ALERT RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE - Consolidated Thread

Heliobas Disciple

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
vector7 said:
BuzzFeed News, quoting source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: “Americans are safer in Kyiv than they are in Los Angeles ... or any other crime-ridden city in the US.”
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1485687711704965127
View: https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1485687711704965127?s=20
Click to expand...

www.buzzfeednews.com

Some Ukrainians Are Angry About Washington Ordering Diplomats’ Families To Leave The US Embassy

“Quite frankly these Americans are safer in Kyiv than they are in Los Angeles ... or any other crime-ridden city in the US,” said a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
www.buzzfeednews.com www.buzzfeednews.com
(fair use applies)

Some Ukrainians Are Angry About Washington Ordering Diplomats’ Families To Leave The US Embassy
“Quite frankly these Americans are safer in Kyiv than they are in Los Angeles...or any other crime-ridden city in the US,” said a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
by Christopher Miller
Reporting From Kyiv, Ukraine
Posted on January 24, 2022 at 5:40 pm

KYIV – Ukrainians expressed confusion and anger Monday over Washington’s decision to authorize the voluntary departure of government employees from Kyiv and order the mandatory withdrawal of family members of US embassy personnel.

The decision announced by the Department of State cited the “threat of Russian military action.” It comes as a staggering number of Russian soldiers with heavy weaponry continue to arrive at areas along the Ukraine border, moves that President Joe Biden has warned may be preparation for a new invasion.

The Ukrainians, however, have been more cautious in their assessment of the situation, with current and former national security and defense officials saying they don’t recognize Russia’s latest military buildup as anything out of the ordinary.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “does not think there’s any remotely imminent threat to Kyiv” at the moment, a source close to the president told BuzzFeed News on Monday, reacting to the partial US withdrawal.

“The fact that the US was the first one to announce this” — this being the voluntary departures and mandatory withdrawals — “is extremely disappointing and quite frankly these Americans are safer in Kyiv than they are in Los Angeles ... or any other crime-ridden city in the US,” said the source.

The source close to Zelensky said the president’s office viewed the US move as “utterly ridiculous” and symbolic of what it views as “US inconsistency.”

“On the one hand, [Washington tells Ukraine] how we should democratize. We stand with you. It's your right to determine to join the West. We will stand with you against Russian aggression,” the source said, mimicking messages of support from the US to Ukraine in the past. “Then Russia turns up the temperature and they’re the first to leave.”

The State Department and US Embassy didn't immediately return a request for comment.

Zelensky has tried to keep Ukrainians calm and to avoid panic as warnings from Western governments reverberate in Kyiv. In a televised address to the nation last week, the president told his people, “What’s new? Isn't this the reality for 8 years? Didn’t the invasion start in 2014? Did the threat of a large-scale war appear only now? These risks existed…they haven't become bigger. The excitement around them has grown.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it has noted the US decision but felt it was too soon.

“While we respect right of foreign nations to ensure safety & security of their diplomatic missions, we believe such a step to be a premature one & an instance of excessive caution,” tweeted Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko.

“There is a lot of misinformation, manipulation, and fakes in the Ukrainian and international media to spread panic among Ukrainians and foreigners, scare business, undermine the economic and financial stability of our country. … It is important to soberly assess risks and remain calm,” he told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Another Ukrainian government official told BuzzFeed News that the US move risked causing confusion in Ukraine and could lead some people here to wonder whether their government is keeping information from them or downplaying the Russian threat.

The State Department said its decision was made “out of an abundance of caution due to continued Russian efforts to destabilize the country and undermine the security of Ukrainian citizens and others visiting or residing in Ukraine” and that the Ukrainian government had been consulted about the step. A senior State Department official said there had been no new intelligence gathered in the past 24 hours that prompted the move.

The UK’s Foreign Office announced a similar move shortly after the US announcement. And diplomats from other Western embassies in Kyiv who spoke to BuzzFeed News anonymously, because they were not authorized to discuss internal matters, said their governments were also considering the withdrawal of staff and/or family members of employees in Kyiv.

“Some Embassy staff and dependants are being withdrawn from Kyiv in response to growing threat from Russia,” the UK’s Foreign Office announcement reads. “The British Embassy remains open and will continue to carry out essential work.”

The US decision has also frustrated some of those whom it affects. The spouse of one US embassy employee told BuzzFeed News Monday that they were told to look for commercial or private travel out of Ukraine within the next 7 to 10 days and that if they couldn’t return, the embassy would pack up and send their belongings to them in the US at a later time.

They were not told if or when they would be able to come back, the family member said.

.
 
Heliobas Disciple

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
www.dailymail.co.uk

Total unanimity: Biden hails meeting with European leaders on Ukraine

President Joe Biden said on Monday that he and European leaders had 'total unanimity' about the situation in the Ukraine - although he declined to provide more details on what they agreed upon.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

Biden orders 8,500 US troops to prepare to DEPLOY to Eastern Europe to fend off Russia: President could send up to 50,000 soldiers to NATO allies over Ukraine invasion fears and will talk to European leaders at 3pm about his plan
By Elizabeth Elkind, Politics Reporter and Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor and Katelyn Caralle, U.S. Political Reporter and Chris Jewers and James Gordon For Dailymail.com and Chris Pleasance for MailOnline
Published: 22:31 EST, 23 January 2022 | Updated: 16:32 EST, 24 January 2022

  • The Pentagon announced the 8,500 troops are US-based and stressed there was no plan to deploy them at this time, but that they would be ready in case the NATO Response Force was activated
  • 'It’s very clear the Russians have no intention right now of de-escalating,' DoD spokesman John Kirby said
  • White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that an alleged coup plot by Russia to overthrow Ukraine's leadership would be a 'severe escalation' at her daily briefing on Monday
  • A new report reveals Joe Biden is finalizing his plans to deploy U.S. forces to Eastern Europe
  • Several U.S. officials told CNN the administration is in the final stages of identifying which military units to send to deter Russia and is preparing deployment orders
  • Biden will hold a Situation Room video call with European partners and allies Monday at 3 p.m.
  • The Ukraine Foreign Ministry's spokesperson criticized the U.S. State Department's decision to withdraw some embassy staff and families in a Monday morning Twitter post and called it 'premature'
  • President Biden is considering deploying several thousand American troops together with warships and aircraft, to NATO ally countries located in the Baltics
  • Both the United States and United Kingdom are set to withdraw some diplomats from their embassies in Kyiv
  • The European Union has said it will not yet pull its diplomats from Kyiv and warned against 'dramatizing' the situation as other Western governments begin to cautiously evacuate their citizens
  • During a meeting at Camp David over the weekend, Pentagon officials outlined various options to Biden
  • Options would see American military might move a step closer to Russian border
  • Among strategies being considered, between 1,000 to 5,000 troops could be relocated to countries in Eastern Europe
  • There would also be a potential to increase to 50,000 should the need arise
  • None of the military options would see the deployment of additional American troops to Ukraine
  • Ukraine's Defense Minister said Sunday night the government had received a second shipment of weapons from the United States
  • Meanwhile Moscow said it will be conducting its own war games off the coast of Ireland in February


The Biden administration is ordering 8,500 U.S.-based troops to stand ready to deploy to Eastern Europe, the Pentagon announced on Monday.

'This is really about getting folks ready to go,' Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said during a press conference this afternoon. He said the majority of those troops would be ground forces.

He said they would stand ready in case NATO activates the NATO Response Force (NRF) or a 'deteriorating security environment.'

'There’s not a mission per se, this is about [Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin] wanting to get ahead of the potential activation and making sure these units have time to prepare,' Kirby told reporters.

The NATO Response Force is comprised of some 40,000 international troops across land, air, maritime and Special Operations Forces (SOF) components.

Kirby said the move was 'sending a strong message that we're committed to NATO and we're committed to ensuring that our allies have the capabilities they need in case they need to defend themselves.'

He stressed the troops are currently on 'heightened alert' posture and have no plans to deploy at this time.

The 'bulk of them' would be dedicated to the NRF to be activated if called upon by the Western defensive coalition but added that Austin wants the 8,500 troops to be postured for 'any other contingencies as well.'

A vast majority of those standby troops will be active duty service members, though Kirby did not rule out the possibility of getting reserve forces assembled as well.

Austin ordered the troops to stand ready to deploy at the direction of President Joe Biden.

Kirby said the units that would be flagged for possible deployment to Eastern Europe would be notified and announced in the near future.

'It’s very clear the Russians have no intention right now of de-escalating,' the Pentagon official said.

He did not say whether all of the troops would be under NATO's direct control but that they would all ultimately be under the command of NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe General Tod D. Wolters.

'They would all be reporting up underneath him, but what the exact chain of command would be -- it's difficult for me to say when they haven't even been activated,' Kirby said.

The Pentagon official also side-stepped a question on whether he could definitively rule out sending troops directly to Ukraine.

'That is -- I think the president has already spoken to that. As you know... we already do have advisors and some trainers in Ukraine, they are still there at their work,' Kirby responded.

He later added that those US troops training Ukrainian forces are not subject to the evacuation order the US State Department issued to some embassy personnel and staff's families, and that there are no plans to remove them at this time.

But Russia's attempts to destabilize Ukraine don't appear to be limited to military intimidation. Also on Monday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned Moscow against engineering a coup to overthrow the former Soviet state's leadership -- after the British foreign office warned such plotting was underway.

Psaki said it would be a 'severe escalation' after British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss released an unusual statement citing UK intelligence of such an effort, without providing specific details.

'Well, I'm not going to get into intelligence matters, of course,' Psaki said when asked about the alleged coup plot by DailyMail.com.

'We've been warning about Russian tactics like this for weeks. Reports of this kind of planning are deeply concerning, if acted upon would constitute a severe escalation – and certainly there would be consequences.'

Truss said in a statement released by the foreign office that 'We have information that indicates the Russian Government is looking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine. The former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev is being considered as a potential candidate,' she said, mentioning a former member of the pro-Moscow Party of Regions.

Murayev ridiculed the idea, and posted a picture of himself made to look like James Bond.

It comes after reports that Biden is finalizing his plans to deploy U.S. forces as Russia poises itself to invade Ukraine, a new report revealed as the president faces backlash from Ukraine for pulling embassy personnel and considers deploying up to 50,000 American troops.

CNN reported Monday that several U.S. officials claim the administration is in the final stages of identifying which military units to send to Eastern Europe to deter Russia and is preparing orders should they decide to deploy troops.

Biden will speak with Transatlantic Allies and partners on Monday afternoon to discuss his plan regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict, according to the White House's updated version of the president's daily schedule.

The secure video call with European leaders will be held in the Situation Room and will include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Andrzej Duda of Poland, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko blasted President Biden on Monday for pulling U.S. embassy personnel and relatives of staff out of Kyiv.

'We have taken note of [the State Department]'s decision re departure of family members of [US Embassy in Kyiv] staff,' Nikolenko wrote on Twitter in the early hours of Monday morning.

'While we respect right (sic) of foreign nations to ensure safety & security of foreign nations to ensure safety & security of their diplomatic missions, we believe such a step to be a premature one & an instance of excessive caution.'

On Sunday, the United States ordered the families of its diplomats in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to leave the country 'due to the continued threat' of a Russian invasion, the State Department said.

Nikolenko noted that the EU is not telling its staff to leave. Biden is still smarting from failing to act swiftly enough in evacuating US citizens from Afghanistan.

The Biden administration has already warned American citizens in Ukraine to leave on their own, claiming the U.S. government will not be able to evacuate citizens should Russia invade.

'Given that the President has said military action by Russia could come at any time, the US government will not be in a position to evacuate US citizens,' officials said during a State Department call over the weekend.

'So US citizens, currently present in Ukraine should plan accordingly,' they added, suggesting people arrange commercial flights.

Biden is considering deploying up to 50,000 US troops as well as aircraft and warships to eastern Europe to counter a Russian military build-up that has sparked fears Vladimir Putin is about to invade Ukraine.

The plan would see between 1,000 and 5,000 soldiers sent to NATO nations such as Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, which border Russian territory.

Troop numbers could then be increased up to 50,000 if the security situation deteriorates, backed up by fresh deployments of ships and aircraft.

Pentagon officials presented the plan to Biden during a summit at Camp David over the weekend, convened to discuss military options to deter an attack by Russia after the threat of sanctions largely fell on deaf ears.

The plan would not involve American troops deployed directly to Ukraine, with Biden thought to be loathe to enter another conflict following his disastrous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan last year, The New York Times reports.

An NBC News report notes that other options presented to Biden ahead of an invasion were sending bomber flights over the region, ship visits into the Black Sea and moving troops and equipment from other parts of Europe into Poland, Romania and other countries that neighbor Ukraine.

Biden is due to make a call on military measures as soon as this week, the Times detailed, even as high-level talks between Washington and Moscow continue - with the U.S. due to submit a written response to Russian security demands.

The Times claims this presents a change in Biden's strategy, claiming 'the administration is now moving away from its do-not-provoke [Russia] strategy.'

[too long for one post, continued .... ]
 
Heliobas Disciple

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
[continued]

But the White House is questioning whether the New York Times report presents any new information considering Biden said at last week's press conference: 'We're going to actually increase troop presence in Poland, in Romania, etc., if in fact he moves.'

'The president has publicly said that he'd deploy troops to Eastern Europe if the Russians invade so I don't really get how the NYT story advances that?' a senior White House official told Politico's Monday morning Playbook edition.

The U.S. is also already operating surveillance flights to track the Russian build-up and movement of Kremlin troops as Biden considers keeping special forces in the Ukraine in the event of a full-scale invasion.

Since late December, the Air Force has been regularly flying RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic-eavesdropping planes over Ukraine in order to listen in on Russian ground commanders' communications, the Times reported. The Air Force is also operating ground-surveillance flights withE-8 JSTARS to track Russian troop buildup at Ukraine's border.

The spy plane mission is meant to find any indications that Russia is considering deploying nuclear weapons to the border with Ukraine, a potential of which Russian officials already warned.

Poland's defense ministry notes there are currently around 4,000 U.S. troops stationed in Poland.

There are also currently more than 150 U.S. military advisers in Ukraine who have operated at a training ground near Lviv for years. It includes Special Operations forces, mostly Army Green Berets, and National Guard trainers from Florida's 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

While the U.S. intends to move its military trainers out of Ukraine swiftly should a full-scale Russian invasion occur, it's also possible some American forces could stay to advise Kyiv officials and provide frontline support, a U.S. official told the Times.

Moscow announced new live-fire sea drills that will take place off the coast of Ireland in February. They are part of wider drills involving up to 140 ships across four seas including Pacific and Atlantic.

The Irish government revealed Sunday that it has been warned of drills that will take place within its 'exclusive economic zone' but outside of its territorial waters - around 150 miles off its southwest coast. It said the drills are 'not welcome'.

Amid warnings from the Pentagon that an invasion is 'imminent', families of US diplomats stationed in Ukraine were ordered to leave the country.

Non-essential embassy staff were also offered a route out of the country due to 'increased threats of Russian military action'.

The UK has also started withdrawing diplomats and their families from Ukraine.

Half of diplomatic staff and their families stationed at the UK's outpost in Kiev will now leave the country, sources told the BBC.

The move is not due to any specific threat against Britons in the country, the sources said, but is due to the growing risk of a Russian attack.

But the EU on Monday warned against 'dramatizing' the situation and said it has no plans to withdraw its own diplomats.

Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, said he is not aware of any 'specific reasons' to withdraw diplomatic staff and added that negotiations are ongoing.

It comes after the UK alleged at the weekend that Moscow has been making preparations to install a puppet government to take control of Ukraine in the wake of any invasion.

The Foreign Office even went so far as to name former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev as a potential Kremlin candidate.

Meanwhile, NATO allies have put forces on standby and sent ships and fighter jets to bolster Europe's eastern defenses, the alliance said Monday.

'NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all Allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the Alliance. We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment,' NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.

The Western alliance pointed to decisions in recent days by Denmark to send a frigate and warplanes to the Baltic states, Spain bolstering naval deployments and the Netherlands putting a 'ship and land-based units on standby' for its rapid response force.

The statement also highlighted a recent offer from France to send troops to Romania and said 'the United States has also made clear that it is considering increasing its military presence'.

A senior Biden administration official declined to confirm specific troop numbers on Sunday but said 'we are developing plans and we are consulting with allies to determine options moving forward.'

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley both attended the meetings virtually.

None of the military options being looked at would see the deployment of additional American troops to Ukraine itself with the president keen to avoid entering another conflict.

Biden is expected to make a decision as early as this week but it appears weaponry is already on the move.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted on Sunday night that the government had received a second shipment of weapons from the United States.

'The second bird in Kyiv! More than 80 tons of weapons to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities from our friends in the USA! And this is not the end,' Reznikov tweeted, together with photos of the incendiary cargo.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan and counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti joined Biden in person at Camp David as part of the meetings.

'President Biden was briefed on the current state of Russian military operations on Ukraine's borders and discussed both our ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation with diplomacy and our range of deterrence measures that are being coordinated closely with our Allies and partners, including ongoing deliveries of security assistance to Ukraine.

'President Biden again affirmed that should Russia further invade Ukraine, the United States will impose swift and severe consequences on Russia with our Allies and partners,' a readout of the briefing said.

The goal military reinforcement in eastern Europe would essentially be to provide deterrence and reassurance to allies.

The options include the 'movement of assets and forces already in Europe and also assets and forces available outside of Europe.'

The Biden administration is also looking at using a 'novel export control' that could damage certain Russian industries, such artificial intelligence, quantum computing and aerospace, if any invasion occurs.

According to the Washington Post, it would involve the U.S. deliberately stopping the flow of components such as microchips, that are crucial for Russian industries including civil aviation, maritime and high technology.

The administration could also act in a far broader manner stopping the importing of smartphones, tablets and video game consoles into Russia from the U.S.

If the U.S. does decide to send more troops to the region, such a move would be a change of tact for the Biden administration which up to now has been restrained over the situation in Ukraine, partly to avoid provoking Russia into invading the country.

If Biden approves the deployment, some of the troops would be American while others would be drafted from other countries in Europe.

Commanders have suggested that more air defense, engineering, logistics and artillery forces would be required.

Besides the troops, Biden could also approve additional aircraft being sent to the region.

After Friday's talks between the U.S. and Russia, appear to have failed, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to be ratcheting up the tension, threatening actions towards Ukraine.

In doing so, the U.S. is now moving away from its previous stance of not wanting to provoke a Russian administration sources told the Times.

During a meeting in Camp David over the weekend, Pentagon officials outlined various options to President Biden, many of which would see American military might move a step closer to the Russian border.

Sources say that there is the potential to send up to 50,000 should the need arise.

Last week, Biden said he warned Putin that any Russian invasion of Ukraine would see more U.S. troops sent to the region.

'We're going to actually increase troop presence in Poland, in Romania, et cetera, if in fact he moves,' Biden said. 'They are part of NATO.'

The talks that ended in Geneva last week produced no breakthroughs, though American and Russian diplomats vowed to keep a dialogue up, averting the worst-case scenario.

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was still waiting for a written response to its demands for security guarantees, something which Blinken said he would not provide.

He also called two of Russia's key demands aimed at curbing NATO expansion 'non-starters.'

On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it's possible Kremlin officials are just 'going through the motions' of diplomacy after a week of intense international talks aimed at de-escalating Russian aggression on Ukraine's border.

Even after meeting with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in Geneva on Friday, Blinken admitted on NBC's Meet The Press that Moscow could still invade the smaller former Soviet state despite the efforts of Western governments.

The US's chief diplomat also would not rule out possible American military involvement in the worsening conflict, during a separate interview on CNN's State of the Union Sunday.

'It is certainly possible that the diplomacy the Russians are engaged in is simply going through the motions and it won't affect their ultimate decision about whether to invade or in some other way intervene, or not in Ukraine,' Blinken told NBC host Chuck Todd.

'But, we have a responsibility to see the diplomacy through for as, as far and as long as we can go because it's the more responsible way to bring this to a closure.'

Blinken did not indicate when he thought a possible invasion would occur -- but also would not give a straight answer when asked if Kyiv 'appears safe, at least in the near term.'

'This is something again that we're tracking intensely, hour by hour and certainly day by day,' he said.

Blinken ratcheted up his warnings to Moscow during his interview on CNN, claiming it could take a single soldier crossing the border to trigger a global reaction.

'If a single additional Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way, as I said, that would trigger a swift, a severe and a united response from us and from Europe,' he told host Dana Bash.

Vladimir Putin has placed more than 100,000 troops at the Ukrainian border, and last week Blinken warned that Russia had the capability to double that number in short order. Moscow has said it has no plans to invade Ukraine.
 
Doomer Doug

Doomer Doug

TB Fanatic
Jeep said:
Maybe someone under his command will frag his communist ass.
Click to expand...
He was too visible and got discharged. My read is MOST of the military command level above Colonel are TRAITORS.
Most of the graduates of the academy grads under Clinton and Obama are TRAITORS and most of the bush era are amoral opportunists. Trump had 4 years and didn't even graduate one class. The non woke juniors etc are being purged the last year.
The military is mostly woke now
You spend one year purging, not recruiting, and kicking out white normals and easily 33% oy the normals that were in on biden's swearing in are GONE. one half is woke now and one half are spineless cowards and fools.
 
S

Squid

Veteran Member
subnet said:
True, but a real adversary that can actually hit back, changes everything...we will see possibly.
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Changes what from what I said?

Changes that failure is likely? Changes to leaders not having a clue? Or changes to their confusion when failure happens?
 
C

Craftypatches

Veteran Member
okie-carbine said:
What I am wondering is, how are they expecting 40,000 NATOs to defeat 125,000+ Ruskies?
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Let’s get deeply involved with the war in Ukraine which is what it will bring about then when China goes after Taiwan our resources won’t be where they need to be! Big mistake is what I say!
 
Mark D

Mark D

Now running for Emperor.
okie-carbine said:
What I am wondering is, how are they expecting 40,000 NATOs to defeat 125,000+ Ruskies?
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If we end up with 40K NATO actually sharing lead with 125K Russians, I imagine we will see much more than lead flying in short order. The term "defeat" would be relatively useless at that point.
 
adgal

adgal

Veteran Member
In an interview on Fox about an hour ago - they said that the US Troops would not be sent to Ukraine. They would only be used in the nearby NATO countries surrounding/bordering Russia. And if things got bad, the US would pull the "trainers" they have in the Ukraine out of the country.

video.foxnews.com

John Kirby assures 'severe' consequences if Putin makes incursion into Europe | Fox News Video

Pentagon spokesperson provides insight on Russia-Ukraine tensions and reveals the purpose of heightening the readiness of U.S. troops on 'The Story.'
video.foxnews.com video.foxnews.com
 
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adgal

adgal

Veteran Member
Fair use:

newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org

The Status of Missionaries in Ukraine

Due to ongoing uncertainty in Ukraine, the Church of Jesus Christ is temporarily reassigning full-time missionaries assigned to both the Ukraine Dnipro and Ukraine Kyiv/Moldova missions to locations outside of Ukraine.
newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org

24 January 2022 - Salt Lake City
Official Statement
The Church of Jesus Christ Is Temporarily Moving Missionaries Out of Ukraine
Many are being reassigned to missions in Europe
Sam Penrod, a spokesman with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released the following statement to media on Monday, January 24, 2022:
Due to ongoing uncertainty in Ukraine, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is temporarily reassigning full-time missionaries assigned to both the Ukraine Dnipro and Ukraine Kyiv/Moldova missions to locations outside of Ukraine. The decision is made out of an abundance of caution, as some government embassies in Ukraine are preparing to move certain personnel and their family members.
Many of these missionaries are being reassigned to missions in Europe, and a few missionaries who are approaching their planned release date will complete their missionary service and return home. Missionaries who have recently been called to Ukraine will receive a temporary assignment elsewhere. Some missionaries will serve in Moldova, which is away from any potential conflict areas.
We pray for a peaceful resolution to the tensions in Ukraine and look forward to when the missionaries may return.
Click to expand...
 
subnet

subnet

Boot
Squid said:
Changes what from what I said?

Changes that failure is likely? Changes to leaders not having a clue? Or changes to their confusion when failure happens?
Click to expand...
The "rinse and repeat"...taking the last few "wars" since GW1 and the changing of the nation and the people over the last few years, things might not rinse and repeat like in the past.
We will see
 
Jez

Jez

Veteran Member
Mark D said:
In truth, 5000 U.S. troops are equivalent 50,000 foreign troops.
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Maybe. Remember that the last opponent we faced weren't really trained professionals. The Russians are fairly close to us in training and professionalism. If this kicks off, it won't be a cake walk. We also don't have overwhelming numbers at this time too.
 
Freeholder

Freeholder

This too shall pass.
Lilbitsnana said:
I heard on TV a week or so ago, or maybe read it here, that China owns over 30 million acres of farmland in US already. I remember thinking at the time that that probably had a lot to do with our food shortages here in the US.

Farmland, meat processing facilities and lots more are already owned by China. Insane. They shouldn't be allowed to own anything in the US.
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I was wondering if the states could legislate that real property within their boundaries could only be owned by legal citizens? And if they did pass such legislation, what would the Feds do about it, LOL!

Kathleen
 
O

OldArcher

Has No Life - Lives on TB
mistaken1 said:
How many more like him kept their mouths shut and now have command authority?
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northern watch said:
View attachment 315572
Click to expand...

When the assaults begin, that mode of ”thinking” will change. Getting out of Ukraine will turn into a colossal nightmare for dependents- regardless of what nationality. That’s why “collateral damage” is not easily foisted-off on innocents. Well, the Russians won’t care much. They’ll have better ports for their “civilian” shipping concerns…

OA
 
O

OldArcher

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Freeholder said:
I was wondering if the states could legislate that real property within their boundaries could only be owned by legal citizens? And if they did pass such legislation, what would the Feds do about it, LOL!

Kathleen
Click to expand...

States could rule all they want, but when a treasonous government opens the borders, and asks the UN in to secure foreign owned property, it’ll be open season- from all parties. It may come to that, but I sincerely hope not. War sucks. Of course, if the UN wears their cute little robin’s egg blue beanies, target identification will be much easier…

OA
 
Creedmoor

Creedmoor

Tempus Fugit
Exclusive from Gen. Flynn: Biden Might Get Hundreds of Millions Killed Over Ukraine


By Michael Flynn January 24, 2022 at 9:34am
www.westernjournal.com

Exclusive from Gen. Flynn: Don't Believe Biden on Ukraine, He's Risking Deaths of Hundreds of Millions

Just as the nation was sold a hoax about Russia having elected President Donald Trump in 2016, another illusion now is being sold.
www.westernjournal.com www.westernjournal.com

A remarkable failure of meaningful reporting about the massive military buildup in and around Ukraine in recent weeks results in most Americans having no idea how close we have been brought to armed conflict with the Russian Federation.
Even those Americans who have sought out news about Ukraine can do little more than watch from the sidelines as those currently leading our nation inch us toward a potential catastrophe.
Although going to war is the most consequential decision that a nation can make, the people are rarely consulted by the elites, who are largely immunized from the consequences of their actions. If the people were actually consulted, wars would be rare events indeed.

The rhetoric about the Ukraine conflict is out of control. President Joe Biden threatens that Russia would “pay a heavy price” for any incursion into Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns of “massive consequences” for Russia. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto, “We don’t rule out first-use nuclear action.” First-use nuclear action rhetoric is not only extremely dangerous, but these types of nonsensical remarks also threaten the stability of the entire world.
Policy wonks throw around the phrase “failure of imagination” when it comes to intelligence community failures. The entire Biden administration, along with the neocon defense and foreign policy thinks tanks in Washington, are failing to imagine the consequences of the dangers lurking in Eastern Europe currently.

War is not fair and is not meant to be. In fact, harking back to the failures in Afghanistan, during a recent State Department call, the following was stated: “Given that the President has said military action by Russia could come at any time. The US Government will not be in a position to evacuate US Citizens. So US citizens, currently present in Ukraine should plan accordingly.” A stunning statement of failure!
We are again living out the maxim that “truth is the first casualty of war.” If the people are to have a chance to stop a conflagration, the first step is to resist the propaganda barrage from the establishment media and learn the truth. Only then we can demand our government stop beating the drums of war.

The Biden administration wants us to believe that Russia is seeking to regain its former greatness by overthrowing the government of Volodymyr Zelensky and replacing it with a puppet government that it would control. The neocon-dominated establishment in both of our political parties wants us to believe that the Soviet Union still exists and is inherently expansionary.
Just as the nation was sold a hoax about Russia having elected President Donald Trump in 2016, another illusion now is being sold. Do not believe a word of it!
Russia has explained repeatedly it has one core concern — Ukraine being admitted into the NATO military alliance.
Responding to the buildup, a Russian official explained in a Tass article: “We are alarmed by reports some member-countries of NATO have stepped up the deployment of lethal weapons and military personnel to Ukraine.”
And if Ukraine were admitted into NATO, with its strategic location, Russian knows that NATO and the U.S. could place missiles literally on its border, creating an existential threat to Russia.

While Russia’s concern is obvious, the Biden administration has never even tried to explain the existence of any vital national interest of the United States in Ukraine that could justify hostilities. For his part, Blinken has asserted the principle that Ukraine must have the right to join NATO and claimed that principle could never be compromised. The Russians understand that would likely result in nuclear weapons being placed at its doorstep — closer to Russia than Cuba is to the United States.
It should be obvious that there is no equivalency of interest here. None. NATO was established to preserve the peace, and it would be a tragedy of immense proportions if its threatened Eastern expansion would become the principal cause of a devastating war.

Let’s put the current conflict into a historical context. If President John Kennedy was justified in risking war to prevent nuclear missiles from being installed in Cuba in 1961, then why exactly is Russian President Vladimir Putin being reckless in risking war to prevent NATO weapons from being installed in Ukraine in 2022? Would any great nation allow the development of such a threat on its border?
The world could have been thrown into war in October 1962 if Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev had not been willing to take into consideration the non-negotiable position that Kennedy was taking. Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba, and he later reciprocated Khruschev’s action by removing U.S. Jupiter missiles from Turkey. Both great nations acted responsibly, and the Cuban Missile Crisis ended peacefully.

The events of October 1962 remind us that there are great principles that govern how great nations must treat each other to preserve the peace.
Part of my training as an Army officer was to study The Law of Nationsby Emer de Vattel. This historic work was instrumental in guiding the Founders of our nation as it declared independence from England and charted our own course in the world. It takes principles of natural law and applies those principles to nations. It is a remarkable book.
Two of the principles set out in that book are of critical importance right now, and our foreign policy masters need reminding from time to time of these principles.
First, “Every nation … has … a right to prevent other nations from obstructing her preservation … that is, to preserve herself from all injuries … called the right to security … It is safest to prevent the evil, when it can be prevented.” This principle is the basis for the Monroe Doctrine and was exactly Kennedy’s response to the threat of Russian missiles in Cuba.

Second, “Every nation is obliged to cultivate the friendship of other nations, and carefully to avoid whatever might kindle their enmity against her.” De Vattel then added: “Wise and prudent nations often pursue this line of conduct from views of direct and present interest; a more noble, more general, and less direct interest, is too rarely the motive of politicians.”
All parties involved must seek to re-identify and apply those natural law principles to the current crisis before the world slips off into the abyss. While politicians generally double down on overblown rhetoric, there is still hope statesmen will arise, act responsibly and preserve the peace.
The United States and the Russian Federation are great nations. However, these great nations each have thousands of nuclear weapons that could kill hundreds of millions.
With those as the stakes, it would be wise for Biden and Blinken to listen to what Putin is saying and consider why Russia believes its vital national interests are at risk. If the United States has no comparable national interest to that of Russia, that should be the basis for de-escalation.

My strongest recommendation for consideration by those deciding the potential fate of humanity is to listen again to something George Washington, our first president, said about politics and war: “e honest and just ourselves and to exact it from others, meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved. If this maxim was generally adopted, wars would cease …”
I am not pollyannish that war will forever cease; I am by nature a warrior. I do believe, however, from time to time, to be a nation at peace, we must return to our faith and our forefathers to remind ourselves what the real consequences of wars cause.
War is not fair — it is not meant to be — and a looming war with Russia would be anything but fair. Take that to the bank, if you can find one after a nuclear exchange.
 
1eagle

1eagle

Veteran Member
Jez said:
Maybe. Remember that the last opponent we faced weren't really trained professionals. The Russians are fairly close to us in training and professionalism. If this kicks off, it won't be a cake walk. We also don't have overwhelming numbers at this time too.
Click to expand...
True and our opponents of the last 20 years didn't have air power, any serious artillery or anti-aircraft capability.
 
rob0126

rob0126

Veteran Member
Creedmoor said:
Exclusive from Gen. Flynn: Biden Might Get Hundreds of Millions Killed Over Ukraine


By Michael Flynn January 24, 2022 at 9:34am
www.westernjournal.com

Exclusive from Gen. Flynn: Don't Believe Biden on Ukraine, He's Risking Deaths of Hundreds of Millions

Just as the nation was sold a hoax about Russia having elected President Donald Trump in 2016, another illusion now is being sold.
www.westernjournal.com www.westernjournal.com

A remarkable failure of meaningful reporting about the massive military buildup in and around Ukraine in recent weeks results in most Americans having no idea how close we have been brought to armed conflict with the Russian Federation.
Even those Americans who have sought out news about Ukraine can do little more than watch from the sidelines as those currently leading our nation inch us toward a potential catastrophe.
Although going to war is the most consequential decision that a nation can make, the people are rarely consulted by the elites, who are largely immunized from the consequences of their actions. If the people were actually consulted, wars would be rare events indeed.

The rhetoric about the Ukraine conflict is out of control. President Joe Biden threatens that Russia would “pay a heavy price” for any incursion into Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns of “massive consequences” for Russia. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto, “We don’t rule out first-use nuclear action.” First-use nuclear action rhetoric is not only extremely dangerous, but these types of nonsensical remarks also threaten the stability of the entire world.
Policy wonks throw around the phrase “failure of imagination” when it comes to intelligence community failures. The entire Biden administration, along with the neocon defense and foreign policy thinks tanks in Washington, are failing to imagine the consequences of the dangers lurking in Eastern Europe currently.

War is not fair and is not meant to be. In fact, harking back to the failures in Afghanistan, during a recent State Department call, the following was stated: “Given that the President has said military action by Russia could come at any time. The US Government will not be in a position to evacuate US Citizens. So US citizens, currently present in Ukraine should plan accordingly.” A stunning statement of failure!
We are again living out the maxim that “truth is the first casualty of war.” If the people are to have a chance to stop a conflagration, the first step is to resist the propaganda barrage from the establishment media and learn the truth. Only then we can demand our government stop beating the drums of war.

The Biden administration wants us to believe that Russia is seeking to regain its former greatness by overthrowing the government of Volodymyr Zelensky and replacing it with a puppet government that it would control. The neocon-dominated establishment in both of our political parties wants us to believe that the Soviet Union still exists and is inherently expansionary.
Just as the nation was sold a hoax about Russia having elected President Donald Trump in 2016, another illusion now is being sold. Do not believe a word of it!
Russia has explained repeatedly it has one core concern — Ukraine being admitted into the NATO military alliance.
Responding to the buildup, a Russian official explained in a Tass article: “We are alarmed by reports some member-countries of NATO have stepped up the deployment of lethal weapons and military personnel to Ukraine.”
And if Ukraine were admitted into NATO, with its strategic location, Russian knows that NATO and the U.S. could place missiles literally on its border, creating an existential threat to Russia.

While Russia’s concern is obvious, the Biden administration has never even tried to explain the existence of any vital national interest of the United States in Ukraine that could justify hostilities. For his part, Blinken has asserted the principle that Ukraine must have the right to join NATO and claimed that principle could never be compromised. The Russians understand that would likely result in nuclear weapons being placed at its doorstep — closer to Russia than Cuba is to the United States.
It should be obvious that there is no equivalency of interest here. None. NATO was established to preserve the peace, and it would be a tragedy of immense proportions if its threatened Eastern expansion would become the principal cause of a devastating war.

Let’s put the current conflict into a historical context. If President John Kennedy was justified in risking war to prevent nuclear missiles from being installed in Cuba in 1961, then why exactly is Russian President Vladimir Putin being reckless in risking war to prevent NATO weapons from being installed in Ukraine in 2022? Would any great nation allow the development of such a threat on its border?
The world could have been thrown into war in October 1962 if Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev had not been willing to take into consideration the non-negotiable position that Kennedy was taking. Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba, and he later reciprocated Khruschev’s action by removing U.S. Jupiter missiles from Turkey. Both great nations acted responsibly, and the Cuban Missile Crisis ended peacefully.

The events of October 1962 remind us that there are great principles that govern how great nations must treat each other to preserve the peace.
Part of my training as an Army officer was to study The Law of Nationsby Emer de Vattel. This historic work was instrumental in guiding the Founders of our nation as it declared independence from England and charted our own course in the world. It takes principles of natural law and applies those principles to nations. It is a remarkable book.
Two of the principles set out in that book are of critical importance right now, and our foreign policy masters need reminding from time to time of these principles.
First, “Every nation … has … a right to prevent other nations from obstructing her preservation … that is, to preserve herself from all injuries … called the right to security … It is safest to prevent the evil, when it can be prevented.” This principle is the basis for the Monroe Doctrine and was exactly Kennedy’s response to the threat of Russian missiles in Cuba.

Second, “Every nation is obliged to cultivate the friendship of other nations, and carefully to avoid whatever might kindle their enmity against her.” De Vattel then added: “Wise and prudent nations often pursue this line of conduct from views of direct and present interest; a more noble, more general, and less direct interest, is too rarely the motive of politicians.”
All parties involved must seek to re-identify and apply those natural law principles to the current crisis before the world slips off into the abyss. While politicians generally double down on overblown rhetoric, there is still hope statesmen will arise, act responsibly and preserve the peace.
The United States and the Russian Federation are great nations. However, these great nations each have thousands of nuclear weapons that could kill hundreds of millions.
With those as the stakes, it would be wise for Biden and Blinken to listen to what Putin is saying and consider why Russia believes its vital national interests are at risk. If the United States has no comparable national interest to that of Russia, that should be the basis for de-escalation.

My strongest recommendation for consideration by those deciding the potential fate of humanity is to listen again to something George Washington, our first president, said about politics and war: “e honest and just ourselves and to exact it from others, meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved. If this maxim was generally adopted, wars would cease …”
I am not pollyannish that war will forever cease; I am by nature a warrior. I do believe, however, from time to time, to be a nation at peace, we must return to our faith and our forefathers to remind ourselves what the real consequences of wars cause.
War is not fair — it is not meant to be — and a looming war with Russia would be anything but fair. Take that to the bank, if you can find one after a nuclear exchange.
Click to expand...

So it seems, that nato, and the obama administration are provoking russia to war.

They havent killed enough people with the jab, so provoke a nuclear nation to finish the job? :mad:
 
Doomer Doug

Doomer Doug

TB Fanatic
OldArcher said:
States could rule all they want, but when a treasonous government opens the borders, and asks the UN in to secure foreign owned property, it’ll be open season- from all parties. It may come to that, but I sincerely hope not. War sucks. Of course, if the UN wears their cute little robin’s egg blue beanies, target identification will be much easier…

OA
Click to expand...
So I guess that would be yet another red line. :arg: ahoy matey shiver my timbers, swing my cutlass.
 
vector7

vector7

Dot Collector
Heliobas Disciple said:
Biden could send up to 50,000 soldiers to NATO allies over Ukraine invasion fears
Click to expand...
img.jpg
 
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