29 Comments

Russia needs to continue to press on until Ukraine's inevitable surrender. There is nothing to negotiate with Trumpster while Russia is destroying Nazi-led AFU forces at attrition rates of about 5 to 1. Remember that the US and its cuck proxy NATO and AFU forces have tried to destroy Russia economically by blowing up Nordstream and through sanctions. One could say that NATO's main function was to destabilize Russia and force it to concede its autonomy so that it could be torn apart to give up its natural wealth. That was then. Now Russia dominates and will determine Ukraine's fate and there's nothing that Trumpster and his European stooges can do to change that. Trump will find out that escalating to de-escalate will only strengthen Russian resolve to force Ukraine's unconditional surrender. Russia won't cave into Trump's buffoon theatrics. If Trump threatens to escalate so be it. Russia will escalate too. After all, the best way to defend against a bully is to knock him out. Russia knows it can't negotiate with the West whose central philosophy is to lie, cheat, and steal, and that might is right. There will be plenty of time for negotiations after Russia has destroyed AFU forces and determines Ukraine's fate as it deems fit. There is no alternative (TINA)

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Yes. The object of Putins SMO after all is to De-Nazify Ukraine.

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Wait till Latvia, Estonia, and lithuania start acting up once Ukraine is done. There heading down the same path as Ukraine if they keep escalating their oppression of Russian speakers.

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That is not the primary goal.

The primary goal is a security buffer zone between Russia & NATO- controlled by Russia so they can ensure it stays that way.

This buffer zone is the exact same size & shape as Ukraine.

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Just wanted to point out that “Trumps plan to escalate to de escalate” is mostly a neocon fan fiction, which appeared in the usual suspects (Times, The Economist), citing the usual unnamed “sources close to…”

In reality, nobody knows what Trump will do, and the statements from the actual people close to him contain little information besides “cut off the money”.

Like or hate Trump, but he does have remarkable political instincts. I’d wager that those instincts would tell him to wash his hands of Ukraine, point out that it’s Biden’s mess, and should the Ukrainians wish to talk peace, he’d be happy to mediate.

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Good point.

And even if "escalate to de-escalate"--ironically, a term which, up until now, has been employed principally to characterize an alleged Russian nuclear war doctrine--is somehow a real thing conceptually, what concrete form can it actually take?

Giving permission to Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with ATACMs, etc (and, significantly, needing to provide Ukraine with lots of ATACMs to make that a reality)? Taking law fare-related action against Russian "shadow fleets" on the high seas? Some new level of sanctions that for some reason has not yet been imposed that add significant bite?

What could/would Trump do that Biden has not done, given all the constraints on US policy?

It seems to me that if "escalate-to-de-escalate" is going to be cited as a real thing, then someone should start demonstrating--laying out the argument--that it deserves to be considered as such.

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Well, it looks like Biden has beaten Trump to the ATACMs deep strikes per the NYT:

https://archive.ph/6bOKn

Biden just wants to look a little tough as he exits office. The real question is how many ATACMs the Ukrainians will have at their disposal.

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In this case, I beg to disagree wirh the analysis.

It is true, that President Putin's comment also serves as a reminder to Germany that Russia is always open for a constructive dialogue.

But I also believe that the Russian Leader wanted to emphasize with his jibe, that he is not willing to take the current "traffic light" government of Germany at all seriously!

Scholz and his entourage of semi-educated fools and politclowns are facing the collapse of their regime with extra-ordinary elections only a few months before the scheduled regulars.

They have successfully ruined Germany's economy - not to speak of the economy - in favour if the US-led Anglofascists.

Nobody takes the "traffic lights" and their wobbly "coalition" seriously anymore (except perhaps Zelensky, as a means to pry yet more funds from this akready ailing nation).

In other words - Scholz and his troupe are lame - if not dead - ducks.

And remember - Wladimir W. Putin also clearly stated in this context, that he will not deal with vassals!

The implication, that the President's jibe is a diplomatic ruse to deflate a possible effect of Mr. Trump's "escalate to deescalate" initiative is - in my opinion - an overinterpretation of affairs.

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Yes, it's hard to imagine any move of real strategic significance coming out of the current German government prior to its impending demise.

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Joe Biden sent Scholz some fruitcake.

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Well, they are "comrades" - belonging to the same political party.

Fruitcake to a Fruitcake from a Fruitcake!

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Trump never said he would escalate to de escalate. False premise.

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Scholz is a puppet with less self-respect than a whipped dog.

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True, but even a narcissist has survival instincts when the consequences are staring right before him.

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Scholz is not a narcissist. He is a bitch.

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I doubt it will be interpreted and/or understood along these lines in Germany. Instead the quarrel between OMV and Gazprom is presented as "Putin stops illegally the provision of gas to Austria."

E.g. https://www.die-tagespost.de/politik/gas-als-waffe-art-257628

And as to the guy that pictures himself already as the next chancellor. I doubt he has enough blackrock-independent brain cells for anything. Sooner we will see Scholz doing something positive for Germany.

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As Elon Musk already said, Scholz is a dummkopf. Germany is being choked to death by US/NATO and is completely frozen. Time for a decisive leader and radical action, starting with the tossing of US military out of Germany, regardless of short term consequences. If the US can't find its way out of the neocon cult and begin to negotiate a way to a new status quo, even while lacking some new grand strategy, then Germany needs to take just the risk and start breaking glass. Russia should start preparing for a messy situation to emerge in Europe.

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Schulz will be gone come the German elections in February. Perhaps Putin is pointing out that idle pipeline Germany so desperately needs for the benefit of the next Chancellor, who will hopefully have more than 2 US-programmed brain cells to rub together.

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I think Putin clearly sees what a powerhouse germany and russia together would be. i think anyone and everyone must see it if they bother to look. the unavoidable conclusion is that america, way across the sea there, but thinking itself a 'global hegamon' is doing all it can to prevent this.

Is essentially what it is all about.

The Jews play a role, of course: the USA is apparently wholly owned by them via their cabinet nominations/installations, but that's no problem. Russia and Germany are also largely owned by them aren't they? So they wouldn't much care which powerhouses/where - they own them all anyway - all they want is 'from the river to the sea' followed by armageddon.

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"Biden" is being the bad-cop and escalating-for-Trump-to-de-escalate, no?

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The plans you speak of are not Trump’s plans.

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Biden Has Just Sentenced A Million US and EU NATO Troops To death!

Biden has has approved long range strikes into Russia, provoking an immediate military response from the Russian Federation that the Russian Federation promised and Russia keeps it's promises.

https://lloydhart.substack.com/p/biden-has-just-sentenced-a-million

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“The Clock Is Ticking For Russia To Achieve Its Maximum Goals In The Ukrainian Conflict”

American & western exceptionalist delusions.

The clock is ticking on the western financial system.

When it implodes the American empire & western era are effectively over.

The longer Russia drags this American proxy war out- the worse the situation becomes in & for Europe, UK & America.

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Germany needs to open up the pipeline now. It is the only way it can reinstate itself as the 'powerhouse of Europe'. Maybe then at least the rest of western Europe will stop shooting itself in the foot.

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Going back 100+ years, is Britain aiming to eliminate the competition of Russia or Germany? Yes.

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Going back about 140 years, more like trying their very best to prevent Germany and Russia from ever engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation and becoming firmly allied through interconnected economic interests. This used to be done as a preemptive strike against the rise of a future rival to their empire. Why they are still after this project when their (physical) empire is mostly dust in the wind for 50 years, we may conjecture.

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True? Nobody mentions that? Incredible. But, yep, I didn't see it anywhere... in my little sphere...

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The narrative is, gas is expensive because of russian malevolence. That removal of market restrictions made it more expensive long before the war in UA mustn't be discussed. Let alone talk about why Germany doesnt directly import russian gas anymore. We should not forget NS2 was never put to work in the first place. Our ruling classes dont want anything russian. They are going to stick to this until it is physically no longer possible. Their errand is to ruin Germany. No less.

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I read a contention that in fact Russian gas stopped being cheap before the destruction. Was that true in fact? I think not but I don't know. Either way I think it certainly was not cheaper than today's american LNG.

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