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Russia invading Ukraine (NEWS/UPDATES)

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sonson said:
This war is an extension of a particular type of Russian outlook on the world and Russia's place with it that is several hundred years old. Even though Putin is old and irrational, his policies are informed by an old tradition and explain much of what is going on.

This is the case with China but to a far greater degree. With the exception of the past 300 years or so China has been the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world for basically as long as it has existed. It was wealthier, more sophisticated, populous and powerful than the Roman Empire at its height in the Antiquity era. It had crossbows and gunpowder 1000 years before Europeans did. It has cocieved of itself as a single political entity for about 4000 years.

There is a very compelling and well researched theory that both World Wars occured when they did because China was at its weakest point in history and unable to maintain the global balance It has done for millenia. It sees its purpose as being fulcrum to the world, its centre around which things evolve. Harmony and balance and maintenance are key in a way westerners simply can't understand because pretty much all those things we consider expedient. Whereas to the Chinese Political order they have guaranteed its wealth and longevity for far longer than any other civilisation in history. So they're deadly serious about it.

It is very much its own thing. It's vision of superiority is not expansionist in the way Western Powers are. If it were China would have comfortably run over pretty much anyone it liked for most of the history of civilization.

It's as foolish to project Western values onto them as it was to believe societies in the middle east want to be secular and democratic. China obviously has political ambitions as does any super power but their motives are not informed by remedial expansionism.

The US on the other hand is a civilisation born out of war and which has basically waged war against someone for its entire existence and seems to basically require it to justify its existence. Alternatively, if it dosent start wars, it agressivley fronts up to other nations it believes are encroaching on its interests, and conveniently Americas interests are wherever they pervueve them to be. Outside of Russia, they ate far my biggest concern to world peace, and us as their lap dogs if our government continues to be as supine as it has this century.
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China stuff you say is fascinating and not something I've come across before. Any decent books / docs / videos on this you'd recommend?
 
Bulwell said:
A lot of people here getting quite bullish on Ukraine's chances (they're doing brilliant so far) but here's a good thread from the Russian "intellectual" side which is rather a depressing read.

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Maybe so, but… I thought they’d take it in a day. It’s a tragedy and an unprecedented case of a second rate army up against next gen weapons. Some of those points are pathetic.

The forces out to assassinate the president were bombed. The army’s got no food, morale or fuel. Hundreds of vehicles lost, inc tanks.
 
OOOSH YEAH said:
That group of lads must be wondering what the fuck they’re supposed to be doing. They’ve been sat in a six foot square cab looking at trees wondering what the fuck is going on. It’s almost a humanitarian disaster those dopey kids sat on that motorway,
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Heard something on the radio that the soldiers thought they would be welcomed and we’re somewhat surprised they were getting shot at ffs.
 
Northumberland Rocks said:
How long did it take to find that ffs. You are wasted on here. Two likes from two right wing muppets though well done.
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I don't do politics and haven't a clue who is what on here and don't care in the slightest, hence that gif that gif that I've used regularly on here.

I should have just posted this link last time instead of the gif. Have a read of it as you may see why some posters commented about certain posts earlier and why I suggested that subject could have been in its own thread. I'm outta here again as not to spoil the thread, thank you and good night.

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/russia-invading-ukraine.1566159/page-677#post-35657795
 
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safcforever said:
We would joke around that people earned the same medal as us in Afghanistan while they sat at a base in San Diego flying drones.
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Remind me
ravydavygravy said:
Heard something on the radio that the soldiers thought they would be welcomed and we’re somewhat surprised they were getting shot at ffs.
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ive been chatting to someone inv tonight and it’s a depressing state of affairs. There’s no winners here. Over and out.
 
sonson said:
This war is an extension of a particular type of Russian outlook on the world and Russia's place with it that is several hundred years old. Even though Putin is old and irrational, his policies are informed by an old tradition and explain much of what is going on.

This is the case with China but to a far greater degree. With the exception of the past 300 years or so China has been the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world for basically as long as it has existed. It was wealthier, more sophisticated, populous and powerful than the Roman Empire at its height in the Antiquity era. It had crossbows and gunpowder 1000 years before Europeans did. It has cocieved of itself as a single political entity for about 4000 years.

There is a very compelling and well researched theory that both World Wars occured when they did because China was at its weakest point in history and unable to maintain the global balance It has done for millenia. It sees its purpose as being fulcrum to the world, its centre around which things evolve. Harmony and balance and maintenance are key in a way westerners simply can't understand because pretty much all those things we consider expedient. Whereas to the Chinese Political order they have guaranteed its wealth and longevity for far longer than any other civilisation in history. So they're deadly serious about it.

It is very much its own thing. It's vision of superiority is not expansionist in the way Western Powers are. If it were China would have comfortably run over pretty much anyone it liked for most of the history of civilization.

It's as foolish to project Western values onto them as it was to believe societies in the middle east want to be secular and democratic. China obviously has political ambitions as does any super power but their motives are not informed by remedial expansionism.

The US on the other hand is a civilisation born out of war and which has basically waged war against someone for its entire existence and seems to basically require it to justify its existence. Alternatively, if it dosent start wars, it agressivley fronts up to other nations it believes are encroaching on its interests, and conveniently Americas interests are wherever they pervueve them to be. Outside of Russia, they ate far my biggest concern to world peace, and us as their lap dogs if our government continues to be as supine as it has this century.
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What utter bollocks, other than the Tang dynasty OVER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, after that they were a moderately strong country until the 1500s when they were on a constant downward trend until bottoming out in 1911. Mao brought (through horrific means) recovery by a self sufficient China approach until his death when his successors realised there was opportunity opening up to international trade. Cheap labour and horrific human (and animal) rights has led to it's current superpower status, albeit one built on treating the majority of its people like shit.

What's your degree in? Certainly not English reading your post.

Pseudo history like this is what makes social media so dangerous, as you've used bits of historical information, that are accurate, to mask complete bollocks.
 
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ajthemackem said:
Our lass has just pointed out that she wouldn't be surprised if Zelenskyy has lifted his defence strategy from Vimes in the Discworld books.


"After a while, someone raised the question of the fighting, which clearly needed to be taken care of. There were scuffles all along the barricade now, but they were going only one way. Siege ladders had been brought up and at several places along the parapet men had managed to climb in. But they could never get enough in one place. There were far more defenders than attackers, and they weren't all men under arms. One thing Vimes was learning fast was the natural vindictiveness of old ladies, who had no sense of fair play when it came to fighting soldiers; give a granny a spear and a hole to jab it through, and young men on the other side were in big trouble. And then there was Reg Shoe's inspired idea of the use of steak dinners as a weapon. The attackers did not come from homes where steak was ever on the table. Meat tended to be the flavouring, not the meal. But here and there men who'd achieved the top of the ladders, in darkness, with the groans and yells of their unsuccessful comrades below them, had their weapons dragged from their hands by well-fed former colleagues who were not unkind and who directed them down the ladder inside for steak and eggs and roast chicken and a promise that every day would be like this, come the revolution. Vimes didn't want that news to get out, in case there was a rush to invade. But the grannies, oh, the grannies . . . The neighbourhoods of the Republic were a natural recruiting ground for the regiments. It was also an area of big families and matriarchs whose word was family law. It had almost been cheating, putting them on the parapet with a megaphone during the lulls. 'I knows you're out there, our Ron! This is your Nan! You climb up one more time and you'll feel the back of my hand! Our Rita sends her love and wants you to hurry home. Grandpa is feeling a lot better with the new ointment! Now stop being a silly boy!' It was a dirty trick, and he was proud of it. Messages like that sapped a fighting spirit better than arrows. And then Vimes realized there were no more men on the ropes and ladders. He could hear yells and groans below, but those soldiers who could stand were withdrawing to a safe distance."
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My wife reckons NATO is totally employing the Mean Girls playbook, whereby NATO (Lindsay Lohan, the gay guy, and the brunette goth) is gunning for Putin (Rachel McAdams/Regina George) by putting the popularity squeeze on his gang of oligarchs (Regina's minions) so they turn on him - both these theories could be the correct :lol:
 
Bulwell said:
A lot of people here getting quite bullish on Ukraine's chances (they're doing brilliant so far) but here's a good thread from the Russian "intellectual" side which is rather a depressing read.

You must be logged on to see media items
Click to expand...

I think their assumption of a post war ukraine is way off... the soviet style era is over, this isn't the 1960's. who is going to conduct this purge????
Russia will need a massive occupation force/police force loyal to Russia and that isn't going to happen. they just can't afford it.
Ukraine has already kicked on Russian puppet out and they'll do it again.
 
Crayola-Kid said:
My wife reckons NATO is totally employing the Mean Girls playbook, whereby NATO (Lindsay Lohan, the gay guy, and the brunette goth) is gunning for Putin (Rachel McAdams/Regina George) by putting the popularity squeeze on his gang of oligarchs (Regina's minions) so they turn on him - both these theories could be the correct :lol:
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:lol:
 
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