re: Putin Orders Third Troop Expansion Of War, Making Army 2nd Largest After China's

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NATO is the US military

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Framing: check

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Let’s get that out of the way. Y

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Let's not, because it's framing.

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You saying Putin doesn’t fear the US military setting up bases along its border when he told them that was the line not to cross? Mother fricker

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Putin has more "NATO" on his border today than pre-invasion.

As was pointed out earlier (not by me):

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So much so that his actions led to two long-standing neutral countries - one that has a longer and more indefensible border with Russia than Ukraine and another that is a pitching wedge from Russian territory, and who also both happen to be a hell of a lot more economically powerful and technologically advanced than Ukraine - joining NATO.

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*ETA: this is also ignoring the move by NATO countries in Europe to increase their military spending, too. Again, "more NATO"

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So we’d have an “unprovoked invasion” of a big country into a smaller country which is essentially bad? fricking retards.

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A blockade isn’t an invasion. The US never invaded Cuba although our CIA did facilitate an invasion of Cuba by Cuban nationals that failed miserably.

Besides Cuba is not like Ukraine. The entire crisis was brought about by Russia placing nukes in Cuba not soldiers.

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War causes disruption in global trade.

Disruption causes uncertainty. Uncertainty causes increase in the cost of doing business.

The reason why the global economy works is because of Pax Americana. That peace starts eroding and things get a lot more expensive for everyone.

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You’re correct about all of this but ignore that our strategy is to carve out influence for ourselves at the expense of Russia

Which I don’t disagree with in principle. It’s obvious that huge countries are looking out for their own self interests. But on the flip side you act like Russia is irrational when they are doing the same thing as us. The fundamental flaw is the US government does not give Russia any respect. Yes they are not as powerful as we are, but they are powerful enough for us to back off from time to time.

My biggest gripe with US foreign policy is we seem to have become incapable of deciphering the proper balance in these matters. Russia is not acting irrationally, we are just too arrogant to see their concerns

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Manpower has never really been their issue, imperial or soviet era.

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In the past, that’s always been how they’ve won. Use the vast territory and climate at their disposal and just overwhelm their enemies with wave after wave of troops. In wars of attrition, they’re unparalleled.

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This isn’t a geopolitical conflict to Russia. It’s an existential threat.

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Dude, Russia invaded their neighboring country and was not under any threat whatsoever of being invaded. What you say is total BS.

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Others in the OT thread have said that but not me. So I do not know.

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Why would girls in Minsk know about what is going on in Russia?

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How would they know whats going on in Kiev then?

Belrarus and Russia are besties

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You’re correct about all of this but ignore that our strategy is to carve out influence for ourselves at the expense of Russia

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The only reason Russia isn't at the table and benefiting from the new global economy is their inability to play well with others.

That's why the only way they can expand their influence is via exerting control over their neighbors (Georgia, Moldova, and now Ukraine).

This is exactly why Russia thwarted Ukraine's integration into the EU. Not only do they want to make Ukraine their economic subservient, but Ukraine joining the EU and ultimately surpassing the economy/SOL of Russia is a legitimate existential nightmare for a guy like Putin and the Russian zeitgeist.

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e you act like Russia is irrational when they are doing the same thing as us.

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We don't invade our neighbors to gain economic superiority over them.

We work with hem in mutually-beneficial economic/trade agreements.

Again, that's why we are so close to a country like Mexico today, organically.

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The fundamental flaw is the US government does not give Russia any respect.

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Well I mean....they're a declining county with major internal/demographic issues who purposefully, negatively affected their economy/SOL (I'm talking pre-war stuff).

Russia's only saving grace is they still have nukes.

They've always been a backwater and are returning back to that status. A backwater...with nukes.

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we are just too arrogant to see their concerns

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The concerns that Putin's invasion made worse? When NATO was not really an option for Ukraine prior to invasion?

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I take what a leader of a country says seriously

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No you don't. Do you take what Biden says seriously? Obama? GWB?

No. But you'll believe on of a known liars for reason to invade a sovereign passive nation.

As has been pointed out, Putin's aggression has put him in a much worse scenario. His borders with NATO countries has been severely increased. NATO has ramped up and shown support for one another.

These are facts. This has been a shitshow for Putin.

They will need them

To bad this is their last crop.

Russian lineage and ethnicity is going away and its going away forever within the next 30 years.