Yep. It's something people say when they desperately want someone to do something but they have no conviction behind their threats because....they actually are bluffing.
It is, but it’s still deplorable that Putin and propagandists on Russian TV talk openly about nuclear warfare, about bombing London or Berlin. There is room for miscalculation and we cannot encourage Ukraine to attack Russia itself, which is why Kiev has been denied certain weapons.
The point of the referenda to be held in the regions 'liberated' by Russian troops is so that Putin can then declare any attempt by Ukraine to recapture them an 'open attack on the Russian Motherland' thereby justifying whatever escalation he cares to implement. There will be no chance of fully-fledged UN condemnation of the referenda; such as China would use the same pretext in Taiwan, so would not support any UN motion condemning them. Once Putin has declared the Donbas, Kherson & the corridor linking them as 'Russian territory by the popular will of the inhabitants' he may well feel his 'Special Military Op' has achieved its aims; or at least, he will be able to spin it that way to the domestic audience. Erdogan saying only a couple of days ago that Putin wants to 'end the war soon' makes a bit more sense in the context of these referenda being held simultaneously with fuller Russian mobilisation.
Veeeery interesting series of tweets (with lots of links): https://twitter.com/MarkHertling/status/1572571676524838915
Interesting to see what the Mufi's sermon will have on the cannon fodder (serving and recently called-up) from the various 'stans: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/xoko1u/deputy_mufti_of_the_crimean_muftiat_makes_an/
Mystery leaks in the Nordstream 1 & 2 gas pipelines: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63044747 Sabotage? And if so, by whom?
Sweden and Denmark now saying their seismometers detected 'blasts' around the time of the pressure drops. Moscow playing dumb at the moment.
Give them time to investigate. I'm sure it'll turn out that Nordstream 1 and 2 simply fell out of a window.
Almost certainly Donald Trump. Here's Biden explicitly promising to do the exact deed a few months back... Geese. Imagine if the world had listened to Trump's warnings, or if Biden hadn't cancelled Trump's restrictions, intended to prevent this type of situation arising, on Nordstream. But this thing about Biden wanting Russian regime change is all just a load of Fox News talking points. And at least he's not Trump.
Geese? Can they really dive down that far? Seriously though I don’t rule out the Americans being responsible.
Are you saying that Joe Biden doesn't specifically say that Nordstream will be taken out? Are you saying Fox News deep faked that video? As long as we know where you are coming from. Like I say, you make my argument, that some people are so deranged by opposing opinions they would rather disregard reality than accept they may be being led, far better than I do. It is far easier to fool someone than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
I've been reading about these "Biden did it" theories on Twitter. Not, as you say, impossible but it doesn't sound very likely. If found out the Americans risk alienating their NATO allies in Europe just when they may need them the most. I've seen a clip where Biden says he will "bring an end" to Nordstream 2 if Russia invaded Ukraine. This, of course, has been interpreted by some as being a "smoking gun" proof that Biden is behind the "sabotage". What he probably meant was that the project would be halted, which it was. It, and Nordstream 1, were no longer carrying natural gas at the time of the alleged attack (there is apparently methane being released which is used as a "holding gas" when the pipes are not in use). It's difficult to see a reason for either side to attack the pipes. Why would the US attack them if they were not even in use? Why would Russia attack them when it will make supplying the west harder in the future? Overall I think, if it is sabotage, it's much more likely it's Russia sending a message to the West that their infrastructure, especially in international waters, is not safe. Biden, or even a US black op, would be risking far too much for very little gain to be behind it imho.
A few theories pointing towards Russia, that it has form for simply destroying stuff and causing chaos to wrong foot opponents, that it is a pretext for its warships to patrol the Baltic ‘protecting’ its assets and lastly, that this relieves internal pressure to keep selling the gas and thereby keep the pressure on Western Europe. But both Russia and US are capable of the most shady ****.
As you say, I can't see many upsides for either side really but any there are probably favour the US by a smidgen given they're not dependent on the pipeline and the bulk of any replacement will be shipped to Europe from the US. That's not to say I think they did it. Or rather, if I thought they did, there's as much chance Truss signed off on us doing it! I suspect all the interested parties have a very good idea whodunnit anyway. There's plenty of surveillance that goes on in the Baltic region given one of the major Russian fleets routinely uses it.
Right. Which was the bit where you made fun of me? I saw the bit where you made yourself look like a left wing "Carlson is evil", "Fox News Rule The World" conspiracy nut.
You are making up stuff I didn’t say again. It’s a bad habit. I merely posted a picture of a confused looking Tucker to suggest the confusion in the minds of people who take that leap. But don’t confuse me with someone who wants to debate it with you.
Comrade Hooterski, I feel, would have confidently called Pearl Harbour a Roosevelt false flag ops for the Dems. Racist Dems! Blaming the Japanese!
Is it all getting to you mate? Don't worry. It's only a forum... The quote. Joe Biden: "There will be no more Nordstream 2. " Reporter: How will you do this? Biden: "I promise you. We will do it." That's your preference for leader of the free world. I expect no debate from you. Only evasion, denial, insults and attempts to ban me for disagreeing with you. And you never dissappoint.
Thanks Moose. The insight into what your life consists of is most revealing. Never forget that I enjoy this.
EU confims it was sabotage on the Nord Stream pipelines. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63057966 Russia all but confirms it was them: Strange thing to say when no one has officially accused Russia of being the culprits.
Strange thing for you to say when everyone is accusing them unofficially. I mean. Saying “but no one has actually attempted to escalate this to open warfare” seems a peculiar way to prove that it must have been the Russians.
Racist Dems benefitted from slavery, fought a war to protect their investments in slaves, created the KKK not once but thrice, legislated Jim Crow laws to seggregate blacks and whites in the US, savagely fought the Civil Rights laws (even attempted to philubuster their introduction) then fought to retain their Jim Crow laws even into the late seventies, when Joe Biden, as described by his VP, Kamala Harris, opposed her being bussed from poor areas to better schools, and now they are ruled by racist ideologies such as CRT, and get upset when immigrants turn up on white populated islands with hundreds of thousands of empty beds, and get them removed by the military as quickly as possible; something you chose to defend. Yes. The Dems are racist. Historically and contemporarily. And you openly support them. That in no way makes you racist, but it does cast many doubts on the sincerity and accuracy of certain arguments you make. Thems the facts. No conspiracy. No lie. What are the facts you rely upon to condemn Trump and the Republicans as racist? Remembering that the people the Dems were struggling against were predominantly Republicans - a party that was formed in part to abolish slavery. Everyone seems to know for a fact that they are racist, but no one seems sure of the reasons why. Unlike with the Dems.
As you say, there is lots of surveillance in the waters, as a key Russia-Europe shipping lane and a key position for NATO defence. I think rationally, the person who did it was the person who was least concerned about being found out. EU security officials spotted Russian Navy support ships in the area around the time of the sabotage (which provide support to submarines). If the US did it, then it would surely be in collaboration with other European/ Nato countries. The theory that makes the most sense to me is that Putin did it to stop potential revolts against him. His greatest threat is inwards, hence the West's strategy. As long as the pipes exist and Russia's economy depletes, there will be a lot of support (especially among oligarchs) for a replacement who can instantly come in, stop the war and turn on the taps. In one stroke, he's taken away a source of potential uprising by attacking a pipe which is unlikely to be re-used as long as Putin is in charge, made it look to his country that his infrastructure is being attacked, proven he can attack key Western undersea infrastructure and caused a fairly substantial and expensive environmental problem for Europe to deal with. The only other logical alternative I can think of is that the EU and US collaborated to quell potential unrest in the winter, by removing a quick way of buying Russian gas. But Russia doesn't want the money from gas, else wouldn't have turned off NS1 in the first place, rather favouring political unrest (see Italy). I also think the ideal scenario for Biden is that the Russian's topple Putin and start selling gas to Europe again.
