Phil1111

Yes trump's appointments haven't completely turned out the way he intended either. The dog and pony show currently underway is more to show to the respective bases. That they did their best for their supporters but were overruled by democracy.

Are you sure that you don't have some sort of deep sexual crush on her? You have a whole other thread on the go. Where her every breath is examined in detail. I thought you're happily married?

The fundamental reason why SC justices have lifetime appointments is the issue of separating justice from partizan politics. "“That was put into the Constitution to preserve the total independence of the judiciary,” said Meltsner, the George J. and Kathleen Waters Matthews Distinguished University Professor of Law. “Once a justice is confirmed and takes a seat on the court, they’re not beholden to anybody.” As such they can rule in accordance of what is fair, just and equitable for the society as a whole. So when the flavor of the day is attacking some group or issue. They can dissuade the state from such political heavy handiness.

The law is a horse's ass. In the last few years there has been a flood of laws emanating from mostly republican states. Anti-gay, anti-abortion, pro-gun rights, etc. All with the sole intent to throw red meat to the base. In case after case courts have struck them down. Thats concerning.

AFAIK he was just a graduate of the CDN sniper programs and a former sniper service member with Afghan experience. But he is Canadian so likely to spread terror in Russian ranks. CBC actually interviewed him the other day. He had a spotter with him, non Canadian. He was already in combat in the area north of Kiev.

Ah the Rule-of-law party!

Some cover their forked tongues with prosthetics. Which they use when kissing babies so as not to scare them. When throwing out red meat to their supporters. At times when their speeches are not heard by the public at large When they really get wound up and the lies-a-start to flowing. The tongue cap gets spit out.

Thats what I was thinking. He will be just like Edward Snowden. Who has expressed a willingness to return to the US. "Edward serves as the president of the Freedom of the Press Foundation Edward Snowden’s Twitter page states that he used to work for the government but is now a public servant. Snowden joined the board of the Freedom of the Press Foundation in 2014 and became its president in 2016. The Foundation aims to ‘protect, defend, and empower’ public-interest journalism in the 21st century. " President of a group thats essentially castrated in Russia. Yup a future there.

A split hair on the head of a politician is difficult to find. But there are some on occasion.

Evidently one of the January 6th trump insurrection "suspects" has returned to his homeland. I wonder how long it will take for some of the others to follow? Perhaps Donald will build a hotel there to accommodate them and make a buck. Jan. 6 suspect who fled U.S. granted refugee status by Belarus 'The man, Evan Neumann, faces several charges, including that he assaulted police officers when he participated in the riot."

With all the recent losses. Who is going to march in the May day parade?

I heard that as well. There was another report where the suits are packed away months in advance. Therefore coincidence. These cosmonauts aren't stupid people. IMO Bill's reference is most believable. Especially given that the several sources attributed the "yellow material" statement to the Cosmonauts themselves. One a Russian source.

Well it could also mean that the days of Russian cosmonauts is coming to an end. ESA Suspends ExoMars Mission, Ends Cooperation with Russia "Instead, the ESA will undertake a study to determine how it can launch ExoMars without Russia." Russia’s Loss of Rocket Launch Business Becomes SpaceX’s Gain "OneWeb, a British satellite internet company, turned to SpaceX’s rockets after canceling launches with Russia’s Soyuz vehicle over the invasion of Ukraine." One web is a direct competitor to Elon's 10,000 satellite space based web service. Russia says it will no longer sell rocket engines to the United States "ULA, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, uses Russia’s RD-180 engine to power its workhorse Atlas V rocket, " "Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket, which uses NPO Energomash’s RD-181 engine" Elon is rumored to say that he'll launch everything cancelled on a single Starship flight. While the value of SpaceX jumped $1 trillion overnight. Between SpaceX and skyrocketing EV sales. Elon is very happy.

86 replies to Hunter Biden's laptop. Attaboy Brent.

WTF! Damn skydivers complaining about turbine aircraft. Probably never had to deplane from a finicky radial acting up. Watched the day go by in a C182.

IMO the Russian conscripts have little motivation to pursue war. Hence the abandoned vehicles, tanks etc. Pilots are the senior officer core and they get paid far more. As such likely have greater motivations. The generals are leading from the front because Russian military doctrine is entirely top down flow of orders. Junior officers have no latitude to act independently of orders. Not meaning that the generals have to be on the front lines. But they draft the overall plan. Which must be followed. When problems arise they likely want to go to the front to see what the hold up is. To direct individual units. Western philosophy is to empower lieutenants to act. To take the initiative when maneuver for gain presents itself. The Ukrainian forces have adopted this leadership model. Which when combined with better weapons results in better success.

Thats a good summation of the facts. Russia is currently earning about a billion USD a day in its oil and gas exports. In the short term this is unavoidable and will likely prevent short term default. Perhaps even prevent default on external debt all together. Russia has internal payments to pensioners, military personnel etc. But those payments are in deflated rubles. Russian companies with external debt in USD may be SOL. The current brain drain of those who are afraid of Putin's clampdown. Who are now fleeing Russia are other casualties of Putin's actions. About four years ago in these forums I stated that Nord Stream 2 should be cancelled. Due to the risks to the west arising from that dependence. The risks that a very dangerous Putin could morph into. Now its war but at least the west has responded vigorously. The turmoil in energy markets has led to a spike in EV sales and demand. It will drive conservation and renewables in the EU. Hopefully aggressive new production elsewhere doesn't shortchange environmental conservation.

"on March 3, the Kremlin circulated a talking point to state-run media outlets telling them it was of the utmost importance to run Carlson’s commentary. “It is essential to use as much as possible fragments of broadcasts of the popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who sharply criticizes the actions of the United States [and] NATO, their negative role in unleashing the conflict in Ukraine, [and] the defiantly provocative behavior from the leadership of the Western countries and NATO towards the Russian Federation and towards President Putin, personally,” the 12-page document reportedly said, noting that Carlson’s position was that “Russia is only protecting its interests and security.”

It seems as if Ukrainian are jamming Russian military frequencies and or intercepting them. Some reports have been made to the effect that unscrambled cell phone calls. Located their whereabouts which Ukrainians then decided to send a couple troops to welcome them General Roman Gavrilov, the deputy head of the national guard, was arrested. Evidently President Putin didn't like the answers he received for failures on the battlefield. No reports yet as to whether he is deceased, yet.

An American who owns a MiG-29 isn't sure the fighter jets would help Ukraine much Above is an interesting story from NBC news. But it misses an essential element in the air campaign over Ukraine. The Ukrainian air force has been reported to be running between 5-10 air combat missions per day by manned aircraft. Russian and Ukraine both have active S-300 SAM systems in Ukraine now. With the possibility of "Slovakia’s defense minister on Thursday said the country would “immediately” provide its S-300 air defense system to Ukraine if it’s guaranteed a “proper replacement” in the near term." The Ukrainians who are operating Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones successfully now. Should be easy prey for Russian combat aircraft including armed helicopters. Easy prey for Russian AA systems. Yet they continue operations. Clearly Ukraine has the airspace control to de-conflict all of the above factors. Such that they don't shoot down their own aircraft. That they are avoiding Russian actions to shoot down Ukrainian air assets. This could be as a result of shared information from 24 hour AWACS aircraft operating out of NATO airspace on the western border of Ukraine.

"NARIMAN DZHELALOV: (Through interpreter) Today in Crimea there's an atmosphere of fear. Only that small group of people who are completely in love with Putin feel comfortable saying what they think. Anybody with a critical viewpoint will be rather afraid." from my earlier quote. Now that Putin is cracking down on traitors, scum and fifth columnists. I'm sure everyone in Crimea and the Donbas is 100% for Putin and war in general. er "Special military operations".

Russian locals in those two seized states may change their opinions when the only tourists are broke Russians. When the Russian state can't afford to prop up its various conquered sub-states. With lavish subsidies. Because Putin is spending his worthless rubles at home, on war reparations, rebuilding his military machine, etc. Educated Russians are fleeing the sinking ship. Eventually ordinary Russian nationalists will vote economics over a history of any greater Russian federation.

Agree Agree Disagree. Did you graduate from the trump school of international diplomacy and law? Ukraine didn't fight the annexation of Crimea and the Donbas because they had a military with no capacity to do so. They had a broken down army with outdated command procedures along Soviet lines. A communication system completely compromised by Russia. Few weapons. Since then NATO countries including Canada, US, Germany, Poland and others poured weapons, ships and training into the Ukrainian armed forces. Eventually Putin will be gone. With it the will of the right wing fascists in Russia to re-create the Russian empire. In the short term the rule of the jungle, the bigger bully will settle geographic boundaries law. Russia will pay a heavy price for Putin. Financially and politically. When Russians, the resident of Crimea and Donbas. See a successful Ukraine and a stagnating Russia. See the facts of the world. They will vote economics over pseudo-nationalism. Because the disinformation campaign of the Kremlin won't last forever. Because sanctions will bite and a 10-15% drop in GDP will hurt them.

You may have forgot a couple names. There was a vote today to sanction Russia by removing most favored trade status. Everyone voted for it except, Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Chip Roy of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Dan Bishop of North Carolina and Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Boebert said "H.R. 1708 had bad language that could lead to sanctioning 'human rights abusers' who simply hold traditional views of life and family and restrict access to abortion. The bill also does nothing to spur domestic energy production," Life, family and abortion obviously trumps foreign war criminals. With all the red meat the GOP gets fed I'm surprised that they haven't all died of cholesterol issues.