I wasn't sure where this Israel, Iran and China debacle should go, so I thought I would start a new thread and post it here:

Interesting article disusing Israel's actions in trying to destabilize Iran and how it monumentally backfired and brought China into the Middle East... it's kind of crazy

 

"To the extent that Netanyahu played a role here, his plot has backfired monumentally. If the China deal goes through, Iran is much strengthened and its hard liners are entirely unleashed. The positioning of Chinese security forces in Iran will make it increasingly risky for other countries such as Israel or the US to strike Iran, lest they come into conflict with nuclear-armed China."

Edited September 10, 20196 yr by wanna-b-fanboy

6 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

How many "freedom fighters" in Ottawa would be willing to do this? I think we know the answer. 

This is exactly true. Shut the F up you absurd self important knuckle draggers, apologize profusely for your drivel that has cost our communities enormous  amounts of wasted time, money, anxiety, preventable loss of lives and livelihoods. 
 

And while you’re at it, divert your money away from your grifter friends to directly donating it to help Ukraine people cope while being caught up in this mess.

11 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

How effed up is this video???  Either the tank driver is a psychopath or he thinks running over civilians is part of a fun video game..

 

 

Charge: War crime. Press play to show video. Verdict: Guilty.

54 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

How effed up is this video???  Either the tank driver is a psychopath or he thinks running over civilians is part of a fun video game..

 

 

Driver is thankfully alive:

 

 

 

 

 

Man Russia is going to run out of things to participate in

https://tvline.com/2022/02/25/eurovision-russia-banned-full-statement/

Yeah. This is not good. Russia should be punished heavily. How? I'm not exactly sure Vlad cares at this point. 

Start of world War 3? I wouldn't doubt the KGB trained trillionaire Putin 

https://www.axios.com/eu-freeze-putin-lavrovs-assets-sanctions-b0f777ad-f2c3-42c1-92da-d74f35aa4fb4.html

 

The European Union and United Kingdom have frozen the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as part of a new tranche of sanctions punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Edited February 25, 20223 yr by Mark F

My worry is that China makes up for a lot of the sanctions that have been put on Russia.

8 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

My worry is that China makes up for a lot of the sanctions that have been put on Russia.

Was thinking the same thing last night. 

China is Russia's saviour and has already lowered the cost of grain sales to Russia. 

 

If we're going to crush Russia, which is what the West really needs to do, until they submit, they'll need to take on China too. 

We're are entering a new cold war - Europe and North America - Russia and China. 

Just now, JCon said:

China is Russia's saviour and has already lowered the cost of grain sales to Russia. 

 

If we're going to crush Russia, which is what the West really needs to do, until they submit, they'll need to take on China too. 

And THAT is terrifying.

Just now, Bigblue204 said:

And THAT is terrifying.

If you think that the West is already too soft on Russia, which they have been, they're going to stay far away from putting any meaningful sanctions on China. They didn't even flinch when China imposed it's will on Hong Kong. 

Russia tells Finland not to join NATO or there will be consequences.

Just now, bustamente said:

Russia tells Finland not to join NATO or there will be consequences.

I wish Finland and Sweden would join NATO. Ukraine too. Ef the Russians. 

Just now, JCon said:

If you think that the West is already too soft on Russia, which they have been, they're going to stay far away from putting any meaningful sanctions on China. They didn't even flinch when China imposed it's will on Hong Kong. 

You will never see the West stand up to China that thought passed long ago.

Just now, JCon said:

I wish Finland and Sweden would join NATO. Ukraine too. Ef the Russians. 

They would be smart to fast track this for Ukraine it's to late

Brave men that probably know that they wont be alive in the not to distant future unless Putin stops what he is doing

 

23 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

My worry is that China makes up for a lot of the sanctions that have been put on Russia.

I'm not sure what the sanctions will do in general.  Target the foreign assets of extremely wealthy people, the ones controlling this?  I'm sure they'll feel that at some point down the road but the Ukraine will have been destroyed by then.

 

53 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

And THAT is terrifying.

China will side with Russia when it suits them to do so, but they have no emotional investment in propping Russia up. I suspect that they are watching the response to Russia's invasion and occupation of Ukraine as a precursor of what would happen if they do that to Taiwan. 

Just in case Americans haven't figured it out a ruthless stone cold killer who has sent his army into a sovereign country has been applauded  and defended and adulated by a former President, Sec. of State and a popular tv host, open your eyes before it's to late.

1 hour ago, bigg jay said:

I'm not sure what the sanctions will do in general.  Target the foreign assets of extremely wealthy people, the ones controlling this?  I'm sure they'll feel that at some point down the road but the Ukraine will have been destroyed by then.

 

The oligarchs basically live in Europe, with their families. You take away their money or access to it, and things suddenly become real for them. Right now, they just continue to play. 

1 hour ago, JCon said:

China is Russia's saviour and has already lowered the cost of grain sales to Russia. 

 

If we're going to crush Russia, which is what the West really needs to do, until they submit, they'll need to take on China too. 

We're are entering a new cold war - Europe and North America - Russia and China. 

China is the bigger problem IMO. Much more insidious than Russia. 

32 minutes ago, bustamente said:

Just in case Americans haven't figured it out a ruthless stone cold killer who has sent his army into a sovereign country has been applauded  and defended and adulated by a former President, Sec. of State and a popular tv host, open your eyes before it's to late.

Those people that support republicans yearn for the Russian system where you get a dictator at the top with the oligarchs around him getting richer than god while people can't do **** about it. 

3 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

China is the bigger problem IMO. Much more insidious than Russia. 

Those people that support republicans yearn for the Russian system where you get a dictator at the top with the oligarchs around him getting richer than god while people can't do **** about it. 

Smarter and richer too. Russia is nothing compared to China. They are the world power now.

Kazakhstan says nyet to Putin and will not get involved in the Putin stupidity.

Ukraine updates:

Fighting has moved from the Airport at Kyiv to the suburbs of that city. A Ukrainian lieutenant detonated a bomb at a bridge to stop the Russian advance, completing his mission but dying. A Ukrainian fighter pilot has 6 confirmed Russian aircraft kills. Tanks flying the Russian flags are in downtown Kyiv. Ukrainians are preparing Molotov cocktails. Sweden and Romania are sending weapons. A Ukrainian garrison on the coast was ordered to surrender by a Russian warship and told them to f*ck themselves. All 13 were killed in the subsequent shelling. A Russian tank column was wiped out en route to Kyiv.  BBC estimates some 200 Ukrainian military dead and 600 Russian dead.

1 hour ago, JCon said:

The oligarchs basically live in Europe, with their families. You take away their money or access to it, and things suddenly become real for them. Right now, they just continue to play. 

That's what I mean though - they continue to play because, right now, it's just words with no immediate consequences. 

This didn't happen overnight either so I'm sure they have already made preparations, knowing this is how the West would respond.  

The mayor and former boxer 

 

Republished article by krugman explaining the effect of sanctions.

 

https://digbysblog.net/

 

"The sums involved are mind-boggling. Novokmet et al. estimate that in 2015 the hidden foreign wealth of rich Russians amounted to around 85 percent of Russia’s G.D.P. To give you some perspective, this is as if a U.S. president’s cronies had managed to hide $20 trillion in overseas accounts. Another paper co-written by Zucman found that in Russia, “the vast majority of wealth at the top is held offshore.” As far as I can tell, the overseas exposure of Russia’s elite has no precedent in history — and it creates a huge vulnerability that the West can exploit."

he mentions britain. 
uninformed opinion, wonder how much putin has stashed in Saudi Arabia. 

 

Edited February 26, 20223 yr by Mark F