Ukraine Crisis

[greenmark]

Greenmark, that’s not funny, blowing up children in hospital. My reaction was to destroy the Kremlin, not a children’s hospital!!

My laugh was that your reaction to this event almost predictable. But not quite. I laughed because the alternative is to cry.
I get your anger. I really do. We all feel that desire for revenge. My allusion to "War" by The Temptations was how I feel.
If you think war is a solution some how. I'm all ears. I'd happily listen to your opinions. You have experience in this area. I have no military experience so I haven't seen how it can effect things at the sharp end.
Sorry if I offended you or anyone else..

No offence taken by me. War is cruel. Innocent always die. There was no military target next to that children’s hospital. But so called mistakes happen as we have seen in Gaza and elsewhere, apparently.

Don’t forget, Putin and Russia were shocked, dismayed and could not understand how a well trained unit (Wagner Group) came very close to getting within a few miles of Moscow and the Kremlin with virtually no opposition.

Nobody can tell me that the west, with all its combined special forces, couldn’t do the same.

As an adult who decides to join the armed forces, they know the risks. They are targets. Children and the innocent are not targets.

My solution would be quick and end further bloodshed and draw the war to an end.

Ok
But you did utter very true words "War is cruel. Innocent always die."

[Archery1969]

The long awaited F16 Fighter Jets are finally on their way to Ukraine after a number of their pilots graduated from training in Arizona, USA. Further pilots are due to graduate at the end of August. For security reasons the Pentagon is declining to comment on how many Ukraine pilots are involved.

[greenmark]

The long awaited F16 Fighter Jets are finally on their way to Ukraine after a number of their pilots graduated from training in Arizona, USA. Further pilots are due to graduate at the end of August. For security reasons the Pentagon is declining to comment on how many Ukraine pilots are involved.

I wonder how Putin will spin this if Zelensky starts attacking Russia.
But he must recognise that Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium as well as the US can't be wrong in the face of his warped egotistical aggression.
However, if Russians percieve that "the West" is attacking them, they will fall in behind Putin. Then we're all screwed for years to come.

It's up to Russians to get rid of Putin. That's tricky as he has a vice-like grip on the flow of information. Hitler would have sacrificed a limb (or more likely, someone else's) for the control Putin' has over the media.

[Archery1969]

The long awaited F16 Fighter Jets are finally on their way to Ukraine after a number of their pilots graduated from training in Arizona, USA. Further pilots are due to graduate at the end of August. For security reasons the Pentagon is declining to comment on how many Ukraine pilots are involved.

I wonder how Putin will spin this if Zelensky starts attacking Russia.
But he must recognise that Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium as well as the US can't be wrong in the face of his warped egotistical aggression.
However, if Russians percieve that "the West" is attacking them, they will fall in behind Putin. Then we're all screwed for years to come.

It's up to Russians to get rid of Putin. That's tricky as he has a vice-like grip on the flow of information. Hitler would have sacrificed a limb (or more likely, someone else's) for the control Putin' has over the media.

Russia was already angry with the UK, who supplied long range missiles to Ukraine and told them it was upto them how they used them and where they struck. A month ago one of Putins people said the UK was playing with fire.

I don’t know if Ukraine will be allowed to use the F16s to hit Russian territory. I guess that’s dictated by Joe. But he seemed really pissed off that Russia bombed that children’s hospital.

Time will tell. Might be an idea to get some industrial strength tin foil.

[Archery1969]

The USA to place large numbers of long range strategic missiles in Germany at their reguest. Russia is furious.

China warns NATO and NATO warns china.

It’s going to be an interesting 2024/25. Assuming we all make it…

[Archery1969]

Anyone know why China is carrying out military drills in Belarus, that’s a long way from home and a bit too close to the EU ?

[Archery1969]

Starmer tells Ukraine they can use storm shadow missiles to hit targets inside Russia.

https://news.sky.com/story/keir-starmer ... a-13176370

Putin will shit a brick.

[greenmark]

Stumbled on a late night doc. Hell Jumper about 28yr old Chris Parry and other non-ukraine nationals that converged on ukraine to help in any way they could.
He and others devoted their time to evacuating people (a lot) from danger areas.
He paid with his life.
I am in awe of this young guy. Didn't carry a weapon just a camera to record what he was doing.
What a caring, courageous individual.

[Archery1969]

Stumbled on a late night doc. Hell Jumper about 28yr old Chris Parry and other non-ukraine nationals that converged on ukraine to help in any way they could.
He and others devoted their time to evacuating people (a lot) from danger areas.
He paid with his life.
I am in awe of this young guy. Didn't carry a weapon just a camera to record what he was doing.
What a caring, courageous individual.

It turns out he was shot twice at close distance to the head and torso. Initially they thought it was tank fire but later corrected. Some in Ukraine believe he was executed.

Easy to say now but I would have been carrying a weapon to defend myself.

[greenmark]

Stumbled on a late night doc. Hell Jumper about 28yr old Chris Parry and other non-ukraine nationals that converged on ukraine to help in any way they could.
He and others devoted their time to evacuating people (a lot) from danger areas.
He paid with his life.
I am in awe of this young guy. Didn't carry a weapon just a camera to record what he was doing.
What a caring, courageous individual.

It turns out he was shot twice at close distance to the head and torso. Initially they thought it was tank fire but later corrected. Some in Ukraine believe he was executed.

Easy to say now but I would have been carrying a weapon to defend myself.

From the footage they often got close to the front line but it seems on this occasion they got right on it and the fluidity of combat dropped them right in it. Puts war in context. It's brutal even on people that are trying to do good. Lord knows what happened to the civilian that they were looking for.
400 people owe him their lives, so a heroic legacy. But still sad.
The doc itself is non-sensational and his footage is combined skillfully and sensitively with interviews and narration to provide context. Very moving.

[Archery1969]

Stumbled on a late night doc. Hell Jumper about 28yr old Chris Parry and other non-ukraine nationals that converged on ukraine to help in any way they could.
He and others devoted their time to evacuating people (a lot) from danger areas.
He paid with his life.
I am in awe of this young guy. Didn't carry a weapon just a camera to record what he was doing.
What a caring, courageous individual.

It turns out he was shot twice at close distance to the head and torso. Initially they thought it was tank fire but later corrected. Some in Ukraine believe he was executed.

Easy to say now but I would have been carrying a weapon to defend myself.

From the footage they often got close to the front line but it seems on this occasion they got right on it and the fluidity of combat dropped them right in it. Puts war in context. It's brutal even on people that are trying to do good. Lord knows what happened to the civilian that they were looking for.
400 people owe him their lives, so a heroic legacy. But still sad.
The doc itself is non-sensational and his footage is combined skillfully and sensitively with interviews and narration to provide context. Very moving.

+ 1

War is harsh Greenmark. Over 3 tours I lost 29 personal friends and 7 dogs, also friends.

Since the war in Ukraine started, over 600 children have been killed according to the UN.

People have probably forgotten but I did say back in March 2022 that Putin should have been put down asap. But 99% of this forum said I was wrong and basically it was a price worth paying given Russia has Nukes.

But, we all and the world saw that a relatively small, well armed and trained force of 12,000 came very close to overwhelming Putin, the Kremlin and all the might that Russia apparently has.

Makes one think, UK, USA, NATO, German special forces couldn’t have ended the war asap with minimal casualties.

Just a thought….

[firlandsfarm]

War is harsh Greenmark. Over 3 tours I lost 29 personal friends and 7 dogs, also friends.

At the risk of a barrage of abuse coming my way I feel sorry for the dogs more so than the humans. The humans knew what they were doing and the risks, the dogs didn't. They had no choice, they just loyally followed their human and were led to a danger they didn't understand. Their trust in their human was abused.

[Derek27]

War is harsh Greenmark. Over 3 tours I lost 29 personal friends and 7 dogs, also friends.

At the risk of a barrage of abuse coming my way I feel sorry for the dogs more so than the humans. The humans knew what they were doing and the risks, the dogs didn't. They had no choice, they just loyally followed their human and were led to a danger they didn't understand. Their trust in their human was abused.

I don't feel the same way, but to some extent, I share that sentiment when it comes to cruelty to animals, and of course children. They are totally innocent and would have no understanding of what's happening, hence much elevated fear compared to an adult human.

[Archery1969]

War is harsh Greenmark. Over 3 tours I lost 29 personal friends and 7 dogs, also friends.

At the risk of a barrage of abuse coming my way I feel sorry for the dogs more so than the humans. The humans knew what they were doing and the risks, the dogs didn't. They had no choice, they just loyally followed their human and were led to a danger they didn't understand. Their trust in their human was abused.

I have no means to start an argument.

Yes, we joined the army, therefore, apparently, we knew the risks. The dogs didn’t. Were we sent to war under false pretentions. That’s not my call and not one I would ever seek to confirm. We got the call and went. That should never change.i can’t speak for all the dogs, but those I can for, they had a great life. Yes, some were shot and seriously injured. But, amazing to see, soldiers picking up a dog and running it to safety and company vet.

My last tour, camp was overrun, taliban fighter tries to come over the makeshift wall. Dog runs horizontally 20 meters, grabs the fighter by the through and pulls him to the ground. The dog must have known he/she would be seriously injured.

It turns out, she was, broken pelvis and both back legs broken. Taliban fighter aimed to shoot her and 1 Gurkha rifles put him down and saved that dogs life. I know to be true because I was there, that day.

The dog, shalig, died March 2018 and is buried in Highgate cemetery along side the person who donated her to Her Majesty’s Forces.

[firlandsfarm]

War is harsh Greenmark. Over 3 tours I lost 29 personal friends and 7 dogs, also friends.

At the risk of a barrage of abuse coming my way I feel sorry for the dogs more so than the humans. The humans knew what they were doing and the risks, the dogs didn't. They had no choice, they just loyally followed their human and were led to a danger they didn't understand. Their trust in their human was abused.

I have no means to start an argument.

Yes, we joined the army, therefore, apparently, we knew the risks. The dogs didn’t. Were we sent to war under false pretentions. That’s not my call and not one I would ever seek to confirm. We got the call and went. That should never change.i can’t speak for all the dogs, but those I can for, they had a great life. Yes, some were shot and seriously injured. But, amazing to see, soldiers picking up a dog and running it to safety and company vet.

My last tour, camp was overrun, taliban fighter tries to come over the makeshift wall. Dog runs horizontally 20 meters, grabs the fighter by the through and pulls him to the ground. The dog must have known he/she would be seriously injured.

It turns out, she was, broken pelvis and both back legs broken. Taliban fighter aimed to shoot her and 1 Gurkha rifles put him down and saved that dogs life. I know to be true because I was there, that day.

The dog, shalig, died March 2018 and is buried in Highgate cemetery along side the person who donated her to Her Majesty’s Forces.

I understand the relationship between the dog and it's handler, that's even more reason why I couldn't be such and instruct the dog to charge into a dangerous area. The dog may have understood "this may hurt" but only within natural dangers, I doubt it can understand what a bullet or bomb/shell is.