[turbojet7]

With US engineered protests in Belarus and Kazakhstan, both ruled by pro-Russian governments and now the Ukraine's drumbeats of NATO-isation of Ukraine, Putin had no other option. He is doing what is good for his country. Taking out what will be NATO client state in possible future directly sharing land border with Russia. US and Nato would've turned Ukraine for Russia into what Pakistan is for India - a cancer right across the border.

[SnS_12]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Where financial sanctions go - this time it could be the stimulus the rest of the world needs to get moving away from the $ as the main or sole means of trade and the main reserve currency. Ultimately the US$ and not its over whelming military might is America's greatest strength. Its dependency on the $ remaining the world's reserve currency is also its Achilles heel. Because the day that changes the American Govt and its treasury bonds will be in very deep trouble.

Russia is definitely doing a lot more business with China and China being the global manufacturing hub can be a indication of the shift of doing business in other currencies than the US$ and the alternate could be €. This could also build cracks between US and Europe relations as the US$ will loose its value and the American economy will suffer subsequently.

Below graph shows how the € is slowly eating away in the US$ transaction with Imports into China and is a dominant currency when it comes to exports in the last few years



Dedollarization emerged as a priority for Russia in 2014 in response to the imposition of Western sanctions following the annexation of Crimea that limited the ability of state firms and banks to raise financing in Western markets. China also began seeing value in this initiative after the onset of the US-China trade war in 2018 and the use of punitive financial measures by the US.



Linh: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blog...dollarization/

[CarNerd]

I found this on Twitter:

But some searching revealed that the US has been using its armed forces abroad since 1798!

This PDF file lists all the instances from 1798 to 2021: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...X5tfxmX6hJUPMC

I fail to understand the US criticizing Russia when it is to be blamed for showing this path to others.

[Samurai]

I had watched this video long ago, explaining why this crisis is the fault of the west. So I looked it up. This is a talk from 2015.

The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine Crisis

John J. Mearsheimer, the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor in Political Science and Co-director of the Program on International Security Policy at the University of Chicago, assesses the causes of the present Ukraine crisis, the best way to end it, and its consequences for all of the main actors.

https://youtu.be/JrMiSQAGOS4

[dragracer567]

Originally Posted by sierrabravo98

I only wish any of our Indian leaders could dare to do then what Putin is doing right now. By some accounts (I would not like to list them out as it will turn my post more political than it already is), Putin has been preparing for this from a long long time (think 10+ years). He has his house in order for what he has planned. Do you guys really think that the Kremlin has not war-gamed (and I mean using mathematical models on super-computers) every possible move that the US/NATO might take? Putin is prepared.

Really? I for one am proud that India would never do something like what Russia did (or what Americans did in Iraq) no matter the government in power. The only time when India intervened was in 1971 and we had the solid moral high ground there.

I’m sorry but democracy matters and rule of law matters! Have you ever spoken to a Russian? This is not some noble effort, just an effort by a egoistic dictator who wants to divert attention by starting an external war as its economy crashes into itself following the 2014 sanctions. Russians don’t have jobs, many barely have food on their table while they face unprecedented demographic and brain drain issues. Russia is essentially a nuisance state now akin to Pakistan.

[m8002?]

Almost every dictator/autocrat has started with false nationalism and ended with war. They dont care about the welfare of the people or state. Only thing that matters is holding on to the power and keep the people engaged with false propaganda.

War is the final recourse of these dictators when everything starts to fall apart. Nothing rallies the common public like war. Doesn't matter who started it.

The concern I have is that we have too many of such strong man governments ( though democratically elected ) in the world today...each wanting to show he is stronger than the other. Their stupid policies have ruined the economy but still they claim success

[v1p3r]

As someone said, this is all hilarious. Except if you're Ukrainian, I suppose.

While war is wretched, Putin possibly more so, I really have no idea what the West expected to happen. You back a psychotic dictator into a corner, but let him keep a massive and well equipped army, let him control fuel supply to a large fraction of the world, and you expect what, a satsang?

The only reason the world is outraging is because this is a white country being invaded. This isn't some ol' black or brown desert-stan or forest-nam, so everyone is up in arms.

Originally Posted by dragracer567

Really? I for one am proud that India would never do something like what Russia did (or what Americans did in Iraq) no matter the government in power. The only time when India intervened was in 1971 and we had the solid moral high ground there.

Yeah, and we are harried on two sides by nasty neighbours. Fat lot of good 'morality' does. The reason for intervening in 1971 was the ability to remove a hostile neighbor from the chessboard, which we achieved. Morals play no part.

Originally Posted by dragracer567

I’m sorry but democracy matters and rule of law matters! Have you ever spoken to a Russian? This is not some noble effort, just an effort by a egoistic dictator who wants to divert attention by starting an external war as its economy crashes into itself following the 2014 sanctions. Russians don’t have jobs, many barely have food on their table while they face unprecedented demographic and brain drain issues. Russia is essentially a nuisance state now akin to Pakistan.

Democracy matters how? International power projection, domestic standards of living, and other measures of global and local standing have very little to do with system of government.

Originally Posted by dragracer567

...don’t have jobs, many barely have food on their table while they face unprecedented demographic and brain drain issues.

You could essentially be describing the world's largest democracy.

[sierrabravo98]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

The only time when India intervened was in 1971 and we had the solid moral high ground there.

I’m sorry but democracy matters and rule of law matters! Have you ever spoken to a Russian? This is not some noble effort, just an effort by a egoistic dictator who wants to divert attention by starting an external war as its economy crashes into itself following the 2014 sanctions. Russians don’t have jobs, many barely have food on their table while they face unprecedented demographic and brain drain issues. Russia is essentially a nuisance state now akin to Pakistan.

The bold part above is the source of most modern Indian problems. Endless and useless posturing on morals while our own countrymen die(d) from hunger and disease. Umpteen opportunities for the the nation's progress were squandered away cause - "morals".

Anyways, this discussion is beyond the scope of this thread. As it is, I think both my posts on this thread are going to be deleted for being Off-topic. We can continue this discussion someplace else if you would like to.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

The only time when India intervened was in 1971 and we had the solid moral high ground there.

India didn't intervene in some unrelated conflict. Nothing to do with moral high ground either. We were an affected party. Every month millions of Bangla refugees were entering India fleeing from the Pakistani army that was murdering and raping their own citizens. All the Indian states bordering East-Paskistan were full of refugee camps with around 10 million refugees. So India had to take action to save itself.

[turbojet7]

Thats it. Russian forces have reached Ukraine's capital Kiev. Top Ukraine officials are being evacuated and Ukraine's intelligence agency HQ in Kiev is in flames.

[ABHI_1512]

I am surprised by the reactions of this thread. Russia has attacked a country, a war has been started. For whatever reasons the Russians have, a war is not any kind of solution in a civilised world. Taking sides here is easy, just to think that Ukrainians will die and so will Russians too if this escalated further. It’s not that only the Ukrainians will die. Already, few hundreds have lost their lives on both sides and that’s sad.

In today’s age, when countries have nuclear arsenal, it’s appalling to even think that a major country has started a war for gaining territory !! We can discuss this topic all day and all night, truth is we were nowhere close to what the Ukrainians are going through right now. I can only hope that this madness comes to end sooner.

[AjinkyaP]

Originally Posted by m8002?

Almost every dictator/autocrat has started with false nationalism and ended with war. They dont care about the welfare of the people or state. Only thing that matters is holding on to the power and keep the people engaged with false propaganda.

Couldn't agree more.

Putin has silenced each and every critic of his since last 22 years by hook or by crook.
National media being his lapdog , murdering journalists like Anna Politkovskaya who wouldnt budge.

For a supreme leader when there is no one to tell "you are wrong", it is a wake-up call for that country (I'm talking about Putin )

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

I am surprised by the reactions of this thread. Russia has attacked a country, a war has been started. For whatever reasons the Russians have, a war is not any kind of solution in a civilised world. Taking sides here is easy, just to think that Ukrainians will die and so will Russians too if this escalated further. It’s not that only the Ukrainians will die. Already, few hundreds have lost their lives on both sides and that’s sad.

I agree with every fibre of my being.

That will change nothing.

There will be no action, like there was none when China invaded Indian territory, the 'Allies' invaded Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, or any other of the dozens of 'liberations' or 'regime changes' that have occurred in the previous decades. Only economic and military power matter on the international level. This is a harsh fact of life. It is the law of the jungle, only dressed up in nice suits.

[Electromotive]

Ukrainian Defense Minister says the country has gone into full 'defense mode,' anyone who is ready and able to hold weapons can get one from the Territorial Defense Forces of their region by showing their passport.



Might as well surrender if the alternative is sending civilians to slaughter. No help is coming.

Russia wouldn't have mobilized without certain assurances from China. China is playing puppet master and when China is involved, Indian interests should be considered under threat.
Still think reliance on Russia is the way forward?

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

Really? I for one am proud that India would never do something like what Russia did (or what Americans did in Iraq) no matter the government in power. The only time when India intervened was in 1971 and we had the solid moral high ground there.

I’m sorry but democracy matters and rule of law matters! Have you ever spoken to a Russian? This is not some noble effort, just an effort by a egoistic dictator who wants to divert attention by starting an external war as its economy crashes into itself following the 2014 sanctions. Russians don’t have jobs, many barely have food on their table while they face unprecedented demographic and brain drain issues. Russia is essentially a nuisance state now akin to Pakistan.

I sincerely hope you are not aware of Indian intervention in SriLanka in the 1980s - Ethnic pogrom in SL, Refugee influx, covert support for the 'separatists', then overt support violating SL Airspace in the name of Relief operations, having an accord with SL Government on their 'internal' power devolution scheme and getting the boots on the soil with IPKF to enforce and bogged down in their 'internal' affairs and came out with bruises after being hated by both parties.

I am not sure which rule of law you are referring? If it is international, it is written by the winner, always without exception.

And the reality of democratic values talk is that it suits the narrator and is tricky in multi ethnic countries living across conflict prone geographies.

Finally, loving peace is fine but appearing weak will always entice bullies and enemies to play mischief and power projection is inevitable. I sincerely wish all of this stops now including NATO enlargement and everyone focus on economic recovery of the pandemic.