Russia Invades Ukraine 2022

[JimFoxvog]

Won’t hurt Russia. Plenty of other people want to buy oil - particularly when it’s this expensive, they’ll be glad to buy Russian oil.

The EU, a bigger customer whom this will hurt more, is also joining in the boycott

[JimFoxvog]

America needs to stop having the biggest military in the world. Don't you agree?

You're not addressing me, but I think this is one of the most important points for US residents in this thread.
Yes!

[HondurasKeiser]

America needs to stop having the biggest military in the world. Don't you agree?

You're not addressing me, but I think this is one of the most important points for US residents in this thread.
Yes!

Maybe...from a Realist perspective see this essay about the impending rise of China.

China’s resources are incomparably greater. Its “Rocket Force,” elevated in 2015 to become a branch of the military on a par with the Army and the Navy, has been practicing on desert targets laid out to mimic the runways, fuel tanks, command centers, and berthed warships at U.S. bases in Japan. In their sobering 2017 analysis, Shugart and Gonzalez estimated that every military runway, every command center, more than 200 warplanes, and virtually every docked American naval vessel in Japan could be destroyed in less than half an hour. American bases in Japan are especially vulnerable because, for political reasons, they are concentrated in a few relatively small areas. Guam, too, is vulnerable: longer-range missiles would be required, but the Chinese have them. While a missile strike on Hawaii might be eschewed as too gross a political provocation, unattributable acts of sabotage at Pearl Harbor could paralyze a largely disarmed Pacific Command. Our alliances would crumble, their security guarantees having become worthless.

At that point, what options would Washington have? After a non-nuclear attack that did not touch the homeland, nuclear retaliation would not even be considered. But we would have little else left with which to fight in the Pacific, and security challenges will continue elsewhere. At a time when shelves are already bare, our tower of debt is tottering, and most of our manufacturing base has been lost, America would be unlikely to undertake such rearmament and mobilization as we carried out in the Second World War. If, after wiping out our Pacific bases, China announced a pause and offered a peace agreement (some of whose clauses would not be made public), Washington would take the deal.

It is necessary, though painful, to ponder what would be the domestic consequences of American disengagement, after losing thousands of service members to a sneak attack. The armed forces would either explode with disaffection or sink into despondency. An already unpopular administration would suffer a crisis of authority so acute that it might get resolved by extra-constitutional means. Or perhaps—if those Americans who deplore our nation as racist and hegemonic should manifest their satisfaction at its discomfiture—the U.S. could fracture with chaotic violence along fault lines that are already visible.

I am in no position to predict a preemptive Chinese attack throughout the Pacific, leading to the collapse of the U.S. (for such events depend on free choices not yet made, factors unknown to me, and chance); but Xi Jinping’s past performance, combined with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by an America divided and rudderless, makes this development a realistic possibility. This essay will offer no recommendations. I seek here only to persuade you of the magnitude of the danger.

[HondurasKeiser]

Bari Weiss's substack has some very vivid vignettes from people inside Ukraine. You can dismiss them as pathos-driven or Ukrainian propaganda but I chose to read them at face-value.

[temporal1]

America needs to stop having the biggest military in the world. Don't you agree?

i don’t know.
i consider myself a dunce on military strategy. i don’t know. i pray a lot. for God’s will, and mercy.

i’m intrigued by DJT’s presidency, esp when it comes to RESULTS of his stance on supporting the U.S. military, while effectively keeping military action low. RESULTS were the polar-opposite of all warnings. i don’t believe he “just got lucky.” i’m grieved results are ignored.

i guess “i don’t care” how much is spent on the military: IF it’s not being used.

you know, farmers are often paid to NOT produce. i’m ok with the same formula for the military. pay them NOT to act.
Robert shared some insights on Page 1: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1259

The military provides LOADS of jobs for LOADS of people, humble to powerful.

The military is a place that teaches discipline to many young ones who are in dire need of it - it lifts many out of abject poverty, it offers a path to citizenship for others. In the past, there have been “great ideas” for similar, non-military opportunities for these young people: not much in results.

From what i’ve witnessed (which isn’t a whole lot) -
the military may be THE MOST DEMOCRATIC, MOST EVENLY INTEGRATED, MOST EVENLY RULED, system in the U.S.
Families are respected and encouraged.

Unfortunately, in everyday life in the U.S., politicians have decimated families, have destroyed motivation - esp in young men (all young men) - prisons are overflowing; because fathers are not present, no one is teaching valuable lessons from birth.
Mothers are too busy, and, right on time, Congress is passing laws that will further move mothers into the workplace, out of their homes where they are sorely needed. (gov funded early childcare!) THIS is the old USSR: “go to work, mama, we’ll raise your babies.” This was formerly a SHOCKING thought, to remove mothers from their homes.

People vote for all this destruction. ^^^ It appears, they can’t get enough.

In addition to HK’s post above, i recently read, China is about to become such a problem for the U.S., Europe will be altogether forgotten.

“When i was a young girl,” i fell 100% for JimFV’s philosophy/dream/desire. It was all the rage, in media and public schools.
Answers seemed so obvious, so simple.

“When i was 19-20,” Vietnam was raging. i visited Montreal. Where i was stunned to see full-on violence and cruelty - over French.
i walked away changed. i realized, because of human frailty (sin) this whole matter of wars/military, is NOT simple.

i learned that in Canada.
At that time, i’m pretty sure the borders were essentially open+free. Not 100%. But close.

Mexico was similar, but i didn’t cross there for a few more years. There i was shocked to see Federalis with military-style weapons hanging about everywhere, not appearing to be at all disciplined. They would stop+search at will, in towns, on remote desert roads, et al. They seemed to pretty much do as they pleased. We saw local police target foreigners, sometimes egregiously, like playing cat+mouse, it seemed to be a lot of fun for them.

So. i would suggest being “careful of what you wish for.” and, do not trust (legacy) Congress.
they may be less knowledgeable than the average ordinary citizen when it comes to the military, the economy, et al.
They aren’t knowledge+wisdom, or peace motivated. $$$$

[temporal1]

The U.S. military is not the worst problem in the U.S.
Congress might be.

[temporal1]

i’m definitely anti-war.
not necessarily anti-military.

a recent small example of “be careful what you wish for” is defunding police.

“dreams” being, “we’ll pirate police funds for much better!”
well, now MORE funds are needed to mitigate fall-out damages, nothing left for “better.”

Jesus did not promote the very popular Robin Hood mentality.

i heard so much of this in public high school.
one variation was about feeding the world. “if the U.S. would just farm highway medians, we could end world hunger.”

today, the word, “hunger” is somehow passe’. replaced with “food insecurity.”

Jesus did not commandeer militaries. He offered His Way to the centurion.

[temporal1]

Bari Weiss's substack has some very vivid vignettes from people inside Ukraine. You can dismiss them as pathos-driven or Ukrainian propaganda but I chose to read them at face-value.

i do not believe this is exaggerated.
i pray for resolution through the talks mike is updating about. i’m thankful there are talks! important step.
i pray the West allows resolution. i’m not convinced they will.

[nett]

Here's a question,

Do you believe the Asov Battalion should be armed with NATO weapons?

[Soloist]

The enemy of my enemy is also my friend.