Posted on 02/02/2023 1:47:45 PM PST by fluorescence
Ukraine was and is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It has been part of the Russian/Soviet empire for centuries. Our involvement has made things worse. We can’t afford to fight endless wars that don’t involve our vital national interests.
We are now stuck to this tar baby.
I agree. When they say something, so what.
As the winter Russian Blitzkrieg stares them in face, their nervous tension is palpable. 20% is not going to be enough at this late date. Would Putin believe anything they offered now even if it were reduced to writing.
yes, along with all the Rat trolls
California was part Mexico/Spain for hundreds of years. Los Angeles is now heavily populated with Mexican nationals and their descendants. You going to give that one back, too? Obviously, not.
You’re complicating this way too much. Let me try one last time.
1)Putin thinks Ukraine is part of Russia.
2)Ukrainian patriots disagree because they do not want their children to die again in FSB torture chambers. Most of Russia’s neighbors support Ukraine because they agree here.
History shows us that where Russia goes misery and death follow. Millions of Ukrainians starved to death under Kremlin rule in the last century. Millions more died far from home in gulags deprived of there most basic human rights.
Ukraine’s alleged corruption is neither here nor there. Interestingly, you take no umbrage at Russia’s much larger corrupting influence both in Europe and here.
Conservatives will be forever stained with the blood Ukraine now and certainly American blood later should Putin succeed in reconstructing the Russian empire. We must choose carefully.
Which is a complete lie.
I did not know that Ukraine was Brandon’s to partition out...
It doesnt matter what Keiv wants. If Moscow accepts the agreement, then we cut off all military aid and Ukraine looses within a month. They have no say, since they have no equipment left to fight with.
Joe Biden owns 20% of the Ukrain..? Who knew...!!
Interesting observation that proves the US State Department really thinks they own Ukraine.
Classic Get Smart episode has Indians (Native Americans) threatening an all out terrorist takeover of the United States.
Barbara Feldon suggests “Maybe they’ll back down if we can compromise. Maybe they would agree to just take one of the states like maybe Kansas.”
The Chief (looking bored): “Would you?”
My Grandfather was born on a farm just outside of Kiev in the 1890’s.
He considered himself Ukrainian and Russian.
Why can’t we let the people of Crimea vote what country they want to belong to and end this crap?
I don’t know what to believe with this mess.
My heart goes out to the civilians on both sides.
Total fantasy. Those were never actual borders.
Don’t worry. Biden doesn’t want peace deals at this time. He wants to humiliate Putin militarily so he can brag he is some kind of war hero in 2024 if he is still alive. He would find some kind of excuse to sabotage such a peace deal. Russians might not want a deal either. After 2024, if he is still POTUS, he could still continue the graft, but the military-industrial complex might not want peace. In 1944, after the US took the Mariana Islands, Tojo told his diplomat to make peace with the US. The diplomat told him it is easier to start a war than to end one.
Slightly dated breakdown of aid committed to Ukraine by country, here:
Note that the info is for aid committed as of 11/20/2022, not aid actually sent or received, which lags considerably.
I don’t think we’ve committed an additional $49 billion since November.
OTOH, the figures @ the link do not, I believe, include for example the projected $13 billion over the next 10 to 15 years to increase munitions production. (That is clearly part of the funding package passed in reaction to this war, but I don’t have ANY problem with that $13 billion — we obviously are weak when it comes to production of std. tech and mid-tech munitions.)
As opposed to, say, the EU (Commission & Council which does not include individual countries’ aid), which has sent considerably more money to Ukraine than weapons, and considerably more non-military aid than the USD, the USA has sent mostly weapons and related goods. Most has been older equipment* which is not only already paid for, it has in the past done it’s primary job as a reserve and deterring a major attack on us or our allies. Point being that most of it would be replaced anyway (hopefully some with newer and better weapons) in coming years.
*The most notable exception would be the HIMARS launchers, but, so far we’ve sent under 5% of our inventory (which is also under half our HIMARS deliveries received in 2022, and ~ 1/5th our order for 2023.)
Note that in total, EU countries’ commitments of “all aid” to Ukraine now exceeds the US (as it should.)
My preference would be that the Euro’s buy the weapons from us and send them on to Ukraine, but, that does decrease our leverage and increase some risks.
Looking at it on a % of GDP basis, we find that the US at the time of the article at the link was tenth at 0.2%. Germany is disappointing at 0.14%, and France is just despicable at 0.05%. Estonia leads that list at 1.1%, Latvia is at 0.9%, and Poland is at 0.5% (and arming to the teeth.)
In any event, real cost to the USA of aid to Ukraine including current commitments is presently nowhere near $100 billion. It might well get there by the end of 2023 — we shall see. Whether the Euro countries (to include Canada, BTW) maintain an aid total over ours we shall also see.
“No Ukriane does not have to take demands from the U.S.”
Yeah...actually they do. We pay for their military, we fund their entire economy and government salary, their civil operations budget, etc etc.
So they do have to pretty much do what we say, or do it all on their own.
“What gives him the authority to divide up another country?”
The fact that we chose and installed their government, pay for all of it, and fund their entire military, and our intel is their only method of targeting and advance warning?
So they have to play by our rules. They trusted DC neocons and grifters like Biden. Now they are royally screwed.
welcome to the real world.
many people like to think every country has equal rights.
they don’t.
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