Just a reminder...

I appreciate your comments though you might be over intellectualizing a bit. I take umbrage with one thought. IMO China is a much bigger external threat militarily and politically to America than is Russia.

 

Putin's own inner circle is a much more reliable way of making sure that Putin is "pacified" than the general Russian populace is.

 

Some of them are now, maybe even most of them. Before the invasion, many were on Russia's side. Including Tucker Carlson.

Selectively, and only when they are pretending to be libertarian.

All schools make determinations about what kids learn . . . that's how schools work. They can't be schools without doing so. And parents can always pull their kids out if they don't like it. And Trump did more to disrupt my own business activities than any Dem ever has.

 

I agree with the sentiment, but the comparison misses the point. The installation of the missiles in Cuba was by an overt and egregious belligerent who, among other things, openly promised to bury the US at the UN.

 

It isn't support for Russia, but it is falling for their propaganda. NATO's armaments are defensive. Not meant for invasion or attack.

 

The left are just so obnoxious to spread misinformation that the right are defending Putin and for the invasion. They constantly claim that the other side spreads misinformation but it's perfectly fine when they do it en masse.

 

Yes. And imagine had Trump won the last election and all else happened as it did. Then we would have the Democrats appearing pro Russia due to a small overly vocal and focused upon group on the left with trump derangement syndrome.

It's amazing and terrifying how political partisanship plus news reporting bias can so thoroughly shape perception. And this being in the internet age, it's multiplied tenfold.

 

Are any armaments truly defensive? Can a system designed to (or claimed to be designed to) shoot down incoming missiles not be reworked into an attack weapon? Should Russia trust the US or NATO at it's word? Would you trust Russia of they set up a "defensive missile system" in Cuba? I would understand if it made you anxious.

If it is defensive then why was it a complete no go for NATO when Russia offered to control these "defensive weapons"?

 

We desperately need to stop thinking of "the left" and "the right" as monoliths. There are a wide variety of views within both labels.

 

For the most part, no. A PATRIOT missile, for example is an Air Defense weapon. It does not have the range to be offensive, nor does it have the capability to carry a payload of any significance. It could not be programmed to hit any ground target since its guidance system is all about acquiring and locking onto an aerial target. It's destination isn't programmed.Its destination is based on sensors which follow the moving aerial target.

 

Is anyone actually unhinged enough to think that NATO wants to take over Russia? Is anyone actually unhinged enough to think that Russia doesn't want to re-absorb the former Soviet territories?

Think of it like this: what if a neighbor of mine were constantly trying to steal my house and my belongings and I bought a couple of guard dogs to prevent that from happening? Would you consider that an act of aggression on my part?

 

Good luck with that. We seem to be going downhill in that regard.

 

Trump has no power or authority in this issue. Biden and his crew are stumbling along acceptably well.

 

Good summary. And they've stumbled onto more successes than I thought they would when it comes to the sanctions.

 

Do you know what a con artist will do if his/her con doesn't work on a target? They get very angry. They don't consider the fact they are in the wrong or their intended target outmaneuvered them. They get ticked off at the target.

My point is there isn't really any "logic" happening on that side. It looks like Putin just likes blowing stuff up and hurting his own people. Basically, he's mad he couldn't finish this in a few days with the Ukrainians just rolling over for him.

 

Hi Seth,

I have a "the dog ate my homework" excuse. I typed a long response to this and my evil computer did an update and restart before I could save it. So, please forgive my delay. Bill Gates' quest for world domination ate my first reply. ;-0

As you know, he's not one of my favorite people but I do know many Biden supporters, including myself that appreciated he didn't get us into any new wars. He raised hell and left us on the brink of civil war but that's a different discussion.

I think that's a fair judgment given where we are at the moment. I have to admit that I haven't been paying much attention to Biden because I'm burnt out on all the partisan hate. I don't need all the negativity 24/7 and unless we do something about demanding a viable third party, this back and forth blame game isn't helping. It's tiresome.

I think that you're right. Jong-un is very private in that nobody even knows how old he really is, his wife or children's names or much about anything that is really happening inside his country except for scare satellite imagining. So, it was a big step for Trump to step on that demarcation line even if his efforts didn't reach his goal.

I have to disagree on this point solely because I have never seen the kind of blind loyalty that Trump has been able to garner among his American supporters so it's not easy to gauge if his actions were actually in our best interests (short and long term) or if they are categorized that way because many of his supporters just outright refuse to see or address his faults. It's one thing to appreciate someone without immersing oneself into an imaginary world that places that on a pedestal in a cloak of infallibility.

I am still stunned and was lambasted just yesterday for mentioning the 4 Capitol police officers that committed suicide while Trump apologists were singing praises for a rioter that committed suicide recently. I wasn't aware things were so broken that our fellow Americans would side with criminals over our own law enforcement personnel. That is way, way, way beyond aligning with an elected official politically. It's indefensible. The partisan hatred is very counterproductive when anyone on this side of prison bars thinks I'm "spreading hatred" by simply asking what about those 4 officers and the 1 that died after returning to the station. It's unforgivable (and I'm usually forgiving).

Just since you posted, Putin has turned off the Russia-controlled tv stations, troops set fire or a fire was unintentionally started at a Ukrainian nuclear plant and some Russian moms have been protesting because their kids were shipped out to fight when they were told they were going on a training drill. Some of the moms have already lost their children and those last few text messages are all they have now. Putin might be ex-KGB and a black belt but there is no stronger force than a Momma Bear standing up for her cubs.

Do you want to hear something funny? When I lost my reply to you, I remembered that you used the word "Amen" so I tried to find your post with that word. You've said that in 13 posts on this site! ;-0

I am so glad your soldier made it home. It does change us forever. My brother was in Afghanistan. He made it home in one piece physically but he didn't make it home mentally in one piece. He, too, has complex-PTSD. It's tough.

Same here. People think that cops and soldiers are "used" to death. Nobody sane gets "used" to death. Only psychopaths and serial killers aren't impacted by death.

So, I'm going to tell you what I tell myself. Acknowledge that broken heart because it means you're human. When it stops hurting, we stop caring and you don't want to see the nightmares that causes. I absolutely do not like Trump even a little bit. I am so angry at him and I don't get this angry often and I don't have a hair trigger temper. Nevertheless, I got choked up when I read the statistics about pro-Trump supporters dying at 3X the rate of other demographic groups in the country. No, I don't like that they voted for him. No, I don't like that they hate me because I didn't. No, I don't like that he won't stop having a very embarrassing public meltdown because he was fired. But NONE of that makes me feel any less compassion and concern for those dying of COVID regardless of who they voted for. I think about them in the hospital or maybe a nursing home basically drowning as ventilators try to keep them alive, being separated from their family and friends in those final weeks and days due to visitation restrictions. I think about them having kids and maybe grandkids that never really got a chance to know them because they got sick. I hurt for all of them.

I've been thinking about leaving the forum because I can't stand all the hatred and blame. It's sickening. Everyone has the right to express themselves and I vehemently defend that. I just don't have the capacity to deal with unbridled hate constantly. It serves no function whatsoever and it's very draining. It's impossible to find workable solutions if people won't even attempt to talk civilly to one another. It's a shame. I wonder how much we could achieve if we stopped getting sidetracked with all the BS the media throws out to keep us fighting amongst ourselves. I don't really understand why more people can't see it's a just a cat-and-mouse mind game. It's sad because it's fixable if we all made the effort.

I absolutely would support that. I've never been willing to ask any employee to do something I wasn't willing to do and I don't believe any manager should. It's impossible to resolve problems effectively if one has no idea of what is happening in the trenches (and, you know I don't mean our POTUS needs to be in a foxhole) to be close to what is happening with our deployed soldiers.

That's a silly question. Anybody can die at any moment of anything anywhere. Most people over the age of about 8 or 9 know that living beings die so maybe we shouldn't be taking people for granted in the first place. So, if our POTUS has bone spurs or a trick knee or just doesn't like being in the heat, they should rethink running for office because they are the Commander-in-Chief and should have some inkling of what actually happens once he (or she) gives the orders. There's no more effective way to manage one's team than to be part of that team.

In my proposal, the VP has to do some military time also. Of course, they both can't go to the same post or concurrently, but they both have to be there up close and for the same reasons I stated above.

There is no reasonable argument about any geographic barriers considering the entire world has managed to keep functioning even when almost everyone was on lockdown. Many of us can work from anywhere on the planet (outside North Korea) so that's not a valid argument.

It's the same for me, Seth. When I mention volunteering in a women's clinic or group home or advocating for abused children or financially helping a single parent or offering free tutoring to kids that need a bit more help and his or her parent can't afford a private tutor or help out on a suicide hotline or help the Center for Missing and Exploited Children or becoming community watchers or helping an elderly neighbor or doing anything other than sitting in a chair with one's nose in the air passing judgment on the people that are usually doing the best they can with what they have...usually crickets.

And, the foundation of that is exactly why I do not like Trump. He has been whining since 2016 about "rigged elections" but he closed his own Election Commission citing no widespread election fraud. I know he struggles with self-actualizing but here's my biggest issue with him. He has been taking in millions upon millions every single month from his donors that believe he told the truth about election fraud. He very publicly refused to pay Rudy. Powell financed herself and admitted that she lied about widespread fraud. Lindell lost major accounts and is selling assets because he spent his own money to back Trump's BS.

But, here's the thing...to this day, Trump has not only NOT submitted one single piece of evidence of widespread election fraud, he hasn't spent one dime of his own money toward that end. Why should any of his supporters bankroll something that he won't even bankroll? That's not right.

Sgt. Gee was a beautiful soul. I remember seeing her photo back when the bombing happened. All of them matter and it might sound strange but I care about the soldiers on the other side too. They also have loved ones and lives and hopes and dreams cut too short by the most barbaric, pointless, hateful actions possible - war.

We are the ones that can make that change. We have to start within our own hearts first.

Seth, again, I'm very happy for you that your soldier made it home.

In gratitude, for his and your family's sacrifice for him to stand on that wall for all of us.

 

Putin most definitely is and always has been.

No. But I would consider it an act of aggression if you got those dogs from my old enemy, who was also placing dogs all around my house ever closer and closer to my living room.

 

~ Are you implying that Pootin is nuts ... ?

 

Lol…tell that to trump.

 

We rarely agree but on this you and I are in agreement - well said!!

 

Hmmm you might want to check out what Lil’ Donnie has been saying about his bestie Pootie baby

 

Except to further divide America

 

Because they wouldn't have been effective any longer, even as "defensive weapons". You still trust Putin could have controlled them fairly???

And it is ludicrous to think any NATO country would want to invade Russia! Such a rich country!!??

 

Even though your own dogs have been around his house for months??