It's a big difference that should be highlighted. Taiwan actually purchases the stuff....but the US has been really reluctant to arm them to the teeth....don't want to antogize China. That policy has been blown up by the Ukraine war.
rusi.org
As with railroad workers and IT guys, Zelensky has insisted that critical infrastructure workers stay on the job versus joining the military. There are stories in this thread about the amazing work railroad workers have done repeatedly repairing damage done by Russian missiles.
Discouraging if you are a Russian yearning to breathe freely. But, it's also about the chaos ripping into Russian society, especially as sanctions really start to bite in deeply. Yes, there is repression, but it's going to be hard to keep it all in check, and in so many situations they feed on each other and eventually one of these individuals in charge, or organizations may decide they need to bump off the big guy and slide back to a more normal stance.Kind of a discouraging read, but I trust the source:
Can Russia Police Its Protests – and Its Elites?
Putin can rely on his security forces to keep both protests and political allies in check for now, but this may change if the war’s impact begins to be felt more keenly by Putin’s traditional support base.
If it was their own money, that we withheld for 30+ years, what the hell difference does it make. You just want to make it look like the US paid a ransom with taxpayer money, and leave out the inconvenient part of the story.
"Where would a Texan obtain these talking points?"The History Behind the Russia-Ukraine War - Antiwar.com
The following is adapted from a speech Scott gave to the Libertarian Party of Utah on February 26, 2022. Just to get this out of the way first real quick: Whenever someone dares to differ with the common government and TV narrative about Russia and their role in the world,…original.antiwar.com
UnpossibleExpect less funding for Ukraine under a Republic led house. Nothing to argue about here, they're flat out saying it.
House Republican says Congress doesn’t need to pass ‘Democrat bills’ on Ukraine
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) on Sunday said Congress does not need to pass “Democrat bills” when it comes to Ukraine funding, indicating that a GOP-led House would provide the country R…thehill.com
So much senseless death.
Sounds like the Russian people aren't miserable enough yet.Kind of a discouraging read, but I trust the source:
Can Russia Police Its Protests – and Its Elites?
Putin can rely on his security forces to keep both protests and political allies in check for now, but this may change if the war’s impact begins to be felt more keenly by Putin’s traditional support base.
I don't know what exactly to do with them, but we can't send them back where they will receive sledge hammers to the skull.
Cancel the visas. Send all of them home. It should have been done in March.
We violated no banking laws.
What the hell did he think they would do, give them 400 million in empty pop cans to turn in for the Nickel?
Which reminds me, can we go ahead and get Ukraine some more f&cking jets already?
I mean seriously, they will be in NATO. Let's get them the rest of the free world's supply of Migs while also getting them trained up on f16s or whatever western aircraft we are going to allow them to receive, and get busy blowing the shit out of occupying forces in Ukraine.
It is hard not to mix cultural references/tropes with reality, and this is not trivializing anything, but in a nod to GOT, Ukraine has paid the iron price for everything they are receiving.
Every once in awhile someone posts a graphic showing cell phone usage by Russians in Ukraine which gives a good idea of troop concentrations. Every time have seen one of them I've wondered about the Ukrainians just finding a weak spot and trying to punch through. The Russians have tightened up their lines a lot (Retreated), but I guarantee you there are exploitable pathways if the Ukrainians can spend a month or two resting up their soldiers and rearming. Find the weakest spot and punch down to the Sea of Azov.
Good and bad I suppose. It partially means a lot of Ukrainians have suffered from the attacks.
