War with Russia

[All uphill]

If you have ever read much of RAFN's occasional sorties into this arena you will know that he is not too keen on democracies, especially "liberal" ones. The people are far too ignorant to decide how they should be run and need a nice strong autocratic leader (benevolent of course, because they always are) to look after them.

Of course we have to overlook a few foibles in these leaders; tolerate their genocidal tendencies, psychopathy and greed. That's just fine. Better than having some 'woke' leader who has popular support.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

That self ego stroking probably has more bearing on people's reticence to engage more positively with you on the subject than your actual opinion.

"Self ego stroking"? from HMS_Dave using MacArthur as his avatar? Do I smell a case of psychological projection? ;-)

You are of course cordially invited to offer opposing facts and logic (that hopefully can survive scrutiny) if you have them. Do you?

a) Hitler achieved more "conquest" in two years than Russia has managed in three years, seems like he must have at least some symmetrical might and resolve.

I assume you meant asymmetric might and resolve. Sure, many just rolled over, but the fight with Russia sealed his fate.

b) show me one single post where I have supported the attacks on Libya, Iraq et etc,

Never said you supported those attacks. But if you were aware of those invasions, why questioned the Chamberlain / Hitler logic given the asymmetry in the current circumstance, and especially given there is no evidence that Putin is expansionist like Hitler was (see below)?

Unless I have missed something, during one of my "Pensioner naps"... The "super powers" and/or Western Powers may have laid waste to several Countries, since WW2, (which is, or course, deplorable) but, I don't recall any of them actually conquering and occupying any of them? Perhaps, for all their "military might" they are not quite as powerful as they seem to think they are?

That is because it is one thing to beat the hell out of a weaker country, quite another to occupy a hostile land - hence it is generally accepted by many who didn't drink the kool-aid that Russia have no interest in occupying land beyond Russian speaking / friendly oblasts - land of people whom Zellensky found appropriate to repress before the invasion. Russia knows this as well as anybody after their bloody nose in Afghanistan, a lesson which the US failed to learn, but nothing new there... This is also what makes the current European warmongers' scaremongering of Russian expansionism SO ridiculous. Not only did Putin famously say a Russian who doesn't regret the passing of the Soviet Union has no heart but anyone who wants it restored has no brains, if it took him 3 years and numerous dead still not taking all 4 oblasts, how is he going to conquer the rest of Ukraine even if he wanted to, never mind other countries in Europe?

The people are far too ignorant to decide how they should be run and need a nice strong autocratic leader (benevolent of course, because they always are) to look after them.

You are falsely attributing this to me.

A nice strong autocratic leader is insufficient, not to mention few autocratic leaders are benevolent. What is necessary is a strong institution and infrastructure with staying power which nurtures meritocracy AND benevolence, so that not all the eggs are in the basket of one or even a few leaders - this is another reason I am pretty sure there is no hope for us in the West, certainly not in my lifetime. But then ignorance is bliss, it is much easier to assume what you don't know or understand to be bad / wrong...

 

[HMS_Dave]

"Self ego stroking"? from HMS_Dave using MacArthur as his avatar? Do I smell a case of psychological projection? ;-)

You are of course cordially invited to offer opposing facts and logic (that hopefully can survive scrutiny) if you have them. Do you?

In my own time I will share, I always do...

HMS_Dave is more linked to a personal joke when I was once obese, a story ive shared on the main forum... The link with prominent historic figures is purely down to the fact I have a keen interest in military history and MacArthur is very much a fellow I admire from his time. Cool shades n all, don't you think?

I mean, speaking of avatars and projection...

 

[BoldonLad]

I assume you meant asymmetric might and resolve. Sure, many just rolled over, but the fight with Russia sealed his fate.

Never said you supported those attacks. But if you were aware of those invasions, why questioned the Chamberlain / Hitler logic given the asymmetry in the current circumstance, and especially given there is no evidence that Putin is expansionist like Hitler was (see below)?

That is because it is one thing to beat the hell out of a weaker country, quite another to occupy a hostile land - hence it is generally accepted by many who didn't drink the kool-aid that Russia have no interest in occupying land beyond Russian speaking / friendly oblasts - land of people whom Zellensky found appropriate to repress before the invasion. Russia knows this as well as anybody after their bloody nose in Afghanistan, a lesson which the US failed to learn, but nothing new there... This is also what makes the current European warmongers' scaremongering of Russian expansionism SO ridiculous. Not only did Putin famously say a Russian who doesn't regret the passing of the Soviet Union has no heart but anyone who wants it restored has no brains, if it took him 3 years and numerous dead still not taking all 4 oblasts, how is he going to conquer the rest of Ukraine even if he wanted to, never mind other countries in Europe?

a) yes, my predictive text is not my friend, particularly with infrequently used (by me) big words 🙂

b) His tactical error of attacking Russia (his ally at the time), but, I see that as a separate issue to his initial assumptions relating to France, Belgium, Holland, UK, etc

c) Yes, which is, I suggest, there has been no success in such an enterprise since WW2, which is what I said

d) I admire your faith in Putin's superior ability to learn lessons, and, indeed, nothing new there, the famous "lessons will be learned"

e) similarly, I admire your faith in Putin's ability to resist the temptation to believe himself smarter than the average bear (as Yogi would have it)

 

[CXRAndy]

Left wing governments again


View: https://x.com/ricwe123/status/1892517452614922633?t=hSO9kiZ5SC4gsrkui8dzbA&s=19

 

[HMS_Dave]

Left wing governments again


View: https://x.com/ricwe123/status/1892517452614922633?t=hSO9kiZ5SC4gsrkui8dzbA&s=19

He might know "too much about the United States" But he know jack shït about "first war in Europe since WW2". Did the Bosnian war completely slip his mind? Or didn't it suit his narrative this time, the smug git... I mean, in it only contained the worst genocides since WW2, with the likes of the Srebrenica Massacre.

Why would you suddenly forget about something like that? I wonder...🤔

 

[Beebo]

USA are pushing for access to Ukraine’s huge deposits of critical elements and minerals, including lithium and titanium, as well as sizeable coal, gas, oil and uranium deposits as part of a settlement agreement to pay back the US government.

Anyone know how Israel are going to repay USA for all their help? Or haven’t they been asked to repay anything?

 

[All uphill]

What is necessary is a strong institution and infrastructure with staying power which nurtures meritocracy AND benevolence, so that not all the eggs are in the basket of one or even a few leaders

Thanks for your reply.

I'm interested in this, is there a country that comes close to this?

I would have thought some of the northern European countries would, but I may have misunderstood.

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

Never said you supported those attacks. But if you were aware of those invasions, why questioned the Chamberlain / Hitler logic given the asymmetry in the current circumstance, and especially given there is no evidence that Putin is expansionist like Hitler was (see below)?

At times like this it's a pity Russian channels like RT news are banned because it would anly take a couple of links to prove the contrary. But in obsolence of that, Russia has invaded Georgia (and now has them by the balls politically having installed a puppet government, Moldavia with parts of Moldavia still being occupied, as part of the same Russian people Russia claimed need saving as justification for the Ukraine war.
And if Trump's ''peace deal'' goes ahead Russia in fact has stolen an whole chunk of land, so that kind of contradicts you're not expansionist thing.

USA are pushing for access to Ukraine’s huge deposits of critical elements and minerals, including lithium and titanium, as well as sizeable coal, gas, oil and uranium deposits as part of a settlement agreement to pay back the US government.

Anyone know how Israel are going to repay USA for all their help? Or haven’t they been asked to repay anything?

It's nonsense the previous administration budgeted and funded out of their budget to gift that aid and now Trump is trying to bill for it. (and probably will get away with it.) Also the value was largely paper value as lots pf the supplied vehicles etc. where ''mothballed'' stored for later use. Whilst the us army already has it's successors in service and it successor to that successor in prototype.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I mean, speaking of avatars and projection...

Alas whatever you are laughing at says everything about you rather than me, I am afraid - I picked Crazy Frog simply because he was (think still is) the only cartoon character that famously rode a bike of any sort.

At times like this it's a pity Russian channels like RT news are banned because it would anly take a couple of links to prove the contrary. But in obsolence of that, Russia has invaded Georgia (and now has them by the balls politically having installed a puppet government, Moldavia with parts of Moldavia still being occupied, as part of the same Russian people Russia claimed need saving as justification for the Ukraine war.
And if Trump's ''peace deal'' goes ahead Russia in fact has stolen an whole chunk of land, so that kind of contradicts you're not expansionist thing.

Seriously?

IF there is clear evidence that Putin is expansionist like Hitler was, you wouldn't have needed RT access to prove it - you would have found a hundred proofs just on BBC, never mind CNN, NYT, FT, WaPo, The Economist etc. (or do me a favour just go look up the "Independent Media" funded by USAid...)!

Actually this is a challenge for providing proof Mearsheimer has issued on multiple platforms, without result.

So where is it?

Thanks for your reply.

I'm interested in this, is there a country that comes close to this?

It is not rocket science, but it is science.

Why do we let clowns on TV, or writing at The Telegraph, become president/PM the next day? If we would not dream of letting such characters be our engineer or surgeon, what makes us let them govern us, and determine the future of our children?

Surprisingly, it seems only China has this figured out. Not only do they have the best governance by a long shot for the past few decades, most importantly it is not by chance, and in spite of their challenging circumstances.

I think the best book that sheds light on the subject is:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Party-Life-Chinese-Governance-Liberalism/dp/9819945216

The book is not cheap, but there is a book talk at
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvVEqgFHWKM
.

Another recent, somewhat more tangential book is https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-China-Playbook-Socialism-Capitalism/dp/B0CBCJFNKX

She also has a book talk at
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHpnceEki30


China's achievements in terms of what they have already done, and have positioned for their future, are mind boggling. But remarkably, the bias in the West has been so heavy and comprehensive for so long, that I suspect fewer than 1 in 100 are aware of such reality. Who do we think will pay for it?

 

[AndyRM]

Loads of cartoon characters have famously ridden bicycles.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Alas whatever you are laughing at says everything about you rather than me, I am afraid

Perhaps it would have been simpler had you not picked an argument about avatars in the first place because you got butthurt about some advice i posted.

Perhaps, you said it best?

Don't know why you bothered to tag me. It is easier to play the person than the ball, isn't it?

Didn't tintin ride a bike?

 

[Ian H]

What China needs is another Zhou Enlai to counteract Xi's increasing despotism.

 

[AuroraSaab]

They have done an incredible job of lifting millions out of poverty, which you could argue could only have been done so quickly by having a very authoritarian government. If you set that achievement against how that authority has been achieved over decades, it's come at a high cost.

 

[C R]

They have done an incredible job of lifting millions out of poverty, which you could argue could only have been done so quickly by having a very authoritarian government. If you set that achievement against how that authority has been achieved over decades, it's come at a high cost.

This argument sounds a bit like the Mussolini made the trains run on time trope. Hint, he didn't.