The EU should forget about sanctions – they’re doing more harm than good

a reply to: Freeborn

I don't support all sanctions either to be fair. For example, I don't think cutting off Russian gas right now is a good idea, except for the countries that already import very little gas from there. I'm more a proponent of increased lethal aid and even intervention. But on the other hand crippling Russia's industries by making it hard to get Western parts is a good idea.

a reply to: Cutepants

Why not declare war against Russia? Sanctions seem like a cowardly act and haven’t done anything except make life harder for the poor. If we have a war on the other hand we can send the poor to go and fight and that will take care of them.

There are plenty of people from 3rd world countries to work at the hand car wash and care homes so the economy won’t suffer, and those poor people sat on their backsides all day can be put to use as canon fodder, I’m surprised nobody has thought of this already.

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

This made me think... A rarity I know...

I can't shake the feeling this whole Ukrainian war is not a disconnected event.
Think about how quickly we are ready for a little backlash a little decrease of our lifestyle if we just hurt russia enough.

Before you know these sanctions will, take everything and still make you happy....now where have i heard that...

a reply to: surfer_soul

I just don't know if there's any benefit to declaring war? Or what do you think? Neither party wants a full-blown war, so we should do just like Russia and call it a special operation or peacekeeping operation. Whether it's anti air assets or ships on the Black Sea or something else. Maybe Poland for example could put troops on the border to Belarus and free up Ukrainian troops.

a reply to: surfer_soul

All sanctions do is hurt the people who have no say in the political decisions of the targeted country, which is about what you would expect from all these embarrassments to humanity called politicians. Who are they really pleasing? just the toadying brown noses that won't suffer one iota either and will get rewarded with pay rises for their pleasing statements. They all live in their own little feedback loop bubble. The only compensation is that when reality hits, they will be the least prepared.

a reply to: Terpene

Are you suggesting that the true cost of sanctions will be energy being unaffordable for the average person, which will greatly help with the switch to net zero carbon and agenda 2030?

Funny how the bogey man Putin is also fully signed up to the WEF and the Ukraine has had its resources robbed by gangsters, let’s pretend instead that there are no deeper machinations afoot and it’s just the election meddling Bond villain up to his usual antics.

a reply to: Cutepants

so we should do just like Russia and call it a special operation or peacekeeping operation

That’s the ticket, let’s call it operation freedom and democracy, just like what we did in Afghanistan. Except send our poor to fight their poor, no need for any nukes in case the bankers in London are worried. That was always a MAD plan anyway, more to keep 3rd world countries in their place than anything else.

a reply to: surfer_soul

No, I think would be too on the nose lol

So you mean that EU should close its eyes for crimes Russia is doing in Ukraine..

Sanctions until just before the fall harvest and then lockdowns until the spring. By June of next year, Europe will be ready to go to war. Just calling it as I see it.

a reply to: Ahabstar

Good assessment...
And half a year in, Europe is calling for help and USA will come to the rescue?

a reply to: Cutepants

If I thought sanctions would bring about a quick end to this invasion I'd fully support them.
But the reality is that sanctions tend to take time to work and in the mean time they cause a whole lot of suffering for ordinary people, people I have no grudge or argument with.

If sanctions could be targeted directly at Putin, his Cabinet and advisors, senior Military, religious leaders etc then I would fully support sanctions.
But they aren't, they'll be the last to feel the effects of sanctions.

But, and its a massive but, what else do we do?
We can't just sit back and let Putin and his cronies invade whoever they want for whatever reason they want and continue killing thousands of people for no reason at all and causing untold misery and hardship to millions more.

I don't support escalating things and sending UK/US/NATO forces in....so what options have we got?

a reply to: Terpene

.... and USA will come to the rescue?

Sure, 2 or 3 years later when its made obscene amounts of money out of the situation and the other side finally decides to declare war on them....that's usually how it works out.

a reply to: Freeborn

whatever reason they want and continue killing thousands of people for no reason at all

This western propaganda piece is what really makes my head scratch... There is a good reason for Russia to invade, I'm 100% convinced. I can't for the sake of me imagine it is any of the ridiculous claims brought by western propaganda, he is crazy, wants to restore the USSR, wants to go out as a great man for Russia, the closest I could slightly understand is the situation where native Russians have been hunted and killed by some military troops in Ukraine, this warrant swift action if you care for your people, but what is happening here seems to be bigger.
I think the reason this is not shared is that it is something really, really nasty, and if the public were ever to find out what Putin went in for, the west and its leaders are toast...

Or it really is all just a big show to destabilize the economy further and accustom people to their new living standard, if they're riled up against a bad guy outside their government this is much easier to accomplish.

originally posted by: Freeborn
a reply to: Cutepants

If I thought sanctions would bring about a quick end to this invasion I'd fully support them.
But the reality is that sanctions tend to take time to work and in the mean time they cause a whole lot of suffering for ordinary people, people I have no grudge or argument with.

If sanctions could be targeted directly at Putin, his Cabinet and advisors, senior Military, religious leaders etc then I would fully support sanctions.
But they aren't, they'll be the last to feel the effects of sanctions.

But, and its a massive but, what else do we do?
We can't just sit back and let Putin and his cronies invade whoever they want for whatever reason they want and continue killing thousands of people for no reason at all and causing untold misery and hardship to millions more.

I don't support escalating things and sending UK/US/NATO forces in....so what options have we got?

Hell FB I've been agreeing with almost 100% of your posts recently, this one too.

Sanctions if nothing else will give Putin pause if he has designs on another slice of real estate. We don't know if Ukraine was easy where this could have ended up going, for that matter, we still don't

Spartacus Educational link, dig the format quick and easy use, excellent quick reference source. Really enjoy reading British history from a little different perspective.

a reply to: Terpene

Nope, USA has a heaping plateful of “bit off more than we can chew” when they thought they could ban guns. Seems they didn’t all sink to the bottom of a lake when the rowboat tipped over like people said after all.

originally posted by: Cutepants
a reply to: vNex92

The fact that you're so angry about these sanctions is a good indicator that they're working.

Your post comes across as rhetorical desperation. Perverse comedy?

The claim that Putin is trying to restore the USSR and is planning to invade Nato countries after Ukraine is pure propaganda to justify sending billions to a non NATO country to fight a proxy war.

On one hand they claim Russia can't handle Ukraine and is losing and on the other they say were scared he will invade us next.

It is an exercise in cognitive dissonance. Ukraine was a playground for corrupt politicians to launder taxpayer money through to their families. It is rich in resources that corporations want to get their hands/contracts on.

Russia stands in the way of a one world order. I have no illusions to their own corruption but the fact that they are a thorn in the side of those like Soros is only a plus IMO.

Historically, a dictator can more easily weather economic turmoil than a democratic government can. It's a lot easier to replace your government with votes than it is with guns.

Just sayin.

If the West is intending to play a long game with these sanctions hurting both sides, we're going to lose.

a reply to: Salander

That's an interesting take. What makes you feel like the post was rhetorically desperate or perversely comedic?