kallend 1,345 #2701 May 9 11 hours ago, billvon said: Agreed. Enjoy your time off. Expect another one to spring up any time now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,094 #2702 May 9 6 hours ago, kallend said: So are ChatGPT's. Gotta wonder how long it's going to take for the 'troll farms' to start using AI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vladimir K 3 #2703 May 9 (edited) On 5/8/2023 at 9:00 AM, Phil1111 said: Не пора ли положить конец бесплатному рупору путинской пропаганды. Где обвиняемый военный преступник платил пропагандистам за распространение дезинформации. Ложь. Не пора ли SC отправить Slim в запрет? На ДЗ в Крыму. Edited to add translation: Isn't it time to put an end to the free mouthpiece of Putin's propaganda. Where an accused war criminal paid propagandists to spread disinformation. Lie. Is it time for SC to put Slim on the ban? At the DZ in the Crimea. Edited May 9 by wmw999 Add translation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vladimir K 3 #2704 May 9 On 5/8/2023 at 4:00 PM, Phil1111 said: Is it time to end the free mouthpiece for Putin propaganda. Where an indicted war criminal has paid propagandists spreading misinformation.Lies. Is it time for SC to send Slim packing? To the DZ in the Crimea. Crimea is Ukraine. Don't let this Putin monkey come to us in Ukraine... 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winsor 135 #2705 May 9 2 hours ago, Vladimir K said: Da. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 981 #2706 May 9 18 hours ago, wolfriverjoe said: It's pretty clear who and what he is. A true idiot wouldn't be in that role. I don’t think he is working for Russia. There’s one very unexpected person who shares a lot of his views and kind of explains how he’s got to where he is - Oliver Stone. Oliver Stone was completely disillusioned by the Vietnam war of the idea that western foreign policy is ever altruistic. He’s a conspiracy theorist, notably with JFK, that again ties in malign CIA foreign policy motivations. He’s then seen the whole Cold War in terms of western aggression designed to feed the military industrial complex. Somewhere that’s fed into the idea that if the west are the bad guys then Russia are maybe not the good guys, but definitely not the bad guys. And then they can start to admire Putin in terms of standing up to the west, and then you can think Putin might not be a bad guy at all. Clearly Slim has gone to a whole new and despicable level with his approval of both Russia’s invasion and the worst of their crimes in the fighting. But when you see how someone like Stone can be lead astray by their (in some senses well founded) distrust of the US, then you can imagine how it’d affect someone so much more impressionable and so much less sharp in Slim. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 981 #2707 May 9 (edited) Anyway, in good news there are some rumblings now about a European coalition wanting to supply longer range terrain following cruise missiles to be integrated into Ukraine’s Mig 29s. While the Russian Air Force is in general an unreliable, inflexible, undertrained shambles their modern air to air missiles are surprisingly excellent, so it’s very dangerous for the older Ukrainian jets to operate close to the front line. But a 300km range would allow them to target bases, ammo dumps, HQs, staging areas and logistics terminals well inside Crimea and the Donbas as well as front line targets. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/09/british-led-coalition-hoping-to-supply-longer-range-missiles-to-ukraine Edited May 9 by jakee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2708 May 9 4 hours ago, Vladimir K said: Crimea is Ukraine. Don't let this Putin monkey come to us in Ukraine... Crimea is Ukraine. i was thinking that you'd give active FSB employees an appropriate welcome at 14k. Perhaps a refreshing water jump in the Black sea! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2709 May 9 1 hour ago, jakee said: Anyway, in good news there are some rumblings now about a European coalition wanting to supply longer range terrain following cruise missiles to be integrated into Ukraine’s Mig 29s. ... Credit to the UK for such thinking. President Biden is wrong in being so timid in the types of weapons to supply Ukraine. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
olofscience 326 #2710 May 10 11 hours ago, Phil1111 said: Credit to the UK for such thinking. After a radioactive poison attack and a chemical weapon attack on the UK, it's not even close to payback yet. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2711 May 10 5 hours ago, olofscience said: After a radioactive poison attack and a chemical weapon attack on the UK, it's not even close to payback yet. I stand corrected. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 501 #2712 May 10 On 5/8/2023 at 10:33 AM, riggerrob said: As I suspected the current war in Ukraine is partially funded by drug smugglers. The latest issue of "THE ECONOMIST" outlines how the current war in Ukraine is interrupting traditional smuggling routes while opening up new opportunities. Traditionally, Afghan-grown opium moved towards Western European markets via the old Silk Roads (see books by Frankopan). Most of the Post-Cold War fighting has been along the traditional Silk Roads through China, Turkmenistan, Persia/Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, etc. There is also an alternate Northern Silk Road through Ukraine and Poland. Back during the 1990s, I could not understand who was financing the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. Even with wealthy diasporas in Western Europe and North America funding private armies, it was difficult to understand who was financing the fighting in the former Yugoslavia. It only started to make sense when I read "Whistleblower" (book and feature film) written by an American femal police officer who went to the former Yugoslavia to train Yugo police on modern policing methods. She blew the whistle on how U.N. troops were knowingly and unknowingly abetting Serbians who were smuggling drugs and human sex slaves from Eastern Europe to Western Europe. In one case, a U.N. ambulance was used to move sex slaves across Serbian/Croatian lines. Most of those sex slaves were pretty young women born in Ukraine or Russia who were offered low-skilled jobs in Western Europe or North America, but they ended up as strippers (exotic dancers) or prostitutes. These are the "Ukrainian widows" that Slim sees advertised on the internet. Nowadays, fighting in the Eastern provinces/oblasts of Ukraine interupts traditional smuggling routes. It is difficult to move illicit goods Westwards past mine fields, trenches and trigger-happy artillerymen. Organized criminals are forced to develop new routes farther north or farther south. Some patriotic Ukrainian gangsters refuse to do business with Russian invaders, while others just see new opportunities for profits. Speaking of profits ... after the war .. when it comes time to rebuild Ukraine, organized criminals will see plenty of opportunities for graft, corruption, bribes, shoddy work, etc. We hope that Western donors will also send plenty of auditors and inspectors to keep Ukrainian construction companies honest. I just watched a www.youtube.com video about smuggling in Iran. "Shootis" drive their souped up Peugots at 200 km to move banned goods (e.g. alcohol) from one Iranian city to the next while "tbars" risk their lives smuggling diesel oil to Pakistan and foot porters (aka. sherpas) carry consumer goods (e.g. washing machines) through the Kurdish-controlled mountains of Northern Iran. Iran is just one step along the traditional Silk Roads (see books by Frankopan). Ukraine is just the Northern detour to deliver Afghan opium, etc. to markets in Western Europe. We already know that Prigozin (sp?) has been financing the African adventures of his Wagner Group of mercenaries by securing promises of mineral rights, etc. from aspiring African dictators. This causes us to wonder which coal-mining or natural gas drilling rights Prighozin has been promised in Eastern Ukraine. Or is Prighozin hoping to cash in on bribes paid by smugglers? Or is Mr. Poutine just being a bully by decimating the Ukrainian steel industry (see Mariupol) in hopes of limiting the worldwide supply of steel and thereby improve Russian steel mills competitive edge? This current war in Ukraine raises too many embarassing questions??????????? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 981 #2713 May 10 10 minutes ago, riggerrob said: This causes us to wonder which coal-mining or natural gas drilling rights Prighozin has been promised in Eastern Ukraine. Or is Prighozin hoping to cash in on bribes paid by smugglers? Or is Mr. Poutine just being a bully by decimating the Ukrainian steel industry (see Mariupol) in hopes of limiting the worldwide supply of steel and thereby improve Russian steel mills competitive edge? This current war in Ukraine raises too many embarassing questions??????????? Only problem being that Putin would not be the slightest bit embarrassed about any of that. Russia's economy is staggeringly underdeveloped and they essentially produce nothing to sell to the world except natural resources and stop motion animation. So fighting a war that gives the Russian economy (more precisely the ligarch's under Putin's wing) access to more natural resources and less competition is just business as usual. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2714 May 11 The largest tank battle of WW2, Kursk. Cost the Soviet army about 1500 tanks. Putin has now lost more tanks in Ukraine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
olofscience 326 #2715 May 11 On 5/10/2023 at 2:29 PM, Phil1111 said: I stand corrected. No worries, but we're getting closer: Storm Shadows have been delivered to Ukraine - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65558070 The Kerch bridge is well within their 300km range. Additionally, they've lost quite a bit of ground on the southern flank of Bakhmut. Slim won't be able to deny it because his boss has actually released a video complaining about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2716 May 11 (edited) 2 hours ago, olofscience said: ...The Kerch bridge is well within their 300km range. Yeah thats the first thing I checked out. They can now take it out from Ukrainian airspace. They can also finish off the Russian fleet in Sevastopol.The Novorossiysk sub base. Together with the two sub bases in the Sea of Azov. All without leaving Ukrainian airspace. Technically the subs would have to leave the Russian bases in Russia proper. Since Ukraine isn't supposed to use the missiles to attack Russia directly. 2 hours ago, olofscience said: ...Additionally, they've lost quite a bit of ground on the southern flank of Bakhmut. Slim won't be able to deny it because his boss has actually released a video complaining about it. There were reports among the Russian positions that the Ukrainian offensive had started. Russian troops dropped AKs and beat feet for up to 3km over a 6km front. I wonder if Slim's troops will collapse as fast as Saddam's. Edited May 11 by Phil1111 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 874 #2717 May 12 7 hours ago, Phil1111 said: Yeah thats the first thing I checked out. They can now take it out from Ukrainian airspace. They can also finish off the Russian fleet in Sevastopol.The Novorossiysk sub base. Together with the two sub bases in the Sea of Azov. All without leaving Ukrainian airspace. Technically the subs would have to leave the Russian bases in Russia proper. Since Ukraine isn't supposed to use the missiles to attack Russia directly. There were reports among the Russian positions that the Ukrainian offensive had started. Russian troops dropped AKs and beat feet for up to 3km over a 6km front. I wonder if Slim's troops will collapse as fast as Saddam's. Hi Phil, Are you saying that they cannot have an OOPSIE? Jerry Baumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 422 #2718 May 12 8 hours ago, JerryBaumchen said: Hi Phil, Are you saying that they cannot have an OOPSIE? Jerry Baumchen Like Russians bombing themselves?? Having grown up during the cold war, it's almost laughable to me to see how incompetent the Russians actually are. Is their Naval fleet still rusting away as well? They seem to have quite an underdeveloped economy thanks to their leaders and oligarchs. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2719 May 12 8 hours ago, JerryBaumchen said: Hi Phil, Are you saying that they cannot have an OOPSIE? Jerry Baumchen mmmm....NATO membership sooner rather than later. So no Storm Shadows to the Kremlin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 1,866 #2720 May 12 16 hours ago, Phil1111 said: Yeah thats the first thing I checked out. They can now take it out from Ukrainian airspace. They can also finish off the Russian fleet in Sevastopol.The Novorossiysk sub base. Together with the two sub bases in the Sea of Azov. All without leaving Ukrainian airspace. Technically the subs would have to leave the Russian bases in Russia proper. Since Ukraine isn't supposed to use the missiles to attack Russia directly. There were reports among the Russian positions that the Ukrainian offensive had started. Russian troops dropped AKs and beat feet for up to 3km over a 6km front. I wonder if Slim's troops will collapse as fast as Saddam's. Could be people just don’t want to be needlessly killed like in the good old days. Damn internet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2721 May 12 15 minutes ago, normiss said: Like Russians bombing themselves?? Having grown up during the cold war, it's almost laughable to me to see how incompetent the Russians actually are. Is their Naval fleet still rusting away as well? They seem to have quite an underdeveloped economy thanks to their leaders and oligarchs. I wonder what component of that over-estimation was from the military industrial complex. How much from politicians. How much from analysts that were just incompetent. The current spending spree by western countries to rearm. To build up their military power. All due to this invasion Involves spending in the 2-3 trillion dollar range. Worldwide $2.24 trillion up 34% last year alone. No word yet if Putin has asked for his weapons back from Assad. You know barrel bombs, etc. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2722 May 12 Just now, JoeWeber said: Could be people just don’t want to be needlessly killed like in the good old days. Damn internet. Perhaps NATO should offer free VPN service to all Russian draftees? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 422 #2723 May 12 2 minutes ago, Phil1111 said: Perhaps NATO should offer free VPN service to all Russian draftees? Can we get Elon to re-enable Starlink for that area?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,063 #2724 May 12 33 minutes ago, normiss said: Like Russians bombing themselves?? Having grown up during the cold war, it's almost laughable to me to see how incompetent the Russians actually are. Is their Naval fleet still rusting away as well? They seem to have quite an underdeveloped economy thanks to their leaders and oligarchs. AFAIK, back in the days of the Soviet Union, the money allocated to the military, actually went to the military. As opposed to now, where it gets siphoned on by Putin's oligarch lackeys, to buy yachts and foreign vacation mansions. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 691 #2725 May 12 11 minutes ago, ryoder said: AFAIK, back in the days of the Soviet Union, the money allocated to the military, actually went to the military. As opposed to now, where it gets siphoned on by Putin's oligarch lackeys, to buy yachts and foreign vacation mansions. I wonder if they introduced a new class at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia. In kleptocracy 101. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites