Comments by "" (@badluck5647) on "TLDR News EU" channel.

  1. Speaking of treaty obligations, Ukraine gave up their nuclear arsenal because Russia agreed to respect Ukraine's borders and sovereignty.
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  2. A very expensive brick
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  3. Slovakia is likely Hungary's new autocratic partner.
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  4. Why is Hungary allowed to stay in the EU?
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  5. Why would India and China link their monetary well-being to economic basket cases like South Africa, Russia, and Brazil? It would be like the Euro, but everyone is 2008 Greece.
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  6.  @ararune3734  Russia caused the only European invasions of the 21st century- Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014.
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  7. Source: Former Bakhmut Mayor, George Santos
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  8.  @Geny  Because Orban ignores EU law, and because Hungary has removed EU requirements like Rule of Law, an independent judiciary, and a free press.
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  9. The Russian military is probably debating which war crime to commit next.
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  10.  @jacky9590  Sweden could send the jets to Ukraine instead of Putin-loving, autocratic Hungary.
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  11.  @iljenshumilin467  Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. This is literally the only time since Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1991 that a nation has used the military to steal territory from a sovereign nation. In addition, Putin goes on Russian TV and claims that Ukraine is historically Russia and therefore doesn't deserve their independence. This doesn't seem like Russia is respecting Ukraine's borders or sovereignty.
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  12. I would disagree about the NATO consent as you need every country to buy in or it hurts the chance everyone will contribute to an Article 5 response. 100% agree that EU countries shouldn't get so much veto power. It is just open to abuse.
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  13. Shouldn't politicians who take money from foreign intelligence services be arrested? I'm confused about how the FSB and GRU can so openly bribe politicians in Moldova.
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  14.  @Geny  The UK left, and Poland voted in pro-democracy candidates who reverse Poland's democratic backsliding. Hungary should follow their example.
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  15. They are trying to make it an alternative to the G7. I'm not sure how successful a BRICS alliance can be if is just based on a lack of values.
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  16.  @tnamr5652  And South Korea, Australia, Poland, and even India has shown interest in joining the G7 bloc. This is a lot more impressive than BRICS having Syria join their club.
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  17. As an American, you are probably right. I would trust Trump with supporting fellow democracies as much I would trust Putin.
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  18.  @Demon88061  False, on paper, Ukraine and Belarus were equal members of the Soviet Union, so they had equal rights to those nukes. Either way, Russia still signed a treaty saying they would respect Ukraine's sovereignty and borders.
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  19. Russian trolls: The "special operation" is going exactly as planned. 🙄
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  20.  @disposabull  There has been a lot of communications with Russian soldiers and Ukrainian citizens. This is mostly with the soldiers who ran out of gas.
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  21. Before anyone assumes these companies are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts, remember there is major uncertainty on what future sanctions may be. Many of these companies may be pulling out of Russia because they believe it may mitigate losses to pull out before future sanctions take place. This same companies don't seem to have issues with dismantling Hong Kong's democracy or Uyghur concentration camps as long as these issues don't threaten their profit margins.
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  22. North and South Carolina could never have a similar unification. The difference in mustard-based and vinegar-based BBQ sauces is too vast.
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  23. This is more of a populist issue than a far-right issue. Latin America has been dealing with this kind of incompetence for decades regardless of the left-right divide.
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  24.  @choleraphd7702  You are right. The Union isn't a playground. The EU is a confederation that Hungary chose to join by signing a treaty, and part of that agreement was that all members to have free and fair elections, an independent judiciary, free press, and rule of law. Orban has broken the agreement over and over, so Hungary should be expelled for treaty violations.
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  25.  @brendanh8193  I doubt most families have been even notified yet that their sons have died.
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  26. American politics isn't complex. It's just dumb. The parties used to debate ideology, policies, and ideas. Thanks to social media echo chambers, both parties now live in separate false realities and debate what is true.
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  27.  @TheIrishLad06  His next example will be Russia
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  28. Basically, Hungary wants all the benefits of EU membership without any of the democratic obligations that go along with it.
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  29. Germany efficiency is obvious BS.
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  30.  @sliftyy  Ukraine still needs to reform. That is why they have a roadmap to join instead the EU instead of just immediately joining. The same process Hungary went through. Unfortunately, Orban is backtracking his country into a corrupt oligarchy like Putin has in Russia.
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  31.  @carlossaraiva8213  Hungary has shown that small countries can be Trojan horses of Russian-style authoritarianism. These small nations can basically veto what a super majority of the EU wants. Until there is a mechanism to prevent obstructionist, EU expansion will just exasperate the current issues. Side note: France is the obstructionist country of Europe when it comes to free trade.
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  32. It is like the EURO if every country was 2008 Greece.
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  33. Moral and courage also matter. The Iraqis in Mosal fled from their defensive positions from a less equipped force that was a third of their size. Russian infantry seem unwilling to engage their enemies and have been relying on artillery instead. It would seem likely that the Russian soldiers would rather flee than hide from artillery or wait for Ukraine soldiers to kick down their doors. We will see.
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  34.  @davoodoo8042  The agreement: 1) Respect Belarusian, Kazakh and Ukrainian independence and sovereignty in the existing borders. 2) Refrain from the threat or the use of force against Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine. 3) Refrain from using economic pressure on Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine to influence their politics. 4) Seek immediate Security Council action to provide assistance to Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine if they "should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used". 5) Refrain from the use of nuclear arms against Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine. 6) Consult with one another if questions arise regarding those commitments. There isn't any obligation of Ukraine to remain neutral.
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  35. It must be a slow news day
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  36.  @guavaguy4397  I heard dumber from Russian propagandists and trolls
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  37.  @cube_2593  They should also surrender Russia to Mongolia. History demands it!
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  38. ​ @richardgallagher4880  I would be careful about bragging about capturing a city that is being surrounded.
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  39. BRICS would be like the Euro, but 3/5 of the countries would be 2008 Greece.
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  40.  @AnnedolfFrankler911  Maybe Russia should stop threatening sovereign democracies, so countries wouldn't feel the need to seek NATO membership to protect their citizens and sovereignty from Russia aggression. Just look at Mexico. They don't seek a defensive alliance, because they don't get threatens from their neighbor like Russia does to Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, est.
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  41. It hard to take Putin seriously when his view is painted by his own propaganda and misinformation. His logic makes as much since as the UK and France arguing for bad relations, because historically they have been at war for over four centuries.
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  42. This is the future MAGA wants for America.
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  43. Russia says they worry about an invasion due to a European invasion in the 1940s. Europeans say they worry about an invasion due to Russian invasions of European in 2008 and 2014. Which one sounds more logical?
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  44.  @milton3204  You are missing the point. A BRICS currency would just encourage irresponsible spending in South Africa, Brazil, and Russia, because they know that China would bail them out to protect their own monetary well-being. It would just be the 2008 Greek Eurocrisis over and over.
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  45.  @AnnedolfFrankler911  Russia's fear of Ukraine is as silly as an American fear of a Mexican invasion.
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  46.  @toh786  The Russian proxies rebelled before that law took effect. Try again.
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  47.  @A.Martin  Ukraine can't afford mass casualties to take one city. Look at what happened to Russian manpower after their offensives against major cities. I believe the Ukrainians are hoping the Russians won't fight which could be a similar miscalculation the Russians made at the beginning of the war. We will see.
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  48.  @WestValleyTransparency  The EU has given Ukraine funds to buy military hardware. Also, success in the field could boost sales like war did for Turkish drones.
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  49.  @toh786  The Russian proxies only think the democratically elected, Jewish president is a Nazi due to a lack of common sense and Russian misinformation. Poland is turning away refugees from Africa and the Middle East. This is shameful, but it has nothing to do with Ukraine. Ukraine officials don't have any control of Poland's border guards. Try again.
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  50.  @dogman-fx9ub  My point is that no one has invaded Russia since WW2, so the "fear" that anyone is going to attack nuclear Russia is nonsense. Meanwhile, Putin has ordered the invasions of European countries twice since 2008, so it makes sense that his neighbors want protection from Russian aggression.
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  51. That is because the electoral collage means turnout doesn't matter in half the country.
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  52. ​ @fuerstmetternich1997  They are looking for any excuse to skip work
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  53. Putin has always had some impressively smart economists working for him. I imagine Russia could have been a global economic player if these bureaucrats had the goal of growing the economy instead of withstanding sanctions and concentrating wealth in the hands of Putin's friends and family.
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  54. I find it funny that France says there needs to be reform when they are one of the issues. Them overriding a super majority to every free trade deal is one of the causes of Brexit and a reason that Europe is losing in productivity.
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  55.  @nicholasmckenna8614  Not support the war. Support Ukraine in their defense of their sovereignty. If Russia invaded Hungary, should NATO do nothing and recommend Hungary surrender to prevent more war?
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  56.  @hehehehaw2915  BS. Ukraine already gave Hungarians the right to teach in Hungarian. Orban is just trying to appease his master in Russia.
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  57.  @AnnedolfFrankler911  NATO has to back down from what? Russia is the only aggressor in this crisis.
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  58.  @bachelor3846  Putin knows NATO won't attack Russia, but as has his propaganda make the defensive alliance seem like a threat, because his domestic audience loves to feel like victims even when they are the aggressive warmongers. Putin's real issue with NATO is that the alliance prevents him from using the military to dominate its neighbors. He rather the Baltic countries not be part of the alliance, so he could attack them like Georgia and Ukraine without facing off against American forces. He also doesn't want Ukraine or Georgia to join, because it will remove the option of attacking the countries everytime they decide to trade outside the Russian sphere of influence. Russia and Belarus keep doing mock-invasion military drills next to the Baltic nations. In addition, Russia straight up attacked Estonia with cyber attacks only a few years ago. If Putin wasn't scared of NATO, he would have just sent troops to occupy the countries with a BS pretext of "protecting Russian speakers".
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  59.  @mftmss7086  Zelenskyy has been nothing but grateful to the US. Personally, I find his comments about Putin's Trojan Horses in the Republican party to be overly restrained.
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  60. Putin's Trojan Horse
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  61. ​ @GK-cb3vc If NATO is such a threat to Russian, then why does Putin not seem to care that Finland is putting NATO a few miles from St. Petersburg?
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  62. It's only an issue for counties that hate immigrants.
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  63. It would be one thing if it was a huge economic power with a large population, but Hungary is an economic nobody with only 2% of the EU's population.
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  64.  @gino.x  The G7 is about 40% of global GDP, while BRICS is about 28 of global GDP. The whole bloc is barely bigger than the US economy on its own. Other than China, all the BRICS countries have underperformed that 2000 Goldman Sachs report. BRICS is inviting economic basket cases like Venezuela and Syria, while the G7 is looking to expand membership to South Korea, Australia, Poland, and even India.
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  65. The invasion of Crimea went so smoothly that Putin assumed the rest of the country would too.
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  66. Americans learn metrics, but Europeans don't know freedom measurements 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸. Metric reaches a wider audience.
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  67.  @lemishka4348  With that logic, Russia doesn't have a right to their nuclear weapons or UN Security Council Seat. Those belong to the defunct Soviet Union .
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  68.  @lemishka4348  The Soviet Union was a union of equals, so Russia is as much of a successor of the USSR as Kazakhstan. Russia didn't have entitlement to those nukes and that is why Russia signed an agreement with those countries in exchange for them to denuclearise.
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  69. The convoy is an easy target for Ukrainian soldiers, so Russian soldiers are abandoning their vehicles to avoid being sitting ducks. This has been misunderstood as desertion.
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  70. A super majority system is preferable. It will still prevent the majority from forcing their will while preventing leaders who represent 2% of the EU's population from being obstructionist.
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  71. ​ @gavasiarobinssson5108  China has strict capital controls and currency manipulations that would make it a terrible partner with a reserve currency. The Chinese and Indian rivalry would make this dead in the water. Lastly, why would India and China link their monetary well-being to economic basket cases like South Africa, Russia, and Brazil? It would be like the Euro, but everyone is 2008 Greece.
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  72.  @mohammedsarker5756  The US isn't the least corrupt or most transparent system, but at least our soldiers get trained and armed. Germany, not so much.
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  73. It's pronounced fas-cist
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  74. Sounds like protesting American teachers who complain they don't get paid enough, but only work 9 months the year and retire at 55.
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  75.  @SantomPh  Hungary didn't have these issues when they joined. Orban is backing tracking. Current Hungary wouldn't be allowed to join, but there is little they can do against current members who backtrack on their obligations
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  76. ​ @DeReAntiqua  If Russia is being smart, then they are rationing ammunition and spreading it among the frontline in preparation for the Ukrainian counter offensive. If Shoigu does send more ammunition to Wagner, so they can capture a few more meters of a destroyed town, then the rest of the frontline will be weaker. Wagner may win their battle, but it could cost the wider war if Ukraine cuts of the Crimea land bridge due to low Russia stocks in the region. Basically, Russian infighting is only advantageous to Ukraine.
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  77.  @IITJII95  I didn't realize government corruption and unfair elections are such a vital party of Hungary's culture.
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  78.  @AnnedolfFrankler911  A defensive alliance. Russia only has to worry about NATO if it attacks its neighbors.
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  79.  @baronvonjo1929  Young professionals pay big taxes to support people who retire as early as 55. The taboo is to increase the retirement age to anything close to the EU average.
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  80. *France is right about nuclear power. *Germany is right about fiscal responsibility *Germany is right about focusing on a US-EU partnership
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  81. Woopie Goldberg, who does an hour show (-minus commercial breaks), without any reading outside the show to stay informed, thinks young people aren't working hard?
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  82. Trump - Orban - Putin Make Autocrats Great Again
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  83.  @SantomPh  I'm not sure I agree with your list. You can tell which countries don't like Muslims by seeing which refused Muslim refugees: Poland, Hungary, est
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  84. @The one and only Brian Wilson America lost less than 2000 soldiers in Afghanistan in two decades, while Russia lost more than double that in a single week. Russia could learn ways to treat their soldiers as less expendable.
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  85.  @Windows11Sucks  I think there is a vague mutual defense clause in the EU charter.
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  86.  @Hardcore_Remixer  If a country continually disagrees with 67% of the block, then they shouldn't be in the block as clearly their interests don't align. It is completely unworkable to hand veto power to 2% of the EU population (Hungary). Also, it is not like a supermajority is an easy hurdle to get pass.
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  87.  @hehehehaw2915  Hungary being allowed to be Putin's Trojan Horse in the EU is already making the bloc a laughing stock.
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  88.  @btfrost  Except they were saying at the beginning that the Ukraine government would fall in three days. It sounds like you are the one shopping for an echo chamber.
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  89.  @macnicolson5452  The Ukrainians don't want to surrender territory to invading fascists. Why should the EU pressure then into doing that?
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  90.  @vulpix3783  Poland is happy to take billions of Euros every year from the EU. Germany and other nations pay this money to Poland and Hungary as part of EU obligations even though their citizens would prefer to keep the money within their own countries. Meanwhile, Poland and Hungary refuse to hold up any of their obligations to their neighbors, including immigration, free press, and rule of law.
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  91.  @nicholasmckenna8614  You have the same moronic logic as those who thought handing over Czechoslovakia to Hitler would prevent war. The issue is that Russia is running a campaign of conquest and genocide. Cutting off weapons or calling for a ceasefire wouldn't stop the war. It will just give Putin more opportunities to exterminate more Ukrainians and more time to prepare for another offensive. You also didn't address whether it would be okay for Hungary to hand over their territory to Putin if it means peace.
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  92.  @potocatepetl  After the September 11th attacks, Article 5 of the NATO treaty was used for first time. Sweden, Finland, and Georgia also sent support even though they weren't treaty members.
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  93.  @mandolorian9893  You are assuming Woopie worked hard in her youth. She did like three movies over her career.
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  94.  @hendrikdependrik1891  The EU needs to focus on the things that are actually required to be a functioning member of the EU such as fair elections, free speech, rule-of-law, an independent judiciary, and EU supremacy. Hungary agreed to these requirements when they joined the bloc. Instead European liberals are trying to force new values on Hungary and Poland like LGBT rights and accepting poor immigrants from outside of Europe. None of this was part of the EU agreement when these countries joined. These are still independent countries and should be able to have their own laws based on local values instead of having "Brussel values" forced on them.
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  95. History will thank Macron for needed economic reform even if today's voters don't. However, Macron's attempts of appeasement to autocratics will forever taint his legacy.
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  96. Just train the Ukraine pilots on F-16s. Even if it isn't until after the war, Ukraine will still need to replace their Soviet fighters with F16s fighters anyway.
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  97. Putin: 2 and 3
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  98.  @eddapultstab2078  It could work as long as China is willing to provide bailouts over and over to its unstable partners. Of course, I don't see the benefit for China.
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  99. Trump wants to Make Autocrats Great Again 🇷🇺 🇨🇳
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  100. Putin doesn't need a real win. He needs to end this soon before the Russian casualties and economic downturn threaten his power base. All Putin needs is an "achievement" even if it is meaningless one to justify a claim of victory in domestic propaganda. Russia and China do whatever they want due to decades of Western inaction, but this war may make them finally think twice.
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  101.  @AnnedolfFrankler911  *The Russia military is literally occupying Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. *Russia attacked Ukraine in 2014 for trying to establish a trade deal with the EU. *Russia is currently threatening to invade Ukraine for establishing relations with Europe. *All this "National Security" BS is just Russia trying to justify being a bully. There wasn't any pressure to join NATO. A significant majority of Eastern Europeans support the alliance, while polls also show a very unfavorable view of Russia.
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  102. ​​ @gavasiarobinssson5108  China and India literally had their soldiers fighting along their border days ago. You are lying to us or yourself if you think Chinese-Indian relations are good.
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  103. They need to get rid of all vetos and just make the bar a supermajority. France, Hungary, and Poland can't block all of Europe's progress.
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  104.  @Marcus_C51  I just hope the Ukrainians have a good plan and intelligence, because this could turn out poorly otherwise. Russia use to have an a major troop presence protecting their border from China, but most of those troops got sent to Ukraine. Maybe the drills are a way to improve diplomacy to make up for a weak military defense.
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  105. It would be like the Euro if every country was Greece
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  106. Putin has backed himself into a corner. His domestic audience will think he looks weak if he backs down without a Western concession (which doesn't seem to be coming.)
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  107. After the quick surrender of the American-trained Iraq Army and NATO-trained Afghan army, the West lost confidence in the fighting capability of the forces they train. Ukraine's competence is a nice change of pace.
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  108.  @liveuser8527  BRICS on the ascendancy? Other than India, I don't see it. *Russia and South Africa's economies are contracting. *Brazil is aligning their economy with economic basket cases like Argentina, Venezuela, and Cuba. *China's debt bumble, demographic issues, and competition from near-shoring is making China growth potential dry up.
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  109. It is like unemployed people who think they don't need to find a job until the government unemployment insurance stops paying. Russia's foreign currency reserves are dwindling. Russia draining their decades of savings on destroyed military equipment isn't a workable economic model in the medium-long term.
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  110. If wasn't for poltical and propaganda purposes, then Ukraine would retreat from Bakhmut to their more fortified, more strategic positions and let the Wagner metaphorically run into a wall over and over.
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  111. They should leave the Euro. A weaker currency will increase tourism and exports.
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  112.  @LauS0  Germany is taking immigrants from Italy - the port of entry. The issue is that countries like Poland and Hungary aren't taking their fair share of the burden.
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  113.  @mnm1273  True. The Articles of Confederatcy was the US's first republic, and the current constitution defines our second.
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  114. Germany has been freeloading off of American defensive for so long that the Germans felt comfortable cutting costs to maintenance for decades. That is why they have so much broken equipment.
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  115.  @endor8witch  It's not to be different. Apple's whole business model is designed to keep you from switching phones. Their app store, their cord, air drop, and a dozen other things are exclusive to Apple, so their customers can never even try to switch brands without it being a huge hassle.
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  116. I'm American. Between payroll tax on Medicare and monthy insurance payments, I have never used, I am paying about 7% on healthcare that I'm not using. The VAT is ridiculous
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  117.  @NihilistAlien  It is not just enough to want something. Most Afghans don't want the Taliban, but they are unwilling to fight for their country. Good news is that the Ukrainians have the courage that the Afghans lack.
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  118.  @pynkhrawmarwein3109  ^70 Russians
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  119. China and Russia would have to give up capital controls to have a real reserve currency. However, once capital controls are gone, their citizens will just buy more dollars.
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  120. It is hard to understand Putin's thinking.
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  121.  @eddapultstab2078  Maybe. China's lack of transparency makes it difficult to know.
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  122. It funny how few see the irony of this statement. It is basically what Putin says as long as you switch out "Moldova" for "Ukraine" and "Romanian" for "Russian". Moldova has their own sovereignty
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  123.  @catalinuss  Putin also has a bunch of mostly irrelevant cultural and historical antidotes to say Ukraine and Russia are one people. Ukraine and Moldova have legally gained their own sovereignty decades ago, and their independence should be respected.
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  124.  @liamr194  Self sufficient? Then explain why your currency has more use as toilet paper than as money? Let's see how much Putin cares about "strategic objectives" when thousands of Russian soldiers come home with missing limbs or in coffins. Even before the information age, the Soviet Union couldn't hide all the casualties and had to pull out of Afghanistan due to public outrage. These returning soldiers won't be returning with stories of fighting Nazi, but instead tell of fellow Slavs fighting for their freedom. The longer this takes, the less effective Putin's hold of the narrative will last.
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  125.  @Sinvx  Russia invades Georgia and occupies the country. West Response: Symbolic actions Russia interferes in American elections. West Response: Symbolic actions Russia invades Ukraine and steals its territory in 2014. West Response: Symbolic actions Russia target bombs hospitals and schools in Syria. West Response: Symbolic actions The current sanctions have teeth and will finally give Russia the punishment they deserve for their aggression against democracy and civilians
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  126.  @ek2954  The "referendum" didn't even have a option to vote to remain in Ukraine. A "voter's" only options were autonomy or joining Russia.
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  127. ​ @Milo-id9qd  Those limitations would make it a poor alternative to the petrodollar
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  128. Honestly, France sounds a lot like Russia. It is a lot if petty whining about how they aren't treated as equals to the United States like in the olden days.
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  129. ​ @Sparticulous  Or they can retreat to more fortified positions that are easier to defend (therfore kill more Russians with less resources).
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  130.  @robmckrill3134  Satellites don't tell you if Russian soldiers are willing to die for Putin's Imperial ambitions. They also don't show if Russian corruption caused poor maintenance or if they sold off the gas for their tanks....again.
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  131. It's pronounced fas-cist
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  132.  @BazsiHHH  It still sounds like you all want the economic benefits of EU membership, while thinking you all are exempt from the obligations that apply to every other EU country. It doesn't help that Hungary is so chummy with Putin.
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  133.  @anuvisraa5786  Keep telling yourself that as Putin target bombs hospitals and schools in Chechnya and Syria.
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  134. NATO is also useful in preventing war within the alliance. For example, NATO is probably the main reason that the historical enemies of Greece and Turkey haven't been to war.
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  135.  @johnmakarthney1759  A) 3000 people died in New York and Washington from foreign military wing of the Taliban B) Afghanistan was never a colony
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  136. I find the military parades bizarre, and I was confused that Trump was so insistent that America needed one.
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  137. Putin's Trojan Horse
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  138.  @liveuser8527  BRICS is about 27% of the global GDP while the G7 is about 40% of global GDP.
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  139.  @davoodoo8042  South Sudan and Scotland both went through legal processes to succeed. Crimea did not.
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  140. Another country with a Russian Fifth Column
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  141.  @myg14570  I am friends with teachers. They work summers, and frankly, they were the worst students at college. Their summer job puts them above the national average. Also, if you add the contributions of 10 years of early retirement, then they are making significantly more than their job requires. If they want a higher salary without a pension, then there is always the private sector.
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  142.  @theprofessional1375  The retired take money from the tax system, while contributing nothing in taxes which is a key reason why Greece's ridiculously low retirement age lead to an economic collapse. Also, a year of unemployment is way too long. Maybe the government would have more money to stimulate the economy or for social services if they weren't spending so much on paying people not to work. Greece's main problem is the population doesn't want to work or pay taxes.
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  143.  @theprofessional1375  The economic crisis was caused by voter backed-laziness. The government budget was too big because pensions kept leaving the work force earlier and earlier, while asking for more and more benefits. In addition to less workers (& taxpayers), there was massive tax avoidance in Greece by the working age population. The world felt zero pity for Greece causing Greek problems.
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  144. Yes, from a military point of view. However, land to show on the map is necessary to increase the local moral, and for international partners to show their citizens that the money they are spending is justified.
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  145. American stores their waste on site, because everyone has a "not in my backyard" view on storing nuclear waste.
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  146.  @KokoHekmatyarr  With 22% interest rates, there isn't a lot of investment in infrastructure in Russia.
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  147. Everything Russia has tried a complex strategy, they have abandoned it due to poor command and control.
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  148. Maybe. Or EU freedom of movement could result in an exodus from Turkey's mismanaged economy.
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  149.  @PreservationEnthusiast  I assume you are joking, because if the Russian butchers had goodwill they wouldn't be attacking civilian power infrastructure before winter.
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  150.  @gino.x  The US economy is bigger than China, Germany and Japan are bigger than India, and the rest of the G7 are all bigger than the rest of BRICS. Use some common sense to figure out which is the bigger group
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  151. ​ @randomanimation5085  India joins every organization they can. Most of these organizations tend to accomplish nothing.
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  152. Why would India and China link their monetary well-being to economic basket cases like South Africa, Russia, and Brazil? It would be like the Euro, but everyone is 2008 Greece.
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  153. Or annex the People's Republic of Kursk
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  154.  @peterbalogh8138  You misspelled "Orban." Orban is doing Orban's bidding. He is trying to form an autocratic bloc in the EU so no one can stop him from consolidating money and power. He could care less about Hungarians.
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  155.  @viktorhideg4991  Name one thing that Orban has accomplished by visiting Putin.
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  156. CSTO is like NATO if America was likely to overthrow EU governments they don't like.
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  157.  @royale7620  NATO's job was to protect Europe and North America from attack. The defensive alliance isn't designed to help Europeans maintain their colonial empires.
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  158.  @liamr194  What you were saying was true until before Russia's foreign reserves were frozen. They don't have the money to just wait it out. Even with prices going up, Russia is heavily discounting their gas to prevent European diversification (they can't go cold turkey even if wanted to). The country also can't get investments or loans (interest rates are now 20%). Even buying or paying for anything is going to be a more expensive task. If this doesn't look bad, then you aren't paying attention. Syrian mercenaries aren't going to be effective soldiers.
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  159. Anything to get out of work.
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  160.  @EvgeniyYakushev-m2u  You regonize the absurdity of Russia declaring war on Finland and Sweden. If only you had the same self awareness to apply the same logic to Ukraine.
    4
  161. It was only poltical support at first. NATO only got involved when all the multi ethnic genocides started - an issue Putin is indifferent about.
    4
  162.  @lemishka4348  Your right Russian treaty obligations are meaningless when Putin has as much respect for sovereignty as Hitler did. The way Putin talks about Ukraine sounds just like how Hitler spoke of the Sudetenland.
    4
  163.  @davoodoo8042  It hard to take you seriously when your entire point is based on conspiracy theories
    4
  164. @Laika24102007 What treaty says Ukraine would neutral? None. Putin makes things up and a gullible Russian population believes it.
    4
  165. @Laika24102007 NATO is a defensive alliance and all members are independent. If all members were American client states as Russian propaganda claims, then most of the alliance wouldn't have ignored America when they asked for assistance in Iraq. NATO actually protects the independence of its members through collective protection.
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  166. @Laika24102007 NATO is defensive alliance because that is how the articles are written. For example, there isn't any article that can be used to compel members to do anything other than defend one another. America can't even use its NATO base in Turkey for operations in Syria or Iraq without Turkey's permission. You are taking Stoltenberg out of context. He was saying that Russia doesn't get veto power over it neighbors' ability to seek closer relationships with countries other than Russia. It would be like America saying that Mexico isn't allowed to have a free trade deal with China, because Mexico is in the US's sphere of influence.
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  167. @Laika24102007 If treaties are meaningless, then why is Russia so scared of nations signing onto the NATO treaties? Yes, trade... Russia literally attacked Ukraine in 2014 for seeking trade ties with the EU. Putin is willing to use violence to keep the country subservient to him in all matters.
    4
  168. ​ @FenryrGrey  Even Russia see their actions as evil. Why else would they have to keep lying about their actions in Ukraine to their own people?
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  169.  @myg14570  They retire 10 years early, and they get 3 months where they work to add to their salary. It is also guaranteed job security with little performance expectations (it is why public schools suck).
    4
  170. The rioters and arsonists aren't impressing anyone.
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  171.  @joegooner3563  Under Russian UN approval, did NATO send forces to stop the multi ethnic genocide. Yes, that is true.
    4
  172. France and Germany are both competing to be the most reluctant supporter of Ukraine.
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  173. To a degree. Revenue is still important as it translates to jobs. Russia will sell at a break-even point if they have to if it means avoiding massive layoffs that would be politically unpalatable.
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  174.  @michaelschuenemann3505  Fact = Calling something a "fact" doesn't make Putin's lies any less ridiculous. You must think Russia is the most incompetent military ever. You claim Ukraine doesn't have tanks, an airforce munitions, or soldiers, yet Russia still had to retreat from Kherson and Kharkiv. With the Ukraine army so utterly destroyed, why is it taking months for Russia to capture a small town in Dombas?
    4
  175. ​ @DacianRider A super majority would be a better system. It keeps the intent of unanimity, but still leaves room to ignore bad actors.
    4
  176.  @Flipflopflopper  Canada is a bigger economy, but there isn't a requirement for the club to have seven members. In fact, it was G8 until Russia got kicked out for invading Crimea.
    4
  177.  @daxasd3270  Another good point. How is the argument that Ukrainians and Russians are one people justification for killing Ukrainians? Putin wants to kill more of "his people"?
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  178.  @timonsolus  That is one of many theories. Putin is closed off and acting irrational, so one can only guess at his thinking.
    4
  179. The G7 are united by common values, while BRICS are united by a lack of values.
    3
  180.  @3ndrei  Maybe watch the video instead of asking dumb questions.
    3
  181.  @prometheusjackson8787  LGBT rights aren't part of the EU charter. Only gullible Hungarians who watch state media think that is the main issue. I swear you sound like the Russians who think Ukraine conflict is about Nazis and that Russia is being sanctioned because the West supports Nazis. The current government is reversing EU requirements like fair elections, free press, independent judges, EU supremacy, ect. That is why the country is sanctioned.
    3
  182.  @mnm1273  Two hundred and fifty year old republic and the world's economic, cultural, and military superpower. I think America is doing all right.
    3
  183.  @mnm1273  Most of America's biggest companies aren't even 20 years old. How are you still crediting WW2? Was France too poor to make a Amazon, Tesla, or Google?
    3
  184.  @inbb510  It is a fallacy to think action is automatically better than inaction. Economies actually tend to preform better during political deadlocks.
    3
  185. France should be the unofficial leader of the EU. Unfortunately, Europe has a hard time taking France seriously after seeing both Macron and Le Pen grovel to Putin.
    3
  186. The Make Autocrats Great Again team
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  187.  @newfaith912  Or you could spend more money on maintaining battle readiness in case if a NATO response is needed instead of expecting the Americans to do everything. If Poland was invaded it would take months for Germany to do anything due to poor condition of their military.
    3
  188.  @HyperScorpio8688  I don't know anything about Hungary's budget. I'm just saying that 7% on healthcare seems reasonable.
    3
  189. As an American, I worked through college. The French just seen whiny that they have to work almost as long as everyone else.
    3
  190. Hungary's population is 2% of the EU, but Orban is cosplaying as a great power.
    3
  191.  @petersva  The message being "We don't like to work"
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  192.  @marengoczar5035  India yes. China, maybe not. Demographics, debt, and near-shoring is putting China's economy on shaky grounds. It looks like China is on the verge of a 2008 financial crisis, but on a much bigger scale.
    3
  193. Stop sanewashing Trump. Trump thought Putin would cave to threats of tarrifs. The ignorant felon is threatening to tax Americans on imports from Russia that don't exist.
    3
  194. Why would the EU want Hungary Jr.?
    3
  195.  @prasadmv511  You are taking things Article 5 too seriously. Russia was invading Turkey's air space from Syria, but no NATO power was going to take Turkey seriously if they declared Article 5. NATO, Nazis, Ukraine being Russia, are all lies by Putin to make all of Russia's neighbors submit to him.
    3
  196.  @robertbaratheon8635  Nukes are already in Turkey, Germany, and nuclear subs along Russia's coast. NATO doesn't need nukes in Ukraine to threaten Russia. However, Ukraine obviously need protection from unprovoked Russian aggression.
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  197.  @markarmage3776  The president at the time lost his legitimacy when he ordered the security services to shoot Ukrainian citizens for simply protesting. The elected legislator voted to impeach him overwhelming for it. In addition that was 8 years ago. There has been two separate, free elections since then. You make it sound like Zelenskyy seized power in a coup when he was just an actor at the time and has only become president recently.
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  198.  @markarmage3776  When the democratically-elected Ukrainian parliament impeached the president for killing Ukrainian citizens, it was illegitimate for not following the constitution, but when Russian proxies held bogus referendums in defiance of the constitution, it is okay? It sounds like Russians only care about the law when it benefits them. Also, only Russians are gullible enough to believe Putin's lies about an Ukrainian offensive. You ever wonder why Putin made media sources outside of his control punishable by 15 years in jail?
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  199.  @GH-oi2jf  Russia signed a treaty saying that they would respect Ukraine's sovereignty. On other side, Putin claims that the West promised Russia not to expand behind close doors. One claim has obvious evidence, while the other is the word of a KGB agent.
    3
  200. ​ @HaydenLau.  Russia isn't the Soviet Union.
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  201. This won't work, because most of Europe has neglected their military so much. Germany for example has taken months to send weapons to Ukraine because their military hardware is broken due to poor maintenance caused by military budget cuts. Their response is simply too slow.
    3
  202.  @josephstalin2829  I don't think you realize how big the pension system is. Even if you go full Communist and take all their money, it still wouldn't do anything other patch the problem. It also ignores how taking money from the investment class to give to the worst consumers is bad economics.
    3
  203. The poorer countries: Yes The richer countries: No It always easier to spend someone else's money
    3
  204.  @badseed86  That doesn't make sense as the majority of America's economic activity is from small businesses, but the businesses are taxed through personal income taxes and payroll taxes. Greeks just didn't want to pay taxes, so they never made easy reforms.
    3
  205.  @csat1078  The EU is a confederation by every definition.
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  206.  @nick90000  Seems like a good reason to reform
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  207. Putin approved
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  208.  @fatalitycs  The 21st century is only 2000 forward.
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  209.  @alexsilent5603  Russian soldiers were captured on Ukraine and Georgian soil, because Russia is the invader. It also seems odd that there weren't any Georgian soldiers on Russian soil or American soldiers on Ukraine soil. How are they attacking without soldiers?
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  210. Could you imagine if the British tried this BS logic as justification to invade Australia or New Zealand?
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  211. I hate to agree with Russian trolls, but Ukraine didn't seem to prepare enough forces for an offensive.
    3
  212.  @anguswaterhouse9255  The US has military alliances with 50+ countries. You can't claim that every alliance was involved in every American conflict, because it simply isn't true. For example, the NATO command structure was not in use in Iraq like it was in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks.
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  213. This doesn't hold up as the EU bureaucrats seems to be only going after America companies, while domestic and Chinese companies are left one. Domestic companies are left alone due to bias, while Chinese unfair trade practices are ignored due Chinese payoffs to a few EU countries.
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  214. It depends when you are talking about. Remember the fued between Tito and Stalin was not a thing after both of them died.
    3
  215. @The one and only Brian Wilson Meanwhile, regular Russian citizens have high suicide and alcoholism rates due to the unpleasantness of living in Russia.
    3
  216. It is time for 2/3 supermajority instead of allowing vetos.
    3
  217.  @richardgallagher4880  What are you talking about? Until a few weeks ago, Russia controlled the flanks of Bakhmut. Only recently did the Russian soldiers quickly retreat to leave Wagner at risk of encirclement.
    3
  218.  @sliftyy  Super carriers, fifth generation stealth fighters, nuclear submarines, etc
    3
  219.  @sliftyy  France's tiny carrier is hardly the same as America's 11 super carriers. The fourth generation fighter is also an easy target for the S-400, unlike the F-22 and F-35.
    3
  220. NATO didn't send a large amount of troops to the Russian border until Putin started to threaten to invade Ukraine.
    3
  221. Russia would invade the next day. People don't realize how militarized the Russian have made the Arctic circle.
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  222. @Joe King  You know that Putin has been in power for decades? Putin has been attacking Ukraine ever since they were seeking a trade deal with the EU. He knows that Russia is too corrupt to compete with the EU, so he has been using violence to keep eastern Europe in his orbit.
    3
  223.  @Robespierre-lI  The currency block fails together. That is why the BRICS currency block is just a bad idea.
    2
  224.  @3ndrei  With your logic, Russia is a fully democratic country because people voted for Putin.
    2
  225.  @zhufortheimpaler4041  Apple and Oranges. It doesn't matter how modern a tank is if you can't get the vehicle working. Poland's old Soviet stock is 100% more useful than the 1/3 of German's Leopards that are currently unfit for combat due to poor maintenance.
    2
  226. Russian Propaganda
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  227.  @WhatHappenedIn-vt3vq  I was more making the point that China doesn't want a strong reserve currency because they don't want to give up a competitive advantage in the export market.
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  228. It is less of a spending issue and more of a growth issue. Most of the issues with the French economy would be solved if the citizens would just work. No taking the month of August off, no giving exceptions for people to retire in their 50s, no 35-hour work weeks, etc. Protectionism and stimulus aren't solving anything.
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  229. @Linus  My point is that your statements don't sound like you respect the self-determination of countries. In addition, many of your compatriots are pigging backing off your comments to say that the non-Romanian speaking minorities should be ignored if Moldova was to vote to rejoin Romania. From an outsider, you all don't sound that different from the Russian trolls. I guess I just don't understand your old world thinking. Why would a century old monarchy even matter?
    2
  230.  @dprout3392  You are just rewording what I said. Requiring 100% agreement basically gives every party veto power.
    2
  231.  @maggiepie8810  Obviously, but France is one of the frequent offenders
    2
  232.  @maggiepie8810  I work in the tobacco industry, and there definitely isn't a super majority opinion on nicotine policy in Europe. Regulation and consumer preference is all over the place.
    2
  233.  @maggiepie8810  If you don't like the standards, then win more elections or Brexit. Welcome to democracy
    2
  234.  @claudiopereira9900  Unlike the native Hawaiians, the local inhabitants of Goa weren't considered full citizens. It was a colony.
    2
  235.  @claudiopereira9900  Passportization is defined as the mass conferral of citizenship to the population of a particular foreign territory by distributing passports. As the number of passport holders in regions grows, the foreign nation then invokes its national interest in defending its citizens by promoting the independence or annexation of these regions. Generally considered a violation of international law.
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  236.  @claudiopereira9900  You sound like Putin talking about the former Soviet Union.
    2
  237. Cliff notes of EU problems: Economic issues: Greece, Italy, and Spain Poltical issues: Hungary and Poland
    2
  238.  @theotherohlourdespadua1131  The Iraq soldiers change into civilian cloths and ran away. This is how ISIS took a third of the country almost without any fighting. When the Iraq Army fled Mosel, their forces were three times the size of ISIS', they were better equipped, and they were in defense positions. Also, the Iraqis only beat ISIS with American air support -- the thing Biden took away that lead to the collapse of Afghanistan.
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  239. France needs to import Nick Cannon.
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  240. Tucker Carlson keeps cheering for Putin and its having effect on the dumbest segment of our population.
    2
  241. I think they have made the video already.
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  242. Hungarians are arguing that they are currently on the right side of history. I would argue they have never been on the fight side of history.
    2
  243. Don't entertain the ideas of the MAGA movement. Make Autocrats Great Again.
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  244.  @ericwalker2434  Because Russia broke their treaty obligation. Obviously, nukes would be unnecessary if Russia wasn't so fascist.
    2
  245.  @markarmage3776  Cares about the law? Putin's opposition figure was poisoned by Putin and then they sent him to a Siberian prison for seeking medical care out of Putin's reach. Clearly, Putin ignores the law when it benefits him, and then weaponizes it when it's convenient.
    2
  246. Cut EU funds to antidemocraric members and place visa requirements on their citizens. They can't collect EU benefits while ignoring all its principles and laws.
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  247. Last time, Ukrainians had the advantage as it took time for the Russians to cross the river. However, Ukraine is now they one crossing the river.
    2
  248.  @skipperg4436  Abrams are designed for jet fuel, so changing fuel can lead to unforseen problems. It is same issue for people who switch from gas to ethanol in their cars. It runs, but what damage are you doing to your vehicle's engine?
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  249.  @antyspi4466  You are missing the point. Germany and other NATO are supposed to mobilize and send troops to bail out the Baltic states if they are invaded by Russia. The Ukraine crisis has shown how incapable most of these European countries are when it comes to basic logistics and maintenance. If it takes them months to repair and send weapons to Ukraine, then they will probably take too long to send troops to save the Baltics.
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  250. He hate 'em, because he ain't 'em.
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  251. Some have argued that NATO is only reason Greece and Turkey have avoided war for so long.
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  252. ​ @Srbenda126 Unlike Russian puppet governments, Kosovo broke off from a genocidal government. It is the same reason that Germany and Hungary lost territory after WW2.
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  253.  @csat1078  What facts are you disputing? Please save me from my "ignorance."
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  254.  @98LPM  Obviously, you don't know what a coalition is. Try reading a book once in awhile.
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  255.  @KilmerTrotter  If a nation continues to break their treaty obligations, then why should the other side agree to hold up their half of the deal. Orban ignores EU laws and values, so why should members continue to send money to Hungary and give them veto rights to EU policy?
    2
  256.  @mr.patriotjol  Other than being an American taxpayer, I have also been donating to the The United for Ukraine Fund.
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  257. Whatever you say, comrade
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  258.  @EthanQix  Right wing by French standards. Socialism is far left in most Western countries, while it is a mainstream idea in France. Riots and all.
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  259.  @6.5x55  Sure, but most have separate bilateral defense alliances with the US and UK. Most Eastern European countries don't even trust western continental Europe to hold up Article 5 anyway, and they are mostly relying on the US security blanket when they joined NATO. Either way, getting directly involved in Belarus is a bad idea. It would be best to wait for a color revolution resulting from an unpopular mobilization.
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  260. You know Al Qaeda attacked America first right? Climb from under your rock and Google 9/11. I also don't understand how people think they have the moral high ground for thinking NATO shouldn't destroy planes and tanks that Gaddafi was using to kill protesters and then uninvolved civilians. The West's only fault in Libya was they abandoned the country when it came time to rebuild the country after the war.
    2
  261. Throw out every conspiracy theory and see which one sticks. It's similar to how Trump throws out hundreds of fake voter fraud claims.
    2
  262. Just because the news isn't covering it, doesn't mean nothing is happening.
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  263. The Baltic countries just want America troops (payed by America taxpayers) to defend them, so they can continue to ignore their treaty obligations to have military spending at 2% of GDP.
    2
  264. ​@handlebar4520 You are just making things up. It is nonsensical that Germany would get loans from IMF when German bonds are some of the safest in the world.
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  265. @eeeeeehhhhhhhyyyyyy  Are you talking about the impeachment of the president who ordered the police to fire on protesters?
    2
  266. TLDR criticizes Vladimir Putin Breaking News: YouTuber found to have committed suicide with two gunshots to the head
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  267. If they even want to take it. They could just put it under siege by cutting off resupply while sending missiles to destroy the Russian port and airfields. The siege may be enough to force a negotiation given enough time.
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  268. ​@Krzbot It depends where you are talking about. Russia has been in the Dombas since 2014 for example.
    2
  269.  @javierpatag3609  To be fair, half the front line is a river that is mostly out of play as neither side seems able or willing to try a major river crossing.
    2
  270.  @richardgallagher4880  Again. Until a few weeks ago, Russia was the one about to surround Bakhmut. No one said it was the Ukrainians. Why you claim otherwise is probably due to you mixing antifreeze into vodka. More recently, the Russians fled the flanks of the city to leave Wagner forces at risk the same encirclement risk Ukrainians use to face.
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  271.  @mam0lechinookclan607  That isn't what Wagner is saying
    2
  272.  @mariosathens1  A) NATO didn't have any involvement in Iraq. It was an American invasion. This makes your whole point moot. B) The UN doesn't have an army to enforce anything. America has to be the world's policeman, because no one else is willing. They just want to criticize anything that goes wrong, while silently benefiting from the stability America brings.
    2
  273.  @munnakhan8961  G7 is not dominated by the US. In fact, Trump used to hate G7 meetings because the other leaders ignored him as he rejected the organization's objectives to encourage free trade, democracy, human rights, and a fight against climate change.
    2
  274. @Joe King  It sounds like you don't much of anything, and you are just making baseless assumptions based on hyperpartisanship and soundbites from questionable sources. Honestly, you don't sound much different from the Democrats who call every benign action of Trump "racists".
    2
  275.  @prometheusjackson8787  That is a lot coming from you who is only able to bring up red herrings issues and dismisses my points by stereotyping me as a liberal 🤮. Ideologically, I actually prefer Orban over the socialists 🤮, but the rule of law and democratic norms are more important than the left-right divide. It amazes me how Europeans don't agree after all the fascists in the 1930s who overthrew the democratic governments with popular support.
    1
  276.  @RoScFan  So supporting fair elections, free press, and an independent judicial system are "too woke" for you? I guess it okay for the far right to justify government corruption and autocracy as long you fight against the liberals. Just don't forget how Mussolini, Franco, and Hitler had popular support to keep the Communist out of power.
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  277.  @TheBooban  You know Orban imported poor ethic Hungarians to vote for him and he borderline buys votes with social benefits like a leftists are notorious for doing?
    1
  278. France is the model of democracy? Isn't this their fifth try at making a republic?
    1
  279.  @mnm1273  *The US a federation of over 300 million people. The system is designed to avoid the tyranny of the majority by giving giving smaller states more power than their population entitles them to. It is like a better design of the EU confederacy. * Having a population divided on left-right ideology is a feature of democracy. Not a bug. If you want a state where one ideology dominates, then try Russia or China. * The courts aren't partisan. Both sides will say it is partisan when they don't agree with a decision, but they will celebrate the impartiality when they agree with it. (Also, it is not the courts role to overrule the constitution, just because people selectively don't like certain amendments.)
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  280.  @newfaith912  NATO doctrine tends to focus on nukes only as a response to nukes in order to avoid Armageddon. Plus, why nuke Poland?
    1
  281. Austria would be required to change their constitution to break neutrality.
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  282. ​ @OriginalPiMan  It goes the other way too. A weaker dollar will make American exports more competitive.
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  283. Russain troops were sent into Belarus and Kazakhstan to crush opposition to the pro-Putin leader. Obviously, the Russian military is a tool to protect Putin's power instead of a tool to protect Russia.
    1
  284.  @nickk4895  That was the assumption after the fall of the Soviet Union. At one point, it was thought that Russia would join NATO too.
    1
  285. The latest innovative in charging from Apple is that you buy the charger separately from the iPhone. F*** Apple!
    1
  286. Just look at who is hitting the 2% of GDP spending target as required by the treaty to see who in the alliance are the freeloaders.
    1
  287. Time for Hungary to leave the EU and be Putin's lapdog like Belarus.
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  288. The United States doesn't do referendums for anything? Does that mean the country opposes democracy? Do representative Republics not count in your mind?
    1
  289. Russia propaganda. The invasion of Georgia and Crimea were obviously planned way before there was any talk of NATO membership. Putin is just a Russian Imperialist who make a pretext for his aggression. China is already stealing territory from those in the South China Sea. Their aggression has nothing to do with military alliances.
    1
  290.  @WhiteManInAVan  You are clearly Indian, because you are guys are the biggest suckers when it comes to internet misinformation. You cramed an impressive amount of Whataboutisms and fake news in a single post.
    1
  291.  @HyperScorpio8688  It more of a testament to how people are living longer and require more healthcare when they are aged out of the workforce.
    1
  292.  @bachelor3846  Your examples of Spain, South Korea, and China are because they were closed economies that opened up to trade. Just look at what is happening to China as president Pooh cracks down on industries for his own poltical ambition instead of economic interests. Without the protection of the rule of law, foreign investors are fleeing the country and China is on the verge of a recession. Autocracies create poor economic conditions.
    1
  293. Putin only dislikes NATO expansion, because it reduces the number of countries Russia can attack without getting curb stomped by US forces. However, that isn't really a great selling point, so he just makes up that NATO wants to invade Russia.
    1
  294. Women can work and have kids. This isn't the 1950s.
    1
  295.  @princeloup5093  ❄️
    1
  296. Look at a map
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  297.  @catalinuss  Russia recognized Ukrainian independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. What is your point?
    1
  298.  @paulg930  I didn't realize that Moldova is a one-party dictatorship taking orders from Stalin.
    1
  299. The US scrapped the military limitations on West Germany as soon the Cold War started. The Germans were the ones who didn't want to rearm.
    1
  300. Why South Korea lie? Pretending Russia has less artillery shells wouldn't be helpful for anyone.
    1
  301. I wouldn't be surprised if Ukraine ultranationalism will be a key theme for poltical parties after the Russia attack. Putin is Europe's new Hitler.
    1
  302. Populism is just bad economics.
    1
  303. Orban and American Republicans are trying to form a pro-Putin Western bloc.
    1
  304. ​ @prometheusjackson8787  Democracy doesn't work without free elections, free press, independent judiciary, and rule of law. Otherwise, you get a fake democracy like Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and Hungary.
    1
  305. @Mladen Nestorovic  There isn't a super majority in the EU because the bloc instead stupidly gave veto power to its most authoritarian members. Typically, it is 2/3s in most countries. It is also called a representative republic. That means you chose people who make decisions on your behalf. That way, you don't read every bill put forth or personally debate on a compromise candidate to run the executive.
    1
  306.  @blablup1214  Free trade deals often involve a standardization in safety, environmental standards, and intellectual property. France isn't blocking free trade due to those issues. The French are simply unproductive workers, so they demand protectionism to avoid competition.
    1
  307.  @maggiepie8810  That not what Europeans signed up for when they joined the EU. There is an agreement of common values and a pursuit of prosperity. If one has buyers' remorse, then have the guts to leave like the UK
    1
  308.  @maggiepie8810  Trust me. The ban isn't happening
    1
  309. Could be worst. America's president invites illegal immigration and want to give the illegal aliens cash payments.
    1
  310. "Stategic Autonomy" is code for Macron wanting to sell more French weapons in the EU. Basically, pushing French protectionism into the defense industry.
    1
  311. Just let Russia have Hungary in exchange for withdrawing from Ukraine as the people of Hungary seem to love Putin and hate democracy anyway.
    1
  312.  @nagyszamar  👈" blaw blaw blaw" Sounds like Hungary wants EU money without any of the democratic obligations, and sounds like they are perfectly happy to watch Russia murder countless civilians as long as Hungarians get cheap Russian gas.
    1
  313.  @eget4144  You say that, but America was the one advocating for German tanks in Ukraine instead of America ones. In addition, between the Ukraine War and China aggression in the South China Sea, America arms makers are having difficulty scaling up to meet increasing demands for weapons. This leaves space for others to fill in the gaps.
    1
  314.  @eget4144  German-Russia relationship already died when Putin cut off gas flows and then nationalized every German asset in Russia. Germany can never trust Russia to be a reliable energy partner, and German investors will never reinvest their money in a country that is known for theft. Americans were pushing for the German tank because it was the best fit for Ukraine needs. The Pentagon and State Department care more about national security than arms sales.
    1
  315.  @kazekami7313  Blackmailing the EU and NATO by demanding money for doing ones basic responsibilities is less than praise worthy. It is time for you clowns to join Belarus in your dream of being an authoritarian puppet of Moscow.
    1
  316.  @dino7307  I'm guessing you don't believe in charity or taxes.
    1
  317. What reasoning could justify not sending anti air missles? Don't want to take sides between Ukraine civilians and Russian missles?
    1
  318.  @generalmeanguy8902  It is funny how Switzerland can accuse America of war crimes while taking Nazi gold and Russian blood money. Also, the slippery slope argument is a logical fallacy. Giving defensive weapons to Ukraine doesn't mean Switzerland lose independence of their foreign policy. For example, most NATO countries that went into Afghanistan didn't have an obligation to go into Iraq.
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  319.  @murphy7801  This is from a society that took pride in "staying neutral" while getting rich off of Nazi gold. Now the Swiss want that sanction-busting, Russian oligarch money.
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  320.  @deanstyles2567  It would make it difficult to buy weapons from anyone. Americans, for example, probably won't risk sending high-tech weapons to countries that don't honor their agreements.
    1
  321. Putin assumes Russia-Speaking=Russian-Nationalism. That is a rather dumb, if you think about all the English-speaking countries that have no wish to be ruled by the British Crown.
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  322.  @liamr194  60% is huge! In addition, the ruble reserves are worthless, while the yen and crypto aren't trusted enough as an exchange currency. For example, Israel companies aren't going to accept the ruble or yen as payments for software. China also doesn't give money for ideology reasons. They give money to North Korea to prevent a refugee crisis and they give Venezuela loans in exchange for free gas. The country is very transactional, so Russia won't get anything from China without huge Russian concessions. They are calling foreign fighter because they don't have enough troops and they can't bring more from Russia without signaling to the public that the war isn't going well as they claim. The foreign fighters won't be on the front line. They will protect supply lines and depots to free up Russian soldiers to fight on the front line.
    1
  323.  @lanapodebrad7179  Then why is Russia worried about troop movement within the NATO alliance?
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  324.  @devrusso  Putin demanded NATO withdraw forces from Eastern NATO countries.
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  325. @StavroGavro Putin is giving Ukraine and the West ultimatums with veiled threats. Do you really think Putin will let Biden or Zelenskyy scoff at his demands without a response? Do you think Putin will give up his Russian strongman image that he has been building for 30 years?
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  326.  @pawelzybulskij3367  The "puppet government" in Afghanistan was full of anti-American politicians who the Afghan voters chose. If the Afghans wanted hardliners in power, then they would have won the elections. Just look at how America couldn't do anything about the Iraq people voting in a pro-Iran coalition of terrorist militias.
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  327. Just send in a German to negotiate. They will give up quickly.
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  328.  @sarahconnor2024  It must be so horrible working a 35-hour week, while Americans work a 40-hour week Lazy, entitled MFs.
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  329.  @Haganeren  You saw an underfunded pension in Greece and thought we should protest until we get the same? I thought the French were missing a work ethic, but apparently, it is just missing brain cells.
    1
  330. Hungary is a dump. When talking about poor, backward Europeans, Hungary,and Russia always fit the stereotype.
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  331. Russia attacked Ukraine in 2014 for trying to get closer to the EU. Who really has an issue with growing European power?
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  332. Fascist ideologies aren't big on facts.
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  333. Basically, Germany and France can freeload off of the American taxpayers who have to spend more to protect their country and interests due to their unwillingness pay for anything themselves.
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  334.  @ulrichbrodowsky5016  Germany and France pay less, because they know they can get America to do all the heavy lifting. Just look at the conflict in Libya. France and Britain were supposed to lead the mission, but the US had to destroy all the air defenses for them, because the Europeans were unwilling to spend any money on cruise missiles. This means American taxpayers have to spend more money on the military defense of Europe, so the Europeans can spend more money on education and school for Europe. Europe is a continent of freeloaders.
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  335.  @ulrichbrodowsky5016  You can state something over and over, but it doesn't make it true or logical. NATO has become Europe outsourcing their defense to the US at the American taxpayers' expense. Just look at Germany whose military whose equipment is in such disrepair that anything they shipped to Ukraine quickly broke or didn't have a stockpile of ammo to go with it. If they didn't have US protection, then Germany would have actually a spent money on its military.
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  336.  @ulrichbrodowsky5016  The US would rather spend less in Europe, so it can focus on Asian. However, it is difficult to withdraw resources from Europe as long the freeloaders are too dependent on America support due to Europe's lack of military spending.
    1
  337. Americans, look around your house and tell me how much "Made in Russia" products you have, and then tell me if tarrifs are a credible threat.
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  338. ​ @РепубликаСрпска-в6у Sorry, but the EU will never support your genocides. Stick with Russia.
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  339.  @GK-cb3vc  Nonsense. Putin is pulling troops away from NATO's border to send to Ukraine. Putin is comfortable with a skeleton crew guarding the border with NATO, because everyone with at least two brain cells knows there is no danger from NATO unless Russia is the aggressor.
    1
  340. An EU Military isn't possible after France and Germany have shown themselves to Eastern Europe during the Russian invasion to be unreliable partners.
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  341. ​ @tomi1455  The Communist have never ruled Taiwan
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  342. They did send send troops to support NATO in Afghanistan after the Americans were attacked on September 11th. Georgia too.
    1
  343.  @PaulieWalnuts-k5w  The EU wants to be a junior partner. They refuse to do anything of international note because they want to push all the responsibility and consequences on to the US.
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  344. @critique-real  Didn't Trump start an exchange of missles with Iran after assassinating their general? Wasn't Trump giving Saudis weapons to supply their civilian bombing in Yemen in exchange for business deals with the Trump family? Didn't Trump agree to give Ukraine weapons if they fabricate an investigation against Biden? Didn't Trump release over 5000 thousand Taliban soldiers in exchange for nothing? This is your peace maker?
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  345. @Tovalokodonc I'm unsurprised that you are a fan of the axis alliance
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  346. It wasn't the NATO pretext, then it's a fake claim about Nazis.
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  347.  @schtreg9140  Because the Americans and British have to spend more taxpayer money on the defense of Europe, while freeloading Germany takes advantage of other nations defending them by continuous cutting defense spending. Also, Germany has been warned over and over about energy dependence on Russia. In exchange for cheap gas, Germany has let Putin do whatever he wants for decades. No wonder he thought he could invade Ukraine without consequences.
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  348.  @mandolorian9893  I imagine that millennial hustler culture is a foreign concept to you boomers. We work through our lunches and unpaid overtime to get ahead just so we can get a promotion that pays like the entry level job boomers got thirty-fourty years ago. We then go home to a small apartment where our rent takes 50% more of our paycheck then boomers did thirty years ago, and then pay off student loans from colleges that charge 40% more than thirty years ago. Housing also cost more because boomer voters use zoning to restrict the amount homes being build to "protect their property value" aka artificially makes homes less affordable to young people. Edit: All my percentages were adjusted for inflation
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  349. TDLR loves sanewashing Trump. Trump makes impulsive decisions based on misinformation, and then TDLR tries to "fill in the gaps" to make his rambling into well thought out policies.
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  350. It is so sad that the French may work into their 60s like everyone else in the world. 🙄
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  351.  @Hardcore_Remixer  You either are just lying due to pro-Russian sentiment, or you just don't understand how currency values work. The ruble's high value isn't bringing any advantage to the Russian market. Putin is wasting foreign currency reserves to artificially make the value higher, and the high value of the currency is useless as buying power due to the sanctions making most imports impossible to buy. The EU is not just an economic bloc. There is a Charter of Fundamental Rights that all countries have to follow. Hungary wants to be solely an economic bloc, because they want all the benefits of free money and trade access, but without the other obligations like human rights, fair elections, independent judiciary, and a free press. Lastly, democracy is based on majority rule and not a 100% agreement from one party. The 2% shouldn't stop progressive for everyone else. If Hungarians prefer Russia and their values so much, then maybe it is time to join Belarus in Russia's economic bloc.
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  352.  @ev.c6  It seems like Brexit is still in the works
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  353.  @davoodoo8042  If Ukraine wanted Russia to leave, then what could they do? It's like Guantánamo Bay. Cuba wants the Americans gone, but they can't do anything because Cuba is bound by a treaty and the island doesn't have the power to expell the Americans.
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  354.  @damnedmadman  Most of the Africans are just students who want to go to Poland to fly home.
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  355.  @damnedmadman  They study in English.
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  356.  @master1941  I pretty sure that Ukraine rather Russia keep the money instead of bombing their schools and hospitals.
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  357.  @Raj-ul9my  A) That isn't even relevant. The Soviet Union and Russia have both signed multiple treaties, saying they would respect a country's sovereign choice to join any alliance of their choosing. B) There was no reasonable chance that Ukraine could join NATO. Membership of NATO requires a country to have full control of its territory, so Ukraine would have had to surrender the Dombas and Crimea to Russia in order to join NATO. That wasn't ever going to happen.
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  358.  @chrisr.6638  So NATO should be held to hypothetical pinky promises, but Russia shouldn't be held to treaty obligations because Putin really wants to steal territory?
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  359. @ロクアンドロルしかない  Even you can't believe this nonsense. *The "coup" was the legislator impeaching the president after he ordered police snipers to fire on protesters. *Russia's little green men are very well documented, so trying to spin this as the Russia mobilizing forces to seize the local government is nonsensical. *The referendum was a joke. Staying in Ukraine isn't even an option *It is a crime in Russian-occupied Ukraine to express that the occupied land is part of Ukraine, so it is obvious what option people are allowed to express there.
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  360. @tasospanagiotou7823  No
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  361. @tasospanagiotou7823  That isn't a treaty. Plus, it was done before Russian soldiers drove tanks into the Dombas in 2014.
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  362. @tasospanagiotou7823  You are mixing up NATO with the EU. Russia didn't want Ukraine to have a trade deal with the EU because Russia's kleptocracy can't compete with the EU's free market. Putin and his loyal oligarchs didn't want to lose a captive Ukrainian market, so they resorted to violence.
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  363. God forbid the French people have to work.
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  364.  @osheridan  The rioters are just lazy Frenchmen who can't do basic math, and they are willing to send their economy into a tailspin like a 2008 Greece over short-term benefits.
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  365.  @DarkSaguaro  They are just waiting on fuel, but they don't want to be next to a parked truck hit by a molotov or next to a parked tank hit by a javelin missle. If Russia could figure out their logistics, then the soldiers would likely return to their trucks.
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  366. It's political. Ukraines are there to deny Russia's desperation for a win after months of retreats, and they don't want any loss to give Germany justification for their appeasement of Putin.
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  367.  @davrosdarlek7058  Why did the Russian department of defense dispute the Wagner claim they are operating alone?
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  368.  @nyw100  What you are saying is we can't trust the Russian government to be truthful and Putin's handpicked cronies are incredibly corrupt. I agree 100%.
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  369. Did his son-in-law get handed $2 billion from the Saudis? Otherwise, these are rookie numbers in corruption.
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  370.  @Kalimdor199Menegroth  Trump's net worth is tied to commercial real estate and hotels when the economy shifts towards a work-at-home model and tourists start preferring Air BnBs. If Trump put his wealth into a blind trust like every other president, then his net worth would have grown with the stock market. Instead, he kept his business as a way to launder bribes to him.
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  371.  @WinterXR7  Propaganda and politics. Putin is desperate to declare a victory after months of retreating, and Germany is looking any small Ukrainian loss to justify their appeasement of Putin. Ukraine has to hold the city to prevent those narratives.
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  372. The US has protected NATO countries for 74 years. Seems reliable. After seeing the reluctance of France and Germany to support Ukraine, Eastern Europe would prefer a NATO structure lead by the US-UK over a EU structure lead by Germany-France.
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  373.  @Janoip  Germany already has nuclear plants built. The issue is that they keep shutting them down due to imaginary safety concerns.
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  374. Isolationism isn't really a left/right thing in America. Both Democrats and Republicans were split on the topic until the invasion of Ukraine.
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  375. A third of German Leopards are in repair due to decades of budget cuts has lead to poor maintenance
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  376.  @scaryclouds1403  This "NATO aggression" had Russian approval in the UN Security Council. Putin doesn't mention that, because it's inconvenient to his propaganda.
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  377.  @scaryclouds1403  United Nations Security Council resolution 836
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  378.  @scaryclouds1403  "Decides that, notwithstanding paragraph 1 of resolution 816 (1993), Member States, acting nationally or through regional organizations or arrangements, may take, under the authority of the Security Council and subject to close coordination with the Secretary-General and UNPROFOR, all necessary measures, through the use of air power , in and around the safe areas in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to support UNPROFOR in the performance of its mandate set out in paragraph 5 and 9 above;" -United Nations Security Council resolution 836
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  379.  @pax6833  Every war game shows NATO is not prepared to quickly to respond to Russia attack on the Baltics, but Europe (with the exception of Poland) does nothing to prepare. Russia's laughable logistics problems is still ahead of those like Germany.
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  380.  @znail4675  Germany is part of a wider problem. In Eastern/Central Europe, Poland is the only one capable/willing to send help to the Baltic without America doing all the heavy lifting.
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  381.  @Anthony-db7cs  We get it. You only like white people. Bigotry > Economics 🇭🇺🇷🇺
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  382. They want to divide Poland again?
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  383. Americans, look around your house and tell me how much "Made in Russia" products you have, and then tell me if tarrifs are a credible threat. I bet Trump doesn't even know anything about the conflict despite pretending to be an expert.
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  384.  @TylerB17  Trump is threatening Russia with tarrifs when there is already no US-Russia trade, and he is threatening Russia with sanctions when we already cut them out of the financial market. Trump himself has given zero signs that he will increase military aid, and Kellogg is just talking out his a**.
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  385. Populism -- a great way to ruin both an economy and a society
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  386. Putin fears EU expansion over anything else, because Russia's extreme corruption makes it impossible for them to compete economically with EU free trade - even in their own backyard. "Opposing NATO expansion" is just the means to use the Russian military to prevent EU expansion.
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  387.  @Srbenda126  👈Russia propagandist. NATO doesn't need military bases in Europe. NATO is Europe. The only reason the base is so big is because of all the ethnic violence that Serbia threatens on its neighbors. Who is this "NATO government" who personally owns these supposedly profits from mines?
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  388. So Ireland wants the benefits of European stability, but only if everyone else on the continent has to pay for it?
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  389.  @Werrf1  They are freeloaders too
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  390.  @sarantis1995  Whose citizens vote for the Greek government with bad economic policies? I would disagree with your argument that the Greeks were too stupid to understand that massive speading, low workforce participation, and tax avoidance wasn't going to cause unstainable budget deficits that had to be dealt with decades later.
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  391.  @badseed86  I said the majority of American businesses are small, so you fact about the self employed is irrelevant to my statement. You can try to make this into an irrelevant, xenophobic thing about religion, but the facts are that Greeks expect high benefits, retire incredibly early, and refuse to enforce tax compliance. They ran their economy into the ground, and then blamed everyone else including the ones who bailed them out. Fwi: I'm not even protestant.
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  392.  @sliftyy  Turkey got a roadmap, but they backtracked on economic and democratic reforms. Should the EU really let in a country that locks up people for criticizing the president and where the state works to help fund Iran's nuclear program? Putin doesn't want to reform or join the EU. He prefers that a political bloc where Russia makes all the decisions and everyone else follows.
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  393.  @imresebok1140  Your illiteracy is impressive
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  394.  @juditmogyorosi2438  Hungary said during WW2 too and looked how that turned out. Somethings never change.
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  395.  @devanman7920  The difference is that Ukraine is reforming into EU standards while Hungary is backtracking to Putin standards.
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  396. ​ @mr.patriotjol  The Russians are murdering men and women, young and old. To not give Ukrainians anti-air defense is inexcusable.
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  397.  @mr.patriotjol  Admitted what? Not refusing to take action in the fight against evil?
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  398.  @mr.patriotjol  As I am sure humanitarian aid is appreciated, more good can be done by governments sending anti-air defenses and other weapon systems. I wouldn't have to buy blankets if the Swiss and others sent military hardware to knock out the Russian missles that are targeting power stations.
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  399. Remember, Ukraine actually thanked Shoigu for how his corruption degraded the Russian military.
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  400. A European NATO won't work without America, because Eastern Europe doesn't have faith that Western Europe will come to it defense. There is a reason that the Baltic countries and Poland are requesting American troops instead of NATO troops.
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  401.  @startingbark0356  The Serbs who kept shooting artillery into villages of ethnic minorities? Only Russians would oppose stopping a genocide.
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  402.  @wildmustang1987  UN and EU investigations only found genocide against Georgian villages by Russian proxies. Only a gullible Russian population believed the accusations against Georgia.
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  403.  @wildmustang1987  Nukes are all Russia needs to prevent invasions. Everything else is just a BS pretext to use force against neighbors who refuse orders from Putin.
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  404. The EU only relies on American leadership because no one takes French or German leadership seriously anymore. That is saying something when you think about the incompetence of the most recent US presidents.
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  405. Autocrats like Putin, Orban, and Trump expect loyalty but offer none themselves.
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  406. Technically, Turkey would give up their monetary independence to join the EU. It is unlikely the Lira would get special treatment like the British Pound.
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  407. 1 in 5 Russians don't have access to indoor plumbing. This seems like a better use of money than a pointless invasion.
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  408. The French will do anything to get out of work. No wonder France's economy is so uncompetitive.
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  409. ​ @mattayele1906  Republican opposition is exaggerated as so far Republicans have approved aid to Ukraine with only the demand of auditing the suppliers done to appease the fringe, conspiracy wing of the party. Of course, if Trump starts spreading Ukrainian conspiracies for his own benefit, then we may find many Republicans abandon their principles to appease the personality cult.
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  410.  @mattayele1906  America was perfectly content in funding trillion dollar nation-building projects in Iraq and Afghanistan during the middle of the Great Recession. I doubt the likes of Gatez and MTG are going to convince many that they need to cut off funds to fight an aggressive Russia. Europe is another story. Americans seem very happy to spend money on their national security, while Europeans are only happy when it is Americans spending money on European national security.
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  411.  @mattayele1906  Trump changed the Republican party to not care about the deficit or national debt. Big government Trump killed the Tea Party Movement as Trump has zero interest in fiscal responsibility or long-term solvency. Most of the excessive stimulus spending happened under Trump instead of Biden, and Trump kept asking Congress for more. It is not possible for Trump to win as he is even more unpopular now than in 2020.
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  412. Developed countries (and Russia/China) are having a demographic problem. The easiest solution to solve this problem is immigration. The far right don't like this, so they prefer to push for more white babies. The policy isn't bad as long as the motivation isn't xenophobic.
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  413.  @user-I-I-user  Not every European is sexist and racists as you. Unlike Syrian refugees, Turkey are educated with lots of exposure to western culture and values. I work with a couple, and if they didn't pray towards Mecca at a certain time of day, then I wouldn't even know they are Muslim.
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  414.  @user-I-I-user  Only racist would ever use the term "subhuman". Enjoy you ignorance and xenophobia.
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  415. Erdoğan would sell out Northern Cyprus, Palestine, and Turkey if helped him grab more political power.
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  416. Belarus is so militarily unprepared that Ukraine could handle the Russian alliance easily. If anything, it would increase captured Soviet equipment and bring in more Belarus recruits into Ukraine's foreign legion.
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  417.  @6.5x55  None. At most, individual NATO nations can respond outside of the NATO structure.
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  418. ​ @rubiconprime1429 The EU would have to dissolve by having the biggest members leave and create a new organization in its place with an improved charter. Hungary and Poland can stay in the original EU, but there wouldn't be munch benefits to it. Also, the UK would likely be willing to bring their economy into a new, reformed EU.
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  419. The French don't like how they are pressured into supporting Ukraine, and that they can't compete with the US defense industry. Whine is a major export for France
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  420.  @benmm01  Russia sent tanks and soldiers into two European countries to occupy them. What would you call that?
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  421.  @orionlt1028  A) After the events of Black Hawk Down, Clinton was scared to put America soldiers at risk during the Rwandan Genocide B) Destroying the Serb's weapon factories and bridges is a way to stop the Serbian tanks from attack villages of civilians with low risk of civilian casualties.
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  422.  @csuporj  Eastern Europe never sided with Russia voluntarily. The Soviet Red Army invaded, and then never left until the union collapsed in 1991.
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  423.  @benmm01  Your justification for Russian attacking their neighbors is Russians feel entitlement to steal it. 21st century colonialism at play.
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  424.  @benmm01  Russian propaganda. The EU report said Georgia responded to Russian provocations and that Russian did nothing to stop their proxy forces from committing genocide against Georgians. Why do the Russians always tend to side with the ones committing Genocide?
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  425.  @benmm01  You mean the Georgia civilians who were massacred by Russia proxies for simply being a different ethnic group? What would you call that?
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  426. I pretty sure most of Prussia is occupied by Russians now.
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  427.  @macnicolson5452  The Azov battalion who was created in 2014 went back in time to support Hitler? And the country is run by a Jewish president, but they are fascists who don't like Jews? Russian propaganda just keeps getting dumber 🤣.
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  428.  @davrosdarlek7058  The Russian artillery game isn't what it is was due to HIMARS destroying their stockpiles before they can get to the frontlines. NASA fire tracking satellite shows the obvious differences. The Russians may actually have to fight with their infantry which hasn't gone well for them so far.
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  429.  @marioformosa4259 Russians are indiscriminately bombing cities and shooting unarmed civilians, but you think the villains are Ukraine for sending forces in to protect them?
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  430. Sounds like Lebensborn. Look it up. Same goals.
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  431. Macron wants an EU army because he thinks it will result in French weapons manufacturers displacing American manufacturers. Everything else is window dressing.
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  432. ​​​ @joeyjojojrshabadoo7462  It is not a good look when Macron tells Ukraine to surrender territory and sovereignty because the war is inconvenient for France. The backlash from other European countries then results in Macron sending aid to Ukraine to counteract his appeasement policy. Of course, Macron is now giving China the green light to invade Taiwan.
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  433.  @chrisrobert5252  They get dragged into supporting Ukraine kicking and screaming like a toddler throwing a tantrum. While EU candidate status is the right direction, it is just symbolic at this point.
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  434.  @joeyjojojrshabadoo7462  It matters that Macron keeps pushing that concessions that need to be made for Russia and that France is always one of the last ones to send the most needed military equipment to Ukraine. For the size of the French military and economy, the aid given is pretty modest in both terms of size and per capita.
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  435.  @chrisrobert5252  Sounds like France is avoiding attention because they are afraid of hurting Putin's feelings. British aid is both bigger in terms of both size and per capita.
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  436. Personally, I hope the Ukrainians surround the Russians in the Kherson region and put Crimea under siege. This would be the best scenario to force Russia to the negotiation table under favorable Ukraine terms. Otherwise, Ukraine would have to capture the Dombas that both sides have been fortifying since 2014. Capturing Crimea would also be a bloddy quagmire.
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  437. Russia, the UK, and France punch above their weight because of the UN Security Council, but they are only there because they used to be more influential back when they had colonial empires and because they were on the right side of WW2. Yes, the Soviet Union was colonizing nations with ethnic Russians. Germany, Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia all deserve a seat over Russia.
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  438. @Lianhua Xin Ukrainians are obviously more willing to lose soldiers fighting for their independence and survival. Meanwhile, Russians only support the war because they naively think it is a limited operation with limited Russian casualties. The longer the war goes on, the more difficulty Putin will have hiding all the dead Russian soldiers from the public. Russian public opinion may have more to do with the war's outcome than territorial control.
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  439.  @Rodrigo-rt8pu  Only Estonia of the three does
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  440.  @Rodrigo-rt8pu  I don't care what the government website says. Europe aways says they will reach the target, but then cuts the budget when the time comes. NATO says only 5 of 19 NATO countries hit their spending targets. Latvia and Lithuania aren't on that list.
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  441.  @Rodrigo-rt8pu  Your politicians are lying. Independent sources and NATO say otherwise.
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  442.  @Hardcore_Remixer  Patriotism is supposed to be about creating a community with your fellow citizens. Facism prefers xenophobia, which focuses on hatred of the "others." The others" in Orban's case are gays, Muslims, and liberals.
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  443. Musk is South African. I refuse to see apartheid Musk as American.
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  444. If only there was a way to sue companies for age discrimination.
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  445. MAGA Make Autocrats Great Again
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  446. ​ @MohammedAlShammari-q4i  Do you know who doesn't want Russia in Syria? The Syrians. Do you know who doesn't want Russia in Ukraine? The Ukrainians Do you know who doesn't want Russia in Moldova? The Moldovan Do you know who doesn't want Russia in Georgia? The Georgians.
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  447. Hungary and Romina didn't get the fascism bombed out of them like Germany in WW2.
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  448.  @BuddhaOwl  It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact. Trying reading a book, so you can identify the difference.
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  449.  @DacianRider  Romania and Hungary never had anything close to the bombing of Dresden or Berlin. That is why they didn't learn their lesson and still embrace fascism.
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  450. They need to buy domestic weapons. Trump doesn't realize that European arms sales pay for part of the US's defense budget.
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  451. Even EU countries like Hungary and Poland are already eroding democratic values. A post-war Ukraine would have even less of the social norms for a fully democratic system. It's not like the war wiped out corruption.
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  452.  @Kneorlan  What is less than zero?
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  453. As an American, I will never understand Europe's nonsensical ethnic tensions. I don't care or even know where my family is from, while countries like Russia and Serbia are willing to kill people to show their ethnic nationalism. Seriously, who cares what North Macedonia names their country or names their language? It is so petty.
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  454. The French left are looking for Liz Truss economic meltdown with their silly populist agenda.
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  455. I why should the West require permission from countries that don't have our values to protect our values. Expel Turkey from NATO Expel Hungary from the EU
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  456. The EU didn't want to brand Hungary as autocratic until there was a mechanism to punish the country for it. It would be a terrible message to admit you have a non-democratic actor within the Union and then basically do nothing about it.
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  457. Belgium was neutral is WW2. How did that turn out?
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  458. This is most important story in the news, but the media only wants to talk about the pointless British monarchy.
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  459. A Russian talking point where they support the Slavs committing genocide.
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  460. So is it okay to cave to special interests to ignore the rule of law?
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  461. That is because Germans are champions of fiscal responsibility. Meanwhile, the French are okay with bankrupting the state if it means less work.
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  462.  @Haganeren  I'm sure you are use to feeling stupid.
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  463.  @pomeranianproductions647  What kinda hippie commune did you grow up on? It isn't the government's job to provide for people just because they don't feel like working. No wonder France is a global laughing stock.
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  464. Short answer: No
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  465. By Trump/Putin's definition, Winston Churchill was a dictator for not holding elections during Luftwaffer attacks on the UK.
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  466.  @guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285  They had months to fortify the town and the region has more Russain collaborators than many other regions.
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  467.  @guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285 1) It is observable that Russia has been fortifying the city for some time. While it fun to portray the Russians as Wile Coyote, it is unhelpful to ignore the evidence to the contrary. 2) Russian collaboration will be helpful to Russian forces in a similar way Ukraine citizens were to the Ukraine army during the battle of Kiev. It is one of the advantages of defenders. 3) You had three points instead of 2
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  468.  Steve Rockwell  🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 If you keep count of the amount of towns Russian propagandist claim to take everyday, then Russia captured every Ukraine town 6 times over already. Use some common sense.
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  469. Russia has a treaty obligations to respect Ukraine's borders and sovereignty in exchange for Ukraine giving up their nukes in the 90s.
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  470. Le Pen - the xenophobia of the far-right with the economic incompetence of the left Why would people vote for her?
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  471. @Krzbot My point is that Russia has been fortifying and learning the terrain in the Dombas since 2014. They have also mobilized every local man who lives in Russian occupied Dombas, so there is local knowledge from them too.
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  472.  @Mr-oo4ye  Russia as competition? Russia is a gas station run by the mafia. The kleptocracy is so uncompetitive that Russia attacks any country in its backyard that seeks closer trade ties with the EU to discourage competition.
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  473.  @Mr-oo4ye  Russia State Media has countless times said that they plan on attacking Poland, the Batics, Moldova, and even Scotland.
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  474.  @anguswaterhouse9255  It's funny how you talk about the moral high ground, because it seems like America does all the dirty work and makes all the sacrifice as other nations benefit and pretend like they are morally pure. America sacrificed thousands of lives and spent trillions of dollars building Iraq into a functioning democracy, so European, Russian, and Chinese companies can buy the oil and sell their goods. None of them even admit the world is a better place without Saddam.
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  475. ​ @remipoujoulat7759  No one cares about the rioters.
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  476. Belgium was neutral in WW2? How did that work out?
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  477. Don't sanewash Trump. Trump thought Putin would cave ri threats of tarrifs. The ignorant clown is threatening to tax Americans on imports from Russia that don't exist.
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  478.  @SpencerR-u3d  Shrewd? Trump is threatening tariffs against a country that America no longer trades with. Trump has the mental capacity of a hammer. He sees everything as a nail when a hammer isn't going to cut wood or remove a screw.
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  479. ​ @fungo6631 Big oil companies
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  480. A lot of NATO opposition is because people stupidly believe it took part in Iraq or they choose to ignore 9/11 as justification to invade Afghanistan.
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  481.  @ChandranPrema123  Western censorship? We aren't the ones who need a VPN to access Facebook or Instagram. Maybe ask yourself why Putin is scared of your access to outside information.
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  482. Expell Hungary from the EU.
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  483. NATO countries that Putin sent troops into: 0 Non-NATO countries that Putin sent troops into: 4 (and I'm only counting Russia's neighbors).
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  484. Another freeloading country that relies on the American taxpayers' generosity.
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  485.  @marcosgarvey7129  The Taliban didn't kick them out. Americans soldiers were off the frontline for a about a decade. When Biden withdrew the airforce, the Afghan soldiers ran away. Of course, I assume the actual facts don't matter if they conflict with your narrative. You can't be claiming to "protect the Motherland" when invading a sovereign nation unprovoked. If Russian soldiers are so eager to die for Putin, then why aren't there enough volunteers to prevent a mobilization? Why did so many Russians flee the country when mobilization was announced? Why do Russian soldiers flee the battlefield so quickly?
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  486.  @marcosgarvey7129  ISIS bombing killed the 13 soldiers, but again I assume facts don't matter to you. The annexation is a joke that no one except North Korea and Syria recognize. Obviously, the Russians don't even take it that seriously as they retreated from Kherson without a fight instead of defending "Russia". Afghanistan isn't particularly destroyed by war as the Americans don't indiscriminately bomb civilian cities like Russian fascists.
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  487. @The one and only Brian Wilson 1/5 Russian families don't have access to indoor plumbing. Considering you live in a frozen hellscape run by a kleptocracy, I understand why you Russians try so hard to drink yourself to death.
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  488.  @odar9729  You are adding Iraq and Afghanistan together. Thanks to Iran made IEDs, Iraq was more deadly for US troops. Iraq War: 4424 US soldiers Afghanistan War: 1,833 US soldiers Russia "Special Military Operation": 100,000+ Russian soldiers
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  489. @Filip Chilyan  Caused What caused Iraq deaths was primarily Iraqi need to kill one another over petty differences. To blame the Iraqis' racism on America is unfounded. Meanwhile, the primary cause of deaths in Ukraine is Russia's targeting of civilians with artillery, missle strikes, and mass executions.
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  490.  @Kkaffeine  The big oil conspiracy doesn't even make sense. * Afghanistan doesn't have any oil * Iraq's oil industry is dominated by European and Asian companies that primarily sell to Asia. * American spend more building up Iraq's infrastructure and funding Iraq's social services than they could possibly get from oil extraction * Libya went from primarily selling oil to Italy before the war to primarily selling oil to Italy, but with less oil to sell. Maybe you should use both of your brain cells before commenting.
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  491. To be fair, many high-skilled young Russians have fled to Kazakhstan and started new businesses after Putin called for a mobilization.
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  492. ​ @cy9nvs  Buying washing machines just for the chips does add costs and slows down the manufacturing process. The military might be willing to pay for it, but the extra cost on the private sector will make Russian goods less competitive.
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  493. Because Afghanistan is full of oil? The oil myth is stupid to anyone who spends five minutes to think about it.
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  494. Putin is also having difficulty calling reserves, while claiming low casualties. The Russian people are gullible, but at some point they have to question all the contradictions made by their state media. They can't be that dumb?
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  495. Mexico won't seek a defensive alliance, because it doesn't worry about its neighbor invading them. None of Russia's neighbors feel the same way.
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  496.  @16psyco  America has had peace with their neighbors for over 100 years. That is historically unprecedented. All your references are dated with the exception of Venezuela who was never attacked by the United States even though Maduro overthrew the elected legislators and rig all the following elections. Meanwhile, Russia has invaded their neighbors three times since the start of the 21st century.
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  497.  @16psyco  You can't even name a single case of war between America and Canada/Mexico in the last 100 years. Meanwhile, Russia is bombing hospitals in Ukraine today .
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  498. To everyone else, it looks like Switzerland uses neutrality to profit from evil, like collecting Nazi gold and Russian blood money.
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  499. An EU army would buy more European-made weapon systems and fewer American made weapons. Loss American jobs can be credited to Trump's invitation to Putin to invade Europe.
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  500. Taiwan doesn't want US recognition. The vast majority prefer the status quo over giving president Pooh a pretext to invade.
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  501. An EU army would buy more European-made weapon systems and fewer American made weapons. Loss American jobs can be credited to Trump's invitation for Putin to invade Europe.
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  502.  @ramr7051  Putin doesn't want to negotiate. Talks are a ploy to buy time and disrupt Ukraine momentum.
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  503. Let's be honest, most Europeans see France as more reliable than France. Without the US, Article 5 would be in question.
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  504. This would only work if countries like Italy, Greece, and Spain give up some sovereignty as it has been shown they can't make responsibly fiscal policy on their own. Basically, a central EU government would have to issue debt instead of individual countries.
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  505.  @CuriousGene9  When Russia isn't target bombing schools and hospitals, they are kidnapping children and then brainwashing them to be soldiers for Putin's imperial ambitions.
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  506. Short answer: Special interests and disrespect for the EU's rule of law.
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  507. Flase equivalency: Ukraine is a sovereign democracy that has been at peace with it neighbours. Sadam recently invaded two of neighbors, used chemical weapons to commit genocide against the Kurds, had his secret police commit rape/torture, and did other numerous crimes against humanity. Now Iraq has a democracy, even if flawed, that represents all groups in the country.
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  508.  @mariosathens1  What silence? Europe has been bitchin' about Iraq for two decades. Your Korea example is nonsense as the Soviet Union boycotted the vote and Taiwan held the Chinese vote at the time. Now we have the Russians and Chinese who will veto any attempt to stop genocide and mass murder by authoritarian leaders. Imagine if Ukraine had to rely on the UN to act. The country would be a the mercy of a Russian veto.
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  509.  @owenlindkvist5355  Despite the memes, I don't think Russian Generals are dumb. Poor tactical and strategic decisions seem to be caused by political interference and poor intelligence on their forces' capabilities.
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  510. What facts are you disputing?
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  511.  @emm_arr  Obviously, but some trolls have some pretty stupid responses that are fun to pick apart.
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  512.  @kth6736  Russia is white and trying to colonize Ukraine. Try again.
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  513. @GN28 You could pretty much say that about most countries with a smaller economy than Poland. It is not like future BRICS countries like Syria, Venezuela, and Iran are model countries due to their name recognition.
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  514. @GN28 They both showed interest in joining, and Lavrov has given his approval.
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  515. The French are upset they have to work 43 years like most people in most nations. France is a laughing stock right now except for the mathematically challenged.
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  516.  @ten_tego_teges  Poland: Give me money, give me money, give me money. Also, Poland: What has the EU done for me.? The "privately owned" media that the government forcibly sold to the Prime Ministers oligarch friend. Free press is a joke in Poland.
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  517.  @aristocraticrebel  Doing fine under Putin's thumb.
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  518.  @joeking1019  What are you talking about? Before Putin's newest war pushed Scandinavian into NATO, how was Biden "creeping" up on Russia?
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  519.  @oneworld1160  How do you not recognize that you are as much of a clown as the hyperpartisan morons who wear MAGA hats? Plain and simple.
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  520. The Soviet Union controlled 80% of Afghanistan before attrition made them go home. Meanwhile, Russia only controls 20% of Ukraine.
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