Zelensky - What do you know

[Dirac]

The Detritus Professor.

Ouch!

[said]

I think that's Turkey using entry as a bargaining chip over so-called terrorists.

Are you aware of who the Crimean Tatars are?

[said]

The Emeritus Professor Said has spoken,


And you dare question it


Zelensky addresses dozens of Universities in the US and Canada today, be interesting to see how he copes with the questioning of his academic career by Professor Said,

from the Pukin school of life.

There are several select people with whom it would benefit certain establishments, if they were shown to be of enhanced intellectual capabilities. It is quite common. Why criticise me? I point out where there are flaws in such claims, if you don't want to discuss them - just ignore them and return to your make believe world. OK?

On the other hand, if you are interested - you would need the facts of both sides of an argument before the topic can move forward. Catty remarks are not conducive to intelligent arguments. You should well know, you have been subjected to several yourself.

[silver fox]

The Ukrainian people are of the same ethnicity as the Russians. There are several Ukrainians working in the Russian Government. Several Russian people have families in the Ukraine and vice versa.

OK. So the fact that the USA had NATO sit on the border of Russia carrying out exercises - had no affect on the NATO agreement that was signed to say that NATO had no intention of moving further East toward Russia? If you were the President of Russia - this would not have bothered you?

You cannot view just simply Russia v Ukraine. You have you look at a far wider picture. Why is the USA suddenly interested in another country 5000 miles away? Why has the USA been investing so much money into the Ukraine? The USA cannot afford to give money away - not without a good chance of getting a damn sight more back!

"Had the United States understood itsinterests in Ukraine from the perspective of U.S-Russia (and, ultimately,U.S.-China) relations (a perspective Joe Biden himself shared regardingNATO expansion in 1997) rather than democracy expansion, this crisis andhumanitarian tragedy could have been avoided.Rather than bring about a more stable, secure, and prosperous world,U.S. revisionist policy inspired by liberal ideology has had the oppositeeffect. The Middle East is engulfed in perennial chaos, the Taliban once againrule Afghanistan, and a hostile Iran continues to wield great influence in Iraq. Moresignificantly, every year China’s economy grows faster than the Americaneconomy is a year in which U.S. relative power further declines. As GrahamAllison illustrates, on many key measures of powerChina has already surpassed the United States. This is why the 2021 U.S. Officeof the Director of National Intelligence Annual Threat Assessment listed Chinaas the United States’ number one threat, thesecond consecutive administration to hold such a view. This view of China asthe biggest threat to U.S. interests is uniquely bipartisan.
Because economics and demographics are the primary sources of power,prescient analysts foresaw the threat from China as early as the 1990s, even asscholars like John Ikenberry were focused on “strengthen[ing], deepen[ing], and codify[ing] theliberal political order.” In 2000, power transition scholars argued that“plans for limited NATO expansion ignore the biggest future security problemfor the West,” namely China. They accurately understood that the “need toprevent any … [Sino-Russian] alignment should be central to all thinking aboutthe future of NATO.” It was “naive,” these scholars argued, to assume NATOexpansion would not ultimately push Russia into China’s arms. Yet NATO didexpand, and Sino-Russian alignment is precisely whathas occurred."National Interest.




"In last two decades, Russia has worked on improving their military systems and have a number of excellent capabilities – which the U.S. has, as well," Keane added.
Russian improvements have come in air defense systems, fighter/bomber aircraft, offensive/hypersonic missiles, armor/mechanized brigades, rocket/long range artillery, quiet-running submarines and modernized nuclear weapons, Keane said.
Additionally, Russian forces have gained "a lot of real-world experience" in recent years, Wood said, pointing to Syria and the Donbas region of Ukraine. Between this and keeping up with modern technological advances, Russia has a much more formidable fighting force than in the past." Fox News

"It would be a mistake to underestimate the capability of the current Russian military," Wood said. Fox News
I think personally, that Putin is most certainly not looking to regain an Empire - I believe that he is seeking a better deal for both the Ukrainians and the Russians by installing a Ukrainian leader who is more aligned to the Eastern European nations as opposed to allowing a USA/EU encroachment of territory. He is defending East Europe against Americanism.

You respond with a lengthy diatribe, which is a mish mash of supposition, propaganda and your opinion.

OK let's look at this, in your view because of ethnicity, familial links and in parts language commonality, Ukrainians are actually Russian and should happily be part of Russian control, using that logic when do you propose that we (as in GB) invade the US, Australia, New Zealand and reunite all English speakers with the Motherland, liberate all those of British heritage, free them from oppression and unwanted outside influences.

You're fond of quoting history (selectively of course) try this, look back to 1775 when we (as in Britain) set out to convince those awkward settlers in North America that they and the country, were British and subject to British rule and control, that went well, we tried military might and force, that didn't work, Putin's forces have slaughtered thousands and displaced millions, but somehow that's OK in your befuddled brain, Putin's tactics must not succeed.

Are you trying to say that free independent states should not be free to join any group or organisation which they feel best serves their interests?

Then you rabbit on along the lines that NATO expansion forces Russian actions, but of course in your peculiar world Russian expansion by force rather than agreement is perfectly OK, you have a very twisted sense of free will of people.

You then babble on about Russian weapons development etc, grow up, the arms race has been going on for centuries, whenever any nation or group develops a superior weapon or system, you can bet your life that someone else has built or is building a counter to that weapon, that of course can be protection against that weapon, or more along the lines of MAD, a same or similar weapon.

You try to say that Putin is looking for a better deal for Ukraine and Russia, Putin's concept of a "deal"is increased Russian control, you even admit that in your last paragraph, which translates as a Russian puppet government in control

[local]

There are several select people with whom it would benefit certain establishments, if they were shown to be of enhanced intellectual capabilities. It is quite common. Why criticise me? I point out where there are flaws in such claims, if you don't want to discuss them - just ignore them and return to your make believe world. OK?

On the other hand, if you are interested - you would need the facts of both sides of an argument before the topic can move forward. Catty remarks are not conducive to intelligent arguments. You should well know, you have been subjected to several yourself.

Have I got a reply to another Post?

[said]

Well Prof,
The countries arming Ukraine are many and varied including us and its neighbours.
Mainly because they were invaded by Russia.
Russias hardware lies broken across Ukraine as they reduce their failing "special operation"
They were such a rag tag operation that they strung themselves out for miles as Ukraine picked them off and they then retreated.
Their failing at huge cost in men and equipment.

You could re-enact a battle scene with your models put them on the floor and stamp on them.

Your argument does not stand up to the facts and your response contradicts itself. So Russia has outdated, crappy weapons and a lousy army, does it? Then why the hell are all these other countries so concerned that they are sending in additional arms to the Ukraine? Hell, according to what you say - a couple of grenades and some old WW2 handguns would beat the Russians.

You all quote newspaper reports?? Why can't you all understand that there are no journalists allowed in the Ukraine, and that media sources from there are blocked. How accurate do you really think your source of this news is? The first photos of the bombing in the Ukraine shown in Western Newspapers were proven to be photos taken of the bombing in Vietnam many years ago. A claimed direct hit photo by a Russian bomber on the Ukraine, turned out to be a news photo of a gas explosion in China. These are not conspiracy theories! You can identify the photographs yourself just by clicking on them! Hell! What am I dealing with here?

[local]

Your argument does not stand up to the facts and your response contradicts itself. So Russia has outdated, crappy weapons and a lousy army, does it? Then why the hell are all these other countries so concerned that they are sending in additional arms to the Ukraine? Hell, according to what you say - a couple of grenades and some old WW2 handguns would beat the Russians.

You all quote newspaper reports?? Why can't you all understand that there are no journalists allowed in the Ukraine, and that media sources from there are blocked. How accurate do you really think your source of this news is? The first photos of the bombing in the Ukraine shown in Western Newspapers were proven to be photos taken of the bombing in Vietnam many years ago. A claimed direct hit photo by a Russian bomber on the Ukraine, turned out to be a news photo of a gas explosion in China. These are not conspiracy theories! You can identify the photographs yourself just by clicking on them! Hell! What am I dealing with here?

Interesting argument Prof, I was just trying to think through your arguments for a few seconds before the phone goes;


and I must admit I got stuck, thinking of the organisation of this grand fromage you allege

All the actors, the fake news teams, and the established military experts persuaded to join the cast.

The refugees, the manipulation of the world's financial markets, have to say I couldn't wargame it even for fun, which it ain't.

As to Russia's crappy army, yes they are and why is Nato worried about a million soldiers armed with tired, ill-maintained equipment and driving Ladas?
they make a hell of a mess even with those.

And it's not what they do hit,

it's more about what they hit by mistake when they miss.

[local]

Your argument does not stand up to the facts and your response contradicts itself. So Russia has outdated, crappy weapons and a lousy army, does it? Then why the hell are all these other countries so concerned that they are sending in additional arms to the Ukraine? Hell, according to what you say - a couple of grenades and some old WW2 handguns would beat the Russians.

You all quote newspaper reports?? Why can't you all understand that there are no journalists allowed in the Ukraine, and that media sources from there are blocked. How accurate do you really think your source of this news is? The first photos of the bombing in the Ukraine shown in Western Newspapers were proven to be photos taken of the bombing in Vietnam many years ago. A claimed direct hit photo by a Russian bomber on the Ukraine, turned out to be a news photo of a gas explosion in China. These are not conspiracy theories! You can identify the photographs yourself just by clicking on them! Hell! What am I dealing with here?

Well Prof direct from Russia 24;


Monday night, studio guest Mikhail Khodarenok, a military analyst and retired colonel, painted a very different picture.

He warned that "the situation [for Russia] will clearly get worse" as Ukraine receives additional military assistance from the West and that "the Ukrainian army can arm a million people".

How has Moscow changed with war in Ukraine?
Watching the war on Russian TV - a snapshot
Referring to Ukrainian soldiers, he noted: "The desire to defend their motherland very much exists. Ultimate victory on the battlefield is determined by the high morale of troops who are spilling blood for the ideas they are ready to fight for.

"The biggest problem with [Russia's] military and political situation," he continued, "is that we are in total political isolation and the whole world is against us, even if we don't want to admit it. We need to resolve this situation.

"The situation cannot be considered normal when against us, there is a coalition of 42 countries and when our resources, military-political and military-technical, are limited."


Your right, we need to get away from Western Media

[said]

OK! Let's see if you people can remember how these issues originated:
1991 - Ukraine gains independence from Russia. National companies are sold off and privatised. This privatisation was aided by the Ukraine government. A number of Ukrainian ogliarchs emerged among government corruption and forced takeovers. Leonard Kravchuk elected the President of the Ukraine. The USA installed a consulate in the city of Kyiv.
1992. The USA upgraded the consulate to an embassy.
1994. Clinton, Kravchuk and Yeltsin sign Trilateral Statement re.elimination of Nuclear Weapons in the Ukraine. July - Leonard Kuchma elected as second President in the Ukraine. Clinton, Kuchma, Yeltsin and Major sign Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances in the Ukraine. Ukraine accedes to non- nuclear weapons state.
1995. Clinton visits Kyiv.
1996. US/Ukraine Straytegic Partnership is formed and the Gore Kuchma binational commission is announced.
1997. NATO - Ukraine form a distinctive partnership. First NATO - Ukraine summit meeting.
1999. Kuchma wins re-election as President of Ukraine.
2002 US-UK visit Ukraine to discuss Kolchuga Question. (The Kolchuga is a passive sensor developed in the Soviet Union and manufactured in the Ukraine.It is a sophisticated defence system)
The US, after having sign a partnership agreement with the Ukraine - were not happy that this valuable defence system had been sold by the Ukrainians to Iraq. Russia was far from happy since it had been developed in the Soviet Union and had now fallen into the hands of the USA and Iraq.
2003. Ukraine agrees deployment of 1,800 troops to support Iraq's Stabilisation force.
2004 - the Orange Revolution. Kuchna was favoured for a third term, but he endorsed the Prime Minister Victor Yanukovitch as a candidate for the Presidential Elections. The leading opposition was Yushenko, an ant-corruption, anti cronyism candidate. Later in that year, in September, Yushenko became very ill, leaving him with severe facial disfigurement - it was found that he had ingested dioxin and it had poisoned his system. The Ukrainian State Security was found guilty of poisoning him. In October, Yanukovitch and Yushenko were said to be neck and neck in the election polls, with 2/5ths of the votes each. Yanukovitch won the election under protests of election fraud. There were mass protests, the initiation of the Orange Revolution. Yanukovitch steps down and Yushenko becomes the President.
2005 Yushenko visits Washington.
2008 Bush visits Kyiv but fails to obtain an agreement to give the Ukraine a NATO action plan at a subsequent Bucharest summit.
2010 Yanukovitch is elected the President of the Ukraine.
2012 Obama administration declined requests for Yanukovitch meeting due to US disapproval of his policies which were a growing concern for the US. Yanukovitch used his power of office and other instruments to produce vague corruption in order to gain advantages for his party.
2013. Yanukovitch had been elected into power in a democratic vote, and although his policies were failing the people, they decided to allow him to stay in office until his term ended in 2016.
Neither the opposition Party, nor the USA, nor the EU found this agreeable to them because Yanukovitch refused to sign the EU agreement. This was because he had decided that the trade of Ukraine/Russia was far more beneficial to his people than that with the EU. As was his right. Yanukovitch considered the loan that the EU offered was inadequate to enable the people to live to European standards.
Instead, Western leaders made it clear that they supported the protesters against Yanukovitch, to force the President to agree to the EU agreement, and if he did not do so, they would force him out of office before his official term had expired. The US organised antagonists to join the protests to encourage the people to agree to the EU, promising that they would have a better standard of living. Senator John McCain went to Kiev/Kyiv to show solidarity with the opposition leaders who included members of the right wing Svoboda Party. He later appeared on stage in Maidan Square during a mass rally with Svoboda leader Oleg Tyagnibok. The US armed the protesters and used the Svoboda to inflame the protests - in a democratic country.
(Svoboda meaning Freedom, is the name give to a far right wing party led by Oleg Tyagnibok since 2014. It was started in 1995, as a follow up to the Ukrainian dissenters from WW2. It was characterised as a radical right wing populist party that combined ethnic ultranationalism and anti communism incorporating skin head members and pro Nazi symbolism.)
Yanukovitch was ousted from power and flees the Ukraine. Mass protests took place in the Ukraine. Many angry about Yanukovitch's refusal to sign the EU agreement, but an equally huge gathering in his support.
"If we had signed, we would have opened our borders and killed our own manufacturers" Anitoliv Bliznyuk MP. told Reuters. (As happened in the UK)
These protests have been called the Euromaidan or Maidan Uprising.
In Odessa, Ukraine there were a series of conflicts between anti and pro Maidan demonstrators. Pro maidan activists forced anti maidan protestors into a Trades Union House. They then threw petrol bombs into the house, which caught alight. The fire was so severe many protesters became trapped inside - 42 people burned alive! 48 deaths in total, and over 200 people injured.
The key person behind that massacre appears to have been Thor Kolomoyskyi - who was appointed as regional governor in that area by Yulia Tymoshenko - the Ukrainian Presidential candidate that Obama favoured for the May 25th elections after having imposed a junta in the Ukraine just weeks before the coup. The US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Asia, Victoria Nuland, chose a friend of Tymoshenko - Arseni Yatsenyuk to head the post coup government, who appointed Kolomoyskyi. With the excuse that the US had already invested $5Billion into the Ukraine to bring them 'democracy' i.e to oust the democratically elected Victor Yanukovytch, who had previously sentenced Yulia Tymoshenko for embezzlement and abuse of Government office. Yet, the US pardoned her, and allowed her to run for office in the Ukraine.

2014. Petro Poroshenko elected President
2015. Biden visits Kyiv/Kiev to deliver anti corruption message.
2016 Trump elected US president prompting concerns in Kiev over possible shifts i US Policy.
2019. Zelensky elected President.

To be continued - How the above led to the Present War.

[Desert Region]

Has the On This Day... thread been resurrected!

[said]

Well Prof direct from Russia 24;


Monday night, studio guest Mikhail Khodarenok, a military analyst and retired colonel, painted a very different picture.

He warned that "the situation [for Russia] will clearly get worse" as Ukraine receives additional military assistance from the West and that "the Ukrainian army can arm a million people".

How has Moscow changed with war in Ukraine?
Watching the war on Russian TV - a snapshot
Referring to Ukrainian soldiers, he noted: "The desire to defend their motherland very much exists. Ultimate victory on the battlefield is determined by the high morale of troops who are spilling blood for the ideas they are ready to fight for.

"The biggest problem with [Russia's] military and political situation," he continued, "is that we are in total political isolation and the whole world is against us, even if we don't want to admit it. We need to resolve this situation.

"The situation cannot be considered normal when against us, there is a coalition of 42 countries and when our resources, military-political and military-technical, are limited."


Your right, we need to get away from Western Media

Mmmh! Let's just say I am glad he is not a British Ambassador.

[said]

Tell you what - just for a laugh, book a flight to Poland. When you get there tell them you want to cross the border to get to Kiev as you want to fight as a mercenary. Let me know when you get released.

[said]

Did you know that Russian Scientists when working under communist rule, worked for very little money. But they invented and developed some really fantastic weapons. Not that it is of little interest to you - but I found those inventions fascinating. Did you read about the Kolchuga - fascinating! After the US had allied with the Ukraine, they went over to Kiev to obtain one of these for themselves - and they were royally pi..ss..d to discover the Ukrainians has sold one to Saddam.

[said]

Has the On This Day... thread been resurrected!

Not really - all these events are in the recent past. I can remember most of them - can't you? Seriously?

[Desert Region]

Not really - all these events are in the recent past. I can remember most of them - can't you? Seriously?

Could you not put that in a dreary list form, to help with readability and potential reader interest level?

Of course I remember such iconic, headline-making events such as the following...

"1992. The USA upgraded the consulate to an embassy."

"2003. Ukraine agrees deployment of 1,800 troops to support Iraq's Stabilisation force."

With your encyclopaedic knowledge, you must be an ace at quiz nights.