Joe Caves to Putin

[pecksniff]

Yeah? So why did Chocolate Jesus wink as Putin took the Crimea?

Possibly because its population is 84% Russian, 3% Ukrainian, and it was part of Russia before 1954.

 

[Bud_Spencer]

Whether Ukraine officially grants those areas "autonomy" or not makes no difference in where it goes next.

The West folding like a house of cards green-lights Putin for the next bite of Europe. He'll know NATO is a paper tiger.

 

[pecksniff]

Will Joe get all Americans out of Ukraine in time?

I seem to recall you complaining, not long ago, that he was putting plans in place to do exactly that.

 

[Bud_Spencer]

I seem to recall you complaining, not long ago, that he was putting plans in place to do exactly that.

That'd be a first, no? Isn't the SOP to abandon folks in-theater?

 

[pecksniff]

The West folding like a house of cards green-lights Putin for the next bite of Europe. He'll know NATO is a paper tiger.

We know he doesn't want anything that was never part of the USSR (and for some reason he can't even manage to reannex Belarus, with its extremely Russia-friendly government). It does not really matter very much if he gets it all, and no other country need worry. Even during the Soviet days, the Warsaw Pact countries were a regrettable headache to Moscow.

 

[Bud_Spencer]

We know he doesn't want anything that was never part of the USSR (and for some reason he can't even manage to reannex Belarus, with its extremely Russia-friendly government). It does not really matter very much if he gets it all, and no other country need worry. Even during the Soviet days, the Warsaw Pact countries were a regrettable headache to Moscow.

So just Belaus, Ukraine, theBaltics, and the assorted -stans in the South?

Anything else?

 

[pecksniff]

So just Belaus, Ukraine, theBaltics, and the assorted -stans in the South?

Anything else?

Nothing else. Finland and Poland were part of the Russian Empire, but I don't believe Putin has any interest there.

And given the present state of the -stans, they certainly would be no worse off as part of Russia.

 

[Bud_Spencer]

Nothing else. Finland and Poland were part of the Russian Empire, but I don't believe Putin has any interest there.

And given the present state of the -stans, they certainly would be no worse off as part of Russia.

Stalin heloed Hitler rape Poland in1939. Any reason Vlad wouln't want that, too?

 

[JohnnySavage]

We know he doesn't want anything that was never part of the USSR ...

The the world will rest easy at your proclamation.

 

[pecksniff]

Stalin heloed Hitler rape Poland in1939. Any reason Vlad wouln't want that, too?

Like I said, the Warsaw Pact countries were a headache to Moscow. Putin wouldn't want to repeat that mistake.

 

[Bud_Spencer]

Like I said, the Warsaw Pact countries were a headache to Moscow. Putin wouldn't want to repeat that mistake.

Russia still wants that cordon sanitaire between it and NATO. Don't be so sure.

 

[Rightguide]

I seem to recall you complaining, not long ago, that he was putting plans in place to do exactly that.

Yeah, but he planned Afghanistan as well. So the question remains.

 

[pecksniff]

Believe it or not, Russian expansionism is not simply a matter of one megalomaniac strongman's ambitions, but would actually be in response to grassroots popular pressure. A lot of Russians "want the old borders back."

 

[Rightguide]

Believe it or not, Russian expansionism is not simply a matter of one megalomaniac strongman's ambitions, but would actually be in response to grassroots popular pressure. A lot of Russians "want the old borders back."

Most of those people are older Russians who remember when the state was taking care of them. Remember as well what generation it was who brought down the Soviet Union and Putin's KGB. It wasn't the old people.

 

[pecksniff]

Most of those people are older Russians who remember when the state was taking care of them. Remember as well what generation it was who brought down the Soviet Union and Putin's KGB. It wasn't the old people.

Well, you're not gonna see any of the latter generation marching with "Hands Off Ukraine!" signs.

 

[Rightguide]

Well, you're not gonna see any of the latter generation marching with "Hands Off Ukraine!" signs.

They don't want to be killed in the street by Putin's thugs.

 

[pecksniff]

The West folding like a house of cards green-lights Putin for the next bite of Europe. He'll know NATO is a paper tiger.

Why does a Cold War institution like NATO still exist, anyway? It would make sense for the U.S. to pull out of it, and turn what remains into the military arm of the EU.

 

[pecksniff]

They don't want to be killed in the street by Putin's thugs.

There have been public demonstrations under (and against) Putin's rule, without the demonstrators killed in the street.

 

[Rightguide]

There have been public demonstrations under (and against) Putin's rule, without the demonstrators killed in the street.

Others disappear.