(03-03-2025, 01:07 AM)homebiscuit Wrote:

(03-02-2025, 11:16 PM)mikesez Wrote: OK, does Putin want our number with Ukraine to be higher, or lower?

Irrelevant. The U.S. and Europe want the war ended. It's the goal at this point to stop the hostilities in order to hold further talks and it shouldn't be difficult because both sides are exhausted in every sense, although Russia remains the stronger one. It's a matter of changing the demanding bellicose rhetoric on both sides towards the direction of peace. This is why Zelinsky got jumped. He believes he has the heft to question future U.S. diplomatic relations with Russia. He doesn't. Ukraine is the little guy who held his own for a while against a bigger and stronger opponent, but predictably, he's destined to eventually lose the fight and thus is bidding from a position of weakness - despite a combined $400B in aid from the U.S. and Europe.

Additionally, with the long term in mind, Russia will be assuaged. For good or bad, they are an international mover and shaker. They're in a position of power because they are a major player in the global arena. In the following decades, Russia is who the world will continue to deal with. Not Ukraine. 

Like the U.S., Russia is big and powerful and can throw its weight around too. Love it or hate it, that's the rules of the road for international relations. 

There really are more dimensions to this situation than simply trying to manufacture another Russia collusion lie.

(03-03-2025, 05:10 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote:

(03-03-2025, 04:45 PM)WingerDinger Wrote: There's lots of things and people we can function without.. Addition by subtraction.

So when are you registering for The Ukranian Army?

He's not going to sign up for anything that requires him to leave his keyboard. He's more of a "supporter" in the jock strap sense than anything actually useful to the country he wants us to send billions of dollars.