Can't Understand Why

[sandra4444]

Putin can murder, lie, cheat, threaten, be a war criminal. But when Biden says get rid of Putin the White house back tracks. Just don't make any sense to me. Biden said what needed to be said.

[ichkeria]

Absolutely

[sandra4444]

Its also very worrying that Ukraine are at this moment seem to be begging for more arms to fight this nutter off.
Considering how many countries supposed to be backing Ukraine, why should they be having the problems of shortages.
This in its self will just encourage Putin to press on.

[naomi24]

Do you advocate nuclear war, Sandra?

[sandra4444]

Sorry, but that's a silly question to put to someone who is not a nutter, unlike Putin.

What I do believe is not sitting on our backsides any longer watching women and children being slaughtered any longer.

[naomi24]

What would you do?

[ichkeria]

I think the weapons will get through.
Starstreaker missiles from the UK are being delivered: they fly at 3 times the speed of sound and release three separate payloads.
However they are not as east to use as javelins for example. Tho apparently they can train a Ukrainian operative to use one in three weeks using a simulator.
Slovakia has offered its S-300 air missiles for air defence if its own can be replaced. There really is no excuse for that not to happen.
For those who accuse Biden of being too gung-ho, he has so far refused to allow Poland to send fighter jets.

[wolf63]

Just because we see nothing being done to help end this war means nothing.

The diplomats and the military are hardly going to give a press conference telling the world what they are plotting and planning out of the public eye.

We don't need to know. It is a pity that this also means that the people in Ukraine do not see what is being done to help them.

Killing Putin might make the situation worse, it has to be his own people who get rid of him. And who is to say that the next guy is going to be any better?I

[ichkeria]

I've said this before but I am afraid this is a war which needs not to be ended but to be won.
There are no serious diplomatic efforts to end it, despite that President Macron may believe. Not yet at any rate.
There is too much at stake for either side. Unless the people on the Russian side for whom it matters so much decide to end it, or depart the scene, then it will continue indefinitely because there is no prospect that one can see of Ukraine ever accepting anything other than a total Russian withdrawal.

[jim360]

How do you propose winning it?

[ichkeria]

Well I don’t propose winning it personally.
That’s up to the forces in the ground.
It has to be won by one side or the other

[ichkeria]

Take President Zelensky’s latest proposals for example, namely a referendum on Ukrainian “neutrality” with security guarantees, put to a referendum.
It’s a non starter as everyone knows but he presumably feels Ukraine has to show it is open to dialog. But in a war of genocide there are no diplomatic solutions

[jim360]

In that case, what are the preconditions for Russia "losing"? Being driven out of Ukraine perhaps is enough, but on the other hand you might argue that this just allows Russia to try again in the near future, having licked their wounds, rebuilt their military, and perhaps made better plans. Is the War "won", then, if Putin or anybody like him is still in power?

[ichkeria]

I’d like to think the Russian forces were to be driven out.
That war Doyle be won and then yes indeed another might be prosecuted further down the line.
I’d suggest this is much more likely if there were to be some form of “settlement” on Russia’s terms. A “demilitarised” maybe divided country which would be a reminder of Russia’s failure to do the job properly the first time, with a guerrilla war most likely taking place.
If nothing else the war so far has shown the weaknesses of the Russian military. Even their air attacks are foundering. 70 missiles launched yesterday and 62 shot out of the sky

[naomi24]

I like this story. One example of dwindling morale. I hope it spreads.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10656603/Russian-soldier-surrenders-TANK-return-7-500-Ukrainian-citizenship.html

[ichkeria]

One of many fascinating stories Naomi that suggests Russia’s military cannot fulfil the aims of its leader.
Which makes you wonder at relations between the military and the Kremlin.
I’m not suggesting a coup is likely but there are strong rumours the defence minister Shoigu is out of action with a heart attack and Gerasimov the head of the armed forces hasn’t appeared for over a fortnight

[naomi24]

I was listening to Russians in Moscow being interviewed. They seemed to think the war is justified. One elderly woman said 'We wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't the right thing to do'. Such confidence in their cause and their leader! That's the power of propaganda for you.

[ichkeria]

Yes it is.
And let’s face it there are also some people who don’t need the propaganda but the story of how so many millions in Russia have been lied to and robbed over the past years is indeed tragic.
Small wonder Ukraine wants no part of it!

[Peter Pedant]

// Sorry, but that's a silly question to put to someone who is not a nutter, unlike Putin.//
god I thought this read:
Sorry, but that's a silly question to put to someone who is a nutter, like most people on AB are

and then thought surely not - read it again

seems to me that Z has conceded most of the demands....

[davebro]

PP - would it be possible for you to post a reply without including an insult to other contributors, or is that your main reason for being here?

[ichkeria]

One expert predicts Russia will disintegrate within five years as places like Tatarstan wonder why their oil is propping up the regime in the Kremlin.
And I’m sure I read that Azeri forces had entered Nagorno-Karabakh, threatening the Russian-backed status quo there.

Zelensky cave in to Russian demands?
Who said that?