"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (8 Viewers)

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Pretty sure they're also not happy about the Russians introducing referenda allowing for breakaway provinces to decide their own fate. That's the last thing China wants re: Taiwan.
Russia has/had something the West/Europe needed, cheap oil and gas. China doesn't have anything the West needs besides a source for cheap electronics and consumer goods. We can source that stuff anywhere. For example, Vietnam and Malaysia.



Meanwhile China has a demographic timebomb and ponzi property market that will likely scupper the country. China uses the money they gain from selling us junk to build a massive military and expansionist foreign policy. Why would the West want to stay with that?
 
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Meanwhile China has a demographic timebomb and ponzi property market that will likely scupper the country. China uses the money they gain from selling us junk to build a massive military and expansionist foreign policy. Why would the West want to stay with that?
It seems China is following in the footsteps of the USSR - a distinct lack of thought for future infrastructure / training (workforce)
coupled with far too much spending on their military. The last straw for the USSR was the so called Star Wars program which
they knew they could not match because of the economic drain. I still don't know if the Star Wars program was all a con anyway.
 
Russia has/had something the West/Europe needed, cheap oil and gas. China doesn't have anything the West needs besides a source for cheap electronics and consumer goods. We can source that stuff anywhere. For example, Vietnam and Malaysia.



Meanwhile China has a demographic timebomb and ponzi property market that will likely scupper the country. China uses the money they gain from selling us junk to build a massive military and expansionist foreign policy. Why would the West want to stay with that?

Of course China is already somewhat isolated, and of course that will only worsen after an invasion of Taiwan. But my point is that China is already irritated that Russia's invasion has brought such concerns front and center -- and impelled China to commit to statements which can later be thrown back in its face.
 
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In Germany's defence, I don't see the USA offering Abrams, or France Leclercs or Italy Arietes or even any of the export operators of any of these offering them.
I thinks it's Germany's apparent blocking other countries' offering their Leopard 2 tanks that's more annoying. Germany could have facilitated the restoration of Spain's proffered Leo2s, for example.



I recall that Poland considered donating its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as their Abrams began arriving, but again Germany apparently refuses to support the move.

 
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I thinks it's Germany's apparent blocking other countries' offering their Leopard 2 tanks that's more annoying. Germany could have facilitated the restoration of Spain's proffered Leo2s, for example.


I recall that Poland considered donating its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as their Abrams began arriving, but again Germany apparently refuses to support the move.


Indirectly they are assisting tanks to get there:


I suspect part of the reason why no-one is supplying western tanks is two-fold:

  1. Ex-Russian tanks (be they T-72s or otherwise0 are already in service in Ukraine and thus logistics/sustainment, ammunition and crew training is already available - something that would be needed for newer types (remember that a tank is not like a car where you just throw someone the keys...); and
  2. Whereas plenty of munitions are being supplied, something like a tank, especially if one is knocked out by the Russians and photographed is a pretty powerful image and one that could conceivably play into Russian propaganda re 'NATO's war on Russia'/damage Western support & resolve ("Whoa...Russia just knocked out one of our tanks...maybe they are stronger than we thought..."
 

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