panzermartin

And about the treatment of Germany and Japan post WW2. Marshall was the way to go and the smart choice fortunately . But It wasn't that much out of kindness towards the people of those ruined countries but mostly they should be viable enough as assets for the containment of USSR and communism. A potato economy driven Germany wouldn't be that of an obstacle for the reds, Morgenthau was really short sighted in that aspect too. In the same way US must be logically thinking a functioning, western leaning Russia could prove valuable for containing China one day. Those who call for taking Russia back to the stone age aren't reading the future well.

I find it funny that many high profile Germans were enlisted in the CIA post WW2 or even took NASA to the moon with the rockets that were killing kids in London but here some people call for collective punishment of Russia because it invaded Ukraine. Talking about bias.

This seems more possible than outside acrion

Also I believe technically it was a difficult task for Russia to carry out. Unless there is a way to blow these from inside? How could they approach with submarine /drone and go unnoticed in high intensity waters scanned 24hr by hostile forces ? This perfection in execution doesn't feel very russian to me.

I agree It doesn't have a made in USA stamp. But that doesn't mean that some 3rd party couldn't have done this under their guidance. If a single country expressed publicly their annoyance with the nord stream that was US through very official voices, Biden, Nuland etc... Is Russia that irrational? Maybe. Until now they hesitated to admit they are blackmailing EU with the gas by referring to technical issues. Now they blow up everything like an angry madman. There must have been some very important motive to do this. Blackmail Europe further through the ukrainian pipeline? It didn't work so far. Divide Europe and USA? An internal matter between energy companies in Russia and the deep state? Doesn't make much sense to destroy a valuable asset for ever, a negotiating card and a symbol of their prosperity and bridge with Europe. What is next, they will blow up their Kerch bridge

I read everything, from ISW to pro UKR Twitter, this forum and russian sources. Why US is never to be blamed, they are very much benefiting from all this,while Germany, Europe and Russia are committing suicide. Is this russian propaganda?

Hmmm, why should Russia blow up their own gas lines. They indeed lose their last card of changing the minds of EU. And destroying decades of prosperous collaboration with Germany. And that thank you from Poland official... We underestimate how ruthless US is as well when they are after their interests. Beyond Russia, target is Germany I think for not obeying the masters orders and being reluctant to be involved in this war. Now they don't have other choice. And we are here discussing the high ethics of the war with lord of the rings metaphors.

Germany is like France in WW2. Pourquoi mourir pour Danzig(Ukraine) ? And France was actually invaded. The truth is that cynically they suffered the least from all the nations involved. Maybe Germany hopes for the same....

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I find it incredible that people are so hard on Germany on the war thing. "Common, sell more Leopards Fritz, can't you see the opportunity !" It's like those people haven't studied WW2 all their lives and the scariest wound that war left to this country. A country that was painstakingly rebuilt brick by brick by the people left behind. And chose instead of planning to avenge the former rival to build a new relation that seemed like the logical bond.

Easy on the blaming game because in a few years you will also be protesting against your new masters that will blame all on your government for corruption and spending too much on the war effort. A friendly advice. Italy has sadly elected a neo fascist government and this says something about how bad things are going in Europe now. What will happen of Lepen gets elected finally in France The end of the dream? I'm all for a united Europe but a lot of things went wrong with the economic strategy and that gave a push to nationalists and fascists to rise again unfortunately.

Hmm after this lengthy war is over Ukraine will probably be in debt for the rest of its existance. That means no sovereignity at all in contrast with Israel. West are no just friendly helpful pals but people that count their money. The economic flow towards Ukraine is insane at the moment. Expect IMF and the banks to hold Ukrainian national assets hostages for a century or so. But a small price to pay to bring Russia to its knees I guess.

This looks and sounds like a flying Honda moto cub. But seems suicide drones like that don't need to be particularly sophisticated to be effective.

Kraze has been posting stuff like this since the beginning of the thread. He hasn't received any warning, although in the written official rules here, it is cleary stated as hate speech and a reason to ban someone. On the contrary his posts often get multiple upvotes. Yes, the best war forum on the net...

Huh? Sounds more like a flat Tyre https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11212515/Putins-limousine-hit-loud-bang-possible-attack.html

The pro russian sources are talking about a UA waterloo with half the polish m1 fleet gone (60 tanks ko) and around 1. 200 Kia. There are quite a few videos to reinforce their claims and a rather silence from pro UKR accounts that makes this all more suspicious. Both sides sources are far from objective (understandable) but RU are lying a little more so I don't know what to believe.

Not sure how effective these are. Do they raise the temperature to the point you need to get out of the area affected or just set fires? Because their impact doesn't seem significant in the videos, especialy in urban areas like this. Probably much more effective against dug in infantry in the countryside. Impressive sight nonetheless.

According to UA sources, many missiles have been intercepted, among them even hypersonic Iskanders https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3424781-ukrainian-armed-forces-shoot-down-iskander-missile-near-kramatorsk.html

Yes, it's more like similar correct, I read that wrong.

You could be right but there are some really big booms as well up there, not something an AA missile would produce. They have claimed to have shot down quite a few, but they are probably exaggerating. But we are also exaggerating that HIMARS is invincible to AD systems that have proved to intercept similar RU missiles when in UKR service. HIMARS is actually slower than a WW2 V2 (but a smaller target )

When the bridge was hit for the first time, I remember no active AD. Now I see a lot intercepts (not sure if every boom though is a kill). Seems RU are more aware now of the threat and probably a little more capable to shoot down HIMARS?

Impressive strike. Could the simultaneous detonations indicate some behind the lines job taking advantage of the looser summer vibe in the peninsula? I have seen the HIMARS strikes and they are always sequential, unless you can program two or more missiles to hit the same time. Russians continue to deny to take this war as seriously as it is and I'm not talking only about the crimean tourists. Even those people in swimming suits might have guessed this is not a special operation anymore.

Yes, that must have been stressful for RU wondering what new western toy will land on their heads each different week. I don't know if Ukraine has a time limit as well, as there are domestic and international conditions in play that are not very clear yet but certainly Russia is the one in more hurry.