Current Affairs ⚔️ Ukraine - Russia War

[MrFrankWhite]

Ugly ugly scenes coming out of Ukraine now. A lot of combat footage feature dead women in combat roles.

Average age of the Ukrainian soldier is approaching 50.

 

[watcher]

Ugly ugly scenes coming out of Ukraine now. A lot of combat footage feature dead women in combat roles.

Average age of the Ukrainian soldier is approaching 50.

It is OK as the American Defence Contractors are coining it and no American lives are being lost.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

It is OK as the American Defence Contractors are coining it and no American lives are being lost.

Lots of American Merc’s are getting smoked. They got a 1 American, 1 Canadian and 1 Aussie in the last 24hrs.

 

[watcher]

Lots of American Merc’s are getting smoked. They got a 1 American, 1 Canadian and 1 Aussie in the last 24hrs.

Wasnt aware of that. Big boys games, big boy consequences.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Tucker Carlson is wild. I used to hate him of course as Fox News is dog shit. But lately he’s been on point.

His Putin interview is wild asf. As he said, watch it and decide for yourself.

View: https://x.com/tuckercarlson/status/1755734526678925682?s=46&t=N6rrXot3pBpvv2hdvhmStw

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Tucker Carlson is wild. I used to hate him of course as Fox News is dog shit. But lately he’s been on point.

His Putin interview is wild asf. As he said, watch it and decide for yourself.

View: https://x.com/tuckercarlson/status/1755734526678925682?s=46&t=N6rrXot3pBpvv2hdvhmStw

1000 years of history of Russia in Ukraine. Everyone gets attached to their land and it leads to conflict.

Very complex scenario.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

1000 years of history of Russia in Ukraine. Everyone gets attached to their land and it leads to conflict.

Very complex scenario.

Well tbf Putin kinda spells it out really quickly and easily.

Sure it’s 30mins if Russian history, but he basically gives a crash course and the lead up. Normally required to understand the context.

Funny western nations really want you to know the geographical history of israel but claim it doesn’t matter in Ukraine.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Well tbf Putin kinda spells it out really quickly and easily.

Sure it’s 30mins if Russian history, but he basically gives a crash course and the lead up. Normally required to understand the context.

Funny western nations really want you to know the geographical history of israel but claim it doesn’t matter in Ukraine.

I can just imagine the Treaty of Waitangi still being bought up in 800 years!

 

[sup42]

First time I have listened to Putin.

Oh I have heard him speak before, but it is different if you have a bit of spare time to listen to someone in depth.

You can see why he was top KGB. The way his mind works is interesting.

You can also see why he enjoys popular Russian support, he is a compelling and persuasive speaker.

Dictatorial psychopaths are usually quite boring to listen to, but Putin in this interview gets the chance to show the layers of his make up.

If Putin were a regular Russian who I met in a pub and spent some hours around playing darts, sinking handles and shooting pool....I don't see a world where I would not take him seriously, see him as a threat, intimidating, persuasive, and dangerous....but most of all, a killer in a little mans body.

He just exudes danger, the way he plays with Carlson in this interview is like watching a Machiavellian genius against a talking sheep with an American accent.

Don't think I would be taking invites from my 'friend' Vlad from down the pub to go Duck shooting.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

First time I have listened to Putin.

Oh I have heard him speak before, but it is different if you have a bit of spare time to listen to someone in depth.

You can see why he was top KGB. The way his mind works is interesting.

You can also see why he enjoys popular Russian support, he is a compelling and persuasive speaker.

Dictatorial psychopaths are usually quite boring to listen to, but Putin in this interview gets the chance to show the layers of his make up.

If Putin were a regular Russian who I met in a pub and spent some hours around playing darts, sinking handles and shooting pool....I don't see a world where I would not take him seriously, see him as a threat, intimidating, persuasive, and dangerous....but most of all, a killer in a little mans body.

He just exudes danger, the way he plays with Carlson in this interview is like watching a Machiavellian genius against a talking sheep with an American accent.

Don't think I would be taking invites from my 'friend' Vlad from down the pub to go Duck shooting.

You are colored by your biases.

I see an incredibly intelligent, incredibly logical man, who has not only held Russia together for 24 years, but also kept the west at bay.

Of course he’s slanting his version, we all do. But he’s reasoned, measured and funny as well.

No wonder most western leaders are hostile. They are pathetic, flabby, mediocre copies of real people.

Busy Jnr looks like a jokester from Texas, didn’t stop him killing a million people in Iraq

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Case in point. Keep claiming Putin is a psychopath but even I wasn’t aware until today that he initiated the drive to make Russia the worlds biggest producer of organic food.

Putin Is Growing Organic Power One T-34 Tank-Tomato at a Time

Backed by billionaires' cash, Russian food exports are now worth more than Kalashnikovs and all other military hardware combined.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[sup42]

You are colored by your biases.

I see an incredibly intelligent, incredibly logical man, who has not only held Russia together for 24 years, but also kept the west at bay.

Of course he’s slanting his version, we all do. But he’s reasoned, measured and funny as well.

No wonder most western leaders are hostile. They are pathetic, flabby, mediocre copies of real people.

Busy Jnr looks like a jokester from Texas, didn’t stop him killing a million people in Iraq

My description of Putin was not intending to paint him as Evil, nor good or bad as such.

Yes I do think he is a dangerous man precisely because of his intellect, his wit, and his ability to disarm.

As for his views, I have more respect for them having heard them from the horses mouth whether I agree or not, it is clear that 'he believes it' and I happily concede he is a man with conviction.

You cannot be head of the FSB and not be a dangerous figure - the road to that job is paved with high level skulduggery.

The Same is true of Kients like George Bush Senior, dangerous men I would avoid an acquaintance with because at their core is ruthless calculated self interest.

 

[Rick O’Shay]

My description of Putin was not intending to paint him as Evil, nor good or bad as such.

Yes I do think he is a dangerous man precisely because of his intellect, his wit, and his ability to disarm.

As for his views, I have more respect for them having heard them from the horses mouth whether I agree or not, it is clear that 'he believes it' and I happily concede he is a man with conviction.

You cannot be head of the FSB and not be a dangerous figure - the road to that job is paved with high level skulduggery.

The Same is true of Kients like George Bush Senior, dangerous men I would avoid an acquaintance with because at their core is ruthless calculated self interest.

All in the eyes Sup

 

[MrFrankWhite]

My description of Putin was not intending to paint him as Evil, nor good or bad as such.

Yes I do think he is a dangerous man precisely because of his intellect, his wit, and his ability to disarm.

As for his views, I have more respect for them having heard them from the horses mouth whether I agree or not, it is clear that 'he believes it' and I happily concede he is a man with conviction.

You cannot be head of the FSB and not be a dangerous figure - the road to that job is paved with high level skulduggery.

The Same is true of Kients like George Bush Senior, dangerous men I would avoid an acquaintance with because at their core is ruthless calculated self interest.

Ahh I get you now. Yes I agree with most of this.

 

[Viking]

You are colored by your biases.

I see an incredibly intelligent, incredibly logical man, who has not only held Russia together for 24 years, but also kept the west at bay.

Of course he’s slanting his version, we all do. But he’s reasoned, measured and funny as well.

No wonder most western leaders are hostile. They are pathetic, flabby, mediocre copies of real people.

Busy Jnr looks like a jokester from Texas, didn’t stop him killing a million people in Iraq

Nobody doubts his strengths and he exudes power compared to Western leaders, he hasn't been scared to get his hands dirty.....BUT....he sees people as expendable including his own. Roughly a million Russians died both directly and indirectly under his watch during the 2 years of COVID (according to Russia's published excess mortality rates). Imagine taking that death toll into your next election cycle, Trump had less than half that death toll per capita, despite one of the worlds' most incompetent responses to the pandemic, and it sunk his re-election. Putin's a smart man though, all he needed was a distraction. And there's nothing like a good ole war to pump up the economy. Win win for Putin.

 

[sup42]

Nobody doubts his strengths and he exudes power compared to Western leaders, he hasn't been scared to get his hands dirty. BUT....he sees people as expendable including his own. Roughly a million Russians died both directly and indirectly under his watch during the 2 years of COVID (according to Russia's published excess death rates). Imagine taking that death toll into your next election cycle, Trump had less than half that death toll per capita, despite one of the worlds' most incompetent responses to the pandemic, and it sunk his re-election. Putin's a smart man though, all he needed was a distraction. And there's nothing like a good ole war to pump up the economy. Win win for Putin.

Of course Putin famously claimed one of his daughters was in a trial of the Russian Vaccine Sputnik V.

I think the fact that he as a father did not say he stepped up first says everything you need to know about the man.

Even if he lied and his daughter did not have the Vaccine during the experimental phase, the mere fact that he used her as his story instead of himself tells how cunning he is about how the Russian people do not trust him to make such claims Per Se.

 

[Viking]

Of course Putin famously claimed one of his daughters was in a trial of the Russian Vaccine Sputnik V.

I think the fact that he as a father did not say he stepped up first says everything you need to know about the man.

Even if he lied and his daughter did not have the Vaccine during the experimental phase, the mere fact that he used her as his story instead of himself tells how cunning he is about how the Russian people do not trust him to make such claims Per Se.

It also shows the Russian peoples' general distrust of their government that they had a vaccine first, and an effective one, but chose not to take it. The only reason it wasn't far worse is that their population is so spread out.

If Putin hadn't eliminated all his opposition, he would've been voted out years ago. Nemtsov would be their leader now if Putin hadn't got Prigozhin to assassinate him.

Carlson's not a journalist, he's a talk show host and the interview is somewhat scripted. I can't listen to it all in one go but it's definitely worth a listen.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Nobody doubts his strengths and he exudes power compared to Western leaders, he hasn't been scared to get his hands dirty.....BUT....he sees people as expendable including his own. Roughly a million Russians died both directly and indirectly under his watch during the 2 years of COVID (according to Russia's published excess mortality rates). Imagine taking that death toll into your next election cycle, Trump had less than half that death toll per capita, despite one of the worlds' most incompetent responses to the pandemic, and it sunk his re-election. Putin's a smart man though, all he needed was a distraction. And there's nothing like a good ole war to pump up the economy. Win win for Putin.

People are expendable. It’s how you expended them that matter.

The initial data I’m seeing has US at #16 and Russia at #32. Funnily enough mostly Baltic states on top 10 so arguably Russia did much, much better than its neighbours.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Of course Putin famously claimed one of his daughters was in a trial of the Russian Vaccine Sputnik V.

I think the fact that he as a father did not say he stepped up first says everything you need to know about the man.

Even if he lied and his daughter did not have the Vaccine during the experimental phase, the mere fact that he used her as his story instead of himself tells how cunning he is about how the Russian people do not trust him to make such claims Per Se.

Bro. None of that makes logical sense.

 

[Viking]

People are expendable. It’s how you expended them that matter.

The initial data I’m seeing has US at #16 and Russia at #32. Funnily enough mostly Baltic states on top 10 so arguably Russia did much, much better than its neighbours.

Bro that's the COVID death rate, not the excess mortality rate. Russia reported exactly 2300 deaths per week, ever week in 2022 for a total of over 400,000 deaths.



I doubt they meant to deceive anyone but 600,000 other Russian's didn't die at the same time period by coincidence right? That's why I specified directly AND indirectly. There's nothing to be gained from lying about excess mortality. I expect that it'll be the same for the cost of the war in lives lost when it's eventually all over and the final tally is done.

COVID-19 and excess mortality in Russia: Regional estimates of life expectancy losses in 2020 and excess deaths in 2021 - PubMed

Accurately counting the human cost of the COVID-19 at both the national and regional level is a policy priority. The Russian Federation currently reports one of the higher COVID-19 mortality rates in the world; but estimates of mortality differ significantly. Using a statistical method...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

India will have been hit hardest by COVID but can't report as accurately as Russia or the US can. The only country I suspect are downplaying both COVID and excess mortality are China because......you know...it was their fault.

Maybe there was nothing Putin could do about it given the circumstances and given more time he could've done better. At least he wasn't in denial like Trump, no Russian went to their grave because he pretended it wasn't a thing, but it happened on his watch. In any other country, it would've cost him the top job.

I really don't respect Putin because he eliminates all his critics and opposition. If he was truly the great leader you fans think he is, he'd stay in power through the strength of his leadership alone. Right?