Politics

[Brent in Az]

You really need to watch this. Could be part of the reason why Bongino left the FBI and why he is afraid for his own life after getting his eyes on documents in a burn bag
Pretty serious.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

So the long and short of it is the Brit’s and yanks bullshited the Ukrainians into giving up there nuclear deterrent ?

You do realize that Ukraine is getting support still from the USA and of course NATO as a whole.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/-400-million-ukraine-aid-approved-yesterday-1777523437.html

How much aid has the United States provided Ukraine?​

As of December 31, 2025, the U.S. Congress had made available $188 billion in spending related to the war in Ukraine, according to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Operation Atlantic Resolve. Of the $188 billion, $164 billion comes from five pieces of legislation, the last of which was passed in April 2024. The remainder comes from annual agency budgets and other appropriations.
In late 2024, the United States also provided the Ukrainian government with a $20 billion loan, not included in the $188 billion figure, provided via the World Bank and to be repaid by interest generated from frozen Russian assets.

Here’s How Much Aid the United States Has Sent Ukraine | Council on Foreign Relations

Eleven charts illustrate the extraordinary level of support the United States has provided Ukraine in recent years—though there has been no new U.S. aid legislation since 2024, and combined European aid tops U.S. contributions.

www.cfr.org

 

[Foxi]

You do realize that Ukraine is getting support still from the USA and of course NATO as a whole.

But Europe is paying for your weapons.
You aren't.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

But Europe is paying for your weapons.
You aren't.

I'm not discounting at all what Europe has provided for Ukraine. But to say the USA has not is incorrect. See the post just above the one I'm quoting.

With all due respect, Germany got back into bed with the Russians during the first Trump administration. As I recall you were quite in support of that, something about if the USA is no longer a good friend, then why not cozy up to the Russians. My reply to that was something along the lines of go ahead, see how that works out.

So, how has that worked out? If you're crying now about how Europe is paying for those weapons, forgive me for not feeling any guilt over it.

 

[KJE81]

It seems that aid covered by the bills signed into law under Biden still might have been sent under 2025 and 2026, but apparently no new aid has been approved since Trumps inaguration. Unless of course one counts Trumps permission for the other Nato allies to buy US defense equipment and send for Ukraine under the PURL initiative.

 

[Russ16]

A FOX news poll shows Dems leading on the economy heading into the midterms. I find this highly questionable, since they were the ones that destroyed it during Bidens 4 years, and will do absolutely nothing to make it better
I still stand behind what I said that this Iran war should have waited until after the midterms. I think Trump opened Pandora's box, with fuel prices, and the collateral effects, being a pretty hot button topic amongst the voters right now.
With the redistricting rulings from the courts, and the gerrymandering looking to possibly favor the Republicans, we had a very legitimate shot at retaining control of both chambers.
Now. . . I'm not so certain.

One thing about voters is they almost never care who broke or fixed the economy. They just blame or credit whoever is in charge at the moment.

 

[Foxi]

@Phoenix Bill.


I'm not complaining.
Not at all.
But the fact is, Trump stopped the financial aid a long time ago. I even used AI to check the data. Since Trump came to power, the US is no longer an ally of Europe. He threatens us even more than Putin. And Putin, we really don't like him.
Now 5,000 US soldiers are being withdrawn from Germany because our Chancellor dared to criticize King Trump's Iran strategy (he can't stand it, can he?); it could easily have been 10,000.
The sooner we grow up, the better.

Then there will still be 30,000 US soldiers in Germany.
What do they do all day? - I'm asking for a friend




AI sais:
Yes, US President Donald Trump temporarily suspended military support for Ukraine shortly after taking office in 2025. Here are the details of the current situation (May 2026): [1, 2]Complete halt to new funding: The US government halted funding for new arms sales to Ukraine in March 2025. [1, 2]Suspension of pledged deliveries: The US Department of Defense also suspended arms deliveries that had already been pledged under the previous administration of Joe Biden, including anti-aircraft missiles and ammunition. [1, 2]Conditions for resumption: Trump described the measure as a "pause." He made a continuation of aid contingent on the Ukrainian leadership showing "goodwill for peace."

 

[roverandbrew]

DOD supports both EUCOM and AFRICOM out of Germany. Logistics, C2, and training are all supported. They go a good amount actually.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@Phoenix Bill.


I'm not complaining.
Not at all.
But the fact is, Trump stopped the financial aid a long time ago. I even used AI to check the data. Since Trump came to power, the US is no longer an ally of Europe. He threatens us even more than Putin. And Putin, we really don't like him.
Now 5,000 US soldiers are being withdrawn from Germany because our Chancellor dared to criticize King Trump's Iran strategy (he can't stand it, can he?); it could easily have been 10,000.
The sooner we grow up, the better.

Then there will still be 30,000 US soldiers in Germany.
What do they do all day? - I'm asking for a friend




AI sais:
Yes, US President Donald Trump temporarily suspended military support for Ukraine shortly after taking office in 2025. Here are the details of the current situation (May 2026): [1, 2]Complete halt to new funding: The US government halted funding for new arms sales to Ukraine in March 2025. [1, 2]Suspension of pledged deliveries: The US Department of Defense also suspended arms deliveries that had already been pledged under the previous administration of Joe Biden, including anti-aircraft missiles and ammunition. [1, 2]Conditions for resumption: Trump described the measure as a "pause." He made a continuation of aid contingent on the Ukrainian leadership showing "goodwill for peace."

We are still selling arms to Ukraine via Europe from what I see. The Ukrainians also seem to be doing a right fine job of not only stopping the Russians in the east, but are doing a great job of striking deep inside of Russia.

So back to my point I was making with my first post this morning. If Russia wants to keep bleeding itself to death, why stop them? Everyday they fight is at least one more day they need to recover back to where they were when this war started. That will take likely decades and it's growing longer as the war continues. Furthermore as we've found out with the surprising success of Ukraine to defend itself, it's quite obvious that Russia wasn't near the military power we thought it was. It's in far worse shape now.

So tell me, anyone please tell me, short again of ending the human suffering, what incentive is there to help bring about an end to the war? Ending the human suffering is certainly a valid reason to, but at what cost would that come?

You guys in Europe really need to get over this idea that Trump is a threat to you. For goodness sakes you've had 5 plus years of him as POTUS to figure him out. The longer you stay mad at him and take his bluster to heart, the more you make him happy.

 

[Brent in Az]

UAE oil tanker hijacked off the coast of Yemen, and taken to Somali waters

 

[CoElkHunter]

UAE oil tanker hijacked off the coast of Yemen, and taken to Somali waters

By Somali pirates?

 

[Brent in Az]

By Somali pirates?

Last I heard was hijacked by unidentified gunmen?

 

[LivingTheDream]

What do they do all day? - I'm asking for a friend

Helping the Germans paint broomsticks to look like guns for when there is NATO joint exercises.

 

[Brent in Az]

U.S debt surpasses the size of the economy for the first time since WW2

 

[Brent in Az]

Extremely disturbing.

 

[Killingtime]

Extremely disturbing.

View attachment 762563

The skipping work part should be easy for them

 

[CoElkHunter]

The skipping work part should be easy for them

Yes, since the majority of them are being paid to protest anyway.

 

[WAB]

The US has apparently moved on from Ukraine, but the Ukrainians certainly haven't. The narrative for the last couple of years by the naysayers was that the Russians were heedless of casualties and would inevitably overrun whatever they wanted to take. Quietly, that bit of strategic fantasy seems to have finally died during last year's largely aborted Russian offensives - at least those fantasies have died for everyone but the isolationist right and Putin's useful idiots, which with respect to this topic, may unfortunately include Trump and his Vice President. This year's winter/spring efforts by Russia were not only stopped, but Ukraine has gradually begun to retake some strategic ground in the East and South. Russian casualties, 1200-1400 a day, remain at what are for even Russia unsustainable levels. At the same time, Ukraine's strategic economic bombardment of Russia's petrochemical industry continues to accelerate.

I genuinely feel Putin has maneuvered himself into a position from which he has no good way to extract himself. Barring an ever less likely Ukrainian collapse, his only face and perhaps regime saving hope is likely, and to my mind unfortunately, Trump.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/1t1mhj2/the_fires_at_the_rosneft_tuapse_oil_refinery_are

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/1t1778l/tuapse_everything_is_fine

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/1t08ec5/a_clear_unobstructed_angle_of_the_fire_at_the

It looks like they hit processing equipment in that Perm video. Smart move. Takes a lot longer to get that back online than tanks and pipes.

 

[WAB]

The Budapest memorandum isn’t a defense treaty and was very intentionally worded loosely with zero guarantees of anything from any parties involved…

they stopped WAY short of anything that even loosely resembles a treaty…

It contains assurances from all countries involved… but nothing is legally binding…

I’m sorry but I was taught that your word is your bond, and a handshake is a contract. I think our treatment of Ukraine, beginning with the invasion of Crimea in 2014, is a national embarrassment.