Opinion International Geopolitics

[RussellEbertHandball]

Usual piss weak stance by FIFA, but forces are pushing for change.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Gutsy stuff by these people in Belarus.

 

[Grave Danger]

The short Putin memes still crack me up.

Arms for Ukraine!
Legs for Putin!

 

[raptalia]

Usual piss weak stance by FIFA, but forces are pushing for change.

Yes, sport is one area that despots like Putin like to use to push their claims of superiority. Russia should be booted out of the World Cup and every other international sporting competition. Many of them are drug cheats anyway. It is tough on the athletes but if they are banned from competing it will ramp up the pressure on Putin within Russia.

 

[edgie]

Meeting in the exclusion zone?

Life imitating art

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

OSINT sites are getting heavily involved in reporting of what is going on not just in Ukraine, but reaction world wide.

Open-source intelligence collecting and analysing data gathered from open sources to try a present the true picture. After starting as a naval magazine 120 years ago, Jane's Defence Review started as a monthly magazine in the 1960's, and had various offshoot, weekly, monthly and annual publications, books about Navy equipment, military aircraft, military communications etc that has now been consolidated to just information services - Jane's Information Group.

This is their take on OSINT.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Germany is BIT - Back In Town - when it comes to military power and influence.

Last night - early evening - new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of socialist democratic party, has decided to "rearm" Germany and has committed to spending 2%+ of GDP on defence every year. This saga has highlighted to Germany that its dependence on Russian gas has left it exposed.

A few weeks ago I thought the world needed Angela Merkel if the shit hit the fan over Ukraine. 16 years as chancellor, never defeated at election, leaving office with 70% popularity rating gives her a lot of political capital to negotiate Europe through this crisis.

But Nord Stream 2 has left her decisions on Russia badly exposed. Scholz avoided using the phrase Nord Stream 2 right up to the point where he had to announce it was put on hold.











At the same time as Scholz was talking to the Bundestag, Germans were out in the street of Berlin saying help Ukraine - with weapons if need be. This is all a big shift in German thinking.

They know its time to be less dependent on USA and NATO. Will this spook the rest of the world given German armaments history and use from about 1870 to 1945??





And even though Angela Merkel is off the scene, its another German female politician who is shaping European thinking.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is driving Europe's response that has effectively changed the Commission into a Defence Department overnight, sending weapons to a non member for the first time.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

These Georgians remember 2008. I reckon the movie Argo should be re released. There seems to be a lot of arh go fu*k yourself spoken to Russians lately.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

This is quiet good. Looks like someone is using OSINT to track Russian Oligarch jets around the world. Might force the media and others to get to a few airports.


And people are feeding him info.

https://twitter.com/RUOligarchJets

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

This is a piss take.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Russian central bank hikes rate to 20% in emergency move, tells firms to sell FX

The Russian central bank raised its key interest rate to 20% from 9.5% on Monday in an emergency move, and authorities told export-focused companies to sell foreign currency as the rouble tumbled to record lows.

www.reuters.com

The Russian central bank raised its key interest rate to 20% from 9.5% on Monday in an emergency move, and authorities told export-focused companies to sell foreign currency as the rouble tumbled to record lows.

"External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed," the central bank said in a statement.

"The increase of the key rate will ensure a rise in deposit rates to levels needed to compensate for the increased depreciation and inflation risks. This is needed to support financial and price stability and protect citizens' savings from depreciation."

In another attempt to support the rouble, the central bank and the finance ministry also jointly ordered Russian exporting companies to sell 80% of their foreign currency revenues on the market.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Gotta ask the question, would George W Bush (or more importantly Chaney and Rumsfeld) have gotten away with invading Iraq on the excuse of Weapons of Mass Destruction (and Al Qaeda in Iraq) in 2022??

Wonder how quick and deep the world would have responded to that BS in today's world?

 

[OneGreatClub]

This thread by Carole Cadwalla about what she calls the First BIg Information War is a really interesting read and pulls together much about the Cyber War on democracy and its connection with recent and current events.

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[Tredz]

Financial Director of Gasprom ( basically the Russian gas industry) found dead by suicide.

Suicide or “suicide” <nudge nudge, wink wink>

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Why use your own elite forces when you can use friendly black ops crew.

Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian mercenaries ordered to kill Ukraine’s president

More than 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky and his government and prepare the ground for Moscow

www.thetimes.co.uk

More than 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky and his government and prepare the ground for Moscow to take control, The Times has learnt.

The Wagner Group, a private militia run by one of President Putin’s closest allies and operating as an arm-length branch of the state, flew in mercenaries from Africa five weeks ago on a mission to decapitate Zelensky’s government in return for a handsome financial bonus.

Information about their mission reached the Ukrainian government on Saturday morning and hours later Kyiv declared a 36-hour “hard” curfew to sweep the city for Russian saboteurs, warning civilians that they would be seen as Kremlin agents and risked being “liquidated” if they stepped outside.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

 

[OneGreatClub]

Why use your own elite forces when you can use friendly black ops crew.

Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian mercenaries ordered to kill Ukraine’s president

More than 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky and his government and prepare the ground for Moscow

www.thetimes.co.uk

More than 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky and his government and prepare the ground for Moscow to take control, The Times has learnt.

The Wagner Group, a private militia run by one of President Putin’s closest allies and operating as an arm-length branch of the state, flew in mercenaries from Africa five weeks ago on a mission to decapitate Zelensky’s government in return for a handsome financial bonus.

Information about their mission reached the Ukrainian government on Saturday morning and hours later Kyiv declared a 36-hour “hard” curfew to sweep the city for Russian saboteurs, warning civilians that they would be seen as Kremlin agents and risked being “liquidated” if they stepped outside.

That traitor Eric Prince tried to get this contract
US and EUrope should send their own mercenaries to eliminate Putin.

This guy

 

[raptalia]

Looks like it has happened...

“FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice,” UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA also confirmed RB Leipzig had been given a walkover into the Europa League quarter-finals after their last-16 match with Spartak Moscow was called off and added that the governing body has cancelled its sponsorship deal with Russian energy company Gazprom.

and...

Earlier on Monday, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board recommended sports federations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events.

Russia banned from all competitions by Fifa and Uefa

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued on Monday, sporting bodies moved to bar Russian athletes from competing in international events, with FIFA and UEFA suspending Russia’s national teams and clubs from international football. The move makes it likely that Russia will be excluded from this...

cyprus-mail.com

Meanwhile unconfirmed reports suggest that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has accepted a Ukrainian offer to broker peace talks. Sanctions may have no effect on Putin but there are signs that some of the oligarchs who support him are having second thoughts.

Abramovich helping Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Russian billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich has accepted a Ukrainian request to help negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

www.espn.com.au

 

[raptalia]

Gotta ask the question, would George W Bush (or more importantly Chaney and Rumsfeld) have gotten away with invading Iraq on the excuse of Weapons of Mass Destruction (and Al Qaeda in Iraq) in 2022??

Wonder how quick and deep the world would have responded to that BS in today's world?

Interesting question and I can see why you pose it, but I think Saddam was seen as a pariah by most of the world. There may not have been any smoking gun but Saddam's record was not good. He did use chemical weapons and he was eventually tried and executed by his own people. I agree that the invasion of Iraq was based on a charade engineered by US oil interests lead by Rumsfeld but Sadam's regime was pretty despotic. Ukraine is a different kettle of fish it is seen as a peaceful independent nation and Putin is seen as an outright aggressor who has acted without any justification. Intervention in Iraq was never seen as long term as the 'Coalition of the Willing' was never going to remain in Iraq indefinitely. Again, the Ukraine is different as once the Russian invasion is complete the chances of Ukraine existing as a free independent State are zilch. Putin will install a puppet regime and it will become a Russian satellite just like it was in the days of the USSR.

 

[Grave Danger]

The Beatles sing "The Ukraine girls really knock me out", but I'm sure the "The" applies to the girls and not a mere region of the greater CCCP.

 

[OneGreatClub]

The Beatles sing "The Ukraine girls really knock me out", but I'm sure the "The" applies to the girls and not a mere region of the greater CCCP.

Uke girls are truly stunners.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Don't mess with librarians.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Germany is BIT - Back In Town - when it comes to military power and influence.

Last night - early evening - new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of socialist democratic party, has decided to "rearm" Germany and has committed to spending 2%+ of GDP on defence every year. This saga has highlighted to Germany that its dependence on Russian gas has left it exposed.

A few weeks ago I thought the world needed Angela Merkel if the sh*t hit the fan over Ukraine. 16 years as chancellor, never defeated at election, leaving office with 70% popularity rating gives her a lot of political capital to negotiate Europe through this crisis.

But Nord Stream 2 has left her decisions on Russia badly exposed. Scholz avoided using the phrase Nord Stream 2 right up to the point where he had to announce it was put on hold.











At the same time as Scholz was talking to the Bundestag, Germans were out in the street of Berlin saying help Ukraine - with weapons if need be. This is all a big shift in German thinking.

They know its time to be less dependent on USA and NATO. Will this spook the rest of the world given German armaments history and use from about 1870 to 1945??





And even though Angela Merkel is off the scene, its another German female politician who is shaping European thinking.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is driving Europe's response that has effectively changed the Commission into a Defence Department overnight, sending weapons to a non member for the first time.

German people have had nearly 80 years of das Fernweh (Literally: the distant ache, Meaning: a longing to travel and see distant places)

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Interesting question and I can see why you pose it, but I think Saddam was seen as a pariah by most of the world. There may not have been any smoking gun but Saddam's record was not good. He did use chemical weapons and he was eventually tried and executed by his own people. I agree that the invasion of Iraq was based on a charade engineered by US oil interests lead by Rumsfeld but Sadam's regime was pretty despotic. Ukraine is a different kettle of fish it is seen as a peaceful independent nation and Putin is seen as an outright aggressor who has acted without any justification. Intervention in Iraq was never seen as long term as the 'Coalition of the Willing' was never going to remain in Iraq indefinitely. Again, the Ukraine is different as once the Russian invasion is complete the chances of Ukraine existing as a free independent State are zilch. Putin will install a puppet regime and it will become a Russian satellite just like it was in the days of the USSR.

As much of an arseh*le as he was, there were no WMDs and no link to Al Qaeda.

Millions around the world protested against the war. The US wouldnt have been able to stop the social media stuff that is coming out showing innocent civlians being blown up.