old salt wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:26 pm
You think Putin is the first malevolent Russian or Soviet leader we've had to deal with ?
Nope.
old salt wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:26 pm
We were allies with Uncle Joe Stalin ! Gorbachev is the only Russian or Soviet leader we could deal with & trust, ...& how did things end for him ?
Are you kidding? Lived a long, good life, and tried to take the KGB into the 21st century. Picture how much better off Russia would be had men like him run Russia all this time? Instead? Putin and his crew has kept Russia in the 20th century. All that wasted Russian talent, all so Putin and his pals could get a second or third yacht. Gorby gave hope to young Russians. All that has been piddled away by the ex-KGB Kleptocrats, and if you don't understand that, i don't know what to tell you.
old salt wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:26 pm
Yet you continue to expect Russian leaders to meet us on our terms, then you're surprised that it never happens.
I'm not expecting Russian leaders to meet us on our terms. I'm expecting Russian leaders to take their people into the 1st world by taking reasonable steps to get there. They have utterly failed to do so, by any metric. This attempted imperialism will set Russia back by at least a generation, if not two.
old salt wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:26 pm
So you babble on about their GDP while they continue to work around us.
Not my fault that you think that money falls from the sky to keep those planes you enjoyed, up in the air. It's SPECTACULAR that you think that the rest of Americans didn't have to bust their humps to keep you in the best planes the world had to offer. That money just appeared from Congress, right? GDP is unimportant for militaries....THAT is your assertion?
You're not this blockheaded. Just stop it.
You're doggone right I babble about their GDP, and it's spectacular that a man who never set foot in military school told YOU why that money is so important YEARS ago. And YOU didn't listen. How's that Russian Army doing today, OS?
Wheels came off that cart in a matter of weeks. Why? Because THEY DON"T HAVE THE MONEY to keep up with American money and arms.
Geez, you're setting a world record for stubborn. So yep, I'll keep explaining to you why you need money....until you pay attention, and understand why, and stop arguing just to argue. Concede the point that money matters. Lesson learned by Old Salt...and move on.
old salt wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:26 pm
You'll never understand that we are limited in what we can prevent them from doing, particularly in their part of the world.
Nope. I get it. What I"m telling you is that what "they are doing" with hacking and messing around with Ukraine is a complete waste of time, money, and now? 100,000+ Russian casualties, and counting. And for what? A damnable shame.