Thumpalumpacus
Major
So Russia should be able to determine the foreign policies of sovereign nations? Because that's what your suggestion amounts to.
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Why are we poking the bear in the eye? No NATO expansion and those countries bordering Russia, just stay neutral. It worked for decades during the Cold War.
At the cost of nuclear war? No thanks.
As others have pointed out, Ukraine was non-aligned. The Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994 by the US, UK and Russia, provided that none of the signatories would threaten or use military force against Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. France and China didn't sign the memorandum but later signed other, albeit weaker, agreements with the 3 nations. As a result of these guarantees, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan agreed to give up their nuclear weapons.
Given Russia's actions against Ukraine, why would any sensible-minded national leader believe a word that comes out of the Kremlin? Remember back in February how Putin and his cronies kept saying that the forces on Ukraine's borders were just conducting exercises and they had no intention of invading Ukraine?
Nobody wants nuclear war but, at the same time, we can't just stand by and let Putin get his way, particularly when it involves sacrificing Ukraine or other independent nations. Failure to confront Putin will simply encourage him to do the same again, and again, and again.
I understand it all completely, I just believe that the situation of paying both combatants in a war is lunacy that is a direct result of Europe's misguided energy policy and the habit of appeasing Putin, which has become ingrained in government policy over the past 15 or so years.Keep in mind that the fuel purchased from Russia is by contract.
They just don't call up Russia and place an order, the fuel delivery is a negotiated contract for x-amount of fuel @ x-amount of Euros to be delivered over a period of time (quarterly, semi-annual or whatever is contracted) well ahead of actual delivery.
You also have to understand that entire nations are dependant on that fuel not only for private homes, but hospitals, institutions, farm production and manufacturing. So a sudden shutdown of fuel will have serious consequences for that nation.
Many countries have started to reduce their consumption and have received pledges for fuel from nations outside of Europe until and alternative and reliable supply for Europe can be established.
American troops were having family send body armor over because there wasn't enough to go around.
There apparently was a shortage, but that's all I can see on line.Huh? I don't remember that.
There were shortages in the supply chain. Command decided that ~50k support troops didn't need them so that they could be given priority to the combat troops at the front line.Huh? I don't remember that.
The Finns will be fine. This is the shove all of Europe needed to severe their energy ties to Russia.According to one Aus news site Russia has cut electricity off to Finland because Finland is asking to join NATO but I have not seen this elsewhere. So - true or false?
There were shortages in the supply chain. Command decided that ~50k support troops didn't need them so that they could be given priority to the combat troops at the front line.
Shortly thereafter, snipers, insurgents, etc made it just as unhealthy for support troops as for combat troops.
There are stories of families sending civilian body armor overseas in care packages as well as troops buying body armor on the civilian market before deploying to Iraq. Google will find plenty of stories of varying levels of truth.
Production eventually, as always, caught up and it became more of a political football than a valid problem.
It's really no different than during WWII when command didn't prioritize winter uniforms because the war would be over by Christmas and then the Bulge happened. Some troops from the north had LLBean clothing and boots shipped to them but not everyone knew to do so. My ex's uncle from Alabama was cold the whole time of the Bulge and never forgave the Army for that. Same these days with memories of body armor.
The Finns will be fine. This is the shove all of Europe needed to severe their energy ties to Russia.
As a Canadian I'd like to see my country expedite LNG export development. We have more natural gas than our 15 million households could ever need. Unfortunately our main projects to develop the export of LNG are based in BC, intended for sale in Asia.
According to one Aus news site Russia has cut electricity off to Finland because Finland is asking to join NATO but I have not seen this elsewhere. So - true or false?
Our unit was reservists and REMFs, so we got the older style kevlar vests. The ballistic vests went to the regular combat units. Later, some super-REMFs were sent out from Meade to show us part-timers how things were done. They squealed like little girls when they weren't issued the latest toys. Went out on an op with the Florida NG, and they were lining their soft Hummers with the kevlar vests. I saw lots of interesting field mods.Huh? I don't remember that.
Edit: now I remember the shortage.
Our unit was reservists and REMFs, so we got the older style kevlar vests. The ballistic vests went to the regular combat units. Later, some super-REMFs were sent out from Meade to show us part-timers how things were done. They squealed like little girls when they weren't issued the latest toys. Went out on an op with the Florida NG, and they were lining their soft Hummers with the kevlar vests. I saw lots of interesting field mods.
Then why does the USA have nuclear weapons? It's to stop the bear attacking it.At the cost of nuclear war? No thanks.