Let’s have a war!

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Why isn't anyone commenting on how we are going to be going to war with Russia soon - near Cuba?

[jfish26]

Because that’s not what’s happening.

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Because that’s not what’s happening.

Yet.

[KUTradition]

the US and allies conduct military drills near russia, right?

[jfish26]

If Russia wants to burn fuel, and presumably give us lots of practice learning and tracking their subs, mazel tov.

[ousdahl]

Just in time for hurricane season.

[Sparko]

Russia lost its Black Sea Fleet presence including its flag ship missile cruiser and a submarine to a nation without a Navy. They have abandoned efforts to revive their remaining aircraft carrier which is famous for having to be towed back from Syria and almost sinking in dry dock. Their latest little adventure is to prove that they can actually project power for a few minutes near Cuba. As Fish said, it has been a real boon to folks who study what is left of their fleet to learn if they have changed anything positively. They'll be lucky if Ukraine doesn't intercept them when they return. This little show fleet cost them plenty at a time they don't have much to spare.

[TDub]

time is a circle

[Sparko]

In Russia, circles are not even round and time seems to have stopped at 1918.

[jfish26]

Russia lost its Black Sea Fleet presence including its flag ship missile cruiser and a submarine to a nation without a Navy. They have abandoned efforts to revive their remaining aircraft carrier which is famous for having to be towed back from Syria and almost sinking in dry dock. Their latest little adventure is to prove that they can actually project power for a few minutes near Cuba. As Fish said, it has been a real boon to folks who study what is left of their fleet to learn if they have changed anything positively. They'll be lucky if Ukraine doesn't intercept them when they return. This little show fleet cost them plenty at a time they don't have much to spare.

The only strategic point of this boondoggle is to give bad-faith righties cover to say that our support of Ukraine is pushing us toward Thirteen Days, Part II.

Specifically, this will be an example of Russia (and bad-faith righties) exploiting people's sincerely-held anti-war beliefs.

[ousdahl]

I’m surprised this is as shrugged off as it is, considering how much of a fuss Mercians got ourselves in about previous attempts by Russia for a military presence in the Caribbean

[jfish26]

Quite a cover charge to even start talks, eh?

Putin just said he’d give an order to cease fire and begin peace talks if Ukraine accepts Russia’s new conditionsu.

Those conditions are maximalist and unrealistic: Ukraine would have to withdraw from all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Putin’s conditions show what a hardline position Russia would take at any peace talks. They include Ukraine giving up two major cities: Kherson, which Russia withdrew from in the fall of 2022, and Zaporizhzhia, under Ukrainian control throughout the war.

Fun fact: this was the first time Putin actually said Russia claims the city of Zaporizhzhia more than a year and a half after annexing the region. The Kremlin would not give a straight answer the entire time since on whether Russia wanted it or not while constantly shelling it

https://x.com/maxseddon/status/18015651 ... q_-8Yt1KMA

[ousdahl]

in soviet russia, news reports you

[ousdahl]

WHO reports 32 deaths in Gaza yesterday from malnutrition, mostly children under the age of 5

[MICHHAWK]

damn you hamas.

[Sparko]

Hamas willing to fight to the last Palestinian from a hotel somewhere. Their flag is "Go Tread on Those Guys!"

[ousdahl]

NPR had a bit about it yesterday.

For older generations, they grew up in the wake of the Holocaust, and perceive Israel as some “underdog,” to use NPR’s term.

But for younger generations, they perceive Israel based more on their treatment of Palestinians.

The awareness of which has only grown with the increases in coverage afforded by social media - similar to the role social media played with bringing increased awareness to American police brutality and the George Floyd murder and the BLM movement.

The NPR piece was more specially about voter support for Biden among younger generations. It mentioned Biden’s handling of Gaza was among the bigger issues for younger voters, tho the biggest concern by a good margin for younger voters was their perception of Biden on the economy…tho that’s for another thread.

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

NPR had a bit about it yesterday.

For older generations, they grew up in the wake of the Holocaust, and perceive Israel as some “underdog,” to use NPR’s term.

But for younger generations, they perceive Israel based more on their treatment of Palestinians.

The awareness of which has only grown with the increases in coverage afforded by social media - similar to the role social media played with bringing increased awareness to American police brutality and the George Floyd murder and the BLM movement.

The NPR piece was more specially about voter support for Biden among younger generations. It mentioned Biden’s handling of Gaza was among the bigger issues for younger voters, tho Biden’s handling of Gaza was among the bigger issues for younger voters…tho that’s for another thread.

"Their treatment of the Palestinians".....
* The Palestinian "government" treats their citizens like shit. Do any of those people take that in to account? Probably a small percentage but a huge percentage thinks the Israelis are 100% to blame for the current plight of the Palestinian citizens.

"The awareness".....
* The percentage of people who consider themselves "aware" who couldn't find Gaza on a world map has to be over 50%.

"social media"....
* Enough said. Right, "social media". Meaning anything and everything from obvious blatant lies to the complete truth and A LOT in-between.

"Biden’s handling of Gaza was among the bigger issues for younger voters"
* I don't doubt that. Nice that people care about Gaza (despite not being able to find it on a map) but kind of a sad statement. Isn't it? Or maybe it's a happy statement in that people don't give a fuck about things that can (and probably should?) concern them more. - OOPS! Now I read "the biggest concern by a good margin for younger voters was their perception of Biden on the economy".
Hmmmm. I'm wondering what their perception is. The Shirley perception? or the Fox Business Report majority of American's perception?
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/nea ... asping-air

[MICHHAWK]

young people don't vote. so they don't matter.

[Shirley]

..."Their treatment of the Palestinians".....
* The Palestinian "government" treats their citizens like shit. Do any of those people take that in to account? Probably a small percentage but a huge percentage thinks the Israelis are 100% to blame for the current plight of the Palestinian citizens...

It's not only how what passes for the Palestinian "government" treats Palestinians, it's also how all the other Arab/Islamic countries in the region treat them. Where have they been for the last 75 years? Jordan let a large # of Palestinians immigrate there years ago and they've impacted Jordanian society to the point where the native population wishes they'd get the fuck out, yesterday.

Most Arab/Islamic countries that have taken Palestinians in won't grant them citizenship, won't let them work or vote, and treat them like lepers.

Where's Egypt? Saudi Arabia? The Gulf states?

Palestinians in Israel have had the right to vote since the very first election in 1949. Palestinians are members of the Knesset, and the Israeli army. 150,000 Palestinians work in Israel.

I'm not saying Palestinians in Israel are treated as total equals, and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are treated like shit, there's no denying that. But Israel is a Jewish country. Are any of the Arab/Muslim countries that share a similar culture with Palestinians willing to take them in or meaningfully improve their lives? No, they aren't. And then, there's Hamas...