Drunk Russian soldiers storm Crimean cafe and go on shooting rampage in sickening footage

[Picton]

You apparently do not recognize that Israel, all other arguments notwithstanding, is of strategic importance to us. They represent a bastion of democracy, stability, human rights, and a diversified economy in a crazy region in which we do have an interest, vis-a-vis trade, military access, oil/petro chemicals, etc.

Taiwan, IMHO, is mainly perceived as a bulwark against China's hegemonic goals. I'm guessing, hoping, that you understand why it would be in our interest to prevent China from uncontrolled expansion into the Pacific.

You don't make the same arguments for Ukraine, but others do. They might be right, they might be wrong: we don't know.

I'm not saying you're right or wrong. I'm saying that basing military-aid decisions on the physical proximity of the nation needing help isn't always a great argument.

 

[ridleyman]

You don't make the same arguments for Ukraine, but others do. They might be right, they might be wrong: we don't know.

I'm not saying you're right or wrong. I'm saying that basing military-aid decisions on the physical proximity of the nation needing help isn't always a great argument.

Huh? Of course physical proximity should be a consideration, while not the singular criteria. I think that anyone who spends more than 3 seconds contemplating this issue would understand that.

 

[Agnotology]

A little background. I spent countless hours following this war. I'm fluent in both Russian and Ukrainian and many years ago I did spend several months in Crimea. I somewhat actively participate in massive discussions of this conflict on two other boards(not the clown show we have here) and bring info from Russian, Ukrainian and Polish sources and occasionally translate into English things that robo translators can't properly handle.

Now serious question, not a personal attack. What's your source of this garbage? I'm genuinely interested why a lot of supposedly conservative Americans express pro Russian views.

Crimea is about as Russian as North Ireland is Protestant.

Just because you were planted there as a political tool doesn't mean you belong.

 

[Agnotology]

Where in central Asia and eastern Europe, at least in the last 15 years? Belarus? Those were joint exercises.

What would you think about Russia and China staging war games in Lake Superior? NATO poking the bear in the Black Sea is no different. I do agree that NATO courting Ukraine without any security guarantee was a problem. Not saying I agree that Ukraine should join NATO, just that our kindergarten diplomacy was a C-F.

That's a terrible example. One place would require an invasion of Canada or the US to occur - the other is international waters which has NATO allies and Russia and it's allies on the border.

The more apt question is what would happen if China and Russia staged war games in the Arctic? And the answer is they already have.

 

[Mountain]

That's a terrible example. One place would require an invasion of Canada or the US to occur - the other is international waters which has NATO allies and Russia and it's allies on the border.

The more apt question is what would happen if China and Russia staged war games in the Arctic? And the answer is they already have.

Turkey had zero involvement with those naval exercises and debated whether or not to even let the NATO ships pass through the Bosporus. No, Great Lakes are not a perfect example but close enough.

Anyway, back on topic- I doubt the veracity of the story behind this thread plus the rhetoric is ridiculous for what actually occurred.