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Best Friends posted:1) If you think the United States has any control over what Saudi Arabia sells oil for I don't know what to say. We don't, and never have, and if we did US economic history would be different (thr 70s). Further, at this point it's very doubtful they are even in control of pricing, despite their attempts to maintain appearances of still holding cartel power, because it's not the 70s anymore and oil production is globalized. quote:A member of the Saudi royal family with knowledge of the discussions between Mr. Cheney and King Abdullah said the king had presented Mr. Cheney with a plan to raise oil production to force down the price, in hopes of causing economic turmoil for Iran without becoming directly involved in a confrontation. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/22/world/middleeast/22saudi.html?pagewanted=2 Maybe it's not direct control, but the US is certainly consulted with by the Saudis w.r.t. oil production.
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Mar 1, 2016 10:38
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Flocons de Jambon posted:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/22/world/middleeast/22saudi.html?pagewanted=2 If anything, this goes against your point. The Saudis use oil for political leverage, and as a weapon. In the quoted case they elected to approach the US out of their own volition to coordinate actions against a common enemy. That shows the Saudis are willing to work with the Americans when their interests align, but doesn't show they don't retain control over their own policy. The current price war, aimed against the US and their fracking investments, demonstrates further that the SA has free hand in picking their economic policies and economic partners.
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Mar 1, 2016 10:58
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steinrokkan posted:The current price war, aimed against the US and their fracking investments, demonstrates further that the SA has free hand in picking their economic policies and economic partners. Yeah, the way it looks to me is that the Saudis are making a play against North American oil and Russia is a fortunate (and not-coincidental) byproduct of that. If the Saudis can drive the NA interests out of funds they can probably pick up the rights to a good chunk of it and then just sit on it. This is pretty standard operating procedure for monopolies, this is why they were made illegal 100+ years ago. Force your competitors out of business, pick up their assets for a song and profit massively on your now expanded control of the market. Even if they can't own the north american oil deposits outright they can (and have) let it be known that they will bankrupt any venture that seeks to operate there at will.
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Mar 1, 2016 15:03
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Newborn Crimean Boys Received Draft Notices http://mil.today/2016/Society1/
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Mar 1, 2016 18:35
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special tactics posted:Newborn Crimean Boys Received Draft Notices  . Get'em early."...they are supposed to join Russian army on January 24, 2032" - if anyobody was wondering if Russia was planning to exit Crimea.
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Mar 1, 2016 19:05
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Palpek posted:I clicked the link expecting a good old Eastern Block bureaucratic gently caress-up. But no, it's an actual political idea Well, if things stay the same till that day, expect a sudden rash of Ukrainian patriotism among Crimean 18-year olds on that date.
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Mar 1, 2016 19:20
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OddObserver posted:Well, if things stay the same till that day, expect a sudden rash of Ukrainian patriotism among Crimean 18-year olds on that date. 16-year-olds, actually.
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Mar 1, 2016 19:44
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Is there any chance that is a parody website? Some of the other headlines make me think it's possible.
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Mar 1, 2016 19:57
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HUGE PUBES A PLUS posted:Is there any chance that is a parody website? Some of the other headlines make me think it's possible. http://mil.press/
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Mar 1, 2016 19:59
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loving Starship Troopers is starting to look peachy compared to Russia.
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Mar 1, 2016 20:17
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steinrokkan posted:loving Starship Troopers is starting to look peachy compared to Russia.
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Mar 1, 2016 20:22
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Lol as if Crimea, Russia or even human life will still exist in 2032. President Trump will see to that.
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Mar 1, 2016 22:26
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A Pale Horse posted:Lol as if Crimea, Russia or even human life will still exist in 2032. President Trump will see to that. I am reasonably optimistic that President Trump wouldn't nuke the world because he's been concerned about nuclear proliferation and war since 1987 (long read).
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Mar 2, 2016 02:13
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Gobbeldygook posted:I am reasonably optimistic that President Trump wouldn't nuke the world because he's been concerned about nuclear proliferation and war since 1987 (long read). Don't ruin my dreams of nuclear apocalypse.
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Mar 2, 2016 02:34
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Palpek posted:No, it's not a typical case of radicalization - a typical radicalized immigrant joins an organization, contacts a group or supports terrorist acts (in extreme cases takes part in them) sure but doesn't walk aimlessly around a metro for hours with a decapitated baby head. It's mental illness. It's fueled by current events and political situation sure and it's tragic but it's not somebody getting righteously angry at something, it's pure insanity. What the gently caress kind of mental gymnastics do you have to put yourself through to come to this conclusion? More to the point, what part of this attack would ISIS (which has loudly and explicitly called for Muslims in the west to carry out independent, unplanned terrorist attacks, I.E. without contacting a group or supporters) disapprove of? A significant chunk of the population in the middle east - not a majority but well into the whole percentage points - views the destruction of any perceived threat to their belief system (through murder and other violence) to be the highest moral calling in this life. Literally millions of Muslims will be celebrating this murder when they get news of it. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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Mar 2, 2016 04:04
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Liberal_L33t posted:What the gently caress kind of mental gymnastics do you have to put yourself through to come to this conclusion? More to the point, what part of this attack would ISIS (which has loudly and explicitly called for Muslims in the west to carry out independent, unplanned terrorist attacks, I.E. without contacting a group or supporters) disapprove of? Please re-read the details of the case and take your particular flavour of Islamophobic batshit back to the Middle East thread. No, wait, we don't want you there either.
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Mar 2, 2016 04:09
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A lot of the right wing groups Putin is funding in Europe probably celebrated the kid that drowned and washed up on that beach.
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Mar 2, 2016 08:02
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Gobbeldygook posted:I am reasonably optimistic that President Trump wouldn't nuke the world because he's been concerned about nuclear proliferation and war since 1987 (long read).
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Mar 2, 2016 09:23
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cute.
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Mar 2, 2016 10:12
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Liberal_L33t posted:What the gently caress kind of mental gymnastics do you have to put yourself through to come to this conclusion? More to the point, what part of this attack would ISIS (which has loudly and explicitly called for Muslims in the west to carry out independent, unplanned terrorist attacks, I.E. without contacting a group or supporters) disapprove of? Murders and sick things like that happen no matter what the current political situation is, they don't immediately have to have a meaning in the larger context but media sure jump on every opportunity (as seen in this case too) to bend them this way because that sells.
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Mar 2, 2016 10:33
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Also while we're talking about horrific crimes this is what has been blowing up in Polish news for the last 2 weeks: Poland's 'Hannibal Lecter' arrested in Malta.
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Mar 2, 2016 10:40
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blowfish posted:Russia stronk. World see Russia as weak and disrespect Russia. Russia must send army to take land back and show Russia stronk! Am I the only one who is tired of the "Russia stronk" meme/gimmick? I don't remember it ever being funny or adding to discussion.
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Mar 2, 2016 14:04
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Doctor Malaver posted:Am I the only one who is tired of the "Russia stronk" meme/gimmick? I don't remember it ever being funny or adding to discussion.
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Mar 2, 2016 14:08
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In lighter news: as part of decommunization, a village in Transcarpathia had its Lenin Street renamed Lennon Street.
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Mar 2, 2016 15:04
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OddObserver posted:In lighter news: as part of decommunization, a village in Transcarpathia had its Lenin Street renamed Lennon Street. Considered by some to also be a prominent communist?
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Mar 2, 2016 16:22
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OddObserver posted:In lighter news: as part of decommunization, a village in Transcarpathia had its Lenin Street renamed Lennon Street. I look forward to seeing statues of Groucho in city squares.
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Mar 2, 2016 16:25
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Palpek posted:Also while we're talking about horrific crimes this is what has been blowing up in Polish news for the last 2 weeks: Poland's 'Hannibal Lecter' arrested in Malta. quote:Detectives believe he murdered the 30-year-old woman with one of the samurai swords he collected, and then dismembered her body. He transported the remains back to his home and set the house on fire before fleeing the country. Any word on his goon status?
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Mar 2, 2016 16:35
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Murgos posted:Considered by some to also be a prominent communist? There is an exception for people known mainly for their cultural or scientific accomolishments, IIRC.
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Mar 2, 2016 17:06
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Volkerball posted:cute. You know what that image is about, right?
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Mar 2, 2016 17:12
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Volkerball posted:cute. Why is there a hammer and sickle on the top left corner. Is this national bolshevism?
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Mar 2, 2016 17:35
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Shouldn't it be a smaller head?
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Mar 2, 2016 17:39
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Friendly Humour posted:Why is there a hammer and sickle on the top left corner. Is this national bolshevism? Plain[*] bolshevism. The site is by the Communist Party of Russian Federation. [*] Very Russian imperial nationalist these days.
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Mar 2, 2016 17:39
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Copying over a post from the Right Wing Media thread:quote:Wash. man accidentally kills himself while taking a selfie with his gun, police say Why is this relevant to Eastern Europe? Guess where the problem of selfie death is most severe!(India, technically, but hey) quote:In Russia, where a woman almost died after inadvertently shooting herself while posing for a photo with a gun she had found, Russia’s Internal Affairs Ministry published a brochure instructing citizens on safe selfie habits.  I feel like these are good avatar material. If only there was one with a stick figure and a SAM, we could give it to BM...
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Mar 3, 2016 17:11
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I guess that in Russia "1000 Ways to Die" feels rather bland.
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Mar 3, 2016 18:32
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Rincewinds posted:I guess that in Russia "1000 Ways to Die" feels rather bland. You mean Dumb Ways to Die? (Bodies don't explode in space!)
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Mar 3, 2016 19:10
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So, Finnish news told today that 5 of the top generals of Polish army have resigned and more will probably follow. Does that mean that PiS is purging army in addition to justice system?
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Mar 5, 2016 11:01
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Valiantman posted:So, Finnish news told today that 5 of the top generals of Polish army have resigned and more will probably follow. Does that mean that PiS is purging army in addition to justice system? Its a protest resignation. The new minister of defense, Antoni "birch trees can't bring down airplanes, even if you crash into them" Macierewicz has said he plans to purge the officer ranks of anyone who was trained during the communist era, especially those trained in the Soviet Union. That's about 1/2 to 2/3 of the senior officer staff so they're just getting a head start. The chiefs of the army, navy and air forces all resigned and are already being called traitors by the right. In slightly related news:  The text reads: The Venice Commission definitively concluded that Poland has not yet risen from her knees (a right wing election slogan) but is stuck in a Slavic squat.
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Mar 5, 2016 12:01
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I wouldn't be surprised if it was a bunch of old dudes with secured pensions simply being fed up with crazyman Macierewicz, being dragged around for dumb Smolenskian anniversaries and poo poo all the time and anticipating general insufferableness when the good change takes its turn to take a look at the army.
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Mar 5, 2016 12:18
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Another fun thing: The Kukiz '15 party, theoretically in opposition but in reality PiS lapdog, have invited members of the Assad regime to meet with them in the Sejm. Nationalists love themselves a war criminal dictator, how shocking.
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Mar 5, 2016 12:52
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One more thing. The new justice minister is doing away with the "fruit of the poisonous tree" doctrine, meaning any evidence gathered illegally will be admissible in court.  This country is becoming a sick joke.
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Mar 5, 2016 19:53
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