I will agree to disagree.
For the part in Bold , I stand with you that they will....hopefully they will...nut cases are not the only ones that exist in so called " Dictatorship , Authoritarian countries " . They are everywhere.

That being said when it comes to the United States. The more divided they are , the more unstable they are domestically , the more dangerous the world becomes.
Lets hope that they get back on track and everyone in the US start getting rich again with cheap gas, Education and healthcare. The world will be a safer place if they are rich and happy.

This post was edited by Hamsterbaby on Aug 10 2023 03:06pm

Tell you later.

Considering that Russia and its shills, shoutout to and his 3 month prediction, thought the special military operation would be concluded in a matter of days.
Its reasonable to expect Ukraine will take more than a month to penetrate defensive lines that Russia spent 6 months building, with next to no air power projection.

Its not an offensive that will bring about a decisive end to the conflict, its a phase of a much longer conflict.
Putin bought Russia a ticket to a generational conflict that won't change trajectory until Putin dies or is replaced for failing miserably and expending thousands of Russians in his own Afghanistan.

Just to lay bare another couple obvious hypocrisies. The OP of this thread and countless others down talk the US for supporting Ukraine, but care to forget that Russia propped up Bashar al Assad after he massacred thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of his own citizens.

Shills will deride the US, UK and others, claiming they prevented Ukraine from negotiating with Russia. Those same shills don't care to mention when Russias defence minister goes the most insidious regime on the planet to celebrate the birth of a man whos regime was responsible for the direct murder of at least 3 million of its own people. With many millions more in forced labour and others killed by famine.

Its not just an amoral view, its completely inane. It shows that if you dislike US foreign policy then your more likely to shill for factions that are opposed to the US. Emotionally ravaged to a point beyond logic. Pathetic.

Just a little thought experiment: what would happen if Ukraine decided to abort its counteroffensive? They would have more than enough troops to hold Kupjansk and stop the Russian advances there. In the south, it would suddenly be the Russians who'd be hindered from going on the offense again by their own minefields and trenches. And the Russian losses would skyrocket if they left their protected, defensive positions to go on the offense. So all in all, I don't think the Russians would try to push further into Ukrainian territory if the Ukrainian pressure let up. The more realistic course of events is that Russia would try to use a break in fighting to replenish its stockpiles and try to strangle Ukraine economically in the meantime, particularly as long as they control the left bank of the Dniepr river.

Ukraine, on the other hand, could also use a ceasefire to replenish its ammo stockpiles, receive more Western tanks and complete more training. It would give them time to receive and protect more of their cities and critical infrastructure with Western air defense systems. The big problem for them is that an aborted counteroffensive would make it less, rather than more, likely that Western support fades. And while they could lay trenches and minefields of their own near the frontline, creating an impenetrable strip similar to the DMZ in Korea, this would cement a border and geographic makeup which leaves them in an economically precarious position.

It goes back to : what do you believe is the Russian goal(s) for the war. I think for ukraine, the problem with a ceasefire is that aid may cease, and in the event of further hostilities the west may not be as eager. in this regard ukraine is in a tough spot to remain relevant. they might be afraid that donald trump will pull the breaks (they need not be afraid of this).

One part of me thinks a ceasefire would be good for everyone, especially Ukraine, but the other part of me accepts that this is a dangerous move by Ukraine, i.e. they may become yesterdays news even if they resume hostilities. a bit like how there are hostilities elsewhere around the world but which dont get reported (a bit like 7 years of warfare in eastern ukraine before the war).

This post was edited by ferdia on Aug 10 2023 03:33pm

On the issue of peace, I believe only the USA and Russia have the power to determine when peace happens.

The government of Ukraine is a puppet government of the USA (and all western European nations are vassal states of the USA). If the USA tells them no more war, they have no choice but to obey. If they do not, and USA cuts supports, Russia takes over and annexes the entire country.

At this point neither side wants to back down. The current regime in the USA says "as long as it takes" meaning forever until Russia backs down.

There's only two options: Regime change in the USA or Regime change in Russia

USA is on the brink of regime change. The current regime is a criminal and degenerate regime which is destroying the country every single day: every single day the border is flooded with migrants, cities continue to decay into anarchic hellholes, the buying power of the lower and middle classes continues to shrink, children continue to be demoralized, and chemically and physically castrated, anti-natalism and abortion is out of control, etc. Regime change is only a matter of time.

A new Trump regime in 2024 would end the war immediately, but a new regime in Russia may not - only if the new regime is against the war. However, even if regime change did happen in Russia, the new regime could be even worse.

People forget that Russia has the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world.

This post was edited by El1te on Aug 10 2023 03:33pm

We will see the evolution of this battle in next days but pushing back russians far in the north isn't the most productive action considering Ukrainians want to cut supply lines by going south. Thus it could offer them the bling-bling victory they need.
IMHO Western shells production is probably increasing exponentially while Soigu has to pump North Korea's stocks... Sad. Not including the ruble inflation and all, along with constant destruction of russian ressources & incoming F-16 & related.

SO it's a constant increases in quantity & quality for Ukraine. Rain & Winter will be some kind of a "ceasefire" anyway.

I am seriously hoping Trump can end it mate.... but the Foreign Establishment might be too powerful.

I had a conversation with before and he said the Democrats are going to go all the way out to stop Trump. Maybe even assassination...
please refresh me on that .

it is my view that Donald Trump will be jailed or assassinated before he sits in the oval office. I have a side bet with hamsterbaby on this. I won 55,000 euro on multiple bets in my life time and i have read enough to know that Donald Trump will not be re-elected. Therefore no "regime change" in the US. sorry!

Happy to take more bets in this regard.

Finally there is zero evidence to support the notion that anyone that replaces Putin will be a pacifist. it is far more likely they will have a big grudge against the US and the West and Ukraine.

This post was edited by ferdia on Aug 10 2023 03:37pm

Your lifetime is not ending yet. Hopefully you make around 2M EURO by 50 but that is bets only.