Is Russia about to invade Ukraine? (2 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

Russia continues to mass assets within range of Ukraine - though the official explanations are that they are for various exercises. United States intelligence has noted that Russian operatives in Ukraine could launch 'false flag' operations as a predicate to invasion. The West has pressed for negotiations and on Friday in Geneva, the US Sec. State Blinken will meet with the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Certainly the Russian movements evidence some plan - but what is it? Some analysts believe that Putin's grand scheme involves securing Western commitments that NATO would never expand beyond its current composition. Whether that means action in Ukraine or merely the movement of pieces on the chess board remains to be seen.

VIENNA — No one expected much progress from this past week’s diplomatic marathon to defuse the security crisis Russia has ignited in Eastern Europe by surrounding Ukraine on three sides with 100,000 troops and then, by the White House’s accounting, sending in saboteurs to create a pretext for invasion.

But as the Biden administration and NATO conduct tabletop simulations about how the next few months could unfold, they are increasingly wary of another set of options for President Vladimir V. Putin, steps that are more far-reaching than simply rolling his troops and armor over Ukraine’s border.

Mr. Putin wants to extend Russia’s sphere of influence to Eastern Europe and secure written commitments that NATO will never again enlarge. If he is frustrated in reaching that goal, some of his aides suggested on the sidelines of the negotiations last week, then he would pursue Russia’s security interests with results that would be felt acutely in Europe and the United States.

There were hints, never quite spelled out, that nuclear weapons could be shifted to places — perhaps not far from the United States coastline — that would reduce warning times after a launch to as little as five minutes, potentially igniting a confrontation with echoes of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Russia Issues Subtle Threats More Far-Reaching Than a Ukraine Invasion

If the West fails to meet its security demands, Moscow could take measures like placing nuclear missiles close to the U.S. coastline, Russian officials have hinted.

www.nytimes.com

Blinken Will Meet With Russia as U.S. Pushes for More Diplomacy

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will meet with Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia in Geneva on Friday as the United States warns that Russia could soon attack Ukraine.

www.nytimes.com

How to think about war in Ukraine

Start with the Ukrainians

snyder.substack.com

 

[Huntn]

WP has lost any credibility as a new service... They are 100% supporting Trumps agenda

Yep just pretending.


The worried adult and the very small man, hissy fit. Stick a pin in him to see actual size. Small man thinks: “Vlad will give me a big bear hug over this! ”

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

If Little Marco had ANY integrity, he would resign!

 

[Dragon]

It's my personal belief that in 20 years we're all going to find out this was a stolen election.

Remember all those weird results where people voted heavily democratic for local elections and governors but then those same people voted for Donald Trump for president? That never made any sense to me and still doesn't.

No one needs to agree with me here I know that I'm bordering on conspiracy. But look what Elon Musk was able to do with just a couple of months and some computer hackers. President already said that elon's really familiar with the voting machines and that's partially why he won the presidency. I think that was an admission of guilt right in front of all of us. I do not believe we had a free, open, or fair election. And now seeing how he is totally deferring to Putin for everything, All the stuff about Trump being a Russian KGB agent who was recruited in the '80s sounds completely plausible. At this point I think it's actually the most plausible explanation for his current behavior.

I'm not saying I have any proof or any concrete evidence for any of this stuff It's just a gut feeling that everything is NOT on the up and up.

This is exactly what I feared would happen. I worked as a government IT security manager for five years in the organization responsible for maintaining our personal IDs, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that protecting the code is the single most important aspect of security.

No matter how secure a system is, if it has network access and an attacker has both the source code and enough time, they will find a way in. I made a similar point four years ago when election machines were breached, and their code was copied.

Four years is more than enough time to identify vulnerabilities, especially when you have access to the internal workings of the machines. If these systems also have an external link to transmit data, the risks become even greater—even when using an allegedly secure connection.

A good article on the issue:
AP News: Experts warn of election security threats

Experts have raised serious concerns about multiple security breaches after the 2020 election, when Trump allies gained access to voting systems in Georgia and other states in an effort to prove their unsubstantiated claims. The public release of critical election software due to these breaches has created serious threats, and experts have called for a federal investigation.

I also believe that the chaos surrounding the 2020 election made it more difficult for Harris to request recounts or investigations—out of fear of being accused of doing exactly what Trump did.

Was there fraud? I don’t know. But looking at the past five years, there are certainly some glaring red flags.

 

[MT15]

 

[zztop]

Trump is a symptom of the disease that will consume us.

Just wait until a few years, when AI generated propaganda becomes indistinguishable from reality (we're almost there)

 

[Bayouboy]

It's my personal belief that in 20 years we're all going to find out this was a stolen election.

Remember all those weird results where people voted heavily democratic for local elections and governors but then those same people voted for Donald Trump for president? That never made any sense to me and still doesn't.

No one needs to agree with me here I know that I'm bordering on conspiracy. But look what Elon Musk was able to do with just a couple of months and some computer hackers. President already said that elon's really familiar with the voting machines and that's partially why he won the presidency. I think that was an admission of guilt right in front of all of us. I do not believe we had a free, open, or fair election. And now seeing how he is totally deferring to Putin for everything, All the stuff about Trump being a Russian KGB agent who was recruited in the '80s sounds completely plausible. At this point I think it's actually the most plausible explanation for his current behavior.

I'm not saying I have any proof or any concrete evidence for any of this stuff It's just a gut feeling that everything is NOT on the up and up.

While I don't like these kinds of conspiracy theories, it is worrisome about future elections when Mr. Musk is behind the curtain like Dr. Oz. With his level of access to EVERYTHING, it causes concern/pause. Did we release the genie out of the bottle?

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Well, this is beginning to affect the readiness of our Armed Forces.

Norwegian fuel supplier refuses U.S. warships over Ukraine

Haltbakk Bunkers will cease supplying fuel to U.S. forces in Norway and American ships docking in Norwegian ports, citing dissatisfaction with recent U.S. policy towards Ukraine.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

I've been retired from the Air Force for almost 15 yrs now, so I can't really speak of how these recent events have effected its current leaders. However, in the latter part of my career, I was part of our Squadron's Command Staff as its 1st Sergeant and I know the men & women I served with would have been negatively affected.

 

[faceman]

That's because this is bigger than politics, it's about who we are as a nation!


edit: Zelensky in now giving the US a virtual middle finger...

Yes, and I'm glad the Moderators have kept it open. Those that don't visit the political forum
needs to see what is going on. One of my childhood friends who is a staunch republican posted
the following on his FB page. " I don't know my country anymore". The message is getting through.
We have to keep it up. I'll be honest. If Harris had won the election I wouldn't be on here as much.

 

[Optimus Prime]

We have to keep it up. I'll be honest. If Harris had won the election I wouldn't be on here as much.

There wouldn’t have been a fraction of the amount of chaos

 

[faceman]

There wouldn’t have been a fraction of the amount of chaos

I won't lie I voted R every election from 1980 - 2012. I could never vote for trump. I voted Libertarian in 2016,
Biden in 2020 and Harris in 2024. I knew Trump had been a scumbag since the early 80's. Go watch ESPN
30 for 30 about the USFL. You'll know why. He signed Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie. He demanded the other
USFL owners help pay their salary. This is the same moron that was elected Potus. I truly am ashamed of my country now

 

[Optimus Prime]

I won't lie I voted R every election from 1980 - 2012. I could never vote for trump. I voted Libertarian in 2016,
Biden in 2020 and Harris in 2024. I knew Trump had been a scumbag since the early 80's. Go watch ESPN
30 for 30 about the USFL. You'll know why. He signed Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie. He demanded the other
USFL owners help pay their salary. This is the same moron that was elected Potus. I truly am ashamed of my country now

If I remember the 30 for 30 right the USFL was gaining traction and popularity with its spring schedule but Trump insisted they move to fall to go head to head with NFL and college football

Didn’t go well

 

[superchuck500]

We might hear this kind of crap from some GOP senators - but come on, it was so obvious where all of this was going. For any of them now to act surprised and faux outraged is pure nonsense.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Has Susan Collins expressed her concern yet?

 

[MT15]

That’s a weak-arse, lily-livered tweet by Murkowski. She can’t even say Trump and Vance.

I mean - contrast this piece of drivel from Murkowski with Liz Cheney’s tweet.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Faux Newz: Take that TASS & KCNA! (Russian & DPRK State Media)

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

That’s a weak-arse, lily-livered tweet by Murkowski. She can’t even say Trump and Vance.

None of them can! To Congressional Republicans, trump has become He Who Shall Not Be Named.

 

[efil4]

Knew this was coming. Imagine EU and China aligning with Ukraine on minerals.

Trump just played himself.