thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

Damn, we're a little touchy this morning. Your response might have been appropriate if I had tried to tell you you could or couldn't do anything. I didn't.

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

Practice only makes pattern. He does appear to be getting better at what he is practicing, but that is nothing resembling perfect, or desirable.

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Too your self as well

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I misspoke. Foolish of me to even acknowledge the little schmuck. Feeding him is what he joined the forum for.

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

I have to agree with that. Foolish of me as well.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Meanwhile, back at ranch...we've had several caricatures come and go over the years...

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

Yes but the place seems to have become more septic lately. It's become bad enough that I'm trying to mend my ways so as to not be part of the problem.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I'm not overly concerned, having seen players come and go. When the climate becomes less than comfortable, it will be time to amuse myself with other endeavors. An occasional obnoxious miscreant is nothing new and even a bit amusing.

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

Thank you, that seems like a good attitude.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Lol, we've both got plenty of attitude to share!

Or not!

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

From the beginning, I feel NATO should have honored their 1994 pledge not to move "an inch" eastward. Putin made it clear early on that Ukranian membership in NATO was a red line for Russia, and Ukraine could have traded with and had ties to Europe and the West without a military alliance with the West.

Consider turning it around, and Mexico announces that they are joining a defense alliance with China and will allow Chinese missiles and military hardware on the Mexico/US border. Think back to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and remember the Monroe Doctrine. Is there any doubt the US would not go to war to protect its borders and sovereignty?

Effate Loc: El Dorado Hills, Ca.

When did the United States start showing any concern for its southern border and sovereignty?

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

I generaly think you know more about this stuff than I do, but I don't get this one. How many countries should we have allowed Putin to take before doing anything? Do you feel history has treated Chamberlain unfairly? If you feel it's apples and oranges, please explain. I'll listen. It looks to me like Putin was looking for any excuse to invade Ukrain. Or, possibly he was going to invade Ukrain no matter what, and he found something to blaim it on. If not NATO I believe he would have found something else. As I said before you likely have a lot more background on this than I do, but I'd sure like you to explain. I know you don't mind criticizing this country when warranted, and I respect that, but this doesn't seem wrong to me. Tragic, and scarey, but the only reasonable choice. If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time. Whatever happened, I don't believe we would say Mexico had always belonged to us, and while there would likely be collateral civilian deathes, I'm sure we wouldn't intentionaly kill civillians. I look forward to hearing from me. I doubt you'll change my mine, but maybe.

DennyT Loc: Central Missouri woods

Sorry but I disagree on Putins motive . Putin is a Cold War KGB officer and saw this as an opportunity to restore “ mother Russia “ to part if it’s past glory and and for him to go down in history as the one who did it. At the time it may have worked given the state of Ukraine government when he took over Crimea.
He didn’t count on Zelenshy winning the presidency. After all s comedian …..


NATO was just an excuse

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

Putin showed no appetite for invading other countries before he was pushed into it by Western meddling, especially in 2014. The US, instead, has a long history of military actions and invasions of sovereign countries. Where is the outrage about that?

2 million civilian deaths in Vietnam, and 430,000 civilian deaths in US military operations since 9/11, just to put things into perspective.