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Post by libtard on Feb 25, 2022 15:57:51 GMT
As Putin's tanks roll into Kyiv, the West increase their sanctions, President Xi gleefully rubs his hands - sensing that he will soon have China's economic claws sunk deep into Russia - and the world braces for another inevitable recession, a phrase is still ringing in my mind:
"Putin has gone full Tonto."
It was uttered by the British Defence Secretary (with a "c"), Ben Wallace, and I'd assumed initially that he was referring to the fictional character letting loose with his tomahawk - a culturally insensitive, but strangely apt analogy - although, more likely, he meant "fool" or "crazy;" the appropriateness of this moniker for the Lone Ranger's sidekick is not the point of this inquiry.
What does Putin stand to gain from this? Economic isolation. A decades-long insurgency. Re-galvanizing NATO - and prompting countries with tardy, underwhelming defense spending to step up their game. A collapsing rouble. Finland and Sweden making overtures to join NATO (ah, Finland).
So what's the deal here? What's the end game? Has Putin gone full Tonto? Is he no longer a rational actor?
Is he a crazy man with 6000 nuclear warheads?
Is it time to move to Buenos Aires?
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Post by kirinke on Feb 25, 2022 18:13:23 GMT
Maybe he wants to see the return of Russia's "glory" days. I dunno. I think the power has certainly gone to his head. On some fronts, it's been suggested that it's all about oil and pipe-lines.
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Post by cyphersmith on Feb 25, 2022 22:32:50 GMT
As Putin's tanks roll into Kyiv, the West increase their sanctions, President Xi gleefully rubs his hands - sensing that he will soon have China's economic claws sunk deep into Russia - and the world braces for another inevitable recession, a phrase is still ringing in my mind: "Putin has gone full Tonto." It was uttered by the British Defence Secretary (with a "c"), Ben Wallace, and I'd assumed initially that he was referring to the fictional character letting loose with his tomahawk - a culturally insensitive, but strangely apt analogy - although, more likely, he meant "fool" or "crazy;" the appropriateness of this moniker for the Lone Ranger's sidekick is not the point of this inquiry. "Full Tonto" is more than a bit insensitive, though perhaps the phrase is a reference that I, as an American, am not getting. What does he gain from this? Interesting question. Look at what Ukraine has. Lots of resources. Look at what Ukraine was trying to do, which is to join NATO. This move also gives him the ability to put a puppet government in that won't join NATO. Of course, that second one assumes he's not going to annex Ukraine. Given his speech the other day, I'm not sure which way he's going to go with that. And honestly, NATO hasn't really done much to him previously, so maybe he thinks he can get away with it. Nor am I sure that sanctions are going to be enough. They generally aren't. |
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Post by evileeyore on Feb 26, 2022 7:34:21 GMT
It was uttered by the British Defence Secretary (with a "c"), Ben Wallace, and I'd assumed initially that he was referring to the fictional character letting loose with his tomahawk - a culturally insensitive, but strangely apt analogy - although, more likely, he meant "fool" or "crazy;" the appropriateness of this moniker for the Lone Ranger's sidekick is not the point of this inquiry. Look, both you Leftards, web search is right up there ^. Just type your question into the bar when you don't understand something instead of creating bullshit to get upset over in your heads. To whit, "tonto" means 'fool, idiot, stupid' in Spanish. Wallace has probably vacayed too often in Spanlandia and just picked up a few words. I mean if you want to get upset, you can ask why the White Man Zorro remake called his native sidekick "dumbass" in Spanish, but Wallace ain't it. Putin is 70 years old. Every time he's flexed his short man muscles in former Soviet territories he's gone unczeched. Why would he think now would be any different? Joe and Barry slept while he "annexed" Crimea and northern Georgia, and Joe has slept through several summits already... Does Russia even have that many anymore? I thought the KGB lost a few thousand when the USSR collapsed. Nah, that where the bugs drop the first rock... |
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Post by libtard on Feb 26, 2022 9:53:19 GMT
Yes, I know; and in Portuguese, and Italian, and Catalan, and Occitan. Why do you think "Tonto" was called "Tonto" in The Lone Ranger in the first place? Why do you think "Tonto" is now called "Ponto" in the Spanish version?
Are you cognizant of the processes of cultural transmission?
You need to untwist your panties and read what I wrote, not what you'd like to assume to accord with your simplistic, bipolar division of reality.
Why do you think Wallace - who is renowned as a private-school, old-boy-network moron - chose this phrase? There's nothing he'd like more than a jolly old war, which is why his bragging about the Crimean War and "kicking Russia's backside" is also pathetically revealing.
Dig a little deeper, dunce.
He knew perfectly well what would happen, and the cost that it would incur - politically, economically, domestically and internationally. Russians in body bags, microchip supply drying up, the - increasingly large - likelihood of forcing Europe away from dependence on Russian oil and gas, and exclusion from Swift. It is hard to understand his calculus in this instance. He's looking increasingly paranoid in his televised appearances, rantish and agitated.
I do agree about little guy syndrome.
Yes. Russia has more nukes than everyone else combined.
I'm too old to join the Mobile Infantry.
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Post by evileeyore on Feb 26, 2022 14:32:09 GMT
Are you cognizant of the processes of cultural transmission? In order for it to have been culturally transmissible, the phrase "going full tonto" would have to have meaning in another culture. But it doesn't. This is why I'm accusing you of hunting for racism where it likely doesn't exist. You've gone WOKE. Maybe he knows Spanish. That's a bold statement that flies in the face of "It's hard to understand his calculus". People make mistakes, if that's what is happening here (ie the economic sanctions do end up being crushing instead of momentary, as some are predicting), then attributing it to him perceiving a weakness in "the West", ala "Sleepy Joe" and Germany needing Russian oil would make the simplest sense. If he's not making a mistake (the ruble drop and Russian 'stock market collapse' are momentary and sanctions are as fruitless as they've always been with Russia), then his calculus also works out... It's only when you hunt for a 3D chess master's moves in this that it looks crazy and uncertain. I haven't watched any of his appearances in years, so there is also that possibility. Joe's lost it to old age, maybe Vlad has as well? Or maybe it's his "last hurrah", his final attempt to recreate the Russia of old as She was under the greatest leader Russia ever had, Catherine? One last bid at getting an adjective appended to his name... Oh now, that's not true. Everyone can take a bullet do their part for their country. |
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Post by evileeyore on Feb 27, 2022 19:41:48 GMT
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Post by libtard on Feb 27, 2022 21:26:23 GMT
Yeah, that's pretty fucked up. It's hard to know exactly what's going on at the moment, but Zelensky seems incredibly media-savvy and has managed to say all of the right things at the right time in order to elicit maximum sympathy for his cause; he's fired his own population up, distributed weapons to anyone who can hold one, and is applying constant pressure for more aid, more sanctions, more materiel from the West. Now, granted, Russia hasn't deployed its thermobaric weapons or launched any NBC attacks yet, but things are definitely not going as smoothly as Putin anticipated. Kyiv and Kharkiv holding out. Old ladies making Molotov cocktails, sports personalities returning from abroad to enlist, Zelensky calling for an International Brigade to be formed of anyone who wants to fight for Ukraine and his own refusing to leave Kyiv; and, of course, the garrison of Snake Island telling the Russian Navy to "Go Fuck Yourselves" before being bombed into oblivion - these are all propaganda coups which will help galvanize resistance. It looks like the Ukrainians are Glorious Bastards, and I'll raise a drink to them. |
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Post by evileeyore on Feb 28, 2022 6:55:27 GMT
... Zelensky seems incredibly media-savvy ... One thing I've noticed that isn't being said by any media, something to be wary of: The Ukrainian military also has Strela-10's. In the video it's a lone tank, no convoy, just cruising down the road and swerves to hit the car, rolls over and back off it, and then backs up, straightens out, and goes back to cruising down the road. ignoring the other two civilian vehicles that were pulling up. So... be wary of this one, is all I'm sayin. It might be propaganda. But since the second video shows the driver of the car survived relatively unharmed (he was stuck in the car though), it's a damned media godsend for that car manufacturer. |
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Post by libtard on Feb 28, 2022 16:54:06 GMT
Switzerland sanctions Russia to fuck with Oligarch's money even further: linkGermany injects 2 years of defense spending in one go, and commits to Nato 2% GDP quota: linkYay, the Germans are rearming. Wait. What? Mad lad Ukrainian tries to sink Oligarch's yacht but is unfortunately caught: link |
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Post by libtard on Mar 4, 2022 15:14:15 GMT
Lindsey Graham has called on Russians to assassinate Putin: linkWay to go, Lindsey. That'll help de-escalate the situation with the paranoid sociopath who has a huge nuclear arsenal. |
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Post by evileeyore on Mar 4, 2022 19:33:11 GMT
Lindsey Graham has called on Russians to assassinate Putin: linkWay to go, Lindsey. That'll help de-escalate the situation with the paranoid sociopath who has a huge nuclear arsenal. Considering that the only thing that will deescalate is for Ukraine to roll over and surrender and everyone else to give into the tyrannical maniac in Russia... I'm fine with politicians suddenly realizing it's time to start fearing their "constituents" again. Most world leaders are way too complacent with their positions, believing they can be petty dictators with no repercussions. |
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Post by libtard on Mar 5, 2022 6:37:42 GMT
Lindsey Graham has called on Russians to assassinate Putin: linkWay to go, Lindsey. That'll help de-escalate the situation with the paranoid sociopath who has a huge nuclear arsenal. Considering that the only thing that will deescalate is for Ukraine to roll over and surrender and everyone else to give into the tyrannical maniac in Russia... I'm fine with politicians suddenly realizing it's time to start fearing their "constituents" again. Most world leaders are way too complacent with their positions, believing they can be petty dictators with no repercussions. If I had an erase Putin button I would have already pushed it years ago. We can probably all agree about that. But a US senator openly calling for the assassination of a foreign leader is beyond moronic. Russian domestic propaganda loves this shit. And it's not like Putin isn't terrified about this 24/7 already. What's he gonna do? Get a bigger table? And the fact that Graham is using this to play to his "constituents" is the worst possible reason for him to open his filthy, hypocritical mouth. Someone should take his butt plug out and shove it down his throat |
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Post by kirinke on Mar 5, 2022 12:18:07 GMT
Graham is a blowhard coward. Big talk, tiny hands and smaller dick. Not to mention an idiot of the lowest degree who has his nose firmly in the backside of whomever is in power or has the most influence at the moment.
In other words, a bottom feeder.
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Post by evileeyore on Mar 5, 2022 14:34:28 GMT
... a US senator openly calling for the assassination of a foreign leader is beyond moronic. Well, it's not a good look. I'm interested to see if there's going to be any blowback in Washington over it. I wonder if he actually does. Or if he's gone a bit over the edge and thinks himself untouchable. Face it, it's the only reason. Unless decades of "not openly" using the CIA to commit assassinations is about to reverse. |
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