Alexei Navalny dead

[Elbow beards]

Constructed as broken from the outset. Repair not nearly as easy as hoped.
Throw in the constant propaganda of strength and economic power and even the oppressed end up against common sense reforms of the broken system.

Quandary.

Perestroika & Gorbachev seem like they were part of a movie or mini-series from the good old days!

It was Gorbachevs naivety in trying to spread the wealth that got us into this whole sorry mess.

 

[Kirkstall Blue]

Around the world people praise Navalny his courage going back to Russia and his wife speaking on Sky has the same courage as him

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Do you say the same about Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia haven’t invaded a free and democratic European country.

 

[lee_wsm]

Can’t see Russia getting anyone but a gangster muderous regime even when putin dies

 

[Vic]

Constructed as broken from the outset. Repair not nearly as easy as hoped.
Throw in the constant propaganda of strength and economic power and even the oppressed end up against common sense reforms of the broken system.

Quandary.

Perestroika & Gorbachev seem like they were part of a movie or mini-series from the good old days!

The West missed a glorious opportunity with Gorbachev.

 

[gaz76]

Sky news had him as losing unconsciousness for a while before the person with the crayons realised that would be a bit tricky

 

[John Wayne]

Saudi Arabia haven’t invaded a free and democratic European country.

But they did drop bombs on Yemen and killed thousands in that country. How about the Chinese who carry out ethnic genocide against the Uighurs? Or the Azerbaijani slaughter of Armenians?

I could get into a deep argument about just how free and democratic Ukraine actually is, but that's for another thread. The point I'm trying to make here is that the world is full of unattractive regimes, including Russia. It is simply unrealistic to think that the end of the war in Ukraine doesn't end in some sort of negotiation. How else does it end? Ukraine are losing emphatically and the sooner people sit down, the sooner the killing stops. There is no way that the Russians will be driven out of the east or Crimea, it's simply fanciful to believe that Ukraine can win militarily. Each day that passes, their position weakens and Russia's strengthens. How else is this resolved?

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I could get into a deep argument about just how free and democratic Ukraine actually is, but that's for another thread.

Would you rather live in Ukraine or Russia?

It is simply unrealistic to think that the end of the war in Ukraine doesn't end in some sort of negotiation. How else does it end?

I’m sure it will end in some sort of negotiation, but that’s for the Ukrainians to decide. Until they do then we should continue to support them and not betray them by doing some back door deal with a country that won’t keep to any agreement it signs.

Would you trust them to keep to anything?

Ukraine are losing emphatically and the sooner people sit down, the sooner the killing stops.

How are Ukraine losing emphatically? Seems to be presently a stalemate to me. This can all end tomorrow if Russia withdraws to where they were two years ago (and thereby ‘keep’ Crimea).

Each day that passes, their position weakens and Russia's strengthens.

What is your basis for this assertion?

 

[b6_brum]

But they did drop bombs on Yemen and killed thousands in that country. How about the Chinese who carry out ethnic genocide against the Uighurs? Or the Azerbaijani slaughter of Armenians?

I could get into a deep argument about just how free and democratic Ukraine actually is, but that's for another thread. The point I'm trying to make here is that the world is full of unattractive regimes, including Russia. It is simply unrealistic to think that the end of the war in Ukraine doesn't end in some sort of negotiation. How else does it end? Ukraine are losing emphatically and the sooner people sit down, the sooner the killing stops. There is no way that the Russians will be driven out of the east or Crimea, it's simply fanciful to believe that Ukraine can win militarily. Each day that passes, their position weakens and Russia's strengthens. How else is this resolved?

Respectfully, your post is nonsense. How do you define the fact that Ukraine are losing emphatically? Their military achievements to date have exceeded anybody's wildest ambitions. As long as the West arm them effectively (and we could continue to do so long term with absolute ease) then they have shown that they are more than capable of not just holding off Russian forces, but regularly getting the better of them. Obviously, the longer, corrupt kremlin puppets do Putin's dirty work in congress and the west, the more difficult it will be for Ukraine to hold land.

It ends when Ukraine want to negotiate and as long as they want to fight for their existence then it's the West's job to give them the tools to do that (of which we are choosing & I emphasise CHOOSING not to do). You think Russia are stronger because of this? Their economy is a war time one, over 7% of GDP makes it's way into military hardware that gets taken out as quickly as it makes it's way to the battlefield. They have had to artificially pump interest rates to keep their economy afloat, which is on a short to mid term life support as all war time economy's arse. The consequences of this war for them will be determinantal.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

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Sky news had him as losing unconsciousness for a while before the person with the crayons realised that would be a bit tricky

To be fair he does look like a cast member of the walking dead in that pic.