Quote (ofthevoid @ 10 Oct 2019 15:49)

They do but if a war broke out between Europe & Russia i think both sides would really try to not use nukes. I think Russia would deploy nukes if China tried taking over Siberia.

And as far as nukes, yes they both do but Russia's nuke game is on par with the US, while the Euros have fallen behind. For every one nuke Europe can muster Russia can send 10. Just as an example i think it was 2012? ish Russia announced state of the art nuclear powered submarines that are extremely difficult to detect. Each one of these subs can hold 12 nukes and there's 12 of these subs. That alone is enough to hold China at bay for many years to come.

Quote (ofthevoid @ 10 Oct 2019 16:00)

I doubt it. Look at the pseudo alliances that are forming. Essentially all of the countries that are our enemy are in a way banding, at least in UN votes it seems that way.

China & Russia are friends because common enemy, Russia & Iran are somewhat friends because common enemy, and now we are pushing on Turkey so they are moving towards that alliance. I mean obviously it's really hard to predict things but hypothetical alliances as of now could be China+Russia+Iran+Turkey+NK plus whatever other nations we decide to go after versus the NATO alliance, Japan, SK etc. You don't want to push too hard on countries like Turkey so they end up joining the other side.

China would be fine with ceding Europe to Russia, while China takes ownership of south Asia, Oceania, Australia. I know this is pie in the sky but fun to think about some of these scenarios.

Quote (fender @ Oct 10 2019 08:58am)

the truth is that american imperialism is directly to blame for a majority of the problems plaguing the middle east right now, and no amount of revisionism and finger pointing will make that simple truth, which the overwhelming majority of historians and political analysts agree upon, disappear.

yes, other countries played their dirty games in that region before, yes, many of their problems have roots that have little to do with western intervention, but when talking about the current state of the region, the united state's greed and arrogance has been THE driving factor behind the mess that all of us have to deal with now. you are not the good guys, sorry.

Quote (Kayeto @ Oct 9 2019 09:45pm)

so, what's Trump actually thinking? Putin finally demanded that Trump fulfill the promise?

Let's say Putin/Trump had a deal before the election: If Putin can help Trump with the election, Trump will use the power to pull US troops out of the region.

Putin's been waiting for 3 years for Trump to finally come through on his end of the deal. Putin sees that impeachment is creeping up, so he tells Trump: "You better do it now or else I will release the videos I have of you and the prostitutes in the hotel room." If those videos get out, Trump knows his days are numbered. So Trump figures that the less painful option will be to deal with the political fallout of this military blunder.

Quote (Leevee @ Oct 10 2019 11:00am)

And then Putin makes out with Trump's wife and Trump goes back to his room in the White House to cry in the arms of his gay lover who is also his biographer.

House of Cards was fun while Kevin Spacey was still more respectable than Trump himself.

Quote (Ghot @ Oct 10 2019 09:48am)

Oh I'm so glad that you pointed that out to me. All of history disagrees with you, but don't let that overwork even one brain cell in the contemplation.
Dude, you really make me embarrassed to be of German decent.

Fortunately, you're a loner so I won't have to go out and kill myself. :/

Quote (thesnipa @ Oct 10 2019 11:04am)

Fender blames the ME on the USA. when most of the modern issues stem from the creation of Israel, and Saddam waltzing into Kuwait. His grandfather shouldn't have made the creation of Israel necessary. and if we started to nation build post Gulf war 1 he'd blame that on us too.

the USA has some blame, as do many European nations. but one of the greatest factor is the ME population going from a shitty uncultured mass into oil rich uncultured masses. and the violence between separate sects of islam that the USA has very little to do with starting.

and it should be said that the CIA is to blame for most of the USA's bungles. from arming the Taliban to fight Russia to many other issues. the american people weren't even aware of the worst trespasses, let alone complicit.

Quote (thesnipa @ Oct 10 2019 05:04pm)

Fender blames the ME on the USA. when most of the modern issues stem from the creation of Israel, and Saddam waltzing into Kuwait. His grandfather shouldn't have made the creation of Israel necessary. and if we started to nation build post Gulf war 1 he'd blame that on us too.

the USA has some blame, as do many European nations. but one of the greatest factor is the ME population going from a shitty uncultured mass into oil rich uncultured masses. and the violence between separate sects of islam that the USA has very little to do with starting.

and it should be said that the CIA is to blame for most of the USA's bungles. from arming the Taliban to fight Russia to many other issues. the american people weren't even aware of the worst trespasses, let alone complicit.

Quote (Ghot @ Oct 10 2019 05:08pm)

Translation: ISLAM is the problem.

Quote (fender @ Oct 10 2019 10:11am)

"i'm definitely not a racist, but the whole middle east is just a 'shitty uncultured mass'. also, kurds worship crosses." - one super informed and nuanced individual

Quote (Leevee @ Oct 10 2019 10:13am)

A reasonable and well-educated post, here in PaRD? Color me impressed.

Edit:



See, this is what we're more used to.

Quote (Leevee @ 10 Oct 2019 17:13)

A reasonable and well-educated post, here in PaRD? Color me impressed.

Edit:



See, this is what we're more used to.