6 ms·
>We're rapidly approaching the point at which the only thing that's going to work is rationing. Or, get this, we stop shooting ourselves in the foot, and allow
by jdasdf 4y ago
>We're rapidly approaching the point at which the only thing that's going to work is rationing.
Or, get this, we stop shooting ourselves in the foot, and allow businesses to purchase russian energy again.
- LandR 4y ago4% of British gas was imported from Russia.
- knorker 4y agoImplying that it shouldn't have much of a price effect? That's only true on elastic consumption.
- pydry 4y agoIt's sad that the only workable solution has become politically untouchable.
- jl6 4y agoThis is somewhat like deciding that the reintroduction of slavery is the only workable solution to rising labor costs.
- pydry 4y ago1) Keep Ukraine out of NATO 2) respect the results of a landslide referendum 3) independence for the donbass Im not sure any of those are akin to slavery. Choosing #2 as a hill we shall die on is particularly galling.
- adgjlsfhk1 4y agoah yes, the landslide referendum staffed by soldiers who shoot you if you write stay in Ukraine on a poll that has options of join Russia or join Russia.
- pydry 4y agoThe poll of what were largely ethnic Russians that Kyiv declared illegal to run under any circumstances whose results were corroborated almost exactly one year later by Western pollsters. The poll where Russian soldiers pointed guns at crimeans in polling stations happened only in people's imaginations. I, for one, am looking forward to dying of cold this winter on the principle of rejecting a democratic vote in Eastern Europe while we lavish support on such good and free countries as Saudi Arabia that only invade their neighbor in a good way.
- ShivShankaran 4y agoYou are preaching too much sense to indoctrinated western people that are under the worst propaganda in the history of humanity. This is the hill the western hegemony dies then let it be. The fbi is tracking all anti-nato comments so just be careful
- TheLoafOfBread 4y agoAluminum hat on your head.
- ShivShankaran 4y agoIt's actually tin. But thanks for your concern.
- ShivShankaran 4y agoThis is grossly way over exxageration without understanding the geopolitics. So US currently engaged in Syria , Iraq and Libya is also slavery?
- micromacrofoot 4y agostop shooting yourselves in the foot so you can shoot ukrainians in the back?
- bsaul 4y agoIf europe is destroyed this winter because of riots or total economy collapse, ukrainians won’t have anyone anymore to back them up. It may be an horrible dilemma but buying russian gaz while still maintaining embargo on anything else may still be the best sustainable solution to fight russia in the long run.
- neilwilson 4y agoI doubt Russia will be supplying anybody in the West this Winter. Too much “maintenance” to do. But it makes sense from their point of view. The only reason to export to the West is to swap for real goods and services from the West. Since the West isn’t selling anything to Russia there’s little economic reason for Russia to sell anything to the West. Russia has its own floating rate currency. It has no need of our promises.
- bsaul 4y agoI don’t believe the narrative that russia is doing just fine. A country with the economy the size of Italy can’t survive being cut of all their major commercial partners and sources of income all of the sudden, while at the same time being blacklisted from all international economical institution. It just isn’t possible. They most likely do all they can to pretend like everything’s ok, hoping the situation will settle before everything explodes.
- moltar 4y agoSoviet Union existed not long ago and was pretty much self sustaining even without China. With China being the world producer of everything and being friends with Russia they won’t have any problems getting anything they need.
- fabian2k 4y agoThe EU sanctions don't include energy, but Russia reduced the amount of gas it delivers to Europe.
- jdasdf 4y agoWould they have reduced it if there hadn't been sanctions? Come on now...
- foverzar 4y ago> The EU sanctions don't include energy > Russia reduced the amount of gas it delivers to Europe. There are sanctions preventing Nord Stream 2 pipeline to be used. Sanctions also obstruct maintenance and normal operation of Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had caused the reduction. One could argue that Russia is not being too consumer-oriented and is overly pedantic in legal maters, but this is hardly surprising at the current level of relations.
- ShivShankaran 4y agoIt's too late for this. The world is already fragmented and even in Russian gas were allowed, Russia would start reducing supplies and divert then to Asia and Africa. Mark my words: this is the end of western hegemony. Especially since brics is taking off, they are launching their own currency and tons of countries want to join it. Bojo was a complete bozo to amp up the war. Elect a clown, expect a circus
- tomjen3 4y agoOr this one: we stop pussy footing around, get our fingers dirty in the war and start bombing the shit out of Russia, with the clear promise that we stop the moment they agree to a peace deal that leaves Ukraine with their country, and the west in control of the oil fields. We will continue to maintain them and we will pay Russia for the gas, minus a percentage fee to help rebuild Ukraine, but there will be no more gas blackmail. Russia can't defeat Ukraine with Nato weapons. Once the gloves are of they can either take the deal with the international coalition now and get all the money for no work, or become even more of a joke and take the deal later anyway. No nukes need fly, because we are not an existential threat and Russia cannot do much in a conventional war.
- foverzar 4y ago> Or this one: we stop pussy footing around, get our fingers dirty in the war and start bombing the shit out of Russia Don't expect that this will end up being as nice and comfy as bombing other 3rd world countries, which is the only military expertise that NATO had had for decades. A few hypersonic Kinzhals with tactical nuclear warheads would surely be a refreshing response to NATO's typical "hit-and-run" tactics.
- tomjen3 4y agoThat would result in an all out nuclear war. That would leave Putin with no power. So no, that is not going to happen. As for how competent Russia is, we have seen that. They are not.
- foverzar 4y ago> That would result in an all out nuclear war. Says who? Just as you don't expect an immediate all out nuclear armageddon as a response to your attempts to "bomb shit out of Russia", there won't be an "armageddon" response when Russia retaliates wiping a few crucial military installations from with the face of the Earth. Nah, going all out with a civilisation-ending scenario would be the last resort, when everything is lost, and every other possible and dislikable option had been exhausted. Up until then it will be a nice long and bloody escalation. Tactical nukes, chemical and bio-weapons provocations, assassinations, terrorist attacks, mass mobilisation and conscription -- all the fun stuff akin to what had been done to the Arab world, but on a much grander scale and incomparably higher stakes. I'd doubt even the US would able to sit this one out. Can't imagine their shock from an actual real war, given what kind of tragedies were mere child's play things like 9/11 or Pearl Harbor.