Aceris
22572
But someone is wrong on the internet.
Putin’s mistake was not inventing the bear cavalry special unit.
I know this is not at all related to the point you’re making (which is fair), and this is 100% a thread derail, but it’s unfair to call Haiti’s situation one of their own making. Haiti is the result of the only successful slave revolt in history, and they were rewarded by being saddled with an enormous debt (by France) for the having the temerity to steal their own selves. Obviously Haiti has since had plenty of native bad actors that haven’t improved the situation, to be sure. But the reductive “it’s their own fault, why can’t they just do peaceful democracy like us” subtext ignores the barriers that Haitians have had, which no white country has had to deal with.
/derail rant off
CraigM
22574
Also don’t forget the response of other nations, especially the USA, responsible for creating the economic conditions post revolution as well.
It’s too bad that they are not really that interested in defending decency, freedom and democracy.
You were very repeatedly wrong about it actually. Show me where on the forum people predicted Russia would NOT mobilize in some form? Do you even remember what you claimed? You were so far wrong it still makes me chuckle.
Russia still heavily underperforming. I would wager that the casualty ratio is in Ukraine’s favour quite signifcantly and things have gotten worse for Russia over time as their good units are exhausted.
Their recent tactics on their one offensive sector say otherwise; mass infantry assaults inadequately supported by artillery or heavy weapons. It’s a far cry even from their capture of Sievierodonetsk where their volume of artillery fire was much greater.
Slackening of artillery fire during an offensive resulting in having to pay a much higher human cost to take the ground is a sure sign of supply constraint.
Anyway I’ve watched all your sources and they don’t agree with you. It’s like you are taking their hypothetical statements about how Russia could improve their tactics and combat performance and just assume that means Russia will do those things (or even is somehow doing them right now!).
Let’s not forget the US marines, occupying the country for nearly 20 years on the basis of a policy largely driven by New York bankers.
I can’t read Salami Tactics, and not post this seemingly accurate video.
On a different note, what are the chances that Russia’s Nuclear Weapons are in poor shape as the rest of the military? 30 years of mismanagement of resources, especially resources never to be tested, can lead to weapons that won’t work.
Edited can’t to won’t. I think that flows better.
Part of me thinks they’ll find all the copper wires have been stripped out and sold, along with anything else of value.
That would be one less worry for the world.
Well, sure, maybe they won’t work. Anyone wish to test that out in practice?
If you’ve got the keys to a silo, I know a guy who will buy the copper wire . . .
Not just the Copper, but even the Fission material might be past expiration date.
Well yeah, but do you know hard it is to move secondhand fissionables?
Actually, I was thinking that the fissionable material would be inert now.
Perhaps I am wrong about that.
Tortilla
22585
I know, I was just trying to keep the heist gag running :)
We’re in splitting distance of some pretty good jokes here if we keep working on it.
My apologies. I have been going to bed later than usual, so I am missing even the obvious stuff. After I get today wrapped up, hopefully a good night sleep will make everything clearer.
In the meantime, I need to just keep myself in check because right now my two eldest children are squabbling about this/that and the other thing (which always happens when one has a birthday).
abrandt
22588
This has been my assumption ever since we saw the poor state of their conventional forces. How easy it must be to assume you’ll never actually need to use the nuclear weapons you’re in charge of so you falsify the records and pocket whatever resources you’re getting to keep them maintained.
Just be careful about coupling that serious argument with a less serious getting your hair mussed reference, people get really offended by that one.
dtolman
22589
My assumption is that a significant portion of Russian Nuclear Weapons are probably non-functional… but since they have thousands, that still means hundreds of nukes going off across the Northern Hemisphere - so still not great.
But for a limited demonstration use where they’re trying to scare/warn off Ukraine… one failing to go off would be Interesting.
spiffy
22590
Depending on how many children you have, that at least leaves you with three hundred fifty-ish days of peace, unless they also squabble every other day that isn’t a birthday, like mine do…
