[DrCaleb]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

This whole Ukraine thing is interesting in the fact that a year ago right now Ukraine and Russia were close friends.

Yet the Russians seemed to have given this operation quite a bit of thought.

It makes me wonder if the deposing of Yanukovich were itself a part of the operation in order to use this situation to justify the seizure of Crimea.

The Russians pride themselves on 'maskirovka' (masquerade) operations and given that Putin is an old school KGB hand I'm sure there's some backslapping going on at the House that Feliks built over the whole thing.

To quote one of my favourite movies, "Son, the Russians don't take a dump without a plan." - охотa Красныm Октябpem

I'll bet Yanukovich and all his BS was an integral part of it, because the first place he ran was Moscow.

[BartSimpson]

My quote of the day:

$1:

The Moscow playbook: predict chaos in Ukraine, then unleash it.

[PostFactum]

Russian army takes police station in Kramatorsk, the same in few cities. Russia conqueres East.

[Tyler_1]

PostFactum PostFactum:

Russian army takes police station in Kramatorsk, the same in few cities. Russia conqueres East.

That was scary.

[andyt]

The Russians have moved into East Ukraine?

[PostFactum]

andyt andyt:

The Russians have moved into East Ukraine?

Wake up andyt, it was 2 weeks ago.

[Jabberwalker]

The trip wire is the Baltic countries. We may find ourselves officially at war with Russia this year as our treaty obligations kick in. In fact, we are sleep walking straight to that outcome. What a fitting way to mark the centenary of the Great War.

[saturn_656]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

The trip wire is the Baltic countries. We may find ourselves officially at war with Russia this year as our treaty obligations kick in. In fact, we are sleep walking straight to that outcome. What a fitting way to mark the centenary of the Great War.

Looks like we will dick about and take no action until Ivan stumbles over the line. To do anything else would be "inflammatory".

Then we'll have to run NATO up from 0-60 in, well, now.

[Jabberwalker]

Then we show up with an undermanned suicide squad, just like the "Old Contemptibles" back in August, 1914.

[martin14]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

Then we show up with an undermanned suicide squad, just like the "Old Contemptibles" back in August, 1914.

And let's not forget that about 5% of those were still standing at the end in 1918.

[xerxes]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

The trip wire is the Baltic countries. We may find ourselves officially at war with Russia this year as our treaty obligations kick in. In fact, we are sleep walking straight to that outcome. What a fitting way to mark the centenary of the Great War.

This time, instead of "Some damned foolish think in the Balkans" that sets it off it'll be some damned foolish thing on the Baltic.

[Jabberwalker]

martin14 martin14:

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

Then we show up with an undermanned suicide squad, just like the "Old Contemptibles" back in August, 1914.

And let's not forget that about 5% of those were still standing at the end in 1918.

... and it is truly amazing that THAT many of them survived when you consider what happened between the Battle of Mons and the Battle of Mons.

[andyt]

Sounds like war is on in eastern ukraine. Ukraine has moved troops there to fight the "terrorists".

[DrCaleb]

DonnaWho DonnaWho:

PostFactum PostFactum:

Russian army takes police station in Kramatorsk, the same in few cities. Russia conqueres East.

That was scary.

And Russia is decrying Ukraine for using violence in taking back it's own government property from these pro-Russian hooligans.

Is it just me, or does it seem like the wrong tactic that if you are going to take a police station, you don't bring those AK's to the fight? I'm not professing an in depth of tactics here, but a shorter rifle (AK-74u, MP5) or shotgun seems smarter in this situation.

Which begs the question - what was their ultimate goal?

[BartSimpson]

Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:

The trip wire is the Baltic countries. We may find ourselves officially at war with Russia this year as our treaty obligations kick in. In fact, we are sleep walking straight to that outcome. What a fitting way to mark the centenary of the Great War.

Exactly. That prick Putin is saber-rattling about invading Estonia under the same pretext he invaded Ukraine. SACEUR already ordered some additional NATO forces into Estonia and MARCOM is laying on a 'training operation' involving 300 Marines to deploy to Estonia.

The Poles have already stated that even if NATO sits on its hands if Russia invaded Estonia that Poland will stand by the Estonians. Good on the Poles!