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 another goon down 
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May 12, 2014 14:52
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Courthouse posted:Well he won back in Crimea. Question now is what he wants. More of Ukraine? Independent fiefdoms as more easily controlled buffers? Just leave Ukraine a burning mess for shits and giggles? i think the answer is pretty obvious: japan hence the wooing of their male population with that crimean attorney lady
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May 12, 2014 20:21
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Courthouse posted:Because while everyone is busy talking up how bad Putin has outmanouvered the west, fact is that without the Crimean voters the pro-west side has a clear electoral majority in the remaining Ukraine. So it is essentially lost to the EU in the long term. That assumes: - The same tactics (of destabilization and rabble-rousing if not outright takeover) don't work with increasingly fewer indigenous / smuggled-in 'ethnic Russians' - The government of whatever's left of Ukraine has the authority and competence to order lunch, let alone coordinate a backstop to Russian influence I also think people are reaaallly underestimating the Euro swing towards the 'far right' / 'social values' / ethnic identity politics and the potency of said ideologies against the 'Godless socialism' of the existing EU. If Putin et successors maintains the appearance of strength / competence they can swing several states to their side with trivial effort. Hell, look at some of the polls on whether / how to oppose Russian imperialism, Hungary's practically won over already.
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May 12, 2014 20:31
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If Russia couldn't pull that off as the Soviet Union I don't see how they could possibly pull it off today. Europe is already determined to reduce energy dependence on Russia. There isn't going to be a second Cold War and Russia isn't a resurgent superpower. If it was it would have long since invaded Ukraine. The scales are even more lopsided in favor of the West today than they were in the Cold War. Russia has nothing to offer anyone and has no friends.
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May 12, 2014 21:15
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In a move sure to shock everyone, the "newly independent" peoples republics of Lugansk and Donetsk have asked for federation with Russia.  Also, how is there not a funny Putin annexation smiley yet? E: quote:I also think people are reaaallly underestimating the Euro swing towards the 'far right' / 'social values' / ethnic identity politics and the potency of said ideologies against the 'Godless socialism' of the existing EU. If Putin et successors maintains the appearance of strength / competence they can swing several states to their side with trivial effort. I think you underestimate just how many of those very same right wing nationalists really, really, do not like Russia. Putin is also a great boogeyman for all the jingoist tendencies there, with the added benefit that the EU federalists can jump on that same train and use it as a unifying force without dipping their toes into "racism". So that door can swing more than one way, with they key difference that the western europeans have an inside track on strong arming the east european countries through EU institutions. I'm sure Russia can gently caress around in the parts of Europe that don't count on the international stage, but to what end? As it stands now the "win" would be to get a country to leave the EU and enter the Russian orbit, but apart from political brownie points what does that get Putin? The EU on the other hand would probably end up strengthened by ridding itself of pretty much anyone in the old east block but Poland. One could argue Russia could sow conflict within EU leadership by strongarming a few member countries and thus weaken the EU. But the EU is already completely incapable as anything more than a free trade/movement zone administration (which is a great success in and of it self, I concede). EE; quote:Do you want to become an independent republic from Ukraine? (Tick one) Even the ticking is, of course, superfluous http://www.businessinsider.com/yes-ballots-ukraine-2014-5 Courthouse fucked around with this message at 21:47 on May 12, 2014 |
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May 12, 2014 21:28
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Courthouse posted:Looks like the east Ukrainian separatists won an overwhelming 90% victory with 75% participation. Democracy at work. Do you want to become an independent republic from Ukraine? (Tick one) [] Yes [] Absolutely
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May 12, 2014 21:31
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Mustang posted:If Russia couldn't pull that off as the Soviet Union I don't see how they could possibly pull it off today. Europe is already determined to reduce energy dependence on Russia. There isn't going to be a second Cold War and Russia isn't a resurgent superpower. If it was it would have long since invaded Ukraine. The scales are even more lopsided in favor of the West today than they were in the Cold War. Russia has nothing to offer anyone and has no friends. I thought Europe was 5+ years away from large-scale NG supplies from the US, due to the lack of ports/ships capable of actually transporting it.
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May 12, 2014 22:30
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Yeah it's definitely something that won't happen for years but at least they recognize the need for it. I think at most this will decade will see a more assertive Russia (and China, for that matter) but ultimately their internal issues will catch up with them.
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May 12, 2014 22:47
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Mustang posted:Yeah it's definitely something that won't happen for years but at least they recognize the need for it. I think at most this will decade will see a more assertive Russia (and China, for that matter) but ultimately their internal issues will catch up with them. the problem is that, historically, totalitarian-style governments use perceived or exaggerated external threats to overshadow domestic instability. hell every government does it; it's a staple of the politician to blame the neighbors to distract from the problems at home. so yeah, while russia and china both have huge (and probably under-reported) domestic issues looming on the horizon, their respective governments will continue to be more aggressive with foreign policy just to distract their own peoples from it as long as they can.
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May 12, 2014 23:00
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Mustang posted:Yeah it's definitely something that won't happen for years but at least they recognize the need for it. I think at most this will decade will see a more assertive Russia (and China, for that matter) but ultimately their internal issues will catch up with them. This assumes that eventually this conflict doesn't get pushed off the front page enough that the greens start overriding it all again. RE: the far-right thing, Le Pen (who is a singularly despicable individual) seems to be the major 'far-right' driving force on the mainland right now, and she's shown public sympathy with Putin's aims. Hungary's Jobbiks have explicit ties already with Putin and Russia. Some of this is enemy-of-my-enemy stuff, sure, but I wouldn't underestimate the potency of it, especially as long as Russia remains a more distant threat than literal divisions of tanks warming their engines on the borders. That's not even getting into the tendencies of the "Purify the pure races, death to Gypsies and Jews" groups to keep differing ideas between who's "pure" from preventing alliance until the rest of the mudbloods have been dealt with. Disunity leading to inaction is all Putin needs from the West, blah blah evil blah good men do nothing and so on. EU attempts at military unity beyond / outside NATO to oppose Russia are also a non-trivial factor in British desires to weaken (or leave) the EU, and whether or not you think that's a good idea, none of the outcomes strengthen that opposition. It's all really underestimating the rot in EU side (something something Vandals didn't have to be a world power to pull down a thoroughly corrupted Rome) but I've been very pessimistic on EU for a long time.
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May 12, 2014 23:05
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Russia has yet to move on annexing lugdansk and donetsk, in contrast to crimea where they essentially had all the paperwork done and ready to be signed when asked for federation.Snowdens Secret posted:but I've been very pessimistic on EU for a long time. Depends entirely on what one think the union is supposed to be. If you think it is supposed to be a centralized federal state then yes, it is a failure. If you think it is supposed to be a politically neutral peace'n'trade union it's doing rather well, considering what the world looks like. Putin doesn't need to do poo poo to avoid the EU (as opposed to it's individual states) becoming a political player. Because for it to do so you'd first have to essentially dissolve the nation states, or at least institute a legal framework where nation states could be forced to take actions against their and their peoples own will. And that is just not going to happen, making any Putin machiavellianisms entirely superfluous. All relevant actions will be taken by the big 5, either they can agree on something or they can't, and Russia strong-arming Bulgaria or whatever will have little effect on that. Disunity comes from within, and Russia can do very little but hope the economy continues to be poo poo and keeps Europe preoccupied. They can take advantage of that, but that is a different thing from fomenting it. The "rot" in the EU comes from a lot of people being upset about the federalist politicians trying to make the EU into something it isn't. And the rot was caused by the fact that most of that was done bureaucratically and not democratically. The democratic parties failed to respond to the public will, and so funneled those voters to people like le Pen.
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May 13, 2014 13:03
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Yeah as an organization intended to provide a united economic front against the American and Chinese juggernauts, it's doing loving great. Just ask Greece.
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May 13, 2014 13:34
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Godholio posted:Yeah as an organization intended to provide a united economic front against the American and Chinese juggernauts, it's doing loving great. Just ask Greece. Where there once were a complete mess of tolls, borders within borders, conflicting laws, protectionist regulations, caps in imports and exports and travelling required a legal degree, you can now trade and travel freely. So yes, it is. If you compare it to what it was before the EU started it's work on removing borders, harmonizing laws and forbade countries from constantly trying to gently caress their neighbors over, it's loving sunshine and unicorns. This is a continent that couldn't discuss the colour of an orange without setting off some continent wide mass slaughter. The EU, and NATO, did put an end to centuries and millennia of constant warfare between the member states. If you compare it to some pie in the sky utopia, sure, it's terrible. But the only thing the EU can be faulted for is letting the Greeks in despite knowing what a cleptocratic mess their government was. The EURO, while a project of some of the core EU members is not the EU. And should be decried on its own merits. The Greeks would not have been magically spared the sums of their governments foolishness had they been outside the EU. It is not an organization intended to provide any "economic fronts" against anyone. It's intended to put an end to wars between member states, open up a free market within the continent, and allow the free flow of trade and people. Using it as some "front" against anything is not what it's for, however much the federalists wish it the EU is not a political entity and was not intended as one. You have NATO and G8 summits for that stuff. The EU simply is not an institution made for projecting anything, be it force or diplomatic measures. To be so it must first dissolve the autonomy of the nation states, which is not going to happen.
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May 13, 2014 14:11
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Lotta wishful thinking there. And you're misunderstanding what I mean by 'rot'. The Nazis may have had the door opened for them by a crashed economy but countering Weimar amoralism was their primary selling point. It doesn't really matter whether the downsides to, let's call it 'Godless socialism' are real or perceived as long as enough people perceive them. Also, perhaps I shouldn't have used EU as shorthand when I really just meant 'Europe'. In other news: Iran is declaring victory in Syria: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/11/syria-crisis-iran-assad-won-war-tehran quote:Iran and its close ally President Bashar al-Assad have won the war in Syria, and the US-orchestrated campaign in support of the opposition's attempt to topple the Syrian regime has failed, senior Iranian officials have told the Guardian. Also the Iranian nuke talks restart today and Iran is 'in it to win it': http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.590040 quote:Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Sunday called on the country's Revolutionary Guards to mass-produce missiles, saying that Western expectations that Iran would limit its missile program were "stupid and idiotic."
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May 13, 2014 16:05
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pack it in boys, america is over http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/05/14/pentagon-chelsea-manning/9069755/ USA Today posted:Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has approved an Army request to transfer national-security secrets leaker Pvt. Chelsea Manning to a civilian prison that could provide her treatment to transition to a woman, Pentagon officials say.
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May 14, 2014 20:41
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Hopefully they gently caress up during surgery.
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May 14, 2014 20:45
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Who is paying for his dick to get cut off?
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May 14, 2014 20:50
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Government sponsored dick snips for convicted traitors? Why I never.
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May 14, 2014 20:51
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I think she ought to be Manning up.
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May 14, 2014 21:49
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Mortabis posted:Who is paying for his dick to get cut off? I really hope they just cut it off and let some hosed up convicts gently caress the poo poo out of the wound and just let him bleed out from it all. Because seriously, gently caress anime intel spergs forever
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May 14, 2014 21:49
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Mortabis posted:Who is paying The ones needing a believable cover for the Game of Thrones poo poo they did to him during interrogation?  
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May 14, 2014 22:38
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tank u all 4 ur service(ing of men, Mr. Nice!) and making this thread so i actually can stay up on news without throwing a coffee mug at the tee vee that out of the way as a civilian american i hope that someone kicks bradley in the dick repeatedly before they cut it off so he can be the pretty pretty princess of cell block d or whatever
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May 14, 2014 22:44
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maffew buildings posted:tank u all 4 ur service(ing of men, Mr. Nice!) and making this thread so i actually can stay up on news without throwing a coffee mug at the tee vee Stay in drugs kid, don't do school.
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May 14, 2014 22:52
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schools tell you it's ok to be a tranny jew fag and proud of who you are, gently caress school. that's something you do in the privacy of your own home and feel deep overwhelming shame about that you deal with through rampant alcoholism and frequenting hookers
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May 14, 2014 22:54
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Courthouse posted:The ones needing a believable cover for the Game of Thrones poo poo they did to him during interrogation? nah, theyre gonna hire the most expensive doctors they can find and charge it to yours truly, every1 who pays taxes.
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May 14, 2014 22:55
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maffew buildings posted:schools tell you it's ok to be a tranny jew fag and proud of who you are, gently caress school. Welcome friend
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May 14, 2014 22:58
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orange juche posted:nah, theyre gonna hire the most expensive doctors they can find and charge it to yours truly, every1 who pays taxes. Daggum I hate Obummer-care *goes to the VA*
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May 14, 2014 23:00
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maffew buildings posted:schools tell you it's ok to be a tranny jew fag and proud of who you are, gently caress school. You're gonna do fine here.
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May 14, 2014 23:02
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maffew buildings posted:schools tell you it's ok to be a tranny jew fag and proud of who you are, gently caress school. i think i remember liking you back when i use to stay up on the mma threads so welcome to our den of inequity
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May 14, 2014 23:10
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Courthouse posted:The ones needing a believable cover for the Game of Thrones poo poo they did to him during interrogation? I wish.
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May 14, 2014 23:12
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quote:as a civilian maffew buildings posted:schools tell you it's ok to be a tranny jew fag and proud of who you are, gently caress school. You've certainly come to the right place then. 
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May 14, 2014 23:35
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Courthouse posted:You've certainly come to the right place then. i already like him more than you
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May 14, 2014 23:38
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Mention a transsexual and this place just starts oozing the loving charm. Although if I were legit transitioning and poor as gently caress I would be furious that this dude breaks some of the most serious laws we have and gets his transition gratis c/o the US government. Really, the dude flew off the handle about how bad the government was treating him and now they're not only covering his transition, they even transferred him. It's not like he earned his hero status anyway, he released every thing he could find without regard for where it came from, what it was about, or who it could possibly hurt. He was having a lovely deployment, acted out, and it's almost certainly cost lives. It wasn't brave, it was catty and petulant. He hosed up and he deserves to be in prison. People, good people (and let's be honest, probably some real assholes too) died because of this fucker. His one life spent in prison cannot un-do the ones who didn't get to come back. gently caress Bradley Manning. gently caress Chelsea Manning. gently caress disabled CD burners. gently caress all of them.
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May 15, 2014 00:12
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Full Battle Rattle posted:Mention a transsexual and this place just starts oozing the loving charm. tell me more
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May 15, 2014 00:26
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Under what rules is gender change covered anyway? It doesn't feel like something medically necessary in an immediate sense, so why is it covered? Human rights or something? What happens if he changes his mind later on? Does the state cover sowing it back on? friend of the family DEATH TURBO posted:i already like him more than you This is about my rainbow menorah tshirt, isn't it? 
Courthouse fucked around with this message at 00:51 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 00:43
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Full Battle Rattle posted:Although if I were legit transitioning Follow your dreams. quote:it was catty and petulant. He'll fit right in post-op. quote:gently caress all of them.
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May 15, 2014 00:44
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Courthouse posted:Under what rules is gender change covered anyway? it's not covered, which is why most of our reactions range from  to  because haha the DoD is gonna pay for him to get gender reassignment surgery and holy gently caress i mean i just don't get it. dudes a loving traitor according to the oath he took when he enlisted and he is getting transferred from leavenworth to a civ facility and argh god dammit gently caress etc.basically im literaly shakign E: this is not some general strike out against people who get gender reassignment surgery or whatever, if that is what you need then go for it, if that is what you need to feel normal. I do however object to the govt paying for a traitor to get it. orange juche fucked around with this message at 01:00 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 00:56
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Dude should get 10,000 volts rather than tens of thousands of dollars in elective surgery.
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May 15, 2014 01:02
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Is corpse a gender?
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May 15, 2014 01:04
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 01:25 |
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Mad Dragon posted:Is corpse a gender? A hole's a hole, right?
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May 15, 2014 01:13
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