All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[Zelena]

What exactly is Putin's game here and why now??? Is it simply that he's trying to bring about the return of the former Soviet Union?

Why now? I heard that he talked with Xi Jinping and he might have waited for the end of the Olympic games…

[Tami]

Why now? I heard that he talked with Xi Jinping and he might have waited for the end of the Olympic games…

Ukraine was set to Join NATO this Spring, possibly in March or April. Once that happened, Putin couldn't touch Ukraine without the entire NATO organization jumping on him.

[Tami]

[JB]

On the topic of cyber warfare.

Russia-Ukraine conflict: NATO chief warns Russia that cyber attacks can trigger NATO Charter Article 5
https://globalnews.ca/video/8646550/...ter-article-5/

Speaking to reporters on Friday in Brussels, Belgium, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia that the alliance would consider cyber attacks enough to trigger Article 5 of the NATO charter, which would compel all alliance members into a state of war.

He stated this a few hours ago and there's a clip in the link.

Also, the Minister of National Defense of Poland tweeted that a large convoy of NATO supplied ammunition has crossed into Ukraine.
https://twitter.com/mblaszczak/statu...C44aeOqscpAAAA

[babyblob]

Cnn has some breaking news. Russia will threaten to kill the families of any Ukraine soldier that refuses to surrender to them.

[Zelena]

Ukraine was set to Join NATO this Spring, possibly in March or April. Once that happened, Putin couldn't touch Ukraine without the entire NATO organization jumping on him.

Many have dragged their feet against this idea knowing what would be Putin’s reaction about an admission of Ukraine to OTAN…

But, contrary to what Putin think, Ukraine is (still) a free country and not a US puppet.

[AnakinFlair]

From NBC.com:

NATO deploys elements of Response Force for first time for collective defense

Josh Lederman

NATO has deployed elements of its Response Force for the first time for collective defense, Gen. Tod Wolters, the commander of the U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said Friday.

“These deterrence measures are prudent and enhance our speed, responsiveness and capability to shield and protect the one billion citizens we swore to protect,” he said in a statement.

“This is an historic moment and the very first time the Alliance has employed these high readiness forces in a deterrence and defense role. They represent a flexible, combat credible force that can be employed in multiple ways and we are utilizing fully their inherent agility,” he said.

“Your soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines stand ready to protect every meter of Allied territory,” he added.

[Iron Maiden]

Why now? I heard that he talked with Xi Jinping and he might have waited for the end of the Olympic games…

I hadn't thought of that. I know on the news I've seen that there is a lot of concern on how Russian and Chinese relations. I think for now I'd put China in the neutral category.

Ukraine was set to Join NATO this Spring, possibly in March or April. Once that happened, Putin couldn't touch Ukraine without the entire NATO organization jumping on him.

Putin's really gone off the deep end in this. There's even a surprising amount of protests among the Russians. I don't think NATO is going to engage in a ground war at this point and I hope it doesn't come down to this. But he's not giving them much of a choice now that he's making all these threats to kill families of soldiers.

[thwhtGuardian]

I hadn't thought of that. I know on the news I've seen that there is a lot of concern on how Russian and Chinese relations. I think for now I'd put China in the neutral category.



Putin's really gone off the deep end in this. There's even a surprising amount of protests among the Russians. I don't think NATO is going to engage in a ground war at this point and I hope it doesn't come down to this. But he's not giving them much of a choice now that he's making all these threats to kill families of soldiers.

China neutral on Russia? Come on, they're watching and taking notes for their own next land grab.

[JB]

I hadn't thought of that. I know on the news I've seen that there is a lot of concern on how Russian and Chinese relations. I think for now I'd put China in the neutral category.

Putin's really gone off the deep end in this. There's even a surprising amount of protests among the Russians. I don't think NATO is going to engage in a ground war at this point and I hope it doesn't come down to this. But he's not giving them much of a choice now that he's making all these threats to kill families of soldiers.

Unfortunately China has chosen its side, which isn't surprising. Biden shared with China intelligence of Putin's moves and instead of assisting to avert conflict, China handed the intelligence over to Russia.

U.S. Officials Repeatedly Urged China to Help Avert War in Ukraine
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/25/u...a-ukraine.html

Over three months, senior Biden administration officials held half a dozen urgent meetings with top Chinese officials in which the Americans presented intelligence showing Russia’s troop buildup around Ukraine and beseeched the Chinese to tell Russia not to invade, according to U.S. officials.

Each time, the Chinese officials, including the foreign minister and the ambassador to the United States, rebuffed the Americans, saying they did not think an invasion was in the works. After one diplomatic exchange in December, U.S. officials got intelligence showing Beijing had shared the information with Moscow, telling the Russians that the United States was trying to sow discord — and that China would not try to impede Russian plans and actions, the officials said.

The previously unreported talks between American and Chinese officials show how the Biden administration tried to use intelligence findings and diplomacy to persuade a superpower it views as a growing adversary to stop the invasion of Ukraine, and how that nation, led by President Xi Jinping, persistently sided with Russia even as the evidence of Moscow’s plans for a military offensive grew over the winter.

[numberthirty]

I just saw a clip of Hillary Clinton on Morning Joe calling on the government to launch cyber attacks against Russia.

“I think we could also be attacking a lot of the government institutions and again, the oligarchs and their way of life through cyber attacks.” She also said we should be “beaming in accurate information into the homes of Russians”.
Please don’t listen to her, Biden. A direct attack will prompt a direct response.

Anyone think to ask her about this?

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...675-story.html

Ukraine Agrees to Give Up Its Nuclear Arsenal, Clinton Says : Summit: President hails the accord as a breakthrough, but it faces parliamentary opposition. NATO endorses the U.S. ‘Partnership for Peace’ plan to broaden alliance.

Skeptics have viewed Clinton’s Partnership for Peace as an empty halfway step between East European leaders’ demands for full NATO membership now and the reluctance of Moscow and some European capitals to see any expansion of the old Cold War alliance.

[numberthirty]

China neutral on Russia? Come on, they're watching and taking notes for their own next land grab.

To say the very least...

[AnakinFlair]

Anyone think to ask her about this?

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...675-story.html

Uh, they might want to ask HER HUSBAND. Hillary didn't have anything to do with that.

[numberthirty]

Uh, they might want to ask HER HUSBAND. Hillary didn't have anything to do with that.

She is one of the folks throwing their two cents in when the plans they played a role in crafting got us to where we are today.

Asking any of them if any of those plans have been largely bunk all along is entirely fair.

[Iron Maiden]

Unfortunately China has chosen its side, which isn't surprising. Biden shared with China intelligence of Putin's moves and instead of assisting to avert conflict, China handed the intelligence over to Russia.

U.S. Officials Repeatedly Urged China to Help Avert War in Ukraine
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/25/u...a-ukraine.html

Hadn't read that story yet but that was some months back and we're just seeing news of this. I still don't see them taking any actions as of yet. China is more of an economic superpower than Russia and I think the trade they do with other countries may keep them out of it for now. I think they still may want to keep relations open on both sides, playing both sides against the middle. China has enjoyed an increase of Russian wheat imports so they're going to try and keep that going.