• Trump throws Ukraine under the bus

    From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to All on Fri Feb 14 18:56:03 2025
    Communism wins!

    Pete Hegseth tells NATO that the EU will have to kick in a lot more in
    the defense of Europe. Then it sounded like defense of Ukraine, not a
    NATO ally, was thrown in.

    In an idiotic "negotiating" strategy to end Russia's war upon Ukraine,
    Hegseth flat out said Ukraine wouldn't join NATO.

    Now, everyone understands that there's no practical way for Ukraine to
    join NATO with Russia occupying Crimean and the Donbass and any other
    Ukrainian territory since the breakup of the Soviet Union as that would
    put the United States and the other NATO allies into an immediate hot
    war with Russia, but you don't throw that out up front.

    Also Hegseth said it was "unrealistic" for Ukraine to regain all the
    territory it's lost.

    At least be didn't offer international recognition of an enlarged Russia
    along armistace lines if drawn according to current territory occupied.

    Trump is being a real bastard here. He just dug Ukraine's grave
    obtaining no useful concessions from Putin.

    We know from recent history -- Europe not standing up to Russia's
    territorial grabs -- is no kind of deterence to Russia's future
    territorial grabs. That's the opposite of deterrence. That's
    encouragement.

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more
    committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Putin's ambition to restore the empire of Catherine the Great is not
    being thwarted, and if it takes losses of another 600,000 men in
    battle, so be it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From shawn@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Fri Feb 14 14:56:38 2025
    On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:56:03 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    Communism wins!

    Pete Hegseth tells NATO that the EU will have to kick in a lot more in
    the defense of Europe. Then it sounded like defense of Ukraine, not a
    NATO ally, was thrown in.

    Giving up on any and all claims is one way to achieve peace quickly.

    In an idiotic "negotiating" strategy to end Russia's war upon Ukraine, >Hegseth flat out said Ukraine wouldn't join NATO.

    There is no negotiating here. After all Trump said that Ukraine
    wouldn't be involved in the negotiations so there's clearly an
    intention for the USA and Russia to come to an agreement on what
    should happen to UKraine with an assumption they will go along with
    whatever Trump/Putin and crew come up with.

    Now, everyone understands that there's no practical way for Ukraine to
    join NATO with Russia occupying Crimean and the Donbass and any other >Ukrainian territory since the breakup of the Soviet Union as that would
    put the United States and the other NATO allies into an immediate hot
    war with Russia, but you don't throw that out up front.

    Also Hegseth said it was "unrealistic" for Ukraine to regain all the >territory it's lost.

    Hell, I expect their agreement with Russia will be that Ukraine
    regains none of the territory they've lost.

    At least be didn't offer international recognition of an enlarged Russia >along armistace lines if drawn according to current territory occupied.

    Trump is being a real bastard here. He just dug Ukraine's grave
    obtaining no useful concessions from Putin.

    We know from recent history -- Europe not standing up to Russia's
    territorial grabs -- is no kind of deterence to Russia's future
    territorial grabs. That's the opposite of deterrence. That's
    encouragement.

    Agreed. I wonder how long Putin will wait if he gets this agreement
    before he goes for more territory. I would not expect it to be more
    than a few years.

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Putin's ambition to restore the empire of Catherine the Great is not
    being thwarted, and if it takes losses of another 600,000 men in
    battle, so be it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to shawn on Fri Feb 14 21:39:00 2025
    shawn <[email protected]> wrote:
    Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:56:03 -0000 (UTC), Adam H. Kerman <[email protected]>:

    Communism wins!

    Pete Hegseth tells NATO that the EU will have to kick in a lot more in
    the defense of Europe. Then it sounded like defense of Ukraine, not a
    NATO ally, was thrown in.

    Giving up on any and all claims is one way to achieve peace quickly.

    Trump's "plan" for peace in Ukraine is Russian occupation and political subjugation of a rump Ukraine under Putin's control. Peace, sure, but no liberty.

    In an idiotic "negotiating" strategy to end Russia's war upon Ukraine, >>Hegseth flat out said Ukraine wouldn't join NATO.

    There is no negotiating here. After all Trump said that Ukraine
    wouldn't be involved in the negotiations so there's clearly an
    intention for the USA and Russia to come to an agreement on what
    should happen to UKraine with an assumption they will go along with
    whatever Trump/Putin and crew come up with.

    Same thing in Afghanistan. Trump and previous administrations didn't
    include the government in negotiations. At least Ukraine's government
    retains popular support and they are expected to have free and fair
    elections if they no longer face a threat from Russia.

    Now, everyone understands that there's no practical way for Ukraine to
    join NATO with Russia occupying Crimean and the Donbass and any other >>Ukrainian territory since the breakup of the Soviet Union as that would
    put the United States and the other NATO allies into an immediate hot
    war with Russia, but you don't throw that out up front.

    Also Hegseth said it was "unrealistic" for Ukraine to regain all the >>territory it's lost.

    Hell, I expect their agreement with Russia will be that Ukraine
    regains none of the territory they've lost.

    I'm guessing Trump would support a loss of addiional territory.

    At least be didn't offer international recognition of an enlarged Russia >>along armistace lines if drawn according to current territory occupied.

    Trump is being a real bastard here. He just dug Ukraine's grave
    obtaining no useful concessions from Putin.

    We know from recent history -- Europe not standing up to Russia's >>territorial grabs -- is no kind of deterence to Russia's future
    territorial grabs. That's the opposite of deterrence. That's
    encouragement.

    Agreed. I wonder how long Putin will wait if he gets this agreement
    before he goes for more territory. I would not expect it to be more
    than a few years.

    Or... another country. Russia is surrounded by more non-NATO countries.

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Putin's ambition to restore the empire of Catherine the Great is not
    being thwarted, and if it takes losses of another 600,000 men in
    battle, so be it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From NoBody@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sat Feb 15 09:36:24 2025
    On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:56:03 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    Communism wins!

    Pete Hegseth tells NATO that the EU will have to kick in a lot more in
    the defense of Europe. Then it sounded like defense of Ukraine, not a
    NATO ally, was thrown in.

    In an idiotic "negotiating" strategy to end Russia's war upon Ukraine, >Hegseth flat out said Ukraine wouldn't join NATO.

    Now, everyone understands that there's no practical way for Ukraine to
    join NATO with Russia occupying Crimean and the Donbass and any other >Ukrainian territory since the breakup of the Soviet Union as that would
    put the United States and the other NATO allies into an immediate hot
    war with Russia, but you don't throw that out up front.

    Also Hegseth said it was "unrealistic" for Ukraine to regain all the >territory it's lost.

    At least be didn't offer international recognition of an enlarged Russia >along armistace lines if drawn according to current territory occupied.

    Trump is being a real bastard here. He just dug Ukraine's grave
    obtaining no useful concessions from Putin.

    We know from recent history -- Europe not standing up to Russia's
    territorial grabs -- is no kind of deterence to Russia's future
    territorial grabs. That's the opposite of deterrence. That's
    encouragement.

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Putin's ambition to restore the empire of Catherine the Great is not
    being thwarted, and if it takes losses of another 600,000 men in
    battle, so be it.

    Why should the US shoulder the burden for the war in Ukraine?

    A simple question.

    I hope you have a good answer.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Stasiak@21:1/5 to All on Mon Feb 17 01:24:30 2025
    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging
    its heels the whole time and as I said in the past, there was no way Ukraine was ever going to recapture Crimea and the Donbas on its own (which was
    never ethnically or historically Ukrainian anyways) and no way the U.S. was going to put boots on the ground to do it for them.

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money
    into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to Ed Stasiak on Mon Feb 17 02:21:05 2025
    Ed Stasiak <[email protected]d> wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging
    its heels the whole time and as I said in the past, there was no way Ukraine >was ever going to recapture Crimea and the Donbas on its own (which was
    never ethnically or historically Ukrainian anyways) and no way the U.S. was >going to put boots on the ground to do it for them.

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money
    into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be >counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.

    I'm not drunck enough to believe that Putin, having obtained military advantage, will rest on his laurels. He'll start another war at the
    earliest opportunity.

    He's re-assembling Catherine the Great's empire and won't stop till
    someone assasinates him, for the good of Russia.

    Putin needs to be stopped once and for all, or Europe will never be at peace.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From suzeeq@21:1/5 to Ed Stasiak on Sun Feb 16 20:45:31 2025
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more
    committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging
    its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're meeting tomorrow
    to discuss the situation.

    and as I said in the past, there was no way Ukraine
    was ever going to recapture Crimea and the Donbas on its own (which was
    never ethnically or historically Ukrainian anyways) and no way the U.S. was going to put boots on the ground to do it for them.

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money
    into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.


    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to suzeeq on Mon Feb 17 07:06:06 2025
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>>committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging
    its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're meeting tomorrow
    to discuss the situation.

    Talk and empty promises won't help Zelensky.

    and as I said in the past, there was no way Ukraine
    was ever going to recapture Crimea and the Donbas on its own (which was >>never ethnically or historically Ukrainian anyways) and no way the U.S. was >>going to put boots on the ground to do it for them.

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money >>into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be >>counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Blueshirt@21:1/5 to Adam H. Kerman on Mon Feb 17 11:27:40 2025
    Adam H. Kerman wrote:

    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has
    been dragging its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're
    meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation.

    Talk and empty promises won't help Zelensky.

    And that's all that will come out of their hastily convened
    "look at us, we're important, we're talking about peace too"
    meeting in Paris... yet more talk and empty promises.

    If Europe were militarily relevant they wouldn't have been left
    out of the room.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Blueshirt@21:1/5 to suzeeq on Mon Feb 17 11:22:01 2025
    suzeeq wrote:

    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of
    Europe more committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead,
    it gives them the excuse to join the United States in
    abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been
    dragging its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're
    meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation.

    The European leaders are only meeting among themselves in Paris
    to try and make themselves seem important because the real
    'peace' talks are taking place between the USA and Russia in
    Saudi Arabia and they weren't invited!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Stasiak@21:1/5 to All on Mon Feb 17 15:52:45 2025
    Adam H. Kerman
    Ed Stasiak

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.

    I'm not drunck enough to believe that Putin, having obtained military advantage, will rest on his laurels. He'll start another war at the
    earliest opportunity.

    A Ukraine that's part of NATO would be protected by treaty from an attack
    by Russia, as this would mandate that NATO come to its defense and even
    Putin won't risk facing an actual competent military but until there is a peace treaty, Ukraine can't join NATO.

    Right now, nobody _has_ to help Ukraine and without help, there's no way
    they can effectively defend themselves against Russia and as Russia is far larger with far more resources, they can maintain this stalemate war essentially
    forever.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From suzeeq@21:1/5 to Adam H. Kerman on Mon Feb 17 07:52:54 2025
    On 2/16/2025 11:06 PM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more
    committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse >>>> to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging
    its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're meeting tomorrow
    to discuss the situation.

    Talk and empty promises won't help Zelensky.

    They've been sendimg actual help to Ukraine, so maybe they'll ramp that up.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From suzeeq@21:1/5 to Blueshirt on Mon Feb 17 07:53:48 2025
    On 2/17/2025 3:22 AM, Blueshirt wrote:
    suzeeq wrote:

    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of
    Europe more committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead,
    it gives them the excuse to join the United States in
    abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been
    dragging its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're
    meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation.

    The European leaders are only meeting among themselves in Paris
    to try and make themselves seem important because the real
    'peace' talks are taking place between the USA and Russia in
    Saudi Arabia and they weren't invited!

    Trump and Putin didn't invite Ukraine either.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to Ed Stasiak on Mon Feb 17 17:14:34 2025
    Ed Stasiak <[email protected]d> wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman
    Ed Stasiak

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be >>>counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.

    I'm not drunck enough to believe that Putin, having obtained military >>advantage, will rest on his laurels. He'll start another war at the >>earliest opportunity.

    A Ukraine that's part of NATO would be protected by treaty from an attack
    by Russia, as this would mandate that NATO come to its defense and even
    Putin won't risk facing an actual competent military but until there is
    a peace treaty, Ukraine can't join NATO.

    Do I really need to point out the obvious? There will NEVER be a peace
    treaty in which a rump Ukraine joins NATO. Putin's motivation has been
    to prevent Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO. He will never
    change his mind that threaten's Russia in the long term.

    Again, he thinks he's Catherine the Great.

    Right now, nobody _has_ to help Ukraine and without help, there's no
    way they can effectively defend themselves against Russia and as Russia
    is far larger with far more resources, they can maintain this stalemate
    war essentially forever.

    The longer the stalemate, the more likely political powers in Russia
    will conspire to assasinate Putin. I see no other future.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to suzeeq on Mon Feb 17 17:18:09 2025
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 11:06 PM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>>>>committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse >>>>>to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging >>>>its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're meeting tomorrow >>>to discuss the situation.

    Talk and empty promises won't help Zelensky.

    They've been sendimg actual help to Ukraine, so maybe they'll ramp that up.

    No one, not even the United States, has sent Ukraine adequate help to
    allow them to achieve military victories on top of military victories
    that would allow Ukraine to end the occupation.

    It's no skin off our nose; we aren't in Europe. But Russia permanently occupying Ukraine threatens the rest of central Europe.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From suzeeq@21:1/5 to Adam H. Kerman on Mon Feb 17 09:47:27 2025
    On 2/17/2025 9:18 AM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 11:06 PM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>>>>> committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse >>>>>> to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging >>>>> its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're meeting tomorrow >>>> to discuss the situation.

    Talk and empty promises won't help Zelensky.

    They've been sendimg actual help to Ukraine, so maybe they'll ramp that up.

    No one, not even the United States, has sent Ukraine adequate help to
    allow them to achieve military victories on top of military victories
    that would allow Ukraine to end the occupation.

    It's no skin off our nose; we aren't in Europe. But Russia permanently occupying Ukraine threatens the rest of central Europe.

    True, Ukraine hasn't received the help that would kick out Russia from
    their territory. But I hear there's talk of a European army forming and
    that may shake up Russia a tad.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to suzeeq on Mon Feb 17 19:38:24 2025
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/17/2025 9:18 AM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 11:06 PM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    suzeeq <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2/16/2025 5:24 PM, Ed Stasiak wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>>>>>>committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse >>>>>>>to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Europe was never on-board with helping Ukraine and has been dragging >>>>>>its heels the whole time

    Well they've evidentlty changed their minds, as they're meeting tomorrow >>>>>to discuss the situation.

    Talk and empty promises won't help Zelensky.

    They've been sendimg actual help to Ukraine, so maybe they'll ramp that up.

    No one, not even the United States, has sent Ukraine adequate help to
    allow them to achieve military victories on top of military victories
    that would allow Ukraine to end the occupation.

    It's no skin off our nose; we aren't in Europe. But Russia permanently >>occupying Ukraine threatens the rest of central Europe.

    True, Ukraine hasn't received the help that would kick out Russia from
    their territory. But I hear there's talk of a European army forming and
    that may shake up Russia a tad.

    That was Zelensky's speech!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Stasiak@21:1/5 to All on Tue Feb 18 06:04:25 2025
    Adam H. Kerman
    Ed Stasiak

    A Ukraine that's part of NATO would be protected by treaty from an attack by Russia, as this would mandate that NATO come to its defense and even Putin won't risk facing an actual competent military but until there is
    a peace treaty, Ukraine can't join NATO.

    Do I really need to point out the obvious? There will NEVER be a peace
    treaty in which a rump Ukraine joins NATO. Putin's motivation has been
    to prevent Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO. He will never
    change his mind that threaten's Russia in the long term.

    Neither Ukraine nor Russia may have a choice in this. The U.S. can't keep funding an endless unwinnable war for Ukraine and Putin doesn't want to continue being locked out of (most of) the global market while Russia
    expends blood and money in an endless unwinnable war.

    Give Putin Crimea and the Donbas for a peace treaty (Russia already holds
    them and Ukraine ain't getting them back) and Ukraine then joins NATO
    and the EU.

    Right now, nobody _has_ to help Ukraine and without help, there's no
    way they can effectively defend themselves against Russia and as Russia
    is far larger with far more resources, they can maintain this stalemate
    war essentially forever.

    The longer the stalemate, the more likely political powers in Russia
    will conspire to assasinate Putin. I see no other future.

    If it was going to happen it would have already happened but the Globalists
    on Wall Street don't want to impose a total embargo on Russia, which along
    with an endless unwinnable war, is what it would take to off him.

    But with a Ukraine in the EU, the standard if living will quickly rise, with the
    Russian people watching from the sidelines in their shitty run-down Commie block apartments, as China loots their country for raw materials.

    The Russian people will then oust Putin when they realize Crimea and the
    Donbas wasn't worth it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to Ed Stasiak on Tue Feb 18 06:10:46 2025
    Ed Stasiak <[email protected]d> wrote:

    Adam H. Kerman
    Ed Stasiak

    A Ukraine that's part of NATO would be protected by treaty from an attack >>>by Russia, as this would mandate that NATO come to its defense and even >>>Putin won't risk facing an actual competent military but until there is
    a peace treaty, Ukraine can't join NATO.

    Do I really need to point out the obvious? There will NEVER be a peace >>treaty in which a rump Ukraine joins NATO. Putin's motivation has been
    to prevent Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO. He will never
    change his mind that threaten's Russia in the long term.

    Neither Ukraine nor Russia may have a choice in this. The U.S. can't keep >funding an endless unwinnable war for Ukraine and Putin doesn't want to >continue being locked out of (most of) the global market while Russia
    expends blood and money in an endless unwinnable war.

    Give Putin Crimea and the Donbas for a peace treaty (Russia already holds >them and Ukraine ain't getting them back) and Ukraine then joins NATO
    and the EU.

    NATO in thw part of Ukraine that Russia doesn't occupy is a threat to
    Putin. If that happens and Ukraine integrates economically into Europe,
    then Putin lost.

    You're ignoring Putin's main objective for this war.

    . . .

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From The Horny Goat@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Fri Feb 21 22:59:47 2025
    On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:39:00 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    We know from recent history -- Europe not standing up to Russia's >>>territorial grabs -- is no kind of deterence to Russia's future >>>territorial grabs. That's the opposite of deterrence. That's >>>encouragement.

    Agreed. I wonder how long Putin will wait if he gets this agreement
    before he goes for more territory. I would not expect it to be more
    than a few years.

    Or... another country. Russia is surrounded by more non-NATO countries.

    This isn't even a practical method of getting the rest of Europe more >>>committed to the defense of Ukraine. Instead, it gives them the excuse
    to join the United States in abandoning the defense of Ukraine.

    Putin's ambition to restore the empire of Catherine the Great is not >>>being thwarted, and if it takes losses of another 600,000 men in
    battle, so be it.

    Agreed - it's 1937-1938 all over again.

    I just finished 'The Fire and the darkness: the bombing of Dresden,
    1945" https://nvdplib.ca.iiivega.com/search/card?id=5689abbf-8304-5935-b725-686d90935b32&entityType=FormatGroup

    The last chapter dealt with the post-war reconstruction of Dresden
    which had a section dealing with the end of East Germany (Dresden was
    in the former Soviet Zone) which including a fairly important section
    on the actions of the KGB during the dissolution of the German
    Democratic Republic (aka East Germany) and the role of a KGB officer
    named Vladimir Putin....

    No question Putin saw the Berlin wall coming down and drew his own conclusions...

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From The Horny Goat@21:1/5 to NoBody on Fri Feb 21 23:03:24 2025
    On Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:36:24 -0500, NoBody <[email protected]> wrote:

    In an idiotic "negotiating" strategy to end Russia's war upon Ukraine, >>Hegseth flat out said Ukraine wouldn't join NATO.

    He can certainly guarantee that for 2024-2028 since each current NATO
    member can veto the admission of any other state but once Trump leaves
    the oval office his successor may or may not choose to exercise their
    veto over Ukrainian admission to NATO.

    Whether there's still an independent Ukraine at that point is not of
    course guaranteed with Trump's tactics on Ukraine.

    Is he going to North Korea next?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From The Horny Goat@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Fri Feb 21 23:05:52 2025
    On Mon, 17 Feb 2025 07:06:06 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money >>>into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be >>>counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace
    treaty is made.

    Would Ukrainian EU membership without NATO membership be sufficient?

    No question Putin would be apeshit about NATO membership but what
    about EU membership?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From shawn@21:1/5 to All on Sat Feb 22 03:14:31 2025
    On Fri, 21 Feb 2025 23:05:52 -0800, The Horny Goat <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Mon, 17 Feb 2025 07:06:06 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money >>>>into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be >>>>counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace >>>>treaty is made.

    Would Ukrainian EU membership without NATO membership be sufficient?

    No question Putin would be apeshit about NATO membership but what
    about EU membership?

    Is that going to be easier to do? I'm of the impression that becoming
    an EU member may be more difficult than becoming a NATO member in that
    there a number of requirements the EU puts on a country before
    becoming a member. Though I'm sure he would hate either change for
    Ukraine.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to The Horny Goat on Sat Feb 22 16:49:14 2025
    The Horny Goat <[email protected]> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:36:24 -0500, NoBody <[email protected]> wrote:

    H.G., would you watch your attributions? You entirely snipped NoBody's
    quote keeping the attribution, while retaining my quote snipping the attribution.

    This is now the 5,725th time I've requested that if you retain a quote,
    you retain its associated attribution line. If you snip a quote, then
    also snip its associated attribution line.

    In an idiotic "negotiating" strategy to end Russia's war upon Ukraine, >>>Hegseth flat out said Ukraine wouldn't join NATO.

    He can certainly guarantee that for 2024-2028 since each current NATO
    member can veto the admission of any other state but once Trump leaves
    the oval office his successor may or may not choose to exercise their
    veto over Ukrainian admission to NATO.

    Whether there's still an independent Ukraine at that point is not of
    course guaranteed with Trump's tactics on Ukraine.

    Is he going to North Korea next?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@21:1/5 to The Horny Goat on Sat Feb 22 17:01:54 2025
    The Horny Goat <[email protected]> wrote:
    Mon, 17 Feb 2025 07:06:06 -0000 (UTC), Adam H. Kerman <[email protected]>:

    This is Ed Stasiak's quote. H.G. didn't retain my quote.

    So what's the solution here, the U.S. continues endlessly pumping money >>>>into a WWI-style stalemate war that Ukraine can never win?

    Ukraine needs to write off Crimea and the Donbas but this needs to be >>>>counterbalanced with Ukraine joining the EU and NATO once a peace >>>>treaty is made.

    Would Ukrainian EU membership without NATO membership be sufficient?

    No question Putin would be apeshit about NATO membership but what
    about EU membership?

    Putin's objective has been to tie Ukraine to Russia, both militarily and economically. Putin has interferred in Ukrainian elections in the past
    in a race between a pro-Russian incumbant and a pro-Europe opponent.
    That was to thwart Ukraine from joining the EU, not NATO.

    Putin makes no distinction between military and economic intregration
    into Europe.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From The Horny Goat@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Thu Feb 27 20:46:29 2025
    On Sat, 22 Feb 2025 17:01:54 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    No question Putin would be apeshit about NATO membership but what
    about EU membership?

    Putin's objective has been to tie Ukraine to Russia, both militarily and >economically. Putin has interferred in Ukrainian elections in the past
    in a race between a pro-Russian incumbant and a pro-Europe opponent.
    That was to thwart Ukraine from joining the EU, not NATO.

    Putin makes no distinction between military and economic intregration
    into Europe.

    Well I admit Putin's long term desire is for a 15 state Russian Empire
    (e.g. the USSR 1945-1991) and there is no doubt that Latvia and
    Lithuania in particular are enthusiastically NOT in favor of that
    objective - and both they and Estonia are NOT keen on accomodating
    Russians who do not speak the local language.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)