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Kaja Kallas sometimes seems like the only adult in the room When people call for negotiations with Russia…
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What is your alternative – especially with the War with Hamas also likely to swallow up resources from the West? Ukrainian casualties look enormous and its a pure numbers game – Russia has more people, and the offensive in the East and South appears to have stalled or made smaller gains than was anticipated. Certainly a complete revamp of the overall strategy needs to take place if Russia is to be overcome (And remind me what that looks like? – their removal from Crimea?)
Negotiations could certainly be used as part of a strategy to lull them into a false sense of security if that’s the aim. I wouldn’t ‘rule them out’ completely – although I agree with Kallas on making no further concessions certainly.
Mr Putin is a murdering gangster, an Al Capone type – and, as one would expect from this sort of person, he is also a liar.
It is pointless to negotiate with such a person – because they will break any agreement they sign.
I am in no way “anti Russian” – this is just the truth about Mr Putin and his associates. Again imagine that Al Capone was in charge of your country – if you go to talk to him, he may have you murdered on the spot, and he will certainly break any agreement you make with him.
It is very much like Tobias Ellwood M.P. (77th Brigade – the Disinformation people in the British army who spread disinformation during Covid and attacked anyone who told the truth, and they are, I suspect, doing the same in relation to C02) – on “GB News” (that extension of Central Office) talking about “peace” between Israel and the forces of Islam.
Mr Ellwood’s own brother was murdered in Bali (Indonesia) – but he has learned nothing, indeed he appears to have gone deeper into false, and dangerous, illusions about “peace”.
One can make peace with people with whom one has a disagreement, but NOT a fundamental disagreement. And when enemies who wish to exterminate you say “we recognise your right to exist” they are LYING.
When Mr Putin says he fully accepts the right of the Ukraine to be independent he is LYING – and when Mr Ellwood’s “friends” (they are not really his friends – but he does not grasp this) say they recognise Israel’s right to exist they are LYING. This does NOT mean they are dishonest in their personal lives, they are NOT like Mr Putin in this respect. Mr Putin and his associates lie for their personal benefit – the forces of Islam, if they have to, lie for the good of the Islamic cause, that is different (very different).
As Edmund Burke put it – Islam is an “armed doctrine” just as the forces of the French Revolution were an “armed doctrine” (although a different one). That is the strength of Islam – it is why it has become so important in the world, it is in no way an “insult” to Islam, if anything it is a complement, a sign that one respects the followers of Muhammed (and I do respect them – very much).
But one can not explain this to establishment types (such as Mr Ellwood) – if one tries to explain it to them they scream “suspend him!” “expel him!” about the messenger.
“Shoot the messenger” is the response that people such as Mr Ellwood have to all warnings.
Sometimes people who think themselves cynical are quote gullible.
For example, Tucker Carlson – endlessly warning about government disinformation campaigns about Ukraine (and lots of other things) and then falling for an obvious American government disinformation about space aliens.
If space aliens really had landed on Earth it would put our other worries rather in the shade – but, in reality, this whole story was invented (decades ago) by elements of the American government for the express purpose of discrediting “anti government” people – and Mr Carlson fell for it (weirdly he fell for it many years after the story was exposed as a scam).
By the way – I do not believe the line of the Putin regime that they have killed at least 400 thousand Ukrainians and helpers, I suspect the true figure is about 70 thousand.
Although, yes, the difference could be reconciled if by “casualties” one includes WOUNDED. Including lightly wounded men who return to the fight.
Whereas Merkel admitting on camera that the Minsk Accords were simply a ruse to enable Ukraine to build an army is OK?
PDS is a terrible thing.
Why shouldn’t Ukraine build an army ? Seems pretty obvious they need one.
The shocking provocation that poor dear Vlad has been subjected to is what exactly ?
The annexation of a bit, no several bits of Russia by Ukraine ? Er no, seems it was the other way round. The unprovoked invasion of Russia by Ukraine ? Er no again. T’other way round.
The only way you get to see old Vlad as a reasonable, peaceable, much put upon chappie is if you start by assuming the conclusion that Ukraine is part of Russia.
Why would we want to assume that ?
Because it’s terrible a supposedly independent nation with a very threatening neighbor, one that’s been invading countries it shares a border with since 1547, might want to have an army?
Most of the sober analysist I follow think the evidence shows that as bad as Ukrainian loses are, Russian are worse by such a margin that the ‘corrosion ratio’ probably still favours Ukraine. It’s more that just personnel losses, it’s heavy equipment & logistic attrition rates.
“Most of the sober analysist I follow”
Sober, as in only a pint of whiskey a day?
The goal of Minsk accords were equality and fair treatment for the majority Russian oblasts.
Instead this new virtuous Ukrainian army shelled civilians killing 14,000 of them.
And when that army was gearing up to tear through these oblasts, Russia intervened.
But you can come up with more dissembling bollocks I’m sure. Prof Mearshiemer told us in 2014 exactly what was going to happen, and you just ignored him.
I see the Kremlin-bots are active here today.
Pure distilled bullshit. John Mearshiemer is to geopolitics what Erich von Däniken is to archaeology.
Keep in mind that the Estonian diet is rich in oily fish, potatoes, and butter. All of them brain-healthy — if for no other reason than limiting consumption of seed oils and refined carbs.
JJM:
More likely, somebody who does not avoid seed oils and refined carbs.
BTW I have been wondering: what is the difference between the Ukrainian diet and the Russian diet?
Well put indeed!
I’m confused. There’s riots in London at the moment demanding that invaded countries *do* negotiate with the people who want to exterminate them.