re: How many of you will be upset if/when Ukraine thwarts Russia?

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You think because Russia has Nukes and Ukraine doesn't, that Russia would use Nukes against Ukraine?

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No.

If Ukraine had nukes, Russia wouldn't invade out of fear Ukraine would use them.

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They'd do that because they assume the US and NATO "would be too big of pussies to do anything to them"?

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If Russia destabilizes the world to the point of using nukes, all bets are off in terms of response.

Russia may be ending the world with this insane course of action. I'm not disagreeing.

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You don't think street level Americans have been affected by the higher gas prices as a result of the Russian invasion?

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Are you a full believer in #Putin’sPriceHike?

I don’t really give a flying frick what happens over there as far as winners and losers. I would prefer to see less loss of innocent life. The United States could help realize that goal by cutting off the flow of taxpayer money and weapons. The U.S. and UK could also mind our own business by butting the frick out and encouraging both sides to come to the negotiating table instead of actively working to prolong the war.

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Yet you don’t fear Putin would use them, which I find odd.

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We aren't invading Russia so it's not comparable

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but war for Ukraine is still worth that danger

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If opposing Russian invasion of a nation that didn't pose any threat to Russia isn't worth the risk, what is?

I ask for the fifth time I believe.

NC just avoided answering when given 2 chances

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Are y'all happy with having to spend so much of the SPR to keep oil prices at a level that doesn't destroy our economy?

The oil costs alone of this war are almost assuredly larger than what we've sent Ukraine. Imagine that in perpetuity.

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The rise in oil and prices are the direct result of Mr. Biden's energy policies. It has nothing to do with Russia.

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The rise in oil and prices are the direct result of Mr. Biden's energy policies. It has nothing to do with Russia.

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It's both. Biden for sure could have helped maintain policies that would help with gas prices moving forward.

He has, likely stupidly, drained our SPR to keep prices lower

I would argue the situation can’t be dismissed.

Putin’s view of Russia’s security and survival exists within this realm.

I know you dismiss Russian concern over NATO growth and encroachment as a mere talking point but I cannot express how fundamentally wrong you are in that commitment. It is a very real fear, rational or irrational, in the minds of Russian power players and ordinary Russians as well. And it runs deep.

Not only do ordinary Russians I know have a strong distrust of NATO but I will also relay a little csb right now. Back in the 90s I had the opportunity to have a sit down with a Russian general in England (semester abroad). It was a small gathering, about 20 people if I correctly remember. The discussion revolved around Russia and its then current financial issues and future with the West, etc. I asked him what he thought Russia’s greatest challenge was. He pulled out a map and unfolded it, held it up, and said “NATO.” On the map were marked all of NATO’s bases in Europe. “NATO is surrounding and suffocating my land. You should give thanks America is where it is. What we would give to have only Canadians and Mexicans near us. Don’t quote me, I don’t want to offend Canada and Mexico.”

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Russia has significant interest in land buffers.

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But that's a terrible argument. The chance of a land invasion from the Eastern European Plain into European Russia is so remote that it beggars belief. The Russian elite are fearful of it, but there is another side too, as in what situation would actually spark an invasion that would make a buffer necessary. Not only that, given that Finland and Sweden are going to join NATO (despite Turkey's protestations, because the Turks just want some other concession), the security situation is such that Russian access to the Baltic is limited, to Kaliningrad is limited, and to the Med is limited by NATO powers, in addition to having a 800 mile border region added to the border on the European Plain.

The problem is that the Russian elite are always looking backward while everyone else has moved forward.