CNN has Wolf Blitzer interviewing some asshole who keeps calling for NATO to impose a no-fly-zone over Ukraine airspace. Blitzer keeps saying Russia has nuclear weapons and this would put US forces in direct conflict with Russian forces. This asshole keeps saying well that would be up to Putin, it would be his fault if that happened. I can’t even be bothered to find out who this asshole is, I just switched to Al Jazeera.
Houngan
3427
That’s the correct move. There’s a couple of orders of magnitude between what’s happening now, NATO stepping in, and nuclear exchange. Media is gonna media.
vyshka
3428
Adam Kizinger? He apparently has called for it
Maybe? How stupid is Kizinger?
abrandt
3431
It was Kinzinger, mostly known for being one of the more prominent Republicans to vote for impeachment.
Alstein
3432
A better option would be our own verstion of Russian’s mercenaries. Send in whatever Blackwater is called now, or use volunteers.
Strollen
3433
I generally agree. Every time, I bring up the US treaty obligation under SEATO, to defend South Vietnam, I get blank looks, followed by who cares about the treaty. On the other hand, NATO does seem to be a bit different, and I think NATO response to 9/11 is an example. I’m sure that no NATO country envisioned that terrorist attack on the US by a county not on the border of any NATO country, would commit them to fight a 20 year war. Yet, by large NATO did respond, albeit with the effectiveness of many of their forces being quite limited. Still for the most part countries like people are selfish, so being skeptical of what would really happen in the event of Russia attack on NATO country is perfectly understandable.
I’m less critical of Biden, than you. if we give Bush 41 an A for his handling of 1st Gulf war, I’m giving Biden a B/B+. Biden was the leader of international coalition to opposed Putin, and it has been unified.
I agree categorically taking sending troops to fight off the table was a mistake. The Budapest memorandum of 1994 was the perfect excuse to remain ambiguous about the use of troop. We certainly had a higher ethical, and legal obligation to defend Ukraine, under the agreement than we did Kuwait back in 1991, where we had no obligation. On the other hand the fact that treaty was never ratified by Congress makes it completely non-binding. So if Biden decides not send troops that’s perfectly finr. The whole point of this exercise is to increase the uncertainty and potential cost to Putin. I would have told Zelensky there is virtually no chance the US will intervene so you better deter Putin and be prepared to fight hm on your own.
The other things I really am critical of Putin is not doing sanctions earlier. The whole idea of using sanctions as deterrence is silly. You use sanction government for doing bad things. Treat black like dogs, we slap sanctions on you, until you stop. invade Crimea, sanctions. Threaten Ukraine with an invasion, more sanctions. Invade the whole country even more. Sanctions get lifted when you stop behaving badly
vyshka
3434
AF vet, house republican that has stood alone with Cheney the past year.
vyshka
3435
Erik Prince is a Putin fan. He was on Bannon’s podcast radio show or whatever the fuck it is the other day. He would be just as likely to fight for the Russians.
Lantz
3437
I just dug Putin’s mother up and fucked her skeleton.
Strollen
3440
There are 1 million Ukrainian American,if 1% joined the Speilberg or Nimoy brigade (Grandparents/Parents are Ukrainian ) that’s 10,000 a large brigade . At least some have military training, most famously the Vindman twins. There probably need to be some laws passed to make it legal, but no different than what the Abraham-Lincoln brigade did during the Spanish Civil War.
Sharpe
3441
I would like to say publicly that I misremembered Janster’s posting history and confused him with another poster who is IMO an unreconstructed Putin apologist. Therefore, I retract my suggestion that Janster be banned and I also apologize.
I’m just so very angry about all political shit these days, my memory is fallible and I posted in haste.
I apologize to the forum.
strummer
3442
Fuck Yeah!
JMJ coming again to save the motherfucking day!
strummer
3443
You are thinking about @Grifman.
Hold on…let me check my Qt3 poster scorecard to confirm.
Oh, that sounds like the long gone IncendiaryLemon
Strollen
3445
It is a step farther than I would go, but I don’t think it is stupid. Kizinger is a pilot in the Air National guard, I’d be willing to bet would volunteer to fly missions. So this is not chicken hawk speaking, What ever you think of his policies or advice, this a brave man.
