Putins Dilemma / The World Waits

[On Balance]

So Biden has made the decision to allow Ukraine to use US weapons beyond the Russian border.

Putin has been quite clear on how Russia would respond should the Ukrainians receive the go ahead to use weapons inside the Russian border. He has so far made no comment, so we wait and see what this bully’s reaction will be.

Putin has not commented so far, though Russian politicians have shown their anger and said it will lead to escalation and there will be consequences. Shame they started the war and it is a shame they have escalated it numerous times while threatening that they and they alone are permitted to do so.

Putin however has a lot to think about. He has put the world in this situation. He is responsible for thousands of deaths. He is responsible for the rape of many women, men and children. He is responsible for other war crimes and responsible for kidnapping children.

The Russian tyrant has backed himself into a corner. It will be decisive perhaps on proving whether he is an absolute mad man or not.

Trumps people are saying he will likely overturn the Biden administration decision when he is sworn in. Perhaps another leader who is unbalanced. One thing is for sure, the world is unbalanced and is teetering towards something that no one really wants but with madmen in control was likely always going to happen.

[Dubbag]

So Biden has made the decision to allow Ukraine to use US weapons beyond the Russian border.

Putin has been quite clear on how Russia would respond should the Ukrainians receive the go ahead to use weapons inside the Russian border. He has so far made no comment, so we wait and see what this bully?s reaction will be.

Putin has not commented so far, though Russian politicians have shown their anger and said it will lead to escalation and there will be consequences. Shame they started the war and it is a shame they have escalated it numerous times while threatening that they and they alone are permitted to do so.

Putin however has a lot to think about. He has put the world in this situation. He is responsible for thousands of deaths. He is responsible for the rape of many women, men and children. He is responsible for other war crimes and responsible for kidnapping children.

The Russian tyrant has backed himself into a corner. It will be decisive perhaps on proving whether he is an absolute mad man or not.

Trumps people are saying he will likely overturn the Biden administration decision when he is sworn in. Perhaps another leader who is unbalanced. One thing is for sure, the world is unbalanced and is teetering towards something that no one really wants but with madmen in control was likely always going to happen.

It's striking how similar to the early 1930's it is today. Many think WW2 started after the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939 but in fact Japan started it going into 1933 with the invasion of Chinese soil. When you are living through history it is never quite the same as when you are reading history.
The Iranians for sure need to be dealt with as well as they are supplying a huge amount of attack drones to the Communist regime.Mean while the Communists in China are supplying huge amounts of sanction busting electronics to Russia and are closely watching. Putin is fcuked either way.....WW2 has still got a lot of unfinished business left over and some have enjoyed the past eighty years or so of peace as been cemented. It isn't and the final battle still lies ahead....

[regis80]

I?m by no means an expert on this. But going by the headlines of recent days:

Zelensky says when Trump gets in the war will be over sooner.. which is what I thought will happen.

Then Biden (who probably doesn?t know what day it is yet), allows zelenskyy to use their weapons on russia, in russia - and he?s about to leave to make way for Trump.

Just wtf? How?s this help the next government in trying to end the war?

[baggieal]

The answer to the question is:

Do you let a bully kick your child?s head in and if there?s retaliation they could burn your house down? No - you tackle the bully full on as my kids have always been told.

So do we let Ukraine be bombed to bits and their innocent people slaughtered because of a bully? No!

All retaliation should be like for like. Same with Iran if they are supplying thousands of drones then Israel should be sent thousands of drones to be sent into their country!

Like for like! Bullies should be brought down.

People like Trump and Putin though have had their lives so won?t have many years left to live. Pure selfishness how none of these old leaders who should retire gracefully don?t think of the younger generation who have lives to live.

Does it bother me about World War 3? Not in the 60?s but I do feel for my children and couldn?t care less about myself!

[Leicesterbaggie]

It’s always appeared ridiculous to me why Russia has been allowed to bomb Ukraine with impunity yet they’re not allowed to reciprocate in the same way. You never know, if Russia receives some of its own medicine perhaps it will make him less popular with his own people. Remember that I said only perhaps.

[kettering_baggie]

This just feels like it will spiral out of control. I will be surprised if the conflict doesn’t spread across Europe. No (so-called) leader has the brains or humanity to put a stop to the killing, as long as these tyrants crave military glory. Quite what glory is involved when many thousands of people are being killed and lives are ruined , I don’t know. I can’t immediately think of any warmonger in history that has had the common sense to step back from conflict. Napoleon effectively murdered thousands, Hitler, as we know, caused the death of millions and Putin it seems, is no different. Let’s see how this pans out.

[Dubbag]

Sweden, Finland urge residents to be ready for war. They have been sending out pamphlets to all households regarding possible future events.
It would have made more sense to have allowed Ukraine to hit deeper behind the Russian lines earlier because it may have saved life.
The munitions that can hit that far behind the lines are in very small quantities that are in Ukraine's possession. The longer range ATACKMS. are expensive enough per unit.

[baggieal]

This just feels like it will spiral out of control. I will be surprised if the conflict doesn’t spread across Europe. No (so-called) leader has the brains or humanity to put a stop to the killing, as long as these tyrants crave military glory. Quite what glory is involved when many thousands of people are being killed and lives are ruined , I don’t know. I can’t immediately think of any warmonger in history that has had the common sense to step back from conflict. Napoleon effectively murdered thousands, Hitler, as we know, caused the death of millions and Putin it seems, is no different. Let’s see how this pans out.

Putin is no different from Hitler and even now his murderous animals are causing havoc in African countries.

It should be all for one with NATO and countries like Slovak and Hungary should either get behind the alliance or be thrown out!

[westcountryvillain]

Biden has royally kicked Trump in the nuts doing this, if he really cared about Ukraine and the West he would have done this ages ago.

Putin is a brutal power crazed narcissist who is happy to silence anyone in his own country who dares to oppose him whilst he sits safely in his fortress - he is evil. I fear we are on the brink of an escalation that won't end until it burns itself out and the law of the jungle will apply, such is the destruction modern weaponry can inflict. The beginning of the end?

[Omegstrat6]

Putin has long warned NATO -and the US particularly -about the consequences of condoning the use of weapons that they have supplied to Ukraine against targets in Russia. It's been all part of his sabre rattling brinkmanship routine. But what, exactly, can he threaten that would not also cost Russia and himself?

The West has been-very understandably-keen to avoid an escalation of Putin's invasion of Ukraine but, ultimately, I agree with Baggieal. Putin is a bully and bullies only understand one thing- the threat of a bigger force against them. They cannot be genuinely negotiated with.

I'm sure the autocratic controls Putin already exercises, coupled with the power of his propaganda machine, would keep the vast majority of the Russian population onside, but the use of limited nuclear weapons on Ukraine, for example, would draw world wide condemnation and any attacks against NATO countries will only lead to a direct conflict that, for all his bluster, he wishes to avoid.

Certainly countries bordering Russia such as Poland or Finland are already gearing up for a fight and any attacks on them would, I am sure, lead to swift retaliation. As for the US, whilst Trump has made a return to a more isolationist foreign policy part of his MAGA mantra, any attempts by Putin to attack US assets anywhere will also surely reap only one reward.

The danger is that you cannot reason with mad people. Hitler was mad, Stalin was mad. "Little Rocket Man" is mad. They don't really care about their own people, they are narcissists and likely psychopaths. But such individuals do not play well together and for all the united front that they may put on against perceived common enemies, there remain marked divisions between Russia, North Korea, Iran and China.

Putin is certainly a bully, but I don't think he is as mad as the aforementioned and Xi Jingpin, despite a similar desire for personal power, is not stupid and is doubtless mindful of China's continued reliance on trade with the West. These two factors alone may give hope to an avoidance of a potential WW3. Much as I hate to say it, the very unpredictability of Trump may also help prevent further escalation. Putin probably had a pretty good feel for how far he could push Biden but the Orange One is another matter.

Worrying and dangerous times but we have been here before. Let's just hope that we can learn from history.