Reports of explosions as Russian forces launch Ukraine military assault - targeting military infrastructure, aviation, and air defenses

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[–]StillLessons 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

"Invade" is still a strong word for what Russia is doing. As your comment notes, invasion requires occupation. Russia is certainly engaging miiltarily outside of the Donbass, but I don't yet see the evidence of sufficient manpower to actually put boots on the ground throughout Ukraine. The drain on Russia at that point would become unsustainable. Russia doesn't have the logistical capacity to act as the invaders of Ukraine you are painting them as. Putin - while a sociopath like all global leaders - has a documented history of acting in very controlled ways. He doesn't overextend himself. He does only that of which he is capable, and Russia is not capable of holding Ukraine against popular opposition. They can't do it, so he won't do it.

[–]Zapped 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

I never said invasion requires occupation. Putin has repeatedly lied about his intentions so far and the West, along with ALL the U.S. intelligence agencies have been proven correct. I was hopeful that Putin was saber-rattling, but he has proven himself to do what the West said he would do. As far as overextending himself, we'll see how that plays out. He is taking what he can get away with, and my guess is that he will stop only when he feels like he is about to go too far. If Russian troops continue to take losses, he may even loose more than he thought he gambled.

[–]StillLessons 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Your words:

The trend is that he will invade and occupy all of Ukraine and install a Russian-backed regime and stage military assets at the borders.

The Russians are cornered. It's one thing for us to talk about this from our secure spaces. This isn't happening in Canada or Mexico. Talking about Russia "taking what he can get away with" ignores the primal cultural fear the Russians have had for centuries of invasion from the west. That fear is well founded; Russia has been invaded from the west many times. The assumption behind western intelligence is that Russia is an expansionary empire-desiring construct. Please keep a map or a globe in your mind on this. Where is the fighting? Which side is far from home, and whose border are we talking about here? I do feel for the Ukranian people here; it's not their fault. But the Ukranian government has chosen to ally itself with an empire based out of North America who has no skin in the game. The Russians absolutely have skin in the game; ethnic Russians live in what was Ukraine, and the Ukranian government treated them like crap.

The knee-jerk "The Russians are the bad guys!" reaction in the west has been instilled in us for a century now, but do you really believe the Ukranian government - and most especially the US puppetmasters behind them - are innocence and light? This is not a simple, peace-loving bunch of hippies we're talking about. The atrocities committed from the Ukranian side are equally real as those committed by the Russians. This isn't "evil Russia" vs. Goldilocks. It's "evil Russia" vs "evil Ukraine, backed by Victoria Nuland".

[–]Zapped 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

You are making up statements and sentiments I have not said. Again, you are confusing invasion and occupation. While you can't have occupation without invasion you can have invasion without occupation. I never said that the West was innocent and that Putin is not scared that he is losing power over his neighbors. I was stating facts that Putin has acted exactly as predicted weeks ago. This helps make the case that he will continue on this path. You are welcome to your opinions about why, and I appreciate learning, but actions are actions.

[–]StillLessons 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

This is an honest question. I'm not trying to be asshole here, but the quote that I pulled from your comments, is that not your words? I'm trying to imagine what you're saying I made up? I still see those words under your name a couple of comments above my comment where I quoted them.

This has all been made moot, as I edited my original comments to acknowledge that Putin does appear to indeed want to eliminate the Ukranian government completely, but I'm just confused how it's from the quote I saw in your account that I came up with the word "occupy". I didn't make it up.

[–]Zapped 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I said, "the trend is to invade and occupy".

You said, " As your comment notes, invasion requires occupation."

I wanted to make clear that I thought the occupation would come after the invasion, like Crimea, and that Russia would not hit and run like they did in Georgia.

[–]StillLessons 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Thanks for clarifying. I appreciate it.

[–]Zapped 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

No problem, although you know more about the culture related to the geopolitics of the region than I do.