It's a good thing that nobody knows what's coming next, and I am in the club. I don't know anything, so it will be a surprise when it happens. I think Ukraine once again is being wise about their strategy. I know people in Kyiv who are training for the Territorial Defense Force and they've been training for months. That's called preparedness. Russia right now is throwing untrained troops at the front lines which is abundantly stupid. Plus, it looks like the oil and gas sanctions are having a huge effect. Revenue last month was down substantially and Russia ran a $50 billion budget deficit. If Putin thinks that China will help, it's pretty clear that the sanctions against China would break its back in weeks. The first thing that the US would do is close the Straight of Malacca to Chinese shipping both in and out of the South China Sea. China imports 80% of its oil and most of that goes through the Straight between Malaysia and Indonesia. That act alone would shut China down.
I listened to a debate by the unherd late night crew on Friday night and my daughter came into the front room to try to understand why I was yelling at the computer. You got a bunch of warm comfortable people sitting around in a club eating and drinking their fill and debating what should happen in Ukraine. Some people said that the US should get Russia to the negotiating table and end this talk of a battlefield victory. China has since offered their plan. The problem is that none of them spoke to the Ukrainians. None of them really know what Ukraine or the Ukrainian people want. They're upset about 6% inflation and a GDP that might go negative next quarter while Ukraine fights for its existence.
Meanwhile, the same guy, Freddie Sayers, interviewed Fiona Hill about the Russian war. It's an hour long and you can find it on YouTube, and she explains everything about the situation with clarity, intelligence, and insight. She knows Putin; she knows what he's doing. Other people assume that he's willing to bargain and that if he gets what he wants the war will be over. Well, I'll tell you what Putin wants. He wants the US out of Europe, he wants no NATO at all, he wants to restore the borders of the Soviet Union and he wants to control Germany all the way to the Rhine. I don't think that there is one person in Europe who would agree to that.
Putin has two things, oil and gas, that everybody wants, and one thing that nobody wants: nukes. Without nukes, nobody would give a shit about him. He's a monster. I don't think that there is one good thing that he has ever done in his life.
I think Harrelson struck a nerve. He said out loud the obvious that the left knows but cannot say. More and more folk are understanding how badly we have been treated. On the left where government can do no wrong, it's an awful cognitive break.
Adams now admits to his lust for attention. I squandered some $ for a framed Dilbert for my wall. Fine art to be worth less $ for my heirs.
It's a good thing that nobody knows what's coming next, and I am in the club. I don't know anything, so it will be a surprise when it happens. I think Ukraine once again is being wise about their strategy. I know people in Kyiv who are training for the Territorial Defense Force and they've been training for months. That's called preparedness. Russia right now is throwing untrained troops at the front lines which is abundantly stupid. Plus, it looks like the oil and gas sanctions are having a huge effect. Revenue last month was down substantially and Russia ran a $50 billion budget deficit. If Putin thinks that China will help, it's pretty clear that the sanctions against China would break its back in weeks. The first thing that the US would do is close the Straight of Malacca to Chinese shipping both in and out of the South China Sea. China imports 80% of its oil and most of that goes through the Straight between Malaysia and Indonesia. That act alone would shut China down.
I listened to a debate by the unherd late night crew on Friday night and my daughter came into the front room to try to understand why I was yelling at the computer. You got a bunch of warm comfortable people sitting around in a club eating and drinking their fill and debating what should happen in Ukraine. Some people said that the US should get Russia to the negotiating table and end this talk of a battlefield victory. China has since offered their plan. The problem is that none of them spoke to the Ukrainians. None of them really know what Ukraine or the Ukrainian people want. They're upset about 6% inflation and a GDP that might go negative next quarter while Ukraine fights for its existence.
Meanwhile, the same guy, Freddie Sayers, interviewed Fiona Hill about the Russian war. It's an hour long and you can find it on YouTube, and she explains everything about the situation with clarity, intelligence, and insight. She knows Putin; she knows what he's doing. Other people assume that he's willing to bargain and that if he gets what he wants the war will be over. Well, I'll tell you what Putin wants. He wants the US out of Europe, he wants no NATO at all, he wants to restore the borders of the Soviet Union and he wants to control Germany all the way to the Rhine. I don't think that there is one person in Europe who would agree to that.
Putin has two things, oil and gas, that everybody wants, and one thing that nobody wants: nukes. Without nukes, nobody would give a shit about him. He's a monster. I don't think that there is one good thing that he has ever done in his life.
"To repeat, my guess is that the Russian regime has been so weakened by this debacle that it would not survive in any case. " Wrt the Russian economy, I could be wrong but I shared my views https://austrianpeter.substack.com/p/eu-bankruptcies-european-power-explained/comment/13184170.
I think Harrelson struck a nerve. He said out loud the obvious that the left knows but cannot say. More and more folk are understanding how badly we have been treated. On the left where government can do no wrong, it's an awful cognitive break.
Adams now admits to his lust for attention. I squandered some $ for a framed Dilbert for my wall. Fine art to be worth less $ for my heirs.
F*** Y** Russian ship!