Meanwhile, in Kherson

 

As a break from all the mid-term gloom, a thread on the latest Russian retreat. A trap? A “strategic regrouping,” perhaps, as those invested in Russian success might say.

It’ll be interesting to see how this is digested and excreted by the propaganda talk shows, which have been rather glum of late. They bring on a war correspondent to tell the folks how the valorous troops will soon be capturing more villages, and he says “we’re advancing 3 centimeters a day.” You turn to Solovyev’s daily reenactment of the thoughts of a sullen hungover bear who fell out of a tree last night and totally blames the tree, and you hear A) wistful remarks about how great it would be if the IIRG helped out Russia on the ground, or B) miserable monologues about how Russian culture, the beacon of enlightenment, will be lost if they don’t win, and this means the end of everything good in the world, or C) broadsides against the system that somehow did not produce the Army they thought they had (wreckers, you know, and prolly Jews), or D)  criticism of the draftees for not being motivated enough.

If I had to predict, I’d say Solovyev will lay this move at the feet of the elements in the military who have pursued an erroneous strategy to obtain a noble goal  – even though he previously said that anyone who attacked Ukraine would be a war criminal, but hey, people can change their minds, especially after a visit from the FSB and a suitcase of Euros. He will never slight Putin, but amplify the stab-in-the-back motif and blame NATO. The latter is interesting, since there seems to be a dichotomy in propaganda messaging: A) Of course we have the ability to defeat NATO, overwhelmingly, we have such marvelous toys and a great army, and B) of course we’re getting pasted in Ukraine, they have NATO on their side.

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  1. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    cdor (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    This is not to say we shouldn’t have opted to help Ukraine. A great deal depends on a guy once described as being wrong on every major foreign policy problem of the last 50 years.

    This is my problem with our involvement in the Ukraine/Russian conflict. I don’t trust my own leaders. Do any of us know that our administration (Biden) didn’t egg this on in the beginning? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it simply that Putin saw a weak POTUS and decided to pounce? Biden has been so corrupt and so wrong for so long that, as much as I can’t stand the Russian bully behavior, I just can’t get comfortable supporting Ukraine either.

    Well we did have Ukrainian spies in the national security council more concerned about Ukraine than America. Putin met Biden in person in the summer of 2021 and could see how weak he is. Biden has corrupt connections to Ukraine. Any and all that you asked could be possible.

    It’s worse. We had officers of THE UNITED STATES ARMY who put nostalgia for their birthplace over their professional obligation to OBEY THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND  THE ORDERS OF THE OFFICERS APPOINTED OVER ME…

    It makes me so angry I could spit.

    And it’s not about Trump. It’s not about foreign policy. It’s about our expectations as American citizens. We expect our officers to live up to their professional obligations, we depend on their honor. Hopefully, in the future, those clowns will become a cautionary tale not dashboard saints.

    • #61
  2. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    cdor (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    This is not to say we shouldn’t have opted to help Ukraine. A great deal depends on a guy once described as being wrong on every major foreign policy problem of the last 50 years.

    This is my problem with our involvement in the Ukraine/Russian conflict. I don’t trust my own leaders. Do any of us know that our administration (Biden) didn’t egg this on in the beginning? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it simply that Putin saw a weak POTUS and decided to pounce? Biden has been so corrupt and so wrong for so long that, as much as I can’t stand the Russian bully behavior, I just can’t get comfortable supporting Ukraine either.

    Biden personifies the old saw about not attributing to evil what can be explained by incompetence.

    Well, let’s see.  

    Putin is evil.  Biden is incompetent.  I guess I’ll side with the incompetent one this  time.  

    • #62
  3. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    Concretevol (View Comment):

    I gotta admit….being a southerner and our penchant for romanticizing the fight for a lost cause was partially why I have been firmly in Ukraine’s camp in the fight against Russia’s invasion. Now that they are basically kicking Russia’s backside it’s my 80’s cold war self that is enjoying the crap out of this. :)

    It’s difficult to escape the habits of your formative years. Thus my inclination to type “the Soviets” and “Red China”. 

    • #63
  4. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

     

    • #64
  5. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    cdor (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    This is not to say we shouldn’t have opted to help Ukraine. A great deal depends on a guy once described as being wrong on every major foreign policy problem of the last 50 years.

    This is my problem with our involvement in the Ukraine/Russian conflict. I don’t trust my own leaders. Do any of us know that our administration (Biden) didn’t egg this on in the beginning? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it simply that Putin saw a weak POTUS and decided to pounce? Biden has been so corrupt and so wrong for so long that, as much as I can’t stand the Russian bully behavior, I just can’t get comfortable supporting Ukraine either.

    Biden personifies the old saw about not attributing to evil what can be explained by incompetence.

    Well, let’s see.

    Putin is evil. Biden is incompetent. I guess I’ll side with the incompetent one this time.

    There are hints that Biden (or more likely his state department) are now trying to sell Ukraine down the river.  I’ll side with Ukraine against Putin’s aggression.  

    • #65
  6. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    cdor (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    This is not to say we shouldn’t have opted to help Ukraine. A great deal depends on a guy once described as being wrong on every major foreign policy problem of the last 50 years.

    This is my problem with our involvement in the Ukraine/Russian conflict. I don’t trust my own leaders. Do any of us know that our administration (Biden) didn’t egg this on in the beginning? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it simply that Putin saw a weak POTUS and decided to pounce? Biden has been so corrupt and so wrong for so long that, as much as I can’t stand the Russian bully behavior, I just can’t get comfortable supporting Ukraine either.

    Biden personifies the old saw about not attributing to evil what can be explained by incompetence.

    Well, let’s see.

    Putin is evil. Biden is incompetent. I guess I’ll side with the incompetent one this time.

    There are hints that Biden (or more likely his state department) are now trying to sell Ukraine down the river. I’ll side with Ukraine against Putin’s aggression.

    I would not be surprised. Biden is now in the desperate position of the lady riding the tiger. There are lots of people invested in Ukraine as a titanic struggle of good versus evil. You can’t cut a deal with Lucifer! 

    • #66
  7. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    cdor (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    This is not to say we shouldn’t have opted to help Ukraine. A great deal depends on a guy once described as being wrong on every major foreign policy problem of the last 50 years.

    This is my problem with our involvement in the Ukraine/Russian conflict. I don’t trust my own leaders. Do any of us know that our administration (Biden) didn’t egg this on in the beginning? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it simply that Putin saw a weak POTUS and decided to pounce? Biden has been so corrupt and so wrong for so long that, as much as I can’t stand the Russian bully behavior, I just can’t get comfortable supporting Ukraine either.

    Biden personifies the old saw about not attributing to evil what can be explained by incompetence.

    Well, let’s see.

    Putin is evil. Biden is incompetent. I guess I’ll side with the incompetent one this time.

    There are hints that Biden (or more likely his state department) are now trying to sell Ukraine down the river. I’ll side with Ukraine against Putin’s aggression.

    I would not be surprised. Biden is now in the desperate position of the lady riding the tiger. There are lots of people invested in Ukraine as a titanic struggle of good versus evil. You can’t cut a deal with Lucifer!

    Yeah, and tonight I hear Ukrainians telling how Biden has promised he’ll stick with them until they get all of Ukraine back. There are conflicting messages, it seems. Biden could do a little more in the way of weapons and ammo, though, because both Ukraine and Russia are low on ammo.  Now is the time. 

    • #67
  8. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    The Reticulator (View Comment):
    Yeah, and tonight I hear Ukrainians telling how Biden has promised he’ll stick with them until they get all of Ukraine back. There are conflicting messages, it seems. Biden could do a little more in the way of weapons and ammo, though, because both Ukraine and Russia are low on ammo.  Now is the time. 

    But will Biden be alive that long, much less president?

    • #68
  9. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):

    cdor (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    This is not to say we shouldn’t have opted to help Ukraine. A great deal depends on a guy once described as being wrong on every major foreign policy problem of the last 50 years.

    This is my problem with our involvement in the Ukraine/Russian conflict. I don’t trust my own leaders. Do any of us know that our administration (Biden) didn’t egg this on in the beginning? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it simply that Putin saw a weak POTUS and decided to pounce? Biden has been so corrupt and so wrong for so long that, as much as I can’t stand the Russian bully behavior, I just can’t get comfortable supporting Ukraine either.

    Biden personifies the old saw about not attributing to evil what can be explained by incompetence.

    Well, let’s see.

    Putin is evil. Biden is incompetent. I guess I’ll side with the incompetent one this time.

    There are hints that Biden (or more likely his state department) are now trying to sell Ukraine down the river. I’ll side with Ukraine against Putin’s aggression.

    I would not be surprised. Biden is now in the desperate position of the lady riding the tiger. There are lots of people invested in Ukraine as a titanic struggle of good versus evil. You can’t cut a deal with Lucifer!

    Just the Ayatollah?

    • #69
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