freediver wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 12:15pm:
 

Of course, but not what Taiwan is to China, which is an internal dispute among Chinese.

Good  to see you guys observing the disastrous effects of self-interest, in determining what is 'defensive' war.

Time for international law to overrule self-interest, for the well-being of the whole.

"All must submit to rule of law, if all are to be free." Cicero.   

iSteveSteve wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 12:20pm:

Yes, it does.

Russia is most vulnerable on its western borders to its only habitable land mass - the central region of Russia. This has been a source of paranoia to Russians for hundreds of years.

Tactical nuclear weapons are not feasible if the damage and fallout are going to drift back into Russia, and even less so if they use them close to the Russian border, making the land likely unusable for Russian purposes.

Russia will not tolerate any nation on its western borders outside its sphere of influence - that's why the Baltic states, Finland and Poland know Ukraine is not the end of this.

Gordon wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 11:06am:


Yes Trump would have allowed Putin to think he could do whatever he liked.

More seriously no it's a complete garbage claim. Putin had this on the books going back to the 1990's. There was zero provocation from the west unless you look at things like letting Putin take Crimea with no opposition and the devastating mess that Trump left behind following his insurection.

thegreatdivide wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 12:47pm:


So Dementia Joe living up to his moniker.

thegreatdivide wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 12:28pm:


NATO is shiting its pants at the thought of a nuclear war.
It wouldn't back Russia/putler in a corner.

issuevoter wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 12:20pm:



How can one post have so many valid points?
Kudos.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Mar 4^th, 2023 at 6:05pm:


Well, based on the myriad of reports I have read since the beginning of the war, yes, they were shiteing their pants.

putler created those ridiculous referendums that no one took seriously to falsely give the impression that the Ukrainians were fighting on Russian soil.
Epic fail.
If Russia proper were attacked, it would be a different story.
Tactical nuclear weapons would be in the cards, imo.

Countries are terrified about a possible nuclear holocaust, and that is why they have been dancing around what they can and can't give to Ukraine.
Poland, as an example, has been issuing iodine pills in the event of a nuclear attack
The idea is being taken VERY seriously.

Why else would countries have been so hesitant at the beginning of the war when it was seen how the Ukrainians effectively fought back?
It took them forever to decide on giving Ukraine tanks, and even now, there is a lot of fart arseing around about giving military planes.
pulter's only real trump card is the threat of MAD.

If Russia's existence were to be threatened, I don't think they would care about being the naughty kid on the block.

"Read my lips."
Biden was shiteing his pants at the possibility of nuclear weapons being used.

And if putler was assassinated, it would PROBABLY just end there, rather than a full-on annihilation of the Russian state with its consequences.
A new leader would allow a diplomatic reset, no doubt.
Most Russians wouldn't want to be involved in a nuclear holocaust.
Trust me on that. 

BTW, personally, I never took putler's threat about the use of nuclear weapons seriously, even though many around me did.
I have lived too many years to take that nonsense to heart.
But had I been wrong, I would has simply said: "Well, blow me down. You were right. You win... and enjoy the apocalypse."