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rm2551

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    AU
  • Interests
    The Mighty Zeppelin.

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  1. That's just so good, when they got locked in like that, nothing stopped them. The dynamic changes with relentless respect for and adherence to that rhythm.
  2. Tom Petty Neil Young Who rounds out your 3?
  3. Very nice. Is that Mr Jimmy? The tone of the keys is spot on.
  4. It couldn't have gotten much better. The contrast is insane.
  5. The comments on this are so, so good.
  6. Mate, it's no better on the other side of the globe. it's still insanely high here and looks to be the 'new norm'. Someone somewhere is killing it while everyone just shrugs at the 'market'. Utter bullshit. It's $1.85 a litre here right now, which is actually not too bad considering it got to $2.20. It used to reside around $1.20 per litre.
  7. Well, I made it to 2024 before I got the dreaded logie. It's not fun at all. Constant headache and a cough that is so persistent sometimes it leads me into a gagging fit.
  8. I hope round 1 games of the NRL in Las Vegas this weekend is a cracker. Any of you that have the chance, check it out! You'll have 4 more years to fall in love with it as apparently they have locked this promotional round in. Go the Bronc's
  9. Of course there is no obligation. Each country can do what it wants vis-a-vi foreign policy and alliances. I'd assume the thinking around standing with Ukraine is they are an emerging democracy, want to be a part of Europe - not the East, and are being supported as that's generally what the US and Europe would do in their own interests. Trade and diplomatic relations between democracies vs between democracies and autocracies are two completely different animals. I don't see any rationale for the US or Europe to think the better course (their own self interest) was to once again look away from Russian aggression against sovereign countries and this time let them consume Ukraine. While it may not be true Russia would then continue an expansionist agenda and Putin would push further into the Baltics, possibly Poland, it is absolutely a possibility given how Putin has talked about this publicly quite a lot so I'd back the analysts who hold this scenario as more likely than not. Don't forget, Putin was convinced along with the entire world he had the "second army" of the world and could absorb Ukraine within a week or two. The reality of his second army is the corruption at every level has completely hollowed out what actually exists vs. what's on paper. He also has talked about reconstructing the old empire. He is unabashedly pro-the old Soviet era. That's where US interests comes in.
  10. I whole heartedly disagree with this. Respect john, I want to understand your view and don't mean offence. The original strike force was exactly what the strategy called for according to Putin's finest military loyalists: for taking Kiev and cutting the political head off Ukraine. It failed. The bat-shit crazy US Imperium I don't get. "As they've stated for a long time, they would not accept a US military satellite on their border with Ukraine (i.e. NATO) and the rights of the Russian-speaking majority in the east (who wants nothing to do with Kiev) had to be respected. I.e. the aims were strictly limited." - indeed. But who's decision is that? (to choose a democratic/western path vs. autocratic 'give us our leader forever and we will yield!' alternative). That is the ONLY question. Ukraine looked west. While you can easily see why that's going to be unacceptable for the "East", the only question is do they get to decide for themselves? If not, why not? They were not and are not perfect by most measures, but this is CLEARLY what the population want. I can't see how Russia is not purely wrong here. Putin has consistently said negotiations with Ukraine will only begin when "we have completed our objectives". So what was/is the objective? We can disagree here. for mine, it was clearly to absorb Ukraine by puppet ruler or total annexation. Putin wanted that territory. Putin wants the old empire. As much as he can get. As does the US, China, and anyone else who emerges. "US created an open ended war to threaten Imperial stability." - again, not sure I understand. Russia did not start this war? You support "imperial stability"??? The Us turning it into an open ended conflict - maybe - and for a variety of reasons real or imagined. But that was not by design, it is a reaction, so don't assign intent.
  11. Clearly, they aimed to sack Kiev and take control of the country, install a puppet regime or simply annex the whole thang back to the motherland. I'd say their pre-war aims were close, but no cigar. There is zero chance they thought this open ended war would be the result. No one predicted that (including the west). Putin wanted to reconstitute the old glory days. It is not the conflict Russia sought because they assumed (Putin was told by his insanely corrupt and terrified Generals) that they could march into Kiev and put down whatever local resistance emerged within a week. He didn't need to be goaded. For all money, they were going to take over. They were wrong and are now stuck. Putin wants no offramp as offramps are also his personal offramp from power. So on they go with the meat grinder. Where the convicts are torturing and raping the conscripts on the contact lines while their squad commanders are miles from the front. The Russian advances are just not sustainable with current losses for ground gained.
  12. I'll add, I don't think you can say Russia is winning. Right now, neither side is clearly "winning". it's fluid. Would you agree? Russia is gaining the upper hand, no question, but I wouldn't say winning. The sacrifice in men and machines Russia is (as always) willing to throw at their "operation" is not sustainable long term especially given the few gains to show for it. Don't get me wrong, they are the masters of meat wave tactics. They have worked for them in the past (Napoleon, Hitler), but given current gains for losses in manpower and hardware, it just ain't sustainable. The biggest obstacle Ukraine has is support from Europe and the US. The biggest thing Ukraine have going for them is support from Europe and the US. The next 6 months will determine if Russia wins or not. For one, it will be clear what support long term they are going to get. No point continuing if support is withdrawn, it's over for Ukraine. I support continues/increases, the war will still rage a lot longer, but if Russia cannot show an ability to make real progress on the ground and really force Ukraine into a corner ("peace" talks) by the end of the coming summer, it's over for Russia. They will just get weaker until Putin is inevitable replaced. Geopolitically like I said, it comes down to does the west give a fuck about autocracy spreading into Europe and will it support Ukraine or not. Even a conservative, more nationalist leaning west.
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