Russia invades Crimea, Obama issues yet another weak "line"

[Fargo]

It would be hilarious if the US sold Western Ukraine our soon to be decommissioned A-10 Warthogs. They were made for Russian tanks.

A certain sick part of me just thinks we should deliver 1900 nuclear warheads back to the Ukraine, you know the exact same number they gave up in return for security assurances from us and others...

After all, they kept their end of the bargain!

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Cruz: "Putin has scant regard for international norms when they run counter to his goal of re-establishing Soviet-style regional hegemony"

 

[Blackhawk2001]

TeamObama: Just stop.

I spent the early eighties training solely to kill Russians. Dump truck loads of 'em. Vast fields of them. You know why no emphasis was ever put on learning the Russian language? Because when we met up there wasn't going to be any talking. They don't give two squirts of **** about what you have to say. They are going to go swiftly and effectively about whatever their Russian business happens to be until you kill them. Unless you're willing to abruptly drop about a billion metric tons of whoopass on Crimea, just STFU. Your babble makes you look stupid and weak and impresses no one but the fawning idiots gathered immediately at your feet. Russia's a game I'll wager none of you in the current administration have the stones for.




A question I've been pondering though, is whether Ukraine will mount a resistance anything like what went down in Afghanistan? Apparently, the face of modern warfare involves a bunch of loosely-knit hillbillies with rifles who, yes, Virginia, apparently CAN do something when faced with those nasty, black attack helicopters.

You're talking apples & oranges when you compare Afghanistan with Ukraine. Or rather, you're talking apples and boulders. The Afghans have nothing worth taking from them and their terrain is particularly hostile to anything but infantry. And the Afghans can do infantry - at least the irregular kind of infantry.

Meanwhile, Ukraine was called the "breadbasket" of the USSR, so the terrain is conducive to mechanized warfare and pitched battles along a wide front, AND the Russians do have a good deal to gain by retaking control of it. Like the Georgians, if the Ukraine fights the Russians, they're going to get their asses kicked - by overwhelming numbers which can be effectively applied, if for no other reason. But, recalling what happened to them in the 1920s at the hands of Josef Stalin's Communist Russia, if I were a Ukraine, I'd be digging a bunker and preparing for war anyway.

 

[ghuns]

In all the pics coming out of Crimea, the soldiers have no identifying markings on their unis. Isn't that a violation of some BS international rule on war?

 

[Expat]

In all the pics coming out of Crimea, the soldiers have no identifying markings on their unis. Isn't that a violation of some BS international rule on war?

Anyone that thinks Vlad the Impaler cares about any stupid international rules raise their hand....

none showing that I can see...

 

[ghuns]

Anyone that thinks Vlad the Impaler cares about any stupid international rules raise their hand....

none showing that I can see...

Everybody plays around the edges of certain international rules regarding war. I have no illusions about Putin caring, I just thought it was unusual. Are soldiers in our military issued any unmarked unis?

 

[KG1]

Drawing a line in the sand and doing nothing is pretty much just as effective as "strongly condemning" an act. A statement of condemnation = "We strongly disapprove of what you're doing but we won't back up that disapproval with more than mere words."

 

[spec4]

Putin got the "flexibility" Obama promised him and he is using it. Similar to the crap Hitler was pulling before WWII.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Putin got the "flexibility" Obama promised him and he is using it. Similar to the crap Hitler was pulling before WWII.

It is scarily similar. Obama is comin off like Chamberlin. Speaking of which, what are the British saying?

 

[jbombelli]

It is scarily similar. Obama is comin off like Chamberlin. Speaking of which, what are the British saying?

Pip pip cheerio! Blimey! Fish 'n Chips!

 

[Shadow8088]

Pip pip cheerio! Blimey! Fish 'n Chips!

you forgot Bloody 'ell

 

[printcraft]

Putin got the "flexibility" Obama promised him and he is using it. Similar to the crap Hitler was pulling before WWII.

Mind = Blown

QFT

 

[jamil]

Drawing a line in the sand and doing nothing is pretty much just as effective as "strongly condemning" an act. A statement of condemnation = "We strongly disapprove of what you're doing but we won't back up that disapproval with more than mere words."

No, there's a difference. Everyone expects condemnation really means, we don't like it but we're not going to do anything. Saying you're drawing a line doesn't have the same meaning. It implies that you'll do something if they cross the line. But then, it's Obama. For him it probably does have that meaning. But for a leader who's not a *****, first, such a leader wouldn't make a statement he or she is unwilling or unprepared to enforce, second, it'd get enforced.

 

[KG1]

No, there's a difference. Everyone expects condemnation really means, we don't like it but we're not going to do anything. Saying you're drawing a line doesn't have the same meaning. It implies that you'll do something if they cross the line. But then, it's Obama. For him it probably does have that meaning. But for a leader who's not a *****, first, such a leader wouldn't make a statement he or she is unwilling or unprepared to enforce, second, it'd get enforced.

That was my implied intention. The two terms seem to be equally as un-effective when used by someone unwilling to back a "line in the sand" comment.

 

[mrjarrell]

Vlad is looking for his parliament to give him permission to invade. No doubt they'll do what he wishes, if they know what's good for them.

BBC News - Russian parliament approves troop deployment in Ukraine

 

[Expat]

you forgot Bloody 'ell

oh, and something about buggering and old Sod...

 

[pudly]

If you like your borders, you can keep your borders.

 

[BogWalker]

If you like your borders, you can keep your borders.

If you've got a nation—you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.[SUP][/SUP]

 

[LEaSH]

Vlad is looking for his parliament to give him permission to invade. No doubt they'll do what he wishes, if they know what's good for them.

BBC News - Russian parliament approves troop deployment in Ukraine

Well that would be a problem then.

Per an aggreement signed by Yeltsen and Slick Bill Clinton in 1995, that move by Russia could actually lead to war. Harrumph.

But its just 20 year old words on paper, so maybe it means nothing.

 

[smokingman]

Well that would be a problem then.

Per an aggreement signed by Yeltsen and Slick Bill Clinton in 1995, that move by Russia could actually lead to war. Harrumph.

But its just 20 year old words on paper, so maybe it means nothing.

Sergey Aksyonov the prime minister of Ukraine has gone in front of the UN formally asking for Russian help.Seems the prime minister along with over half the Ukrainian Parliament do not recognize the new speaker of parliament.aka the current west approved president who appointed himself last Sunday by holding a secret invite only Sunday session of parliament in which less than 1/3 of the members where present to vote on deposing the existing president,and appointed a new one.

And yes the new government has also replaced the prime minister with an unelected one Arseny Yatsenyu,who was quickly recognized by the United States and Britain.Germany,Russia,and China have not recognized him as such yet at the UN and are still calling Sergey Aksyonov the prime minster.