Are we on the verge of another 'cold war'?

Reebok_Rebel wrote:I'm not saying lets go to war - but be more forceful with them.

They'll just tell us to fuck-off, we're only little Britain.

If Putin was to invade Eastern Ukraine then things will be different. As it is he's taken Crimea, which wants to be Russian anyway. The reason sanctions aren't stronger ie economic is because they need to be universally upheld for them to have any effect, one of Germany's main exporters is Russia so not a chance will they agree to cutting them off when the economy is already so shaky, we also rely on them for gas so we don't have a leg to stand on.

Who are we a sitting duck too? We don't need a huge army because we're not a major world player anymore, we have strong allies in the EU and US whilst there's also the advantage of technology over man power.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26627236

Its starting already.

There are plenty of people in former Soviet states that want to rejoin with Russia, it's nothing new and it doesn't mean the cold war is about to kick off.

When Putin says "The break up of the USSR was a historical injustice' you know that the jobs fooked.

He's straight out of Joseph Stalin's book (only slightly less murderous).

Putin certainly can't take over the whole of Ukraine. After the break-up of the USSR, most of the Russian people living in Ukraine lived in Crimea but the rest of Ukraine is predominantly Ukrainian. Putin is using the excuse that the Russians in the Crimea have been victimised by Ukraine but his real motive is to control the Black Sea.

It's no great shakes in the grand scheme of things and we ( UK ) need to keep our bloody noses well out of it. We can't look after our own folk who are drowning in Somerset.

bwfc1874 wrote:

Reebok_Rebel wrote:

bwfc1874 wrote:Ye let's go and attack Russia that will only end well.

Shut-up you fanny.
where have I said lets go and invade them or send Trident Missiles in? This would be suicide, I understand that. I just feel like we have been made to look like right soft twats that will allow 'bigger boys' to bully us now. Putin will think this too - and he's right.

So what do you want to happen? You don't want to piss off Putin but you seem annoyed that we're not doing anything? Work out what it is you want you tit.

We are 'soft twats' when it comes to military power, you pretty much say that yourself, so what do you want to happen.

I agree with Hipster, give the Crimea (which wants to be Russian) a legal referendum in return for assurances from Russia it won't be going into more of Ukraine. I see little choice.

Sounds a bit Neville Chamberlain to me. Putin knew fuck all would  be done to stop him on his march into Crimea and whats more nothing will be done to stop his next move, which will come!
The man is as mad as Adolf. Churchill had the right idea, pity the wanks hadn't.

I said something along the same lines today.

He's going to keep pushing and pushing to grab what he can because he knows nobody is going to step in anytime soon and before you know it, he's reclaimed half a dozen former Soviet satellite states before he says "Ok, I'll back off now."

And by that time, we've got a mini USSR again.

He's a dangerous nutter.

Moldova is next on his shit list.

Apparently Putin sees Ukraine and Russia as one country, but he's not going to invade!
Thank fuck for that, he's stopping now.

The Ukrainians are a proud nation and they see themselves as totally independent from Russia. It's a bit like Ireland. In Northern Ireland the Ulster Unionists consider themselves British whereas the Catholics consider themselves Irish.

The majority of Ukraine are Ukrainians apart from the region of Crimea which is predominantly Russian. It's no different to what happened to Yugoslavia after Tito's communist dictatorship was disbanded. We went from one country, to Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.

Putin is simply playing to the Russian populace in independent states. Part of Moldova is predominantly Russian and that will be his next step. He is simply looking after his own people who feel isolated and disenfranchised after the break-up of the USSR.

It's reasonable to say they've had a generation to get used to it in my opinion.
Russians are now the new krauts when on holiday. When anybody I know goes abroad I always ask them for a russky check.

My girlfriend is teaching in Russia at the moment, she said her class today were all celebrating Russia 'taking back' Crimea. Putin's even more of a hero in the average Russians eyes now I think, just hope he's done as if he does intend to continue this will really escalate.

On another note I thought it was quite interesting that a class of teenagers could be declaring themselves nationalists and taking such pleasure from politics, I doubt many teenagers in England take an interest.

bwfc1874 wrote:

On another note I thought it was quite interesting that a class of teenagers could be declaring themselves nationalists and taking such pleasure from politics, I doubt many teenagers in England take an interest.

More's the pity.

bwfc1874 wrote:My girlfriend is teaching in Russia at the moment

Have you ever met your "girlfriend"?

bwfc1874 wrote:My girlfriend is teaching in Russia at the moment, she said her class today were all celebrating Russia 'taking back' Crimea. Putin's even more of a hero in the average Russians eyes now I think, just hope he's done as if he does intend to continue this will really escalate.

On another note I thought it was quite interesting that a class of teenagers could be declaring themselves nationalists and taking such pleasure from politics, I doubt many teenagers in England take an interest.

this generation is only interested in A) themselves and B) persecuting others from behind a keyboard.

I thought all this would have blown over by now.

Appears not.

I was right about Putin wanting war, the ex KGB Mug wants his beloved USSR back.

Its now pretty obvious he is going to invade Ukraine soon, even the 'deal' he made with NATO members a few days ago to help de-escalate the crisis was bullshit. He is now saying Ukraine is 'incapable' of defending itself and Russia will jump in to 'help Russian speaking Ukrainians' all this is a ploy for him to justify invading, Putin is responsible for everything happening in Ukraine, he has engineered it and these 'pro-Russian protesters' whom he denies are Russian troops, so obviously
are.

They are carrying state of the art synthetic AK47's with scopes and grenade launchers attached. these guns fire 7.62cal rounds - a STRICT preserve of the military, all have the same kit and are capable of commandeering columns of Ukrainian APC's... fucking good protesters. Also, pictures have emerged of some of the same Russian troops operating in Georgia in 2008... and Putin still denies it.

Stalin was very clever after the war.

He moved whole swathes of Russians out to the satellite soviet states, so that there would always be a strong pro-Russian element in the local population.

And it's these people who are now being used by Putin to justify his actions.

Sneaky bastard, that Stalin fella........

Nice 'tache though.

If Putin is so "keen for war" why doesn't he just launch a full scale invasion. 

.. not that keen clearly.