Are We Now Closer To World War III?

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, PeterRS said:

. But every political party needs strong leadership, and the Dems have abandoned its base by not providing anything like effective leadership. 

+1

 

[unicorn]

Looks like Moldova may be the next country to join the EU. Despite Russian interference, the pro-EU party won over the pro-Russian party by about a 2:1 margin. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/world/europe/moldova-election-russia.html

"...The likely victory for the pro-E.U. party of President Maia Sandu, the Party of Action and Solidarity, was a signal that domestic problems, including expensive gas and widespread poverty, have not derailed its ambitions. As of early Monday morning, 99 percent of the vote had been counted in Moldova, the government’s election tracker showed. About 50 percent of the vote had gone to the party of Ms. Sandu. That is a solid lead over the next highest party — the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which came in next with just 24 percent of the vote... Then, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, drawing closer to Europe seemed to many Moldovans to be the best avenue for avoiding future domination by Moscow. The country applied to join the E.U., and last October, a referendum enshrined support for joining the bloc into the Moldovan Constitution...". Putin seems to be painting himself into a corner.

[unicorn]

Kaliningrad seems to be in a very precarious position of late:

 

[PeterRS]

I think all three Baltic States are likely to be in Putin's sights. You can virtually walk into Estonia and Latvia from Russia. Estonia's capital Tallinn is a beautiful city. Rather than 'walk in' from St. Petersburg, I returned to Helsinki and then took the jetfoil from there. I doubt if these three states have forces that would stop a few Russian army units. So they are totally dependent on NATO.

I visited Tallinn in 2013

[Moses]

1 hour ago, PeterRS said:

I think all three Baltic States are likely to be in Putin's sights.

Why? GDP PPP of Estonia ($67.7B) has the size of GDP PPP of few quarters of Moscow ($1320B), rest two countries are not more far.

[PeterRS]

3 minutes ago, Moses said:

Why? GDP PPP of Estonia ($67.7B) has the size of GDP PPP of few quarters of Moscow ($1320B), rest two countries are not more far.

La la land again!

[Moses]

4 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

La la land again!

I am pleased to see that, as always, you have no arguments against my remark.

[Moses]

Any ideas why Russia might need three depressed, half-dead countries whose economies are based on agriculture, quarter of their territory is swampland https://news.err.ee/1609784505/estonia-mulls-boosting-eastern-border-defenses-by-restoring-bogs-peatlands, and which must be subsidized annually to remain habitable?

The drug overdose mortality rate in Estonia is almost 11 times higher than the EU average. https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2025/drug-induced-deaths_en
The suicide rate among men in Estonia is more than twice as high as in the EU.  https://countryeconomy.com/demography/mortality/causes-death/suicide/estonia

Economically, these three countries are useless to Russia, but if Putin does anything against them, the stench of Western propaganda will be so strong that half the world will suffocate.

Estonia has been a NATO member since 2004 – over 20 years. And no one cares.

[unicorn]

1 hour ago, Moses said:

Why? ...

 

1 hour ago, Moses said:

I am pleased to see that, as always, you have no arguments against my remark.

As I'm sure you know (I assume you're not a complete idiot), it's for the very obvious strategic importance, since Petrograd's ports need to go through the Finnish Gulf, which lies between Finland and Estonia. Also, as you also know, the Baltic countries have cut off the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which now relies on precarious internally-generated energy, and sea ties with Petrograd. Only an utter imbecile would believe it's because of Estonia's agricultural riches. I can bank on the fact that you gave your preposterous response because you enjoy lying--not because you're insanely stupid. 

[Moses]

1 hour ago, unicorn said:

which lies between Finland and Estonia.

Tell me, what's your grade in geography?

Russia doesn't need Estonia or its territories for free navigation in the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea – there are plenty of neutral waters there.

And this reply is worthy of a Darwin Award – Estonia doesn't share a border with the Kaliningrad Conclave. On one side is Poland, on the other is Lithuania.

[KeepItReal]

Beware the trolls. 

[Suckrates]

6 hours ago, KeepItReal said:

Beware the trolls. 

The problem is that since Trump emerged, Republicans have lost the ability to think for themselves, reason and rationalize.   even if something is proven to be TRUE, if Trump calls it a lie,  then ITS A LIE to most of the Republicans.  In a recent poll, it was revealed that 9 out of 10 Republicans STILL BELIEVE and support Trump and his policies.....   All these people canonizing kirk for his ability to DEBATE.....  but truth is, kirk NEVER waivered in his opinions even when empirical data was presented to him....  He was locked in on MAGA agenda and all his debate was simply grooming others to agree and support him.... Republicans and MAGA are only all about false narrative,  but in order for people to support it,  they have to be made to accept it, and WANT IT......   Trumps supporters WANT the narrative he willingly and gleefully gives them.....  And that is what makes Trumpers unmovable.... 

......so the only thing we have to depend on is voter TURNOUT, and voting legitimacy,  which at this point in time is a giant ?

[jimmie50]

15 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I visited Tallinn in 2013

Once again, such beautiful photos and amazing adventures. I am jealous of your travels and experiences.  

[jimmie50]

37 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

The problem is that since Trump emerged, Republicans have lost the ability to think for themselves, reason and rationalize. 

I honestly cannot believe I am going to say this, but we cannot blame Trump for all of our ills or the current situation.  The political polarization really started in this country back in the mid or late 1970's.  Back then, the majority of the House and Senate were more moderate or central in their thinking, and much more willing to compromise.  Over time, those considered moderate or central have gradually either retired, been voted out of office, or become a minority.  Both parties have become entrenched in their extreme ideologies...republicans to the far right and democrats more to the left.  Compromise has become almost impossible with neither side interested in what is best for the country or citizens as a whole.  It is all about what is best for the party.  These strong leanings really took hold by early 2000's, long before Trump even thought about running for office.  The overall system has been broken for some time with no apparent end in sight.  

[vinapu]

16 hours ago, Moses said:

Any ideas why Russia might need three depressed, half-dead countries whose economies are based on agriculture, quarter of their territory is swampland

didn't deter Stalin from taking them over in 1940. Imperial ambitions are sometimes stronger than simple logic

[unicorn]

15 hours ago, unicorn said:

 

...the Baltic countries have cut off the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad...

 

14 hours ago, Moses said:

... Estonia doesn't share a border with the Kaliningrad Conclave. On one side is Poland, on the other is Lithuania.

As you know, but are bullshitting again, I said "the Baltic countries," not Estonia. And, as you also know, Russian shipping lanes through the Gulf of Finland would be precarious indeed in the event of war between Russia and NATO, due to Estonia being in NATO hands. I've never encountered such a shameless bullshitter in my life--by a long-shot.

[unicorn]

20 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I think all three Baltic States are likely to be in Putin's sights. You can virtually walk into Estonia and Latvia from Russia. Estonia's capital Tallinn is a beautiful city...

Well, one can actually walk from Narva, Estonia, to Ivangorod, Russia during certain hours, but almost no one does it. Russian citizens are mostly banned, and one cannot take any EU currency (including but not limited to Euros) across the border. Since non-Russian credit cards and ATM's won't work in Russia. I don't know who would ever do it. I suppose a Swiss citizen could go across, taking along a good deal of Swiss Francs, but that would be a strange way to enter the country. Apparently, it's typical for the crossing to take 6 hours, so one must carry enough food and water. For most practical purposes, the border is closed. The Narva-Ivangorod crossing is pedestrian-only. 

I've visited all of the capitals of the Baltic countries, and my favorite is Riga, which for me was more interesting in terms of architecture and culture. This is a fairly recent description of what would be involved if one wanted to travel between Estonia and Russia:

https://russiable.com/estonia-russia-border-crossing/

[PeterRS]

19 hours ago, Moses said:

Any ideas why Russia might need three depressed, half-dead countries whose economies are based on agriculture, quarter of their territory is swampland

Because it gets Russia closer to the rest of western Europe - just as Hitler quickly marched through The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg in 1940 because his real goal was France.

[Moses]

5 hours ago, unicorn said:

Since non-Russian credit cards and ATM's won't work in Russia.

Wrong.

Only cards from systems that banned Russia don't work here.

Any UnionPay will work here and it is one of the reasons why Chinese didn't stop to visit Russia.

[Moses]

5 hours ago, PeterRS said:

Because it gets Russia closer to the rest of western Europe - just as Hitler quickly marched through The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg in 1940 because his real goal was France.

Next question then: any idea why Russia should need to "march France"?

[PeterRS]

1 hour ago, Moses said:

Next question then: any idea why Russia should need to "march France"?

What does that non-sequitor mean? As you will see on any map, there are several countries between the Baltic States and France!

[Suckrates]

17 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

I honestly cannot believe I am going to say this, but we cannot blame Trump for all of our ills or the current situation.  The political polarization really started in this country back in the mid or late 1970's.  Back then, the majority of the House and Senate were more moderate or central in their thinking, and much more willing to compromise.  Over time, those considered moderate or central have gradually either retired, been voted out of office, or become a minority.  Both parties have become entrenched in their extreme ideologies...republicans to the far right and democrats more to the left.  Compromise has become almost impossible with neither side interested in what is best for the country or citizens as a whole.  It is all about what is best for the party.  These strong leanings really took hold by early 2000's, long before Trump even thought about running for office.  The overall system has been broken for some time with no apparent end in sight.  

There may be some truth in your comment, however, in these situations, there must always be a person who is in charge and whom you can blame.  That person is Trump,  who has consolidated his power to the extreme point where he ALONE is making all the decisions and directives, and he has instilled enough fear in his GOP and supporters to ALLOW him to do it.  Although Trumps agenda is owed to Russel Vought and P2025, Trump has eagerly embraced and implemented it, so for THAT reason I say Trump is to BLAME for all this.   He could have easily gone in another direction but because he is a a greedy ass, power hungry Dictator wannabee,  he chose his course and will live with the outcome.  Dems are in a MINORIITY everywhere and cant do much and the PEOPLE are prisoners and pawns in Trumps evil plot. 

[Moses]

Back to possibility of WW III.

Financial Times: "Patriots" and other Ukrainian air defense systems were able to intercept only 6% of missiles launched by Russia in September.

Russian missile upgrade outpaces Ukraine’s Patriot defences

Listening to Boris Johnson and believing the West that Ukraine could win against Russia and therefore should withdraw from the Istanbul peace talks in the spring of 2022 was the Zelensky regime's biggest mistake.

[vinapu]

9 hours ago, Moses said:

Next question then: any idea why Russia should need to "march France"?

to remind French where word ' bistro ' is coming from ?

[PeterRS]

2 minutes ago, vinapu said:

to remind French where word ' bistro ' is coming from ?

Ah! So they could be looking for croissants!