President Zelensky

[troopie]

You guys are obviously seeing some wildly different stuff to me. I'm just seeing a guy who is desperate to defend his country. Where's the conspiracy theory background info and references?

[Reece]

My thoughts exactly, we Aussies are in the dark here a bit.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by troopie

You guys are obviously seeing some wildly different stuff to me. I'm just seeing a guy who is desperate to defend his country. Where's the conspiracy theory background info and references?

Originally Posted by Reece

My thoughts exactly, we Aussies are in the dark here a bit.

Zelensky was pressed by Trump to publicly say that Biden's son Hunter Biden had some shady business in Ukraine, to denigrate Biden and so help Trump's election. Further above in this thread Gorpet again citing Trump's accusations that Biden's son had shady "deals" with ukrainian economy or such, all debunked, still echoed (like Hillary, eMails, wrecked election, only democrats doing shady stuff, deal with potentates, raped children, pizzagate, and so on)
At least i guess this is what he drones about, not sure.

When Zelenky did not follow Trump's "suggestions" in this infamous telephone call, as an answer he did not get as much economoc and military support as he had hoped.

[Skybird]

Possible that Trump would have aligned with Putin in this war. He admires Putin, wants to be like him, wants to have his totalitarian powers, wants to be seen as a tough and mighty buddy kicking doors in and slamming fists on tables while telling sexist jokes . What a big mucho macho ma-ma-ma-manly superman, hohoho!



The sad carricature of a human being. Sadder a sight only those are who even now still believe him.

[Skybird]

Tagesspiegel on the assassination plans against Zelensky:


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj has survived at least three assassination attempts in recent days, the Times reports. Two different groups are said to have received orders to kill Selenskyj: mercenaries from the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group and Chechen special forces.

Both were thwarted, according to the report, by wartime opponents within Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). According to several media reports, Ukraine's Minister of National Security and Defense confirmed the assassination attempts.

On Saturday, the first attempt was made, according to the report: Ukrainian security officials said Chechen assassins were "eliminated" on the outskirts of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, before they could reach the president. According to Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Russian spies from the FSB, Russia's successor to the KGB, reportedly informed them of the plans - to condemn the invasion.

"I can say that we have received information from the FSB, which does not want to participate in this bloody war," Danilov said on Ukrainian television. The group is said to be the Kadyrov Elite Group, which reports to Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

Separate from the Chechen attempts to kill the Ukrainian president, Wagner mercenaries reportedly made their own attempts to overthrow the government. A roughly 400-man group is believed to have been stationed in Kiev since late January for the purpose, tracking the activities of 24 high-level Ukrainian targets, according to the Times. The force is considered Russia's notorious "shadow army."

The Wagner mercenaries were supposed to wait for the "Spetsnaz," a Russian special forces unit, to create a safe corridor for them out of Kiev so they could escape after the attacks were carried out. They would have carried out the attacks in the course of storming Kiev, which would have provided them with enough distraction. However, the Russian military convoy outside the city had difficulty making headway and slowed the attack significantly.

A plan apparently failed because the mercenaries reached the top ranks of the Ukrainian government on Saturday morning, after which Kiev imposed a 36-hour "hard" curfew and sent everyone indoors so soldiers could search the streets for Russian saboteurs, according to the Daily Mail.

In their previous attempts, the mercenaries were said to have already suffered casualties and were worried about how accurately the Ukrainians had anticipated their moves. According to the Times, a source close to the group said it was "uncanny" how well informed Selenskyj's security team appeared to be.

The mercenaries were tasked with a "very high-profile mission": the beheading of a head of state, a diplomatic source told the Times. "In terms of the impact on Russian politics, this would be perhaps the biggest mission they have carried out so far. It would have a huge impact on the war," the source continued. "It only takes one of them to get lucky and they all go home with a bonus," the Times was told.

A specialist on the Russian mercenary group Wagner said that the elite "Spetsnaz" troops would probably be more capable of taking out the president because they would have access to more equipment. According to the source, however, it would make more sense for Russia to rely on the Wagner force to take out the president. Unlike Russian soldiers, the Kremlin could deny any connection here.

The Wagner Group has already been in Ukraine since 2014, when Russian fighters in civilian clothes were sent to the Donbass to foment conflict. Most recently, they have also been active in Syria and the West African country of Mali.

Russia denies its links to the Wagner group. According to the Times, the Wagner Group is said to be led by Yevgeny Prigozhin. He is considered "Putin's chef," and owns several bot factories and an online army. In the wake of the West's sanctions against Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Prigozhin is also on the list as a close friend of the Kremlin chief.

The group is said to be under intense pressure from Moscow to get its job done. It apparently wanted to eliminate the 24 targets on its list within a few days. Among them, according to a report in the Daily Mail, were the Ukrainian prime minister, the entire cabinet, the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, and his brother Vladimir.

The mercenaries are believed to have drawn up plans for another attempt before the weekend. One theory, as reported by the Times, is that the group was trying to determine Selenskyj's whereabouts in order to mark him with a laser. After that, the Russian air force could fly in and drop a bomb.

For the Ukrainian president, the attempted attacks are not news: He has heard warnings about them from U.S. officials for weeks, the Washington Post reports. In a video message on the night of Feb. 26, he contradicted rumors that he had already left the country. "I will stay in the capital, stay with my people," he said, adding, "According to our information, the enemy has declared me target No. 1, my family target No. 2." He also warned against Russian "sabotage groups."

According to the Washington Post, the U.S. government offered to help Selenskyj leave Kiev to prevent him from being captured or killed by advancing Russian forces. Selenskyj declined the offer, saying instead, "I need ammunition, not a ride."

The Ukrainian president, according to the Daily Mail, has surrounded himself with a trusted team and is constantly on the move with ever-varying communication methods to evade the henchmen. Several times a day, he checks in with his people via video message or social media to continue fighting the Russian invasion.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Zelensky was pressed by Trump to publicly say that Biden's son Hunter Biden had some shady business in Ukraine, to denigrate Biden and so help Trump's election. Further above in this thread Gorpet again citing Trump's accusations that Biden's son had shady "deals" with ukrainian economy or such, all debunked, still echoed (like Hillary, eMails, wrecked election, only democrats doing shady stuff, deal with potentates, raped children, pizzagate, and so on)
At least i guess this is what he drones about, not sure.

When Zelenky did not follow Trump's "suggestions" in this infamous telephone call, as an answer he did not get as much economoc and military support as he had hoped.

I love it when people insist anything they disagree with is "debunked". It's laughable, especially when a MSM article brings up anything they don't want to be called out on, it's always "debunked" or "false claims".

Hillary: certainly did many of the things she has been accused of, most significantly, using the DNC to undermine her opponent's (Sanders) nomination run. Have you read any of Podesta's emails from Wikileaks? Do you recall the CNN talking head Brazile who leaked the debate questions to Hillary's campaign (which they used without reporting them, if I'm not mistaken)? Clinton and the DNC are as crooked as a snake, it's been evident for years. Wikileaks exposed this clearly.

Emails: Hillary directed the use of an unsecure private server for her Sec of State emails, then she tried to cover it up, directed her staff to remove evidence from the servers, lied about and tried to play dumb. Sure, you can gloss over that if you like, but it is a big deal.

I totally agree with you about Trump's stupid pressuring Zelensky about Hunter Biden's corruption, that was definitely bad, even impeachable. What Trump should have done is directed the Dept of Justice or FBI to investigate that. His stupid move does not diminish the corruption from the Bidens, no sir.

Originally Posted by Skybird

Possible that Trump would have aligned with Putin in this war. He admires Putin, wants to be like him, wants to have his totalitarian powers, wants to be seen as a tough and mighty buddy kicking doors in and slamming fists on tables while telling sexist jokes . What a big mucho macho ma-ma-ma-manly superman, hohoho!



The sad carricature of a human being. Sadder a sight only those are who even now still believe him.

I know that Trump does like to posture as the tough, no-nonsense, action-driven macho guy, but despite that, despite his bluster and rhetoric, I don't think he's as reckless as he puts on, or as he is painted. His 4 years in office probably had the fewest military adventures and actions than any president in a long time.

[Threadfin]

Trump will soon replace Kevin Bacon as the center of the universe, and for centuries everything bad that happens will be connected back to him.

[Gorpet]

Originally Posted by Threadfin

Trump will soon replace Kevin Bacon as the center of the universe, and for centuries everything bad that happens will be connected back to him.

And Nancy Pelosi believes she will Ascend to Valhalla as a Queen

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I know that Trump does like to posture as the tough, no-nonsense, action-driven macho guy, but despite that, despite his bluster and rhetoric, I don't think he's as reckless as he puts on, or as he is painted. His 4 years in office probably had the fewest military adventures and actions than any president in a long time.

And scruple sor reason have nothikng to do with that, Neal. He is a coward. Thats simple. He has nos cruples to do underhanded deals, though, and a cionsistent opportunist. And that is why it is a blessing that he is not the one in the voal officve right now. Like Putin, he has a strongly psychopathic, antisocial personality structure. But he lacks the ice-cold calculating brains that Putin once had.Both men are extrneely brutal, but the means by which they project that brutality and aggressiveness are quite different. Both men show strongn signs of paranoia, since as long a sI can remember them, and obviously also extremely strong egocentrism, but team Trump scores heavily in additional narcissism.



I am no fan of Biden, and yes, obviously his age is clearly to be seen, and yet: you underestimate the value of having him in thsi crisis, not Trump. Biden is a brainc hild of the cold war, he knwos that gam,e, how it wa splayed, he knwos the rules of it, he was part of it. He is modest. And nevertehless he also is "America first", something that many in Europoe overlook and maybe even Americans. Not evertyhing he says and done is sleepy or slow, but simply: subtle and clever.



I non-hot-head is needed on our side. Because one thing I am 100% certain of now: Putin will not shy away from using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine if he thinks that is what is needed to rescue himself. I hate to sa yit, but nuclear wepaons use in the Ukraine to me is now a realistic scenario. We must not want to have Trump accidentally pushing him over that red line, or even encouraging him with subtle "signals".



We can only hope that the Russian intel or military will put bullets in Putin's head if he gives that order. Apparently the FSB, Putin's very own domain, is no longer strictly loyal to him. We should assist these powers - and never let Russia or the world know about it, not during the action, and not after it.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Skybird

And scruple sor reason have nothikng to do with that, Neal. He is a coward. Thats simple. He has nos cruples to do underhanded deals, though, and a cionsistent opportunist. And that is why it is a blessing that he is not the one in the voal officve right now. Like Putin, he has a strongly psychopathic, antisocial personality structure. But he lacks the ice-cold calculating brains that Putin once had.Both men are extrneely brutal, but the means by which they project that brutality and aggressiveness are quite different. Both men show strongn signs of paranoia, since as long a sI can remember them, and obviously also extremely strong egocentrism, but team Trump scores heavily in additional narcissism.



I am no fan of Biden, and yes, obviously his age is clearly to be seen, and yet: you underestimate the value of having him in thsi crisis, not Trump. Biden is a brainc hild of the cold war, he knwos that gam,e, how it wa splayed, he knwos the rules of it, he was part of it. He is modest. And nevertehless he also is "America first", something that many in Europoe overlook and maybe even Americans. Not evertyhing he says and done is sleepy or slow, but simply: subtle and clever.

.

You really don't know Biden. Seriously, you are giving that career hack way to much credit.

[Catfish]

I admit i do not know much of Biden, but i saw and heard this blithering idiot who became president before.
Biden's speech underwhelming, i agree (ahem).
Re Hillary you have links other than Fox or Breitbart who give evidence? When i read this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillar...il_controversy it is not exactly a breaker, but a controversy.
You really think that Sanders had a chance against anyone else, in the conservative US?

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

You really don't know Biden. Seriously, you are giving that career hack way to much credit.

No I donbt, I know that he made the U-turn several times in his career.

But the alternative to Biden was and is Trump.

The choice, with all flaws Biden has, nevertheless is easy.

Try to understand this, I am no Biden fan. Not at all, you cannot find many post of me, if any, where I applaude and celebrate him. I mostly leave your political national affairs alone since last year's elections. But so far I rate his handling of this Ukraine drama as the much lesser evil, compared to what the Donald could have done with his "strange" ways. I also think the chaotic withdrawel from Afghanistan is consistent with what Biden thinks and what I agree with: he put America first, no matter the cost for others, he left the sh!t because there was nothing but costs and no gains and the war was unwinnable since years and he did not care for the reputation cost and in then end he saved quite some Americans' interests and lives that way, did not care for the fallout. One could have planned for that earlier, and doing it in a more controlled way, but he said: nuff is enough, and got you out. I think it could have been done earlier and better managed, but in principle agree.

Or would you have stayed ten more years in which you carefully deesign the process of withdrawing? The French went out of Mali now, the Germans still are there, being practically ineffective. and they only stay because in germany politicians want to avoid discussions about the failure the Mali mission is. So they leave the troops where they are, to not have that discussion. Thats what American politicians did with Afganistan, and way too long.

Better a dirty end than dirt without an end.


That Republicans put theri perposnal and pöarty power itnerst above the naiutons interewsst and thus block Bidne to detah in evertyhing, is something you cannot hold him accountable for. The pest causing this, is a generally derailed political system, and Trump.

[Gorpet]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Zelensky was pressed by Trump to publicly say that Biden's son Hunter Biden had some shady business in Ukraine, to denigrate Biden and so help Trump's election. Further above in this thread Gorpet again citing Trump's accusations that Biden's son had shady "deals" with ukrainian economy or such, all debunked, still echoed (like Hillary, eMails, wrecked election, only democrats doing shady stuff, deal with potentates, raped children, pizzagate, and so on)
At least i guess this is what he drones about, not sure.

When Zelenky did not follow Trump's "suggestions" in this infamous telephone call, as an answer he did not get as much economoc and military support as he had hoped.

And what was that you said about me ?. Somebody has to eat a Crow and you can start at it's beak feet and work your way up.