mtutiger

Did you read my post at all? My only point is that how the comment is recieved here may be a lot different than how it is in Warsaw or Tallinn. It's a nuanced point that I don't believe warranted this kinda reaction

This is what I meant in my previous post alluding to having to "walk on eggshells" with Putin... Like, it is just really strange to see "peace through strength" conservatives treating Vlad like Billy Mumy's character in the Twilight Zone. All whole simultaneously calling POTUS response weak. It just defies logic, kinda hard to engage on it really.

I dont even know that its that, the comment felt more directed to Eastern Europeans. As much controversy as it has generated here, I could see it being pretty popular in places like Warsaw (where he made the speech), Vilnius and Tallinn. All of whom (for existential reasons) are pretty hawkish on Russia policy. I dont know the degree to which Americans get that... judging by the media's reaction, probably not much.

Has anyone blamed Biden for Chris Rock being slapped yet?

Parker Meadows had another nice game today... really would be nice to see him turn it around!

Every time you bring it up, you just further convince people of your Biden Derangement Syndrome. Protip... Criticize Biden on policy? Totally cool, I'm on board with that... ewsieg, 1776, others do that all the time. Engage in innuendo and ageism? People just laugh and tune you out.

The one thing that has been interesting during this period has been the subtle break between the Shanghai economist/academic types and the government types in Beijing... Economically, very little seems to be gained throwing in with Russia... but Xi may be working on a different calculus than they are.

It would be a closer race, but the lack of plate discipline and the fact that Derek Hill is better defensively makes it hard to justify giving Reyes the final OF bench spot

Miguel Diaz appears to have given up some ground in the race for the final bullpen spot

Gotta take anything on state media with a grain of salt, but hard not to raise eyebrows to a comment like that

Not really an answer to your question, but lost in these conversations about the relationship between Russia and China is that China still does a lot of business with Europeans. And for as powerful as Russia is projected, the combined GDP of EU countries dwarfs that of Russia (1/6th of the entire world's GDP). There would be economic risk to China in the event of a tactical nuke, it stands to reason.

Perhaps Putin is more rational than you think he is. Doesn't mean he's trustworthy, but the correct response to a bully isn't to cower to him, its to stand up to him. You seem to be advocating for cowering.

This kinda sums it up in terms of the media reponse... My guess is that Biden, by virtue of pursuing a policy that north of 75% of Americans agree with (ie. providing weapons of Ukraine but not engaging) gives them very little to work with, so moments where he says something provocative (which may or may not be a mistake depending on one's perspective) present an opportunity to create drama

I get it. I don’t know that it was the right choice of words. Just wish members of the media (and certain members of the board) were capable of some perspective. Its not the biggest gaffe in history, it will not lead to WWIII, etc.

FWIW, I stand by my initial comment that I'm not sure it was the right thing to say. I dont know that much is gained by it. But I do think Biden's critics are making a mountain out of a molehill when they hysterically say that we are gonna end up committed to a war over those nine words. Get a grip.

Almost makes as much sense as the US being a laughing stock while NATO is more united than anytime since at least 9/11. Maybe I come across harsh, but the arguments are just bad.

Talk is cheap, Archie...

I have watched both speeches and they are quite similar in their boldness and willingness to call out the enemy. And frankly, your hysterical reaction after Biden's are similar to a lot of Reagan's Dem critics at the time (ie. That madman is gonna get us into a war). Nonetheless, you seem committed to continuing to say that we are seen as a laughing stock, despite the fact that NATO is now more united than any time since at least 9/11. I'm sorry, but in all of your posts, you just seem to start from a conclusion and work backwards, rather than taking in the facts and coming to a conclusion. There's not a single issue that happens where I do not know what your position will be the moment it happens. It's hard to take that seriously... maybe try coming to your own conclusions based on the facts and not just providing a boiler plate response to everything. Otherwise, it seems like it would be difficult to have a good faith discussion.

Interesting thread

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Empire_speech#Speech "Yes, let us pray for the salvation of all of those who live in that totalitarian darkness—pray they will discover the joy of knowing God. But until they do, let us be aware that while they preach the supremacy of the State, declare its omnipotence over individual man, and predict its eventual domination of all peoples on the earth, they are the focus of evil in the modern world .... So, in your discussions of the nuclear freeze proposals, I urge you to beware the temptation of pride—the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant misunderstanding and thereby remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil." Ronald Reagan, 1983. Somehow the world did not end after this speech. Nor will it after Biden's

It appears that, to the surprise of (almost) no one, Biden's statement isn't the beginning of World War III.

I would define weakness as being deathly scared that Joe Biden saying something that 80% of the world (and most world leaders) agree with as being something that would start World War III. I'll leave it at that... saying "Joe Biden is weak" over and over again while providing no arguments in favor of your hypothesis is not convincing. What is pretty convincing, however, is the idea that one can talk about strength while protecting weakness... which seems well summed up by someone who lives in the most powerful country in the world projecting fear of the actions of a second rate dictator who has completely FUBAR'd the invasion of a country 1/3rd it's size. You can talk a good game... but that's all it is, talk.

Seems pretty lunatic

Doesn't mean that it is either...

We aren't going to war. You can quote me on that. The President saying something that 80+% of the world agrees with and something I've heard versions of in my everyday life isn't going to change that. The fact that you think a quip like that would instigate that, however, really projects weakness. Maybe grow a spine and stop treating Vladimir Putin as being impregnable.