The proponents of the theory 'it is all because of NATO expansion' are just content with stating that he suddenly in 2008 started to see Ukraine in NATO as a vital threat, while he was and is perfectly calm about the Baltics or the Scandinavian countries. They feel no need to explain that difference, even though such view is absurdly irrational. — Jabberwock
if it was not a vital threat in 2002, why would it be in 2008? — Jabberwock
This is a non sequitur. — neomac
your dismissive attitude toward overwhelming historical evidences — neomac
Pls fill in a few of the most unequivocal quotes from Putin 2000-2008 presidency explaining why Ukraine is a “red line” and what that implies, what is going to happen if it is crossed — neomac
The appearance on our borders of a powerful military bloc ... will be considered by Russia as a direct threat to our country's security,
Again what do you mean by “Russia was such a threat”, — neomac
NATO is a hegemonic security supplier and Ukraine is a non-hegemonic security seeker (from Russian threats), that is how they met each other. Anyone with a working brain would get that knowing the history of Russia and the history of Ukraine. — neomac
Indeed American as any hegemon can commit mistakes and very big ones, but even in this case that doesn’t necessarily mean that NATO involvement was not justified AT ALL. It can simply mean that NATO involvement was poorly planned and/or executed. — neomac
but the latter PRESUPPOSES that Russia was interested in preventing NATO expansion in Ukraine — neomac
Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all red lines for the Russian elite (not just Putin). In more than two and a half years of conversations with key Russian players, from knuckle-draggers in the dark recesses of the Kremlin to Putin’s sharpest liberal critics, I have yet to find anyone who views Ukraine in NATO as anything other than a direct challenge to Russian interests.
your guru Mearsheimer) — neomac
your guru Mearsheimer — neomac
your guru Mearsheimer — neomac
"The appearance on our borders of a powerful military bloc ... will be considered by Russia as a direct threat to our country's security,"
Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all red lines for the Russian elite (not just Putin). In more than two and a half years of conversations with key Russian players, from knuckle-draggers in the dark recesses of the Kremlin to Putin’s sharpest liberal critics, I have yet to find anyone who views Ukraine in NATO as anything other than a direct challenge to Russian interests.
But President Putin stressed that Russia’s position on the expansion of the bloc remained unchanged. — President of Russia
Why stupid provocation? — neomac
But then what was the point of having Ukraine joining NATO? — neomac
NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO. Both nations have made valuable contributions to Alliance operations. We welcome the democratic reforms in Ukraine and Georgia and look forward to free and fair parliamentary elections in Georgia in May. MAP is the next step for Ukraine and Georgia on their direct way to membership. Today we make clear that we support these countries’ applications for MAP. Therefore we will now begin a period of intensive engagement with both at a high political level to address the questions still outstanding pertaining to their MAP applications. We have asked Foreign Ministers to make a first assessment of progress at their December 2008 meeting. Foreign Ministers have the authority to decide on the MAP applications of Ukraine and Georgia.
mine was just a typo — neomac
Yes it is, indeed this is what was argued to support NATO — neomac
After the collapse of Soviet Union, the US didn’t fear imminent hegemonic competition from Russia OBVIOUSLY. — neomac
So Russia was considered “such a threat” by many prominent/influential Western analysts and East European countries — neomac
Indeed I cited it precisely because it talks about Russian threats prior 2008 — neomac
No one was claiming Putin had imperialist ambitions back then. — Mikie
Political will aside, extending NATO’s security umbrella into the heart of the old Soviet Union is not wise. It is sure to enrage the Russians and cause them to act belligerently. — The Article You Quoted But Didn’t Understand
your guru Mearsheimer
with the $2.2 TRILLION that the US is spending to slow global warming? — Agree-to-Disagree
relevant evidences to fix security dilemmas in geopolitics (have you ever heard of Mearsheimer's offensive realism?). — neomac
So much so that you guru Mearsheimer wrote an article about it in Summer 2013 — neomac




What you did forget about Mikie is that MANY locations on Earth will be better because of a little global-warming. — Agree-to-Disagree
Would be great: — jorndoe
That means things are getting better, because nearer to God. — unenlightened
"In history" you say, that is quite an absurd exaggeration. — Merkwurdichliebe
the world coming to an end — Merkwurdichliebe
ccp — Merkwurdichliebe

Just because Ukraine has Nazi paramilitaries and just because it's impossible to take photos of Ukrainian soldiers without capturing Nazi insignia and just because Ukrainian Nazis get applauded in parliament doesn't mean we're on the side of the Nazis, you crazy Russian shill. — Johnstone
That source that you're pulling from, that conservative Christian think tank, has received nearly a million dollars from Exxon mobile. Let's follow that money. — flannel jesus
If nearly a trillion dollars has been spent, and almost no progress has been made, who has been getting lots of money for producing next to nothing. We definitely need to follow the climate change money. — Agree-to-Disagree
Moore rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. In 2009, he described climate change as "the biggest scam of the last two decades."[25] In columns and op-eds, Moore called those with concerns about climate change "Stalinistic" and has accused climate scientists of being part of a global conspiracy to obtain money via research grants.[26][27] In an April 2019 interview, Moore said that the Federal Reserve should not consider the economic impacts of climate change in decision-making.[28]
How dare I impugn the integrity of scientists and left-wing think-tanks by suggesting that their research findings are perverted by hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer handouts. The irony of this indignation is that any academic whose research dares question the “settled science” of the climate change complex is instantly accused of being a shill for the oil and gas industry or the Koch brothers.
Naomi Oreskes has documented this very well.
— Mikie
:rofl: — Agree-to-Disagree

Good data and reliable information — javi2541997
Climate Change Industrial Complex.
But the tidal wave of funding does reveal a powerful financial motive for scientists to conclude that the apocalypse is upon us.
If you are a young eager-beaver researcher who decides to devote your life to the study of global warming, you’re probably not going to do your career any good or get famous by publishing research that the crisis isn’t happening.
The World Bank Group delivered a record $31.7 billion in fiscal year 2022 to help countries address climate change. — Agree-to-Disagree
The New York Times says that the US “took a major step toward fighting climate change” on Friday when the House of Representatives approved a $2.2 TRILLION spending bill that “includes the largest expenditures ever made by the federal government to slow global warming”. — Agree-to-Disagree
So what sort of "science" is produced by scientists who are funded by "Big Climate"? — Agree-to-Disagree
World history is always relevant to today's world — Merkwurdichliebe
Are republicans the only ones accelerating it? — Merkwurdichliebe
any reasons it could be denied that it is the end of the world, — Merkwurdichliebe
any reasonable scientific argument will prevail in due time. — Merkwurdichliebe
I object to the evidence because it appears unconvincing, — Merkwurdichliebe
My personal assistant (ChatGPT) should actually be thanked for all the thinking and elaboration. :snicker: — praxis
Republicans, for all their faults, were instrumental in the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. I don't know about you, but I think that was pretty nice on their part, and it definitely counterbalances any negativity one might perceive from their policy on climate change. — Merkwurdichliebe
Republicans are a far cry from being anything like these, — Merkwurdichliebe
My intention is not to support Trump, just to "flex" and act as an internet troll. — javi2541997
You are allowed to insult me — javi2541997
