Politics

[Wheels]

I am convinced, and so are a number of actual political/military experts who I know and respect, that this is a false assumption - "(Russia) retains the manpower and resources to sustain the war indefinitely." I do not know anything about Hans Mahncke, keeping track of "in house counsels" of unidentified "global business advisory firms" isn't high on my priority list. I will simply say a small legion of real experts will strongly disagree with it.

What is sadly clear is that this false assumption, and the spin he has put on every bit of information and speculation about Ukraine, has been seized upon by the neo-isolationists and our current President to try and force Ukraine into a peace which Russia is incapable of winning on the battlefield. While I have nothing good to say about how either the Obama or Biden administrations managed the evolving Ukraine conflict, I find it mind numbingly laughable that the crux of that failing was that the US and West in general were not sufficiently nice to the Russian people and their despotic leader. As Mahncke puts it "Russia and its 144 million citizens were relentlessly vilified in the process, making them, uncomfortable as it may be to admit, victims in their own right." Gosh, I feel a tear on my cheek.

As a result, we should understand the trauma they felt, and reward them for invading an independent country and inflicting hundreds of thousands of casualties while suffering many times more themselves?!? I find that logic stupefying, and it shames me this administration seems to embrace this nonsense.

I would suggest a far more logical and honest way to look at the historical precedence of RUSSIA'S UNILATERAL DECISION TO INVADE UKRAINE, is Putin saw in the weakness of Europe, perfidy of Obama, senility of Biden, and anti-Euro/NATO rhetoric of the Trump movement as an opportunity to steel a march on the West by achieving a coup de main in Ukraine fulfilling a major plank of the his expansionist goals. What no one seems to have considered, and to the particular frustration of the neo-isolationists, was the willingness of the Ukrainian people to fight for their right to self-determination and a future aligned with Western Europe. I guess they just didn't realize that they were simply being manipulated by the neocons and global elites.

Putin's three weeks of conquest have become a disastrous economic and military quagmire for Russia, and Russians have no one to blame but the decision maker in Moscow. Sadly, non-serious Russian centric foreign policy dilatants are determined to enable a Russian victory from those catastrophic decisions.

As I posted above.

This article doesn’t fit the narrative of most on the AH Political Forum.

Unlike most opinion pieces found in places like the NYT or WP, the author cites the reasoning behind his opinions and while some are open to interpretation they are things that actually have happened and been documented in the article.

 

[Saul]

Actually, you are correct. We have plenty of money for social programs. The issue is allowing anybody from all over the globe to come collect those benefits. And all the fraud. If it weren’t for the fraud and open floodgates, we could afford to take care of people much better than we do now. .

I completely agree. I think my brand of leftism can be encapsulated very well by the quote, “I do not care how much fertilizer we use as long as you do not care how tall the grass can grow.”

 

[Saul]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/politics/tim-leiweke-pardon-trump

Trump is on a roll with dubious pardons.

 

[spike.t]

India-Russia: Why Putin and Modi are meeting in Delhi

BBC editors explain what is at stake as Russian President Vladimir Putin starts a two-day visit to India.

www.bbc.com

 

[VertigoBE]

I completely agree. I think my brand of leftism can be encapsulated very well by the quote, “I do not care how much fertilizer we use as long as you do not care how tall the grass can grow.”

@Saul : I've tried to make heads or tails of your quote, but perhaps I'm missing some American cultural reference. Could you enlighten this ignorant Flemish what you try to express with that quote?

 

[spike.t]

.....

Trump administration to roll back fuel economy rules set under Biden

Carmakers hailed the change as a victory for "common sense", while environmental groups criticised the plan.

www.bbc.com

 

[Brent in Az]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/politics/tim-leiweke-pardon-trump

Trump is on a roll with dubious pardons.

Were all the dubious pardons by Biden acceptable?

 

[RLD]

Were all the dubious pardons by Biden acceptable?

No, they all suck. But just because Biden was a wanker does not mean Trump gets a pass pardoning drug king-pins and massive fraudsters.

Just because person A beats his wife doesn't make it okay when person B does it.

 

[RLD]

Best political thought piece I have read this year.

Rediscovering the soul of conservatism

Time to start planning for post-MAGA days.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Most Germans, French see ‘high risk’ of war with Russia, survey shows

Just over half of citizens across nine European countries believe there is a high risk of a conflict, French poll finds.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[RLD]

Professional soldiers don’t have the luxury of worrying about who is in the target package. All soldiers/sailors/airmen receive orders. And those order are carried out. Or the last orders one may hear could be “Ready.. Aim.. F…”

These people being blown out of the water are drug running pirates. Well, don’t think for a moment they aren’t flying the black flag. So, reciprocating courtesy rules.

One would have to book a crocodile hunt and steal a tear from one after the shot before you could get one out of me for a drug runner.

That was not what I was taught when I was serving and studying at a military college.

Nor is it what I learned studying the Law of Armed Combat in law school later.

Even if this was a ship load of SS concentration camp guards that got sunk, killing the survivors in the water if they have been rendered hors de combat would likely be a war crime.

 

[spike.t]

That was not what I was taught when I was serving and studying at a military college.

Nor is it what I learned studying the Law of Armed Combat in law school later.

Even if this was a ship load of SS concentration camp guards that got sunk, killing the survivors in the water if they have been rendered hors de combat would likely be a war crime.

Having a son of a friend being on drugs and also someone close to me , and the shit it causes I don't give a fk....in fact I would happily be behind the machine gun .....

 

[spike.t]

I wonder if this is the beginning of the fight back......

 

[RLD]

Having a son of a friend being on drugs and also someone close to me , and the shit it causes I don't give a fk....in fact I would happily be behind the machine gun .....

You are welcome to abandon the rule of law in your pain and grief. I totally get that.

But a country and a system should not. They cannot if they want to remain constitutional democracies.

As was so well written in A Man for all Seasons:

"Yes, I'd give the Devil the benefit of law, for my own safety's sake! [...] And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you—where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down... do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?"

It is remarkably applicable today, because it arises out of the suggestion that when the King's desires conflict with the law, the law should be broken.

 

[Scott CWO]

Well surprise surprise......putin ain't interested....and sable rattling saying bring it on to European countries if you want a war....we are ready......if this isn't clear enough to the powers that be in Washington...then fk knows what will turn the light bulb on....

Kremlin signals no breakthrough after Ukraine talks with US

Five hours of talks between Putin and US negotiators were “constructive”, Kremlin officials say, but “a lot of work lies ahead”.

www.bbc.com

He’s a mad man.

 

[Brent in Az]

No, they all suck. But just because Biden was a wanker does not mean Trump gets a pass pardoning drug king-pins and massive fraudsters.

Just because person A beats his wife doesn't make it okay when person B does it.

Your opinion means as much to me as Frostbites did. ....

 

[RLD]

Your opinion means as much to me as Frostbites did. ....

Well, if you don't like the answer maybe you shouldn't ask the question.

While you are a clear master of childish personal attacks, you don't seem to have a logical way to refute my position.

But how about you grow a pair and tell us if you think pardoning government officials who facilitated drug trafficking or fraudsters was a good idea or a bad idea. Like actually comment on the issue at hand? Or is that simply beyond your programming?

 

[Scott CWO]

That's right. Unfortunately, it's also a question of economic efficiency.
US fracking gas is 112% more expensive than Russian gas.
Source: ChatGTP
DT is also a master at exploiting dependencies.
Surely no one here believes that Kushner is on a diplomatic mission in Russia to end the war.
Daddy sent him to explore deals.
What else would he be doing there, that little boy?

Fracking gas?? All wells are fracked everywhere now. How are those wind farms treating you? Lol

Little boy?? Kushner has proven to be a very skilled negotiator in the Middle East so it makes sense for him to try elsewhere.

 

[Brent in Az]

Well, if you don't like the answer maybe you shouldn't ask the question.

While you are a clear master of childish personal attacks, you don't seem to have a logical way to refute my position.

But how about you grow a pair and tell us if you think pardoning government officials who facilitated drug trafficking or fraudsters was a good idea or a bad idea. Like actually comment on the issue at hand? Or is that simply beyond your programming?

Did the angry Canadian forget to kick his dog this morning? LOL

 

[RLD]

No, fortunately you were right handy! My favourite TDS dog to boot.

Did the angry Canadian forget to kick his dog this morning? LOL