There are some terrific analysis pieces out today, inspired by what appears to be finger pointing within the Zhou regime. The question seems to be, Who is to blame for the developing debacle in Ukraine—both military and economic? Moon of Alabama features a must read post what ranges fairly widely in gathering opinion on this issue:
A great article, Mark, and so many talking points! It's been fascinating to watch this unfurl, and to realise that ordinary schlubs like us could see all this coming a mile off. What WERE the neocons thinking?! The key quote is "The Neocons are stuck on the US as global hegemon—they don’t do diplomacy. They do bullying, and now they’ve run up against a nuclear power with unstoppable hypersonic missiles...". They really thought they were dealing with Gadhafi or Saddam, and never stopped to think that someone like Putin never backs down and is prepared to go nuclear rather than submit to the neo-cons. As for who gets the blame, my theory is no-one. Look at the Afghanistan debacle. Who lost their career and pension over that? No-one! The Dems just move on to the next catastrophe. You have to admire Putin. He has played a difficult hand brilliantly and has shown himself the only adult in the room.
I would love to see is for Putin to basically tell everyone give The Russian people their effing 300 billion back that you stole. Otherwise, no soup for you, where soup equates to Energy.
I lay the blame squarely at the US Secretary of State's office. Nuland and now Blinken are vastly over their head. As far as negotiators capable of bringing an end to the war. I vote for Jared Kushner. Wonder what Zhou's admin would think about that.
Passing the buck to Zelensky, to then have him removed from this planet, may indeed be the best outcome for the White House ... and for Ukraine.
It won't be long before that occurs IMO.
The root cause of "intelligence failures" when neocons/clintoncons are involved is the very low real world IQ of the aforementioned credentialed idiots.
Which is the more cost effective and sustainable means of achieving military objectives? is it:
a) destroy the enemy using lots of tube & rocket artillery, mop up with infantry & armor, repeat . . . the Russian way, or
b) precision air strikes using overpriced weapons launched from overpriced aircraft (F-35) that cost many thousands of $ per flying hour, that are seldom fully mission capable even with outrageously high amounts of maintenance hours per flight hour, combined with high dollar ground based weapon systems and expensive special forces . . . the NATO way.
Spot on. The Russians also remembered the key military dictum: never do what the enemy wants you to do. The neocons supplied the Ukies with billions of dollars worth of anti-aircraft systems in the belief that Putin would follow your point b) and use massive airpower. But Putin remembered what Stingers did to the Russian airforce in Afghanistan and used the arm that Russia has always excelled in: artillery.
Hopefully, it's moving westward. I want to see everyone involved in this catastrophe and the Covid lockdowns removed from office. Morrison in Australia has already gone. Hopefully there will be many more to follow.
Thx for this link. The international embarrassment of this administration continues. I think it can’t get worse and then the sun rises and the resident stumbles on every possible stage.
A great article, Mark, and so many talking points! It's been fascinating to watch this unfurl, and to realise that ordinary schlubs like us could see all this coming a mile off. What WERE the neocons thinking?! The key quote is "The Neocons are stuck on the US as global hegemon—they don’t do diplomacy. They do bullying, and now they’ve run up against a nuclear power with unstoppable hypersonic missiles...". They really thought they were dealing with Gadhafi or Saddam, and never stopped to think that someone like Putin never backs down and is prepared to go nuclear rather than submit to the neo-cons. As for who gets the blame, my theory is no-one. Look at the Afghanistan debacle. Who lost their career and pension over that? No-one! The Dems just move on to the next catastrophe. You have to admire Putin. He has played a difficult hand brilliantly and has shown himself the only adult in the room.
I would love to see is for Putin to basically tell everyone give The Russian people their effing 300 billion back that you stole. Otherwise, no soup for you, where soup equates to Energy.
BTW: I finally enlarged your avatar ;-D
I lay the blame squarely at the US Secretary of State's office. Nuland and now Blinken are vastly over their head. As far as negotiators capable of bringing an end to the war. I vote for Jared Kushner. Wonder what Zhou's admin would think about that.
Moon said this in the last paragraph:
Passing the buck to Zelensky, to then have him removed from this planet, may indeed be the best outcome for the White House ... and for Ukraine.
It won't be long before that occurs IMO.
The root cause of "intelligence failures" when neocons/clintoncons are involved is the very low real world IQ of the aforementioned credentialed idiots.
Which is the more cost effective and sustainable means of achieving military objectives? is it:
a) destroy the enemy using lots of tube & rocket artillery, mop up with infantry & armor, repeat . . . the Russian way, or
b) precision air strikes using overpriced weapons launched from overpriced aircraft (F-35) that cost many thousands of $ per flying hour, that are seldom fully mission capable even with outrageously high amounts of maintenance hours per flight hour, combined with high dollar ground based weapon systems and expensive special forces . . . the NATO way.
Spot on. The Russians also remembered the key military dictum: never do what the enemy wants you to do. The neocons supplied the Ukies with billions of dollars worth of anti-aircraft systems in the belief that Putin would follow your point b) and use massive airpower. But Putin remembered what Stingers did to the Russian airforce in Afghanistan and used the arm that Russia has always excelled in: artillery.
Does arkancide work in Ukraine? Ukrancide?
Ukrainiancide is very effective at creating lamppost ornaments.
Hopefully, it's moving westward. I want to see everyone involved in this catastrophe and the Covid lockdowns removed from office. Morrison in Australia has already gone. Hopefully there will be many more to follow.
Amazing on El Salvador, how culturally stupid. I had not heard about that debacle.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/salvadoran-leader-rebuffs-blinken-effort-bolster-summit-85293142
Thx for this link. The international embarrassment of this administration continues. I think it can’t get worse and then the sun rises and the resident stumbles on every possible stage.