[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Sennen

Look on the bright side.................. the Gold price is soaring

Given it's a hedge for bad times when everything else is tanking, it's never a bright side.
Not to mention that people lives are on the line.

Your comments don't impress anyone, and make a few folk sick quite frankly.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

It was interesting listening to the views of a former UK Ambassador to Russia on the news this morning.

- Sanctions are meaningless, Russia has been preparing for this for a long time
- Putin and his wealthy supporters won't feel the pain in the way that ordinary Russians will
- Ordinary Russians have a history of following their leaders, irrespective of the consequences
- Putin only listens to the views of a half-dozen close advisers, cronies who have been with him since his KGB days and have the same world view

I think all of that, along with possibly some of the most weak, ineffectual & indecisive world leaders we've seen in recent times, must make Putin think he can pretty much do what he likes short of invading a NATO member state.

I heard another opinion this morning that suggested while China may be publicly expressing reservations over the invasion of a sovereign nation, they've clearly signalled to Russia that it can withdraw troops from it's Eastern borders with China to bolster the forces surrounding Ukraine. I have no idea if that's true, but given the 'warmth' between Putin and Xi at the Winter Olympics, it wouldn't surprise me.

In the end, it's likely that the West will rattle sabres, blow lots of hot air, impose meaningless sanctions and Putin will permanently occupy the Eastern Ukrainian provinces anyway. Crimea 2.0

After that, we'll all go back to our cosy little existences and pretend it didn't happen. Putin wins, as he was always going to because the world isn't prepared to confront him directly - the consequences don't bear thinking about.

All of the above, sadly

If it was Lord Peter Ricketts you were referring to, I heard the same interview. He's very wise and insightful.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

In the end, it's likely that the West will rattle sabres, blow lots of hot air, impose meaningless sanctions and Putin will permanently occupy the Eastern Ukrainian provinces anyway. Crimea 2.0

After that, we'll all go back to our cosy little existences and pretend it didn't happen. Putin wins, as he was always going to because the world isn't prepared to confront him directly - the consequences don't bear thinking about.

Perhaps but that presumes Putin's ambitions finish with regaining control over the Ukraine. Maybe that's the case but I do wonder if in the medium and long-term his plans go further - and even if he claims they don't who would believe him now?

[GOF_430d]

Putin wants to recreate the USSR of old. Crimea was easy, Ukraine will fall soon, then which country will be next? All as NATO looks on slowly realising that they may have to play war games for real.

The whole point of having nuclear weapons was to ensure that no-one was ever mad enough to push the button as to do so would lead to mutual annihilation.
Sadly Putin is happy to raise that possibility.

[JustChris]

WoW.

Someone here is either:-

1) Genuinely an absolute loser.
2) Is this worse? Trolling at being a loser.

We just hope that Karma plays a spectacular hand to you soon

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by JustChris

WoW.

Someone here is either:-

1) Genuinely an absolute loser.
2) Is this worse? Trolling at being a loser.

We just hope that Krama plays a spectacular hand to you soon

I think he was just miffed that Putin looked a bigger wanker than him, played a big hand to attempt to catch up.

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by JustChris

WoW.

Someone here is either:-

1) Genuinely an absolute loser.
2) Is this worse? Trolling at being a loser.

We just hope that Krama plays a spectacular hand to you soon

Ps. Did you mean to invoke Kramer

[dazzapb]

This is pretty horrific, mobile crematorium - supposedly for Russian troops I wonder if it is for the Ukrainian government. Perhaps both.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-ne...troops-battle/

[cramsnik]

Imagine coming on here bragging about how well you're doing when innocents are dying.

Hideous.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Macron is flying in to get the French surrender in early.

As I prophesied..

[dazzapb]

Genuine question, perhaps somewhat trivial in current circumstances.

Now that Putin is guilty of war crimes. I presume he now cannot visit the west ever again? (Silver lining) as he would be arrested?

it's something I've wondered about with Mugabe in Zimbabwe too. I recall seeing this despot in Rome on TV 5-10 years ago but he was walking freely. Appreciate his aggression was internal though.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

I think he was just miffed that Putin looked a bigger wanker than him, played a big hand to attempt to catch up.

There is a certain positivity to being a wanker, lets not put them in the same category as someone who is so vile as to gloat about money when others are dying...

Sick. Maybe that should get a ban...?

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by cramsnik

Imagine coming on here bragging about how well you're doing when innocents are dying.

Hideous.

Pitiful isn't it.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Pitiful isn't it.

What is equally pitiful is that someone could be so incapable of sensing the mood of the audience....

Unless of course he is really just a persona, a troll, and then all of this attention will be seeing him using a whole box of tissues....