Hey Fester,
"Gosh AC, that sounds much like the argument that offering women access to birth control in developing countries equates to genocide."

- Which part of my rant were you referring to?

"Lets see if Ukraine can hold out for ten days. The Russian army will need to go hard, but it remains to be seen what the Ukranian forces have to stop them. I hope they can hold out."

The West has played Russia for a fool for too long, and they are drawing a line in the sand.
If Russia doesn't prevail, nukes being launched becomes a whole lot more a realistic prospect.

In that scenario, no-one wins, or at least not us citizens anyway.
(Those who start and forment this war will be in their bunkers while the rest of the planets inhabitants will have to hide under desks)
In my opinion nuclear wars already inevitable.
The West will not listen to Putin or care about his security concerns while they put nukes on his doorstep.

The US already has nukes stationed at Incirlik, Turkey.

I already don't like this war.
Russian mothers who won't see their sons again.
Ukrainian citizens who've lost fathers, kids and family.
No-one wins, we're all going to pay a price for this.
- Even if they both stop it right now, US warmongers will use this to keep pushing.

Somebody here mentioned 'Alea iacta est' a few weeks back
Now its my turn to do so.

I'm sure that right at this moment, people are running around and drawing up much bigger war plans.

Dear Yuyutsu,

I have read the speculation that Putin has Parkinson's. My dear wife has Parkinson's and takes medication 4 times a day to counter its effects. She is still the same wonderful person she is, and so far the effects of the disease express itself in occasional disturbing episodes. I would not wish the disease on anyone. Putin has family, and he knows a nuclear exchange would not be good for them. One can hope.

In his latest rant Donald Trump has called the US "stupid" and praised Putin as "smart". Members of his own party have described some statements from the American far right as boarder line treason.

Several of the more extreme posters on OLO have through mitigation and minimization attempted to justify Putin's actions.

Did Churchill describe Hitler as "smart" when he conquered France.

Paul, the timing of Putin's invasion in war tactics was considered smart as he picked a time when Ukraine was not prepared, and America was weak as per Afganistan exit. He knew America would not front up to fight Russian forces. If Putin decides to use nukes this will bring Western Nation nukes into war.

the West 'standing by' Ukraine,
ttbn,
The West has been in suicide mode for decades & Ukrainians were duped into thinking the West is the future !

Ukraine war: The latest
Ukraine's MoD says Russia has lost 5,300 soldiers, 29 planes, 29 helicopters and 151 tanks
Russia's MoD has for the first time acknowledged suffering losses, but refused to say how many
Russian economy entered freefall as Western sanctions put in place over the weekend took effect, with ruble sliding to its lowest level ever
Moscow's central bank has more-than doubled the interest rate to 20 per cent
Russia orders people and companies to sell 80 per cent of their revenue in foreign currencies, forcing them to buy the ruble to help prop it up
Moscow stock exchange won't open until at least 3pm in an attempt to head off all-out crash
Zelensky has allowed Ukrainian prisoners to be freed if they join defence forces to 'repay their debt'
President says that 16 Ukrainian children have been killed and 45 wounded in the four days since the invasion began
There have been 352 civillians killed