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Ray-SoCa's avatar

Ukraine is weaker than I thought.

Putin is causing uncertainty, which is very effective economic warfare on the Ukraine. Why invade when just the threat is effective, at a much lower cost.

https://pjmedia.com/spengler/2022/01/27/what-if-they-had-a-war-but-there-was-no-one-there-to-begin-with-n1553825

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Ray, count on this--the US did Ukraine and its people no favor at all when we overthrew their elected government and installed a corrupt kleptocracy that would antagonize Russia in exchange for money.

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dissonant1's avatar

What has happened thus far that is not in Putin's favor? He has played it very well. The ineptitude and wrongheadedness of the Biden admin is laughable, pitiful, and lamentable for the U.S. The only thing I wonder is who is really now controlling those forces in the Donbas. That would be a good place from which to start a war.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Rand Paul, Tucker Carlson and many others I follow on Twitter have made the same assessment. Dumb GOP congressman.

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T. Paine Redux's avatar

Cruz exposed himself with his J6 comments. Voted for him in the 16 primary. Won’t do it again

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dissonant1's avatar

He has exposed himself numerous times over the years but people forget. I wrote him off before the 2016 election because of his citizenship issue and also his ties to the CFR. He CAN make and has made positive contributions but I never forget he is doing it for selfish reasons and never forget he cannot be depended on as a conservative when "the rubber hits the road."

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Yes, that was a major mistake--or reveal.

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Ray-SoCa's avatar

Agree, Putin is doing amazingly well with a weak hand with lots of bluffs and provocations.

And the increases in oil and natural gas helps Russia. And Russia seems to have adapted to the sanctions.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

I don't think his hand is so weak at all.

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Ray-SoCa's avatar

Putin has a strong hand because the West has allowed it:

- gdp size of Italy

- large amount of economy is resource based

- lots of corruption, which retards private industry

- Biden Admin caused increase in oil and gas benefitting Russia

- Decommissioning of nuke power plants in Germany

- green energy policies that increased need for Russian Gas

- Military that is a joke in Germany

- Covid policies that have been economic insanity.

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Wally Palo's avatar

The only proper response for the USA in regard to other nations being devoured by totalitarian dictatorships is to offer US passports -- to those who are tested to have valuable skills and a commitment to freedom and the US Constitution. Britain should have done it in Hong Kong (and did to some extent with those Hong Kongers who worked for the British government there). We should do it for Taiwan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, etc. The only real capital that those countries have are its people. Why not get them and let the dictators have the pavement and bricks.

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Feb 18, 2022
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Mark Wauck's avatar

Cruz's "echoing" was preceded by attempts to drum up support for more sanctions for Zhou. Ted Cruz is a smart and talented guy. He's also a shill for people with money who do not have America's best interests at heart. Who can seriously say that there isn't money behind any GOP politician's decision to line up with Zhou on virtually anything--especially something that makes the US look feckless and foolish abroad?

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Feb 18, 2022
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Hemsley Hawes's avatar

Or suck it up, support Trump, and shove orangemanbad right up DC's collective ass. Again. This time with gusto

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