BUT LIKE JOSEPH BIDEN HAS SO MUCH FOREIGN EXPERIENCE OR SOMETHING

[Sanlmar]

The last couple days for Mr Biden have been pretty awful, no? He is the weakest president in my lifetime and now a known liar. Good for the generals to not protect his lies with lies of their own. It remains a good thing IMO that we left but why not just have the courage to tell the truth and take responsibility for his decisions? Being lied to over and over by our government is getting pretty old. Was it General Sullivan who took responsibility for killing the innocent family and claiming it was ISIS? He just says its his fault and that he's sorry and that's that?

I’m mostly following Putin huddling with his ministers in an unusual fashion recently. Putin appears to be remapping how his economy is directed in a fashion similar to China’s recent changes.

Putin & Germany. Putin & Turkey. Putin & China. He’s lining up his allies.

What I did hear was the Generals claiming they wanted to have 2500 troops in Kabul. Well, sure. They are in the business of combat. The idea was always to gtfo.

2500 grows when some shit goes down as it inevitable will. It never ends. Trump & Biden did the right thing. We got our ass kicked and it ended similarly. Losing sucks.

Trust me I could easily find some fresh diplomatic failure without too much difficulty. You should be very concerned.

[country978]

The last couple days for Mr Biden have been pretty awful, no? He is the weakest president in my lifetime and now a known liar. Good for the generals to not protect his lies with lies of their own. It remains a good thing IMO that we left but why not just have the courage to tell the truth and take responsibility for his decisions? Being lied to over and over by our government is getting pretty old. Was it General Sullivan who took responsibility for killing the innocent family and claiming it was ISIS? He just says its his fault and that he's sorry and that's that?

I’m mostly following Putin huddling with his ministers in an unusual fashion recently. Putin appears to be remapping how his economy is directed in a fashion similar to China’s recent changes.

What I did hear was the Generals claiming they wanted to have 2500 troops in Kabul. Well, sure. They are in the business of combat. The idea was always to gtfo.

2500 grows when some shit goes down as it inevitable will. It never ends. Trump & Biden did the right thing. We got our ass kicked and it ended similarly. Losing sucks.

Trust me I could easily find some fresh diplomatic failure without too much difficulty. You should be very concerned.

I agreed with the decision Mr Trump made to get us out of there and with Mr Biden for finishing the job; I just hate being lied to especially when most people understand the generals would want to remain there indefinitely. Just own the decisions and tell the truth. That's all Gen. Sullivan had to do in explaining how it was his fault that innocent family was killed after the lies telling us they were ISIS. I guess its all water under the bridge now.

[Sanlmar]

The 3 troops from the same division who committed suicide caught my attention. Returning from Afghanistan recently.

Wasteful and frustrating.

Dick Cheney is still doing fine.

[Sanlmar]

I’m mostly following Putin huddling with his ministers in an unusual fashion recently. Putin appears to be remapping how his economy is directed in a fashion similar to China’s recent changes.

What I did hear was the Generals claiming they wanted to have 2500 troops in Kabul. Well, sure. They are in the business of combat. The idea was always to gtfo.

2500 grows when some shit goes down as it inevitable will. It never ends. Trump & Biden did the right thing. We got our ass kicked and it ended similarly. Losing sucks.

Trust me I could easily find some fresh diplomatic failure without too much difficulty. You should be very concerned.

I agreed with the decision Mr Trump made to get us out of there and with Mr Biden for finishing the job; I just hate being lied to especially when most people understand the generals would want to remain there indefinitely. Just own the decisions and tell the truth. That's all Gen. Sullivan had to do in explaining how it was his fault that innocent family was killed after the lies telling us they were ISIS. I guess its all water under the bridge now.

I am realistic enough to recognize the outrage over the withdrawal was political theater. Weaponizing the withdrawal for politics. Get the libs. I am above that crap.

Nobody really cares about Afghanistan now and they never did.

Rest assured we are poised and eager to move on to the next one. I am astonished by the weapon deals these past few weeks. Not just Britain/US and Australia.

[country978]

The 3 troops from the same division who committed suicide caught my attention. Returning from Afghanistan recently.

Wasteful and frustrating.

Dick Cheney is still doing fine.

I hadn't heard about that. It is very sad. I can only imagine how terrifying it was to have been there in the last few weeks. Those poor souls.

[Sanlmar]

Let’s take a break from Biden stumbling his way into conflict with the Russians/Chinese over Ukraine and Taiwan.

For those who like neocon adventures involving the CIA this is a fun listen. A well told story.

I can’t wait until the freedom of information act allows us to be entertained by the Afghanistan stories. Exactly the same dynamic as early CIA Viet Nam.

In the meantime, there is a link to the audio version of the story. Once you get up to speed with the setting and the characters (10 min) you can’t stop listening. Fun tale

https://medium.com/truly-adventurous...s-c40781300d26

Dedicated in loving memory to Druff’s pals Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell. RIP

[Sanlmar]

Biden denounces Nicaragua's "pantomime election," vows to hold "autocrat" Ortega accountable

Uh-oh

[Sanlmar]

I expected it all this to take a year or two to play out.

We now have 100,000 Russian troops lined up on the Ukraine border. Could swell to 175,000. Foreign policy genius Biden is gonna issue some kind of ultimatum tomorrow.

He obviously hasn’t read any of the joint Russian/Chinese warning to NATO and the US.

I won’t distract from the subject by mentioning the Chinese fighter Jets over Taiwan and the PLA Jets gets scrambled in response….. or the Chinese Olympic silliness.

Fortunately, lol, foreign military intervention and neoconservatism is something Republicans and Democrats can agree on.

China together with Russia engaging us on two fronts was an easy call.

This just isn’t going to go well for us.

[Sanlmar]

This is the biggest crisis since the end of the Cold War.

Crickets. Fortunately, you’ve got me.

[Cerveza Fria]

Biden is a week puppet. Everyone knows it. Ukraine and Taiwan are toast.

[Sanlmar]

Biden is a week puppet. Everyone knows it. Ukraine and Taiwan are toast.

Enjoy your last winter with affordable natural gas Europe and ‘Merica. Winkin, Blinken (Antony) and Nod (Biden)

Threatening Russia with sanctions like its 1980 or something.

[MumblesBadly]

Biden is a week puppet. Everyone knows it. Ukraine and Taiwan are toast.

Enjoy your last winter with affordable natural gas Europe and ‘Merica. Winkin, Blinken (Antony) and Nod (Biden)

Threatening Russia with sanctions like its 1980 or something.

Pooh must be salivating with the prospect of Europe probably needing to step up purchases of LNG from the US.

[TheXFactor]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/twt/status/1482748579143987203

[Sanlmar]

Enjoy your last winter with affordable natural gas Europe and ‘Merica. Winkin, Blinken (Antony) and Nod (Biden)

Threatening Russia with sanctions like its 1980 or something.

Pooh must be salivating with the prospect of Europe probably needing to step up purchases of LNG from the US.

So the false flag is really OUR play. Maybe Blinken isn’t so dumb.

JackDaniels gets caught in the middle.

Seriously though, Blinken makes a sanctions threat. Russia says, “we good” and carries on unabated and then US is obliged to sanction else we are forever after regarded as empty and weak.

[Sanlmar]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/twt/status/1482748579143987203

I think we nuked Nevada first.

[Sanlmar]

False flag about a false flag. It’s like they think we forgot about WMD’s from the last generation

A spectacular exchange with a reporter doing actual reporter things

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/twt/status/1489361682581315590

[mickeycrimm]

nn

[herbertstemple]

Pooh must be salivating with the prospect of Europe probably needing to step up purchases of LNG from the US.

So the false flag is really OUR play. Maybe Blinken isn’t so dumb.

JackDaniels gets caught in the middle.

Seriously though, Blinken makes a sanctions threat. Russia says, “we good” and carries on unabated and then US is obliged to sanction else we are forever after regarded as empty and weak.

Problem with sanctions is they set in slowly. ALL Putin has to do is nothing. Just sit where he is through winter, spring & summer. On Dec 3 the price of WTI was $66.26. Right now it is $92.87. The price of oil will continue skyrocket. Putin will continue to get richer. The steadily rising price of gas will further push inflation higher. While the sanctions are barely taking hold in Russia things will be getting worse & worse in America every day. Do not forget, the American elections are 9 months away. Biden cannot allow this situation continue through the election. Dems would get absolutely slaughtered.

NATO will have to capitulate to Russia on the Ukraine never being a part of NATO issue. Putin is definitely a guy with a chip on his shoulder when it comes to NATO & USA. Easy to see he is spoiling for a fight with Biden. Easy to see where this is going. Hard to see where this winds up. Hard to see what China's role in this will eventually be.

Putin & Biden in same room negotiating with just a couple of translators is what I think one of Putin's goals is here. Putin could probably get the best of him. Big Time. Scary thought for Americans.

Why should Putin do anything except go to the Olympics right now. Why should Putin do anything at all? He has a winning hand.

[MumblesBadly]

San,

Which companies are benefitting from this military largess from Western countries to Ukraine?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-led...ia-11644140852

[Sanlmar]

Problem with sanctions is they set in slowly. ALL Putin has to do is nothing. Just sit where he is through winter, spring & summer. On Dec 3 the price of WTI was $66.26. Right now it is $92.87. The price of oil will continue skyrocket. Putin will continue to get richer. The steadily rising price of gas will further push inflation higher.

Bets on Brent topping $150 and $200 pile up

Combined open interest in December $150 and $200 Calls quadruple since 4Q

-Bloomberg terminal tonight


Remember too that oil is traded in dollars. If the value of a dollar decreases I want more dollars for my oil. There are two forces at work driving the price up. Kinda esoteric but I hope it sticks in your head.


Thanks for playing herbertstemple but the price of oil is complex. I choose to recall some version of OPEC increasing output just before Covid and driving frackers and other producers oil to below production costs. Covid drove the price below zero. It takes forever to start up wells again. They usually NEVER restart.

Oil is complicated.

Yes natgas income is a godsend for Putin. Notice Germany isn’t really hanging out with Biden?

The need to sell military gear is simple on the other hand. You’re right. Putin can just chill. He knows the US will quickly bring this to a head. For this he is probably a bit thankful as mobilizing all these troops on the Ukraine border is costly. Biden will accelerate the process. Money is no object for the US or Biden.