Ukraine Riots

[zyxt9]

Don't forget this spilled out of Syria. Russia was supplying Bashar al-Assad and we were trying to figure out how to support the other side while acknowledging the other side had groups that were more similar to al Qaeda.

you're absolutely right, which is why so little of how they are funded and their strategic logic makes sense. I've also considered possibility of the Tea Party types funding them, but they are too pro-US military for that IMO. really kind of leaves China (but why?) or the rich Muslims, but many of those are pro-West since the West provides them their lifestyle.

still Russia had to recognize how al-Assad was falling out of favor and hedged their bets with ISIS, maybe...??? after Egypt, Libya, etc...giving money along with strategic advise may have appeared to be the smart play to Putin,

 

[Michchamp]

Russia funding ISIS is interesting, but I've heard literally nothing about that. My understanding is that ISIS is self-funded through selling oil and such.

Russia was backing Assad, who ISIS is fighting... and we're now hitting ISIS, but only in Iraq. Politics makes strange bedfellows as they say. Anything is possible, but I can't imagine Russia backing both sides in Syria, knowing that it wouldn't be possible to limit their aid to ISIS in Iraq.

I still don't think they'd do it. They're already having enough trouble with Ukraine & the limited aid we've given them... they'd have to expect that if they started propping up ISIS, we could open the floodgates there.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Politics makes strange bedfellows as they say. Anything is possible, but I can't imagine Russia backing both sides in Syria, knowing that it wouldn't be possible to limit their aid to ISIS in Iraq.

I saw something about Iran fighting ISIS too. If anyone is thinking about backing both sides, it's us.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Someone is calling it a full scale invasion at this point. ABC isn't saying that, they're saying someone is saying it because news sucks. Either way, sounds like thing are escalating.

http://abcnews.go.com/International...e-prompts-emergency-meeting/story?id=25156827

Watching The Newsroom is making me even more sensitive to shitty reporting. Great show.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Someone is calling it a full scale invasion at this point. ABC isn't saying that, they're saying someone is saying it because news sucks. Either way, sounds like thing are escalating.

http://abcnews.go.com/International...e-prompts-emergency-meeting/story?id=25156827

Watching The Newsroom is making me even more sensitive to shitty reporting. Great show.

I have the Tigers game on. A getaway day game.

Derek Jeter just probably had his last major league at bat in Detroit.

Didn't Poo-in and the Ukraine dude meet yesterday anyway?

EDIT: I just turned on Newsroom, and it appears they have moved on to some Senator (probably male) telling Senator Gillibrand (definitely female) that he's into fat chicks.

 

[Gulo Blue]

I have the Tigers game on. A getaway day game.

Derek Jeter just probably had his last major league at bat in Detroit.

Didn't Poo-in and the Ukraine dude meet yesterday anyway?

EDIT: I just turned on Newsroom, and it appears they have moved on to some Senator (probably male) telling Senator Gillibrand (definitely female) that he's into fat chicks.

I mean The Newsroom, the HBO series with Jeff Daniels.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I mean The Newsroom, the HBO series with Jeff Daniels.

Oh.

Dude, that is so totally cerebe.

 

[Gulo Blue]

live map

don't know who is running this. Click the icons and the related tweeted picture appears in the sidebar.

http://liveuamap.com/?ll=46.849118508058964;36.234853515624984&zoom=7

 

[tinselwolverine]

The Prez keeps referencing Chuck Todd throughout this prezz conference..."as I described to Chuck...as I said to Chuck..."

Looks to me like dude has a full on mancrush...

 

[Michchamp]

live map

don't know who is running this. Click the icons and the related tweeted picture appears in the sidebar.

http://liveuamap.com/?ll=46.849118508058964;36.234853515624984&zoom=7

that's a useful map.

read a couple interesting articles as well, as to whether this can be contained any further, and what the end result may be:

http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2014/08/invasion

https://russiamil.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/russias-stealth-invasion-of-ukraine/

this article is on what the Germans are trying to do, and why the Polish are pissed off at being excluded from some talks: http://www.ecfr.eu/content/entry/co...ined_poland_in_ukraine_crisis_negotiations301

 

[Michchamp]

I'm in Ukraine now (last day, we head back to America tonight)...

we're not near any fighting (Donetsk is 130 miles to the east) but did have to drive through a Ukrainian army checkpoint on the way to my grandmother-in-law's farm in the country. they seemed pretty chill but did check every vehicle passing through visually. that obviously wasn't there last year.

you see a lot more Ukrainian flags as well, and I haven't met a single person that didn't support the Ukrainian government & the protests that knocked Yanukovich out of power earlier this year, which is much different... prior to all this, they seemed a lot more politically apathetic, and ambivalent as to whether their future would be better off closer to Russia or the EU.

 

[Gulo Blue]

UK sending troops. Only 75. For training.

https://www.kyivpost.com/content/ky...rope-by-sending-troops-to-ukraine-381775.html

 

[Michchamp]

UK sending troops. Only 75. For training.

https://www.kyivpost.com/content/ky...rope-by-sending-troops-to-ukraine-381775.html

i think this is a bad idea. so far ukraine has been more or less able to contain Russia in the Donbass region with their own weapons and the "non-lethal aid" we provided.

let Russia over-commit on their own, but don't escalate by directly providing weapons & advisors to train the Ukrainians. the analysis i read (and agree with) said right now the US should focus on improving the efficiency and transparency of the Ukrainian government. that would have a lasting effect.

 

[Gulo Blue]

right now the US should focus on improving the efficiency and transparency of the Ukrainian government. that would have a lasting effect.

You misspelled "American"

 

[Michchamp]

You misspelled "American"

Obama. derr. DERR.

 

[Michchamp]

Germany is apparently activating a panzer battalion in response to the situation in Russia. I read that they really don't have much more than a paper army, or at least didn't when this mess started.

also, a former Russian minister & opponent of Putin was shot dead in broad daylight, walking near the Kremlin.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Wow, Putin's primary opposition leader just got shot dead, CNN is reporting breaking news now.

I didn't catch the guy's, and right now they broke to a Purina dog food commercial. I'll catch the name on the other side of the break.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Wow, Putin's primary opposition leader just got shot dead, CNN is reporting breaking news now.

I didn't catch the guy's, and right now they broke to a Purina dog food commercial. I'll catch the name on the other side of the break.

Boris Nemtsov, that's the guy's name.

He also had a minor career as an actor; he was one of the lead guys in Chicago Fire, and was engaged to marry Lady Gaga.

She's going to be devastated.

 

[elrod817]

Boris Nemtsov, that's the guy's name.

He also had a minor career as an actor; he was one of the lead guys in Chicago Fire, and was engaged to marry Lady Gaga.

She's going to be devastated.

Terrible news...gonna miss him at the bloc party.

 

[Michchamp]

live map

don't know who is running this. Click the icons and the related tweeted picture appears in the sidebar.

http://liveuamap.com/?ll=46.849118508058964;36.234853515624984&zoom=7

bumping this map again, as shit looks to be heating up.

a couple weeks ago, the Ukrainian government began prosecuting some captured Russian soldiers as terrorists. I'd imagine that's not a huge deal legally, since Russia has consistently denied their troops are there, and they fight without insignia, etc.

but apparently that, or god-knows-what pissed the Russians off, and they're pouring tanks, artillery, etc. into the east.