Recent posts

#11

Off the Record / Re: Football (Soccer) Thread

Last post by Tamas - Today at 04:04:56 PM

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/21/mauricio-pochettino-leaves-chelsea-by-mutual-agreement-after-one-season

Gawd, just as I was warming to the guy. Seems like he wanted to be a more traditional manager while the leadership wants somebody who just takes whatever they buy for him and wins the PL that way.

I am afraid they still want to manage Chelsea like it's a baseball team.

#12

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Zoupa - Today at 03:51:57 PM

Blinken may say whatever, but the DoD and SecDef clearly said they don't allow it. So the diplomatic language is all nice and well, but State is not the one giving clearance on fire missions.

I don't understand this statement. The US military isn't operating the weapons in Ukraine, why would their clearance matter?  American foreign policy is conducted by the Department of State. State also runs the US arms export control regime. Blinken is the last word, unless the President intervenes.

Not sure if serious...

#13

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 03:32:06 PM

Wait people still take a Russian defeat for granted? Really? I stopped believing that after about a year. There's no way Russia is losing this war.

At the start of the war we were all talking about how we need to find a soft exit for Putin; something he can swallow and walk away with some pride.

Now we need to start doing the same for Zelenskyy.

I'm definitely not taking a Russian defeat for granted.  I might not even think it the most likely outcome.

But it is definitely possible.

Putin's own behaviour is what perhaps makes it more likely - he just won't accept defeat, keeps doubling down.  That tactic does perhaps increase the chance of an overall Russian "victory", but absolutely increases the chance of a total Russian collapse too.  We've already seen a hint of it in Prigozhin's mutiny last year.

A complete Ukrainian victory, including liberation of the Donbass and Crimea, together with the fall of Putin, is definitely a possible outcome.

#14

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Tamas - Today at 03:28:46 PM

A quote from the interview, which makes it very clear why we should stop taking a Russian defeat for granted.  It's the kind of foolishness that leads to bad policy decisions by our political leaders.

Wait people still take a Russian defeat for granted? Really? I stopped believing that after about a year. There's no way Russia is losing this war.

At the start of the war we were all talking about how we need to find a soft exit for Putin; something he can swallow and walk away with some pride.

Now we need to start doing the same for Zelenskyy.

This is the nonsensical defeatism I was talking about. At the weakest stage of Ukraine since the very start of the war, the Russians take a few villages in, what now, 3 weeks? And people act like a tank corp is racing toward Kyiv.

#15

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Josephus - Today at 03:18:09 PM

A quote from the interview, which makes it very clear why we should stop taking a Russian defeat for granted.  It's the kind of foolishness that leads to bad policy decisions by our political leaders.

Wait people still take a Russian defeat for granted? Really? I stopped believing that after about a year. There's no way Russia is losing this war.

At the start of the war we were all talking about how we need to find a soft exit for Putin; something he can swallow and walk away with some pride.

Now we need to start doing the same for Zelenskyy.

#16

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by grumbler - Today at 03:17:33 PM

Thank you for being you grumbler.

I'm sorry I bothered replying.

I find it weird that, even though you are a lawyer, you don't think that claims of fact should have an authoritative basis, and that I am wrong to ask for one.  Thanks for being so, so Languish.    

I'm sorry you replied, too.

#17

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 03:13:35 PM

Google is a thing, grumbler. This came from Zelensky's mouth, on tape.

Google shows no such claim, Zoupa, and you've provided no evidence that this is true.  "I saw it on Google" is not an authoritative cite.

Grumbles, perhaps you need to improve your google-fu, because I could find Zelensky's interview with ease.

Now maybe you're parsing Zelensky's words in some specific way (and there is some slight ambiguity on exactly what's going on with US restrictions on US-supplied weapons), but to just dismiss Zoupa for 'not providing evidence' is hardly fair when such evidence is, in fact, easily findable on google.

Zoupa's claim is that "the US the US placed restrictions on ANY western-provided weapons strike in russia proper. As in, if you use this SCALP or Storm Shadow to hit Belgorod, we will stop providing aid."  If your Google-fu has allowed you to find a Zelenzky statement that says just that, it surely would be trivial to provide a link.

Thank you for being you grumbler.

I'm sorry I bothered replying.

#18

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by grumbler - Today at 03:09:12 PM

Google is a thing, grumbler. This came from Zelensky's mouth, on tape.

Google shows no such claim, Zoupa, and you've provided no evidence that this is true.  "I saw it on Google" is not an authoritative cite.

Grumbles, perhaps you need to improve your google-fu, because I could find Zelensky's interview with ease.

Now maybe you're parsing Zelensky's words in some specific way (and there is some slight ambiguity on exactly what's going on with US restrictions on US-supplied weapons), but to just dismiss Zoupa for 'not providing evidence' is hardly fair when such evidence is, in fact, easily findable on google.

Zoupa's claim is that "the US the US placed restrictions on ANY western-provided weapons strike in russia proper. As in, if you use this SCALP or Storm Shadow to hit Belgorod, we will stop providing aid."  If your Google-fu has allowed you to find a Zelenzky statement that says just that, it surely would be trivial to provide a link.

#19

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 03:05:51 PM

Google is a thing, grumbler. This came from Zelensky's mouth, on tape.

Google shows no such claim, Zoupa, and you've provided no evidence that this is true.  "I saw it on Google" is not an authoritative cite.

Grumbles, perhaps you need to improve your google-fu, because I could find Zelensky's interview with ease.

Now maybe you're parsing Zelensky's words in some specific way (and there is some slight ambiguity on exactly what's going on with US restrictions on US-supplied weapons), but to just dismiss Zoupa for 'not providing evidence' is hardly fair when such evidence is, in fact, easily findable on google.

#20

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by grumbler - Today at 02:54:10 PM

Google is a thing, grumbler. This came from Zelensky's mouth, on tape.

Google shows no such claim, Zoupa, and you've provided no evidence that this is true.  "I saw it on Google" is not an authoritative cite.