/2022/10/11/ukraines-victory-almost-a-done-deal-military-expert-on-how-invasion-imploded/

I'd take advice from a war monger with a grain of salt.

[GCn20]

16 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

I'd take advice from a war monger with a grain of salt.

If I wanted advice on war, a war monger's advice is exactly who I would be seeking.

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-says-iran-supplying-drones-russia-violates-un-resolution-2022-10-17/

Quote

WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The United States agrees with British and French assessments that Iran supplying drones to Russia would violate a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six powers, U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on Monday.

"Earlier today our French and British allies publicly offered the assessment that Iran’s supply of these UAVs (for) Russia is a violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231," Patel told reporters, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones. "This is something that we agree with."

Ukraine has reported a spate of Russian attacks using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks. Iran denies supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented.

The State Department assessed that Iranian drones were used on Monday in a morning rush hour attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, an official said. White House spokesperson Karinne Jean-Pierre also accused Tehran of lying when it says Iranian drones are not being used by Russia in Ukraine.

 

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.reuters.com/world/exclusive-iran-agrees-ship-missiles-more-drones-russia-defying-west-sources-2022-10-18/

Quote

Oct 18 (Reuters) - Iran has promised to provide Russia with surface to surface missiles, in addition to more drones, two senior Iranian officials and two Iranian diplomats told Reuters, a move that is likely to infuriate the United States and other Western powers.

A deal was agreed on Oct. 6 when Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, two senior officials from Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards and an official from the Supreme National Security Council visited Moscow for talks with Russia about the delivery of the weapons.

"The Russians had asked for more drones and those Iranian ballistic missiles with improved accuracy, particularly the Fateh and Zolfaghar missiles family," said one of the Iranian diplomats, who was briefed about the trip.

A Western official briefed on the matter confirmed it, saying there was an agreement in place between Iran and Russia to provide surface-to-surface short range ballistic missiles, including the Zolfaghar.

One of the drones Iran agreed to supply is the Shahed-136, a delta-winged weapon used as a "kamikaze" air-to-surface attack aircraft. It carries a small warhead that explodes on impact.

Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar are Iranian short-range surface to surface ballistic missiles capable of striking targets at distances of between 300 km and 700 km (186 and 435 miles).

The Iranian diplomat rejected assertions by Western officials that such transfers breach a 2015 U.N. Security Council resolution.

[JCon]

Gee, if only we had an agreement in place, where we could hold Iran accountable. But, of course, Trump ended it. Now, Iran is proceeding on making nuclear weapons and supplying weapons to Russia. 

That man did so much to destabilize the world. BuT hE dIdN't StArT wArS!

 

 

Now, it's time for Canada to call it terrorism and declare Russia as a terrorist state. 

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-commander-admits-situation-is-tense-his-forces-ukraine-2022-10-19/

Quote

KYIV/MIKOLAIV, Ukraine, Oct 19 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin introduced martial law on Wednesday in four Ukrainian regions he says are part of Russia as some residents of the Russian-held city of Kherson left by boat after Moscow warned of a looming assault.

In a move which looked designed to help Russia firm its grip on four Ukrainian regions it partly occupies and seeks to fully control - including the Kherson region - Putin told his Security Council he was introducing martial law in them.

 

Beyond much tighter security measures on the ground, it was unclear what the immediate impact of that would be.

Putin also issued a decree restricting movement in and out of eight regions adjoining Ukraine.

Kherson is the biggest population centre Moscow has seized and held since it began its "special military operation" in Ukraine on Feb. 24. The city is on territory which President Vladimir Putin says is now formally incorporated into Russia, a move Ukraine and the West do not recognise.

The conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, pulverised Ukrainian cities, shaken the global economy and revived Cold War-era geopolitical fissures.

 

[HardCoreBlue]

28 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-commander-admits-situation-is-tense-his-forces-ukraine-2022-10-19/

 

And apparently the fix is to accept Elon Musk's tweet plan on how to resolve this peacefully.

What a world we live in.

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

Truth.

 

The very definition of a useful idiot... 

The world's richest man with the thinnest of skins is Putain's useful idiot.

 

[HardCoreBlue]

2 hours ago, Wanna-B-Fanboy said:

Truth.

 

The very definition of a useful idiot... 

The world's richest man with the thinnest of skins is Putain's useful idiot.

 

And I find these useful idiots present themselves as humble braggers, genuinely believing they are oh so clever and know so much more than us average knuckledraggers. For them to try to explain their wisdom to us simpletons takes a lot of work and giving on their end. Barf. 

[JCon]

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

And I find these useful idiots present themselves as humble braggers, genuinely believing they are oh so clever and know so much more than us average knuckledraggers. For them to try to explain their wisdom to us simpletons takes a lot of work and giving on their end. Barf. 

Remember Musk and the trapped soccer players? That was just obscene. 

Remember when he invented tunnels and thought it was revolutionary? 

[HardCoreBlue]

21 minutes ago, JCon said:

Remember Musk and the trapped soccer players? That was just obscene. 

Remember when he invented tunnels and thought it was revolutionary? 

The trend with people (not all, but a lot) who inherit lots and lots of money don't realize that simply having lots and lots of money that originally you had nothing to do with other than being born into it doesn't make you smart, clever and wise. 

[17to85]

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

The trend with people (not all, but a lot) who inherit lots and lots of money don't realize that simply having lots and lots of money that originally you had nothing to do with other than being born into it doesn't make you smart, clever and wise. 

THEY DESERVE THAT MONEY! Maybe if everyone worked like they did they'd be rich too.

[iHeart]

That was quick

 

[bustamente]

I guess she wasn't a fighter, Boris licking his lips.

[blue_gold_84]

[JCon]

Look at the UK for what happens when populists take over. Brexit is disaster, the conservatives are a disaster, the entire economy is shrinking and they're completely @#$%fing hooped for many years to come. 

That's what a conservative gov't does. Regression. 

[Tracker]

34 minutes ago, JCon said:

Look at the UK for what happens when populists take over. Brexit is disaster, the conservatives are a disaster, the entire economy is shrinking and they're completely @#$%fing hooped for many years to come. 

That's what a conservative gov't does. Regression. 

Conservative governing philosophy has degenerated into immediate rewarding of selves and adherents and the implementation of the destruction of social programs. They have enough awareness to realize that their actions will usually destroy their chances of re-election, so they need to do as much damage as soon as possible. A few, like the Saskatchewan Party have chipped away at government programs slowly in the hope that the voters, like a the frog in the pot of water, will not realize what is going on until it is too late. Some, like Ms. Truss, are so intoxicated by their power that they go for the jugular SAP.