sycasey said:And then they elected their preferred Jewish president.oski003 said:Eastern Oregon Bear said:Did Russia have to fight a "Nazified" Ukraine every 5 years before 2014 or were there no Nazis there before 2014?movielover said:oski003 said:Big C said:oski003 said:calbear93 said:I think the different state is not accurate. Crime rate in Florida has no real impact on me. Deterioration of the EU in favor of reviving the USSR has a significant impact on our quality of life.oski003 said:calbear93 said:I kind of view it this way.oski003 said:
I agree that the US paying to defend Ukraine indeed is a good ROI for countries bordering Russia. They spend way less money begging for aid and funding US politicians than it would cost to defend themselves.
Let's assume that you live in a small neighborhood. You have a massive arsenal and gates that will ensure that it would be difficult for any one to penetrate your defenses to commit a crime in your house. However, your neighbors do not have the means or ability to defend themselves while they are spending the amount that you, as a community agreed they would spend. There is a gang that wants to burglarize houses, rape the women living in the neighborhood, and run their drug operations in your neighbors' houses. You can just turn a blind eye and live with the consequences of your quality of life, safety, and home prices plummet while taking comfort that the gang members are staying away from your house since there are easier targets. Or you can band together, even contributing more of your resources, to protect your neighborhood. I would rather not live in a gang and crime infested neighborhood even if I have armed my house to the teeth and my house is relatively safe.
Can we make this more realistic and add the following facts?
1) the "neighbors" are actually in a different state altogether. In fact, you are separated by a handful of states and have to fly to get there.
2) the "neighbors" absolutely did not spend the amount of money the community agreed upon.
3) the "neighbors" have just convinced one of their actual neighbors, who was aligned with the gang, to break away from the gang.
4) now, you are giving $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and weapons to help your neighbors defend their neighbor from the gang.
The Eastern European NATO countries are spending the 2% and, in fact, are pushing to raise the target to 2.5%.
Not sure what you mean by the third point. Are you saying that the puppet government in Ukraine that used to be like Belarus and just another extension of Russia despite our promise that they would have complete freedom once they got rid of their nuclear weapons decided on their own to rather align with the West? If Hungary starts aligning more and more with Russia, does that mean they can also be invaded by EU?
European Countries, with the exception of Greece, did not spend the agreed upon 2% of GDP on their military until they convinced their neighbor to stop being allies with what they perceive as a gang. They are finally starting to spend and build a military because of the threat on their border created by Ukraine leaving Russia's influence. This also coincided with Trump asking them to pay for their defense. Obviously, you clearly think Russia won't stop at an "independent" Donbass and Russia being given Crimea, where Russia house their fleet that connects to the Mediterranean. I disagree. However, like I said previously, if they break this treaty (which they would clearly be a party to), NATO should make them pay dearly.
Kind of agree. I think Putin really wants Ukraine. Now, would he sorta like to annex some other countries? Possibly, if he could, but I think he knows he probably can't and doesn't really want them all that badly anyway. This is where the Hitler-Neville Chamberlain analogy doesn't work, for me. I recognize that others may disagree, but I think what Putin wants is a country that looks like the old USSR, from the nostalgic days of his youth.
He wants Eastern Ukraine and Crimea. We know that for sure.
3. Ukraine de-Nazified - or Russia will have to re-fight this battle every 5 or so years.
4. A neutral Ukraine with no NATO bases / military.
Russia did not have to fight a Nazified Ukraine every 5 years before 2014. The Nazis gained power in 2014 during the Maidan Revolution (where they helped oust the Russian friendly government and helped install the NATO friendly government). Thanks!
Yeah, but he's a JINO.