News from Ukraine Conflict

[Centurion40]

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0KI1US20150109?irpc=932

"The new Germany wants to intervene everywhere," he said in the interview. "In Germany evidently there are a lot of people who want to help create a new division in Europe."

Germany wants to intervene everywhere??!!  WTF??!!  Is Gorby suffering from dementia? 

[Gusington]

IIRC Gorbachev is not well liked at home in Russia. Maybe he is trying to win back a following?

[endfire79]

Yeah I don't think hes relevant anymore

[LongBlade]

IIRC Gorbachev is not well liked at home in Russia. Maybe he is trying to win back a following?

I'm pretty sure that article is for domestic consumption. He knows the West knows better.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

The Russians likely dont give a damn about him. My bet is he is being used to present the Russian position, from someone who the Germans may like for historical reasons. His failure is that their position is presented, as ususal, as a threat, (pressure) which westerners react very negatively to. Russians like coersion, we dont.

[OJsDad]

This may have been pointed out in this thread already, but I saw a clip from one of the debates from the last presidential election.  Obama was chastising Romney for saying that Russia was our biggest threat.  Hmmm.  Looks like R may have been more right than O was.  Hey O, you said the 80's wanted it's foreign policy back.  Looks like we may need to keep it.

[besilarius]

The Ukrainians are putting out a series of prints for the troops and homefronts.  Very reminiscent of the Vargas girls of World War II.
This one is "Fatal Appointment"

[Gusington]

^LB posted those a few pages back I think. I guess it's becoming a very real war now that the propaganda printers have begun working again. NY Times is saying that around 10k Russian regulars are now in Ukraine with more crossing the border.

[Staggerwing]

There are probably a lot more who have been laying low among civilians until needed for some kind of blindside maneuver to come.

[Gusington]

Russian sleeper cells?

[Staggerwing]

It worked in Crimea didn't it?

[Gusington]

Unfortunately.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

That is the real terror threat to NATO countries, if anyone tries to stop them taking at least half of Ukraine. Forget the sand people. Nobody can turn off the tap of Russian forces, and they know it. They will keep going until Ukraine is bankrupt.

[GDS_Starfury]

and realistically, how much longer can Russia keep spending?

[Staggerwing]

Longer than Ukraine can. Unless it gets real help.