@deprecated_ii hahaha no
@nchia Would
@matrix Nothing wrong with that.
@apropos Or fucking the same chick twice.
@freemo
USA fought back. This is almost a full proxy war (with RU being directly involved, and NATO bleeding them via their intermediary Ukraine). NATO as a defensive organisation provided a lot of support and still does to this day. If it isn't a ton of material (https://www.ifw-kiel.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine-support-tracker/) or weapons or monies, it was the huge AWACS flying racetracks west of the Polish border. There are a lot of "consultants" operating in Ukraine right now, and while I have no proof I am fairly certain there are some US guys driving around fucking having the time of their life.
It is obvious that Trump is taking a more isolationist stance when it comes to foreign policy. I wouldn't call him weak. misguided sure.
@dick
@dick
Whatever Zelensky does, he will be sucking Putin's fleshy appendage between vanity shots for magazines.
Zelensky keeps fighting and loses it all. Public support for this war in Ukraine is kinda through the floor (https://news.gallup.com/poll/653495/half-ukrainians-quick-negotiated-end-war.aspx) Putin wins.
Zelensky makes a deal. Cedes land to Russia. Putin wins.
@freemo
I think Trump was a bit too eager giving things away for Russia to enter the negotiation table. I guess The Art of the Deal is giving everything your enemy wants away. Since Trump's campaign pledge was to get this conflict solved within 100 days (something that is coming up really soon) it is not hard to see the tempo of things the past couple of weeks.
The problem is A) Putin almost won. Ukraine isn't going to join the EU or NATO (unless they cede conflicted territory to Russia for starters). Most of the intended oblasts are now in Russia control. Ukraine military is in some places on the brink of collapse. Despite best of intentions even European nations are unable to support Ukraine with weapons due to their own stocks being in a critical condition (see Germany's announcement earlier today). And B) USA starting or messing with wars oversees isn't cool any more (I think I protested almost every war the USA got involved in the past 25 years, so no fan). The time for the neo-cons or warmongering (yuk) is mostly over, and the impression I have is that the yanks lately to are also are sick of it. Team America World Police should be a funny movie, not foreign policy.
I think Zelensky had a number of choices this week: Keep fighting and risk losing more, or cut his losses and find a peaceful solution. And he decided to cut his losses and kiss the ring of the guy with the biggest gun.
@dick
@freemo Russia isn't winning against the Ukraine for a myriad of reasons. The technological edge from western weapon systems, tons of funding from EU and US, and conscripting half the country that didn't escape in time help a lot. There is however still a mass loss in life of both sides. If it wasn't Ukraine, we may have seen this fight itself out in Poland or Germany (although patriotism thanks to the denazification took a hit in recent decades, so results may vary. https://www.gallup-international.bg/en/33483/win-gallup-internationals-global-survey-shows-three-in-five-willing-to-fight-for-their-country/). If it wasn't for foreign support Ukraine would've ran out of gear and equipment in the first year, it is literally a partial proxy war.
As for the second paragraph, specifically the second paragraph; no. Just no. I am expressing my thoughts US's geopolitical position. I am not stating nor implying any support for whatever power in this case (I live in the well-regulated toothless one )
@freemo I think from a geopolitical point of view this is more of a sign to US's adversaries that they aren't fooling around with the International Liberal Rules Based Order kinda thing, instead opting for a Might makes Right approach. I think this is a much required paradigm shift in a world in which the EU is essentially toothless (and dead in the water), befriending RU a bit is better than having a RU/CN alliance that would be impossible to deal with for the US in the long term.
@freemo I shoot myself with .22 to become immune to bullets so I can work myself up to .50-cal...
@icedquinn I feel already old watching this....
Just another gamer on the Internet.