It's a damned good thing I'm not in charge.

[TomSlick]

I understand that national policy should not be made based on emotions but I'm past being dispassionate.

Putin is an international criminal. He committed a crime against peace by his invasion of a non-threatening neighbor. He has committed numerous war crimes by targeting civilians. He is engaging in genocide against the Ukrainian people. But targeting a maternity hospital is simply a bridge too far. Dispassionate decision making be damned. Something has to be done to preserve international law.

If I was in charge, I would give the Russian military an ultimatum to withdraw from Ukraine within 24 hours or the US will intervene in Ukraine to prevent additional war crimes. That intervention could include attacks on any Russian military units in Ukraine and artillery units in Russia that fire on Ukraine.

It's a damned good thing I'm not in charge.

[USALiberal]

1. I agree, It is a damn good thing!! Nt

[RKP5637]

2. Carpet Bombing the supply lines! Putin will not stop. He might pursue Poland and Finland, eventually

Putin has lost it!

[TomSlick]

4. I have changed my mind about what Putin will do next.

I have said here that if Putin was not stopped in Ukraine, he would surely move on to Poland or the Baltic States. The abysmal failure of the Russian military in Ukraine has surely made it clear even to Putin that an attack on any NATO country would be a cataclysmic failure.

[RKP5637]

6. I just got a Yahoo news update: White House warns Russia may use chemical or biological

weapons in Ukraine, in an attack or as a "false Flag" operation."

I'm certainly not a war hawk, however, what is going to stop this guy as he keeps playing the "I've got nukes" card. I'm ready to call his bluff. Guess it's good I'm not president. I hate bullies.

[TomSlick]

11. US intelligence has been spot on so far.

We should expect a chemical or biological attack - another war crime.

Putin is not so crazy as to launch nukes at the US. He might use tactical nukes in Ukraine consistent with Russian military doctrine if things go further south.

[RKP5637]

29. Yeah, I think there's good potential for any/all of this. He is not going to back down IMO.

... but will not launch nukes at the US. I've read a number of articles on this and some feel NATO might be overly cautious with Putin, in that they fall into his modus operandi ... foot in the door salesman tactic. He might be embolden to the next step of trying to take non-NATO small countries. Much of this, and I am certainly no expert, is reminiscent of Hitler and the eventual WWII.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. On a different plane, heard a million times, if we do this

or do that FG will do this or that. Trying to guess what a madman would do.

[arkielib]

3. I agree we need to do more!

We can't let Putin just get away with this.

[gab13by13]

19. President Biden should have done more,

is the Republican talking point for the election.

[sarisataka]

5. I agree 100%

It's a damned good thing you're not in charge.

[BlueTsunami2018]

7. Can't disagree.

You’d have us all dead in no time.

[TomSlick]

13. Perhaps. Or Putin could just be a bully who will continue to act the bully until he is stopped.

At some point we have to decide if having nuclear weapons means Putin can commit any atrocity he wants. If rattling the nuclear saber gives Putin free rein, we should immediately withdraw from Europe and offer thoughts and prayers for the rest of the world.

[BlueTsunami2018]

16. It's allowed us to commit plenty of atrocities.

While the world looked on in horror. And if he’s in poor health as has been speculated, he might not give a shit anymore. If I gotta go, you all gotta go.

I feel as bad for the Ukraine as I did for Iraq and all the other places we’ve laid waste but not so bad that I want to risk nuclear holocaust.

We just got out of a ridiculous war, I really don’t want to go back into another.

[TomSlick]

18. Of course, whataboutism should freeze us to inaction.

Of course, you are correct that the US lacks a sufficiently pure history to morally challenge the atrocities of any country. All we can do is rend our clothes and offer the Ukrainians our thoughts and prayers.

We are an evil people who have no standing to accuse others. We should retreat from the world, hide behind our oceans as best we can, and hope other countries with purer histories do something to save civilization.

Which countries would you agree have the history to allow them to stand up against Putin's crimes?

[SheltieLover]

8. I feel the same way!

Seems putrid is doing his damnedest to drag us into this.

[lame54]

9. Missing are the words...

Nukes
Terminally ill(not verified nor debunked)
Crazy/insane/coo coo bananas(your choice)
Narcissist
Or
Cornered like a rat

[TomSlick]

12. I'll try.

Sure, Putin has nukes. Putin also knows that if he launches a nuclear attack on the US or any NATO country, Moscow will be reduced to smoldering glass. The Russian military will not take that risk - not matter what Putin orders.

I have no idea if Putin is terminally ill. No matter how ill Putin may be, the Russian military would not want to see their toys broken.

Putin may be crazy. If he is, the Russian military leadership knows and will not allow a crazy man to endanger their toys, jobs, families.....

Putin is almost certainly a narcissist. Narcissists will eventually do what is necessary for self preservation.

Putin is not cornered - yet.

[lame54]

14. If Hitler had nukes he most certainly would have...

Pushed the button before icing himself and not given a shit if Germany turned to glass

Your "This town isn't big enough for the both of us" attitude could be quite reckless

[EndlessWire]

15. Oh, me, too!

I'd kidnap his family in Switzerland. I'd fly stealth bombers over the Duma and obliterate that building. I'd have teams finding out which bunker he's in, and bomb it with one of those saw bombs. I'd target every damned one of those in charge. And, I'd do it all in a carefully planned all-or-nothing, instantaneous, synchronized watches attack before they could even blink.

If we managed to capture him, I'd fly him out of the country to some jail somewhere within 24-hours. I'd have him in a Super Max where he'd never see the light of day until the Hague asked for him.

And, then I'd reopen all the McDonalds.

[dchill]

20. Sounds a lot like MY plan! Are you watching me?

[usonian]

17. Me too.

I like lasers. If it's in a hangar in Roswell, I'd be deploying it.

I posted an article from the DEFCON warning system (for what it's worth)

https://defconwarningsystem.com/2022/03/07/russia-really-could-use-a-nuclear-weapon-in-the-ukraine-conflict/

Russia Really Could Use A Nuclear Weapon In The Ukraine Conflict - The DEFCON Warning System

Here's the summary:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=16453145

Spoiler alert: the author thinks not, and the worst case presented is a "demonstration" burst.

I guess the point here is to get the possibility out in the open, and de-fang it, as has been done with Putin's fake news, and currently, bio weapons.

[Richard58]

21. I agree that Putin is a monster---BUT

To attack Russian forces directly could get us into WW3. Is it really worth a possible nuclear exchange? I really don't think you have considered the consequences of your statement. Arm the Ukrainians but don't send our troops in. And I would also like to know how you would feel if Russia sent troops into Iraq to fight us when we were bombing the hell out of it and sending our troops in? We attacked a country that had done nothing to us. Just like Russia attacked Ukraine.

[TomSlick]

23. Putin - or at least the Russian military - does not want WWIII anymore than we.

I assure you I have considered the consequences of my statement. I wrote a check for my life payable on demand to the US years ago when I accepted an Army commission. I spent nearly three decades preparing for WWIII. I fully understand the consequences of allowing Putin to run rabid through Europe.

Putin is committing war crimes. Every day, the crimes grow worse. After WWII, the US and Russia said the world would "never again" stand by while atrocities were being committed. We didn't say that we would "never again" allow atrocities in an allied county. We said "never again."

Whataboutism is not a reason for the US to allow Putin free rein.

If we do not stand up against Putin's terrorism, we will stand for nothing.

[Mr. Evil]

22. To me, this is a war about humanity vs. inhumanity.

Last edited Thu Mar 10, 2022, 01:04 AM - Edit history (1)

Ukraine let it be known they would not be Putin's stooge by helping TFG promote fake dirt on Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. TFG lost and Putin no longer has his free intelligence inside man useful idiot in the WH.

Putin is KGB all the way and all in. Not only is he trained to disguise and hide the truth, he's trained to obliterate it. He wants to be the omnipotent ruler of the new USSR. Left unchecked, he will not stop at Ukraine. Ukraine is just the starting point but, this war isn't just about Ukraine. The Ukrainians spoke when they elected Zelenskyy that they did not want a corrupt puppet government controlled by Putin or anyone else. Right now though, all decent human beings especially those that live within a democracy, are being ruled by Putin. He's indiscriminately bombing everything from residential areas to now, maternity hospitals. Only a monster would do something that depraved. Maybe this is a turning point for the entire planet. Enough of these self-serving, self-aggrandizing despots that live to squash anything deemed better than what they have to offer. And they offer nothing short of some unlivable dystopian hellscape.

Here in the US we have an ever-growing plethora of groups, factions, even elected officials that are openly trying to destroy our freedoms and democracy from within. Like I said, this isn't just a war against Ukraine. This is a war about humanity vs. inhumanity. Personally, I'd rather be nuked to oblivion than to be made to be subservient fodder for Putin and the oligarchs. We need to step up and do more now than to try to play catch-up when it may be too late to do so.

[TomSlick]

24. Well said.

[Septua]

25. "I would give the Russian military an ultimatum to withdraw from Ukraine within 24 hours..."

You probably wouldn't... It would take another dictator type or fool like Trump, to do it and you're neither.

I don't disagree with your opinion and have been thinking the same thing...we need to call Putin's bluff. But if it's not a bluff nobody wants to be the one who called his bluff.

If the conflict could be contained within Ukraine and Russia, it might turn out OK but nobody can crystal ball that either.

[TomSlick]

27. While rarely used anymore, an ultimatum is required before engaging in hostilities

under the 1907 Hague Protocols. If we are to defend international law, we should follow international law.

Sometimes if you stand up to a bully, you will be badly beaten. If you do not stand up to a bully you will be badly beaten later. The choice is whether to take the moral stance.

Taking a moral stance is not the natural action of a dictator. A fool like Trump has no concept of morality. Only a moral people will take a moral stance without a guarantee of the consequences.

Inaction in the face of atrocities is acquiescence.

[mvd]

26. I'm trusting Biden

I think he is just the right person to have making decisions. If the President becomes convinced that nukes dropping everywhere wouldn’t be the consequence, I would listen.

[Crunchy Frog]

28. Good thing I'm not in charge too.

[Septua]

30. Opinions seem to be turning towards agreement with you

Read through the replies.

Link to tweet

?s=20&t=6SjLrAKOXQ-5PbieQojMCQ

[Tommymac]

31. Don't take that out of context of entire thread - Nichols is saying Biden is right. Caution prevails

Link to tweet

[Tommymac]

32. Correct - Really good thing you are not in charge.