Russia's War Against Ukraine

[JasonPratt]

As a personal observation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine follows the century long (if longer) tradition to establishin a small puppet regime somewhere in a neighbouring country, having that ask Russia to assist them against the alleged aggression of this "legitimate" regime, and then Russian military rolling in. A playbook so classic it should be obvious now, as the "people's republics" are nothing but Russian placed puppet organizations.

Yep! -- the refined version comes from the Soviet theoretician Triandafillov (probably mis-spelled), but the first systematic version seems to be from the Butcher of Blood himself Tukachevsky (following the theories of Lenin and Trotsky). This was why the Red Army was always supposed to be 'counter-attacking' on 'defense': defending the workers and peasants rising up against the property owners in a border state, against the counter-attacks of the property owners. In effect the motto was 'Fake it till you make it!'  ::)

[ArizonaTank]

Sorry, not impressed with Russel Brand as a serious political commentator. I tried...I really did.

And Musk? I think he just forgot to mention that his proposal would bring "peace for our time."

[JasonPratt]

Prepare the smallest violins playing "happy birthday" in a tragically Russian mode!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/on-his-70th-birthday-putin-hoped-to-be-leading-a-resurgent-russian-empire-instead-his-army-is-in-retreat-and-his-enemies-are-united-against-him-like-never-before/ar-AA12HlxW?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=0817dbc661de44459107c380448a83b8

(Oddly, MSN didn't provide a direct link to Business Insider this time.)

[Jarhead0331]

Sorry, not impressed with Russel Brand as a serious political commentator. I tried...I really did.

And Musk? I think he just forgot to mention that his proposal would bring "peace for our time."

He's not a political commentator. He's a guy with no agenda who asks questions and who is critical of authority and the corporate media. People like him are the last ones in media who are independent and are simply in search of truth. I honestly don't understand how anyone couldn't be impressed by his balance, ability to communicate and genuine commitment to honesty and truth. And this is coming from someone who actually used to find him utterly repugnant.

But, I suppose if you prefer, CNN, MSN, Fox, etc...different strokes, I guess. 

[al_infierno]

He's not a political commentator. He's a guy with no agenda who asks questions and who is critical of authority and the corporate media. People like him are the last ones in media who are independent and are simply in search of truth. I honestly don't understand how anyone couldn't be impressed by his balance, ability to communicate and genuine commitment to honesty and truth. And this is coming from someone who actually used to find him utterly repugnant.

This was my impression as well.  The clickbaity video titles definitely give a bad first impression, but he strikes me just as a guy with a YouTube channel and a decent following who is surprisingly good at separating objective fact from emotional reaction.

Also for how much I personally dislike Musk, I don't think the "peace in our time" point is as lost on him as people make it out.

[SirAndrewD]

WarGames and Damnation Alley played back to back unprompted on my random streaming feed last night while I played Terra Invicta. 

[ArizonaTank]

The 21st century "honey trap." 'Teen Uses Dating App to Get Russians to Reveal Their Locations'

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/teen-uses-dating-app-to-get-russians-to-reveal-their-positions/ar-AA12HSJ4?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=fdd8ffd1d9e84e64a1a931ca2e0b27ee

[ArizonaTank]

WarGames and Damnation Alley played back to back unprompted on my random streaming feed last night while I played Terra Invicta.

At least it didn't pull up "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" by the Animals

[JasonPratt]

From a few days ago, but still evocative:

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xwm9wm/russian_draftees_exasperated_abandoned_left_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

The Russian 42D quantum chess mobilization strategy continues apace!  >:D

(There's a longer video of this, too, without subtitles. I can't vouch for subtitle accuracy, but they don't seem to be faking their attitudes, especially as they're standing literally on train tracks which is not the safest area in a railyard...)

[JasonPratt]

What can save the Russian Army now (that they've given up a bunch of T-90s to the Ukrainians  ^-^ )??

How about those super-experimental next-generation Armatas!?

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/xwq3sv/the_newest_t14_armata_they_say_that_it_was_filmed/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Wait, shouldn't T-14s be older than even the Soviet Union per se...? It sure sounds like it's over 100 years old! Good grief, that thing inspired pity instead of fear, hearing it shriek around on open ground like it had never been oiled in its life...

[JasonPratt]

Meanwhile, in what is probably coincidental timing, the US Department of Health and Human Services has released a $290 million purchase of radiation-sickness drugs repurposed from hospital stock. Specifically, the purchase (announced back on October 4th, now released) was made by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), an agency within the HHS that's tasked with preparing the nation for future disasters and public health emergencies.

It's a normal move for shifting excess hospital stock into national emergency stock, then back into hospital stock or to government agencies for their own useage. The medical stock is managed by Amgen USA, a biotechnology headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. In its original press release statement about the contract on storing Nplat (the medicine being purchased), Amgen said "Amgen will maintain this supply in vendor-managed inventory. This approach decreases life-cycle management costs for taxpayers because doses that near expiration can be rotated into the commercial market for rapid use prior to expiry and new doses can be added to the government supply."

In this case the HHS is buying the medical stock from Amgen for its daughter-agency ASPR. In a statement on Oct 4th, when the HHS announced the purchase plan, ASPR said, "Repurposing drugs for acute radiation syndrome that also are approved for a commercial indication helps to sustain availability of the product and improves healthcare provider familiarity with the drug."

(The article for this is behind a paywall. I'd quote more of it, but it's mostly background information about what a couple of the drugs do, including Nplat, and how the drugs are managed by the HHS.)

[Jarhead0331]

All these life and death struggles taking place every day, all day. You can mock Putin, talk about the big picture, or the consequences of appeasement or the risk of nuclear war until you're blue in the face. In the meantime, men...Russian, Ukrainian, foreign volunteers...they will all be fighting the same battle for just a little bit more of life. Just one more breath and the hope that they may live to see another sunrise and hold the ones they love.

It's all so God damn tragic.

[Skoop]

Petreus said a nuke in Ukraine would warrant a massive conventional air campaign that would erase the Russian army from the map and sink the Black Sea fleet.  Further nuclear aggression by Russia would warrant further escalation from US and nato.  How is this difficult to support ?  I'm cool with calling Putin's bluff and if it leads to real nuclear war then so be it.  But I'm not living in a world where the Putins can hold us hostage.  If he's going to destroy it for himself and all of us....so be it.  But he's not getting his way, even if it's over my dead body.  That's my resolve.

I don't trust Musk, as he's a business man, and sees the war as bad for his business. 

[Skoop]

All these life and death struggles taking place every day, all day. You can mock Putin, talk about the big picture, or the consequences of appeasement or the risk of nuclear war until you're blue in the face. In the meantime, men...Russian, Ukrainian, foreign volunteers...they will all be fighting the same battle for just a little bit more of life. Just one more breath and the hope that they may live to see another sunrise and hold the ones they love.

It's all so God damn tragic.

Like blinken said, Russians can leave Ukraine anytime.  They can stop this at anytime by just walking away.

[Jarhead0331]

^That is a very ignorant and naive statement to make that is totally detached from reality. Utterly not surprised to hear it come from someone like Blinken, a career bureaucrat whose closest brush with actual danger was hearing his stepfather talk about the Holocaust.

Men are compelled to serve in war often times not by choice and even more often, against their free will. There are obvious consequences for those who would just "get up and walk away". Moreover, once on the frontline, you're fighting for your life and for those of your comrades. It's no longer about Putin or service. It is only about survival.

Yeah...get up and walk way. And accepting nuclear war as a viable option...Both equally unmindful statements. Such bravado!