Capitalizing on Conflict

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports/capitalizing-on-conflict

\

Incentivizing War: Faith-Based Investors Calling for Accountability in the Defense Industry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFdREyznBo0

You can use that link to go to the transcipt

The Business of War: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Military-Industrial Complex

https://canopyforum.org/2022/02/09/the-business-of-war-theological-and-ethical-reflections-on-the-military-industrial-complex/

"There is, then, no political, economic, or moral problem more pressing than the problem of the business of war."

"[These essays] also reveal to us the ways that the logics of business and war have permeated each other, and our educational practices, to such an extent that their intermingling has ceased to raise eyebrows."

"We pray these discussions lead to greater clarity about the problem of the business of war in our communities and empower Christians to act faithfully to resist this business wherever they find it."

What Does God Really Think About the US Military-Industrial Complex?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-does-god-really-think-us-military-industrial-complex-bern

The US Military-Industrial Complex Has Been Slowly Poisoning Us All for Decades (does the Bible say anything about this?)    

There’s Never a Debt Ceiling for the Military-Industrial Complex

While the Biden-McCarthy Johnson deal denies food to hungry people, it increases Pentagon spending by tens of billions.

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/debt-ceiling-military-spending/                    

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/lobbying?ind=D

$136,845,689    

2023 Total for Defense        

354    

Number of Clients

897    

Number of Lobbyists

616    

Number of Revolvers (68.67%) % of former government employees

Industry Profile: Misc Defense

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/industries/summary?cycle=2023&id=d03

Industry Profile: Misc Defense

          $65,198,018

          Total Spent on Misc Defense, 2023

247

        Number of Clients

613 (67.86%)

        Number of Lobbyists/Percent of Former Government Employees

In 2024, so far Mike Johnson has taken this much money from lobbyists and lobbyists family.  These money totals are the 22nd highest in Congress this year! 

Top Recipients of Contributions from Lobbyists, 2024 Cycle

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-recipients

  From                        Lobbyists                   Lobbyists family

Mike Johnson did not make the top 100 list for any years in the past decade, until this year when he didn't just crack the top 100 he had one of the biggest % gains , if not  THE biggest of anybody on the list in receiving lobby money. 

In the previous 2022 cycle, the total amount of lobby money Mike Johnson took was $32,900.

The amounts above are only thru March of 2024, so his lobby bribe money enrichment has increased by a significant double digit multiple since becoming speaker.

About half of retiring senators and a third of retiring House members register as lobbyists

That's up from less than 5 percent in the 1970s.

https://www.vox.com/2016/1/15/10775788/revolving-door-lobbying

The obvious caveat in these measures is that they only represent registered lobbyists. Many former members prefer not to register, but still do work that looks very much like lobbying, with former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) being a prominent example. Political scientist Tim LaPira estimates that there's probably twice as much lobbying in Washington as shows up in disclosures.

Over 80 percent of four-star retirees are employed in defense industry

The findings underscore the close relationship between the U.S. defense sector and its top military brass, a trend that has drawn scrutiny in Congress

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/10/04/retired-generals-defense-contractors/

Twenty-six of 32 four-star admirals and generals who retired from June 2018 to July 2023 were later employed in roles including executive, adviser, board member or lobbyist for companies with significant defense business, according to the analysis from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a think tank that advocates restraining the military’s role in U.S. foreign policy.

“The revolving door between the U.S. government and the arms industry, which involves hundreds of senior Pentagon officials and military officers every year, generates the appearance — and in some cases the reality — of conflicts of interest in the making of defense policy and in the shaping of the size and composition of the Pentagon budget,” authors William Hartung and Dillon Fisher wrote in the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post before its publication.

Ban Members from Becoming Lobbyists Act

https://nunn.house.gov/SL/Ban-Members-from-Becoming-Lobbyists-Act

Under current law, Members of the House of Representatives are banned from lobbying for one year after leaving office and Senators are banned from lobbying for two years. Still, approximately two-thirds of former Members have joined the lobbying industry. I believe more can done to stop this revolving door.

++++++++++++++++

Revolving door (politics)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolving_door_(politics)

In politics, a revolving door is a situation in which personnel move between roles as legislators and regulators, on one hand, and employees or lobbyists  of the industries affected by the legislation and regulation, on the other. It is analogous to the movement of people in a physical revolving door. Political analysts claim that an unhealthy relationship can develop between the private sector and government, based on the granting of reciprocated privileges to the detriment of the nation, and can lead to regulatory capture.

Mike Johnson            Representative (R - LA)

Campaign Committee Fundraising, 2023 - 2024

Leadership PAC: American Revival PAC

  LAST REPORT: 03/31/2024

Keep in mind that this was only thru 3 months of 2024. To get the yearly rate in 2024, in order to compare it to previous years with 12 months, multiply by 4. 

so the  yearly rate for  2024 is just under 36,000,000.

If the stats above are for 2 year totals, then the multiple is not as great but Johnson didn’t take over speakership until late in the year, so almost ALL the money in this cycle came AFTER he became speaker.

This is around 30 times more than the rate that Mike Johnson raised for the 7 years BEFORE becoming speaker. That previous rate was very consistent every year. With very slight increases as his connections  to money (what most politicians are all about) very slowly increased.

Becoming speaker, like with the other speakers and their  greatly amplified  impact on  policies  and legislation, enriches the politician with massive increases  in legal bribes/lobby money and other sources of  campaign and personal enrichment Intended to influence their positions.

These statistics are not for money offered but  are for money accepted which is the same thing as accepting the bribes in some cases.

On the next page, I’ll have stats for the amount of lobby money accepted by other speakers and where that puts them on the list, compared to their peers in Congress. Its extremely impressive.

its pretty clear that lobby money flows into the coffers of politicians  that those industries intend to influence but also, politicians know how to vote and publicly take positions,  in order to entice lobby money to flow their way to generate future funding.

Every politician is well aware of these stats that I'm showing from "Open Secrets". They know what industries pay the highest bribes and funding and they know what politicians(they)  need to do in order to get this lobby money.  They know it like the back of their hands because this money is vital to their ability to prosper and in some cases survive elections. The huge salaries that they earn are nothing compared to this. They are having constant discussions with lobbyists to work out deals.

We think they are working for the American people?

HA! This is what defines most of them. NOT ALL OF THEM, just most of them and Mike Johnson has become part of the Washington political sewer.

+++++++++++++++

An anti defense spending politician, for instance isn’t going to have the right background/history  for the defense lobbyists to see them as paying  off with the most bang for their bribing bucks. You have to fund bills that generate profits for the Military-Industrial Complex if you want to be eligible for rewards from the industry.

Mike Johnson’s sudden position change on Ukraine funding  came during the period when his power to enrich/fund via lobby and other sources  sky rocketed by a multiple of double digits is likely more than just coincidental.
As a life long devout Christian that prays daily, did he discover new prayers the past 6 months or a message from his Savior telling him to fund the Military-Industrial complex? (There is a 0% chance that he doesn't know this bill greatly enriches the Military-Industrial complex more than any entity on the planet-other than some fellow politicians)

This is possible of course and everybody that wants the war to continue and WANTS TO believe its for a good cause.......has decided to believe that reason.

We can see above what the biggest change was that impacts his decision making…....as it impacts the decision making of almost all politicians accepting  large sums of lobby and other sourced money.

Of course it impacts him. He's accepting the money from all these sources and positioning to be a major recipient for defense contract lobby money.

The profoundly powerful statistics  on individual politicians  don’t lie…..the politicians do!!

I looked at what happens to other speakers or people in positions of power in Congress with regards to money flowing into their organization.

The lobbyists and donations flock to them with massive money gushing into their campaign coffers with expectations that it will impact policies/legislation that benefits the donors. 

Nancy Pelosi:

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-recipients?cycle=2014&type=P

Mitch McConnell:

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/mitch-mcconnell/summary?cid=N00003389

Hakeem Jeffries:

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/hakeem-jeffries/summary?cid=N00033640

Kevin McCarthy:

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/kevin-mccarthy/summary?cid=N00028152

Mike Johnson:

Nancy Pelosi and especially Mitch McConnell had some huge jumps in 2020 but those included a full cycle.

Outside of McConnell(that's probably still 2nd) and considering that we are only 3 months into 2024, Mike Johnson has the biggest % increase in such a brief period  of any politician in the data base that I could find.

So the money gushing into Mike Johnson's  organizations that's intended to influence him has done so at a record/unprecedented  pace of increase since he became speaker.

With regards to his shocking change on Ukraine aid. Do we believe that he is above all the politics of his colleagues and all this NEW money that his office is taking in  is not having an impact on his decisions(like it does other politicians THAT TAKE THE MONEY).

And that the same prayers that he uses daily, suddenly transformed his position on this?

Or do we believe the numbers, statistics and behavior patterns of politicians and our common sense?

+++++++++++++

The bill passed so that another 61 billion can continue the Ukraine war for another X number of months.....until it runs out.

It's seen as a huge bipartisan victory for the ones that wanted this.

It's the Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex celebrating the most.  That's where we get our propaganda news from and read all about how great this is. And of course Zelensky and some others that want the war to continue.

But Ukrainians STILL WANT PEACE with Russia the most. They still want negotiations for peace because then, UKRAINIANS DON'T DIE for the right to fight the war, until............there aren't enough Ukrainians left to fight!! 

Then the war ends unless NATO troops come in. If NATO troops come in, our worst nightmare becomes a reality.

And it could have been stopped every day the past 2+ years but instead, we just paid a massive installment down to ensure that IT WON'T STOP the rest of this year until.........who knows?  

NATO doesn't know when the war will end. Biden doesn't have a clue about when the war will end or how it will end. Zelensky doesn't know.  Putin wants to negotiate but he doesn't know.

So lets just keep doing the same disastrous things and...........see what happens )-:

I can tell you what will happen:

1. The exact same thing that's been happening for the past 2+ years........except with a much smaller Ukrainian army.

2. Unless NATO sends troops and even MORE weapons. If NATO does this because they refuse to give up on making Ukraine another NATO country.....  It's at that point, that Putin is at risk of attacking NATO countries. 

All this so that NATO can add Ukraine to their list of countries surrounding Russia. 

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#102994

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#103276

And we are told that it's Russia that will be coming for NATO countries and Europe and Ukraine is only the beginning so we must stop Putin here and now. This is completely made up. A lie/propaganda. Putin told us what he wanted and that has NEVER changed.

PUTIN WANTS NO NATO IN UKRAINE!

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#103024

Should Ukraine have the right to join NATO if it wants?

Of course IT SHOULD but is the right to join NATO's corrupt, Russia provoking, war desiring organization worth it to have your country and people obliterated FOR NATO?

Of course not, that's why the Ukrainians have ALWAYS WANTED PEACE.

NATO/BIDEN (and their Ukrainian puppet that travels around the West to sell their war that betrayed Ukraine and got his people killed for personal fame and glory) are the ones that have always wanted this war.

Ukraine wants peace. Instead, the all powerful United States just forced OUR war on them into 2025 by fleecing Americans out of another $61 billion, while stealing our intelligence with outrageous lies and propaganda.

And  with galactic absurdity, half the country is actually celebrating that we  just did this and its an especially sweet victory because it was done in bipartisan fashion.

Folks, The main reasons that it was bipartisan is:

1. It's our money and yet we've been brainwashed to give it up without protesting or holding the ones stealing it accountable.

2. The elites making the decision benefit ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE!

3. Insane lies and propaganda for over 2 years now from the media and our government have brainwashed us to actually think that killing off Ukraines army is a good thing for their families and obliterating their country is what they would rather have than peace because they want to belong to NATO.

4. And this is a FAKE fight for democracy. You will note that Putin's demands 2+ years ago would have had 0 impact on their democracy.  Ironically, it's Zelensky, NOT Putin that cancelled democratic elections in Ukraine (which were supposed to be held last month) so that he can remain in office.

5. Money totaling close to 200 billion gushing into Ukraine, one of the most corrupt countries in the world in less than 3 years. Gee, I wonder if that will increase NOT decrease corruption )-:  Of course it has.

6.  BTW, that's the other thing Ukraine has wanted most, after peace with Russia and the platform that Zelensky ran on to get elected in 2019(peace with Russia and stopping corruption). But Zelensky works for NATO NOT Ukraine.  Almost all the non governmental people in Ukraine are worse to much worse off than they were when Zelensky was elected. And we just ensured that it will continue to get worse until the $61 billion runs out.

Russia Warns 'America Has Chosen the Path of War' Over Ukraine

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-warns-america-has-chosen-path-war-over-ukraine-1893824

"With their decision, local politicians are actually deciding the fate of an entire country, which is being used as a 'battering ram' against Russia."

"in the United States they do not even try to hide their satisfaction with the fact that the U.S. military-industrial complex is flooded with new orders."

While the U.S. has portrayed the conflict as a full-scale war of aggression launched more than two years ago by Russia against its neighbor after a long pattern of hybrid hostility, Moscow has considered the ongoing confrontation to be the culmination of NATO expansionism along Russia's borders. Now, Antonov has accused the U.S. of having "launched an all-out hybrid war against us," with the Biden administration "encouraging attacks on Russian territory, including strategic deterrent facilities."

"For many years, a strategic security safety net existed between our countries that saved Russia-U.S. ties and ensured global stability," he added. "Nowadays Washington has completely torn it apart."

President Zelensky says Ukraine aid deal passed by US House will ‘save thousands of lives’

https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/20/president-zelensky-says-ukraine-package-will-save-thousands-lives-20686310/

He said the bill ‘will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger’.

++++++++++++++++++

The US war with Russia, using Ukrainians and Ukraine to fight it, where the propaganda defines UP as DOWN and defines DOWN as UP. All done to enrich the elites in Washington and the Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex.

Are 500,000 dead and wounded in Ukraine enough? Apparently not.

https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4183244-are-500000-dead-and-wounded-in-ukraine-enough-apparently-not/

++++++++++++++++

ABC news pulled this article because it told the truth:

The true toll of the war in Ukraine is measured in bodies. This ...

ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videoshttps://abcnews.go.com › International › wireStory › true...

Apr 4, 2024 — More than half a million people have been killed or seriously injured in two years of war in Ukraine, according to Western intelligence ...

+++++++++++++++++++++

Ukraine outnumbered, outgunned, ground down by relentless Russia

By Max Hunder

February 21, 20242:22 PM CST

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-outnumbered-outgunned-ground-down-by-relentless-russia-2024-02-21/

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine, Feb 21 (Reuters) - As the Ukraine war enters its third year, the infantry of 59th Brigade are confronting a bleak reality: they're running out of soldiers and ammunition to resist their Russian invaders.

One platoon commander who goes by his call sign "Tygr" estimated that just 60-70% of the several thousand men in the brigade at the start of the conflict were still serving. The rest had been killed, wounded or signed off for reasons such as old age or illness.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

500,000 Dead or Wounded: Russia Could Have Massive Ukraine War Losses By 2025

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/500000-dead-or-wounded-russia-could-have-massive-ukraine-war-losses-2025-208545

++++++++++++

And the propaganda joyously celebrates Russia's deaths like the people born in Russia with no choice but to fight in this war are not really human beings. They're just evil units that need to be taken out of existence for the agenda.

I guess that Ukrainian soldiers are immortal in this article that doesn't consider Ukrainian dead and wounded.

++++++++++++++++++

This loony tunes statement puts Zelensky on planet delusional and dishonest:

Zelensky warns ‘millions will be killed’ without US aid to Kyiv, as Ukrainian troop deaths reach at least 31,000    

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/25/europe/ukraine-troop-casualties-intl/index.html

++++++++++++++++

1. Despite Russia dominating the war, somehow 15+ times more Russians are dying with over 500,000 dead and only 31,000 were Ukrainians. Right! The truth is that over half of Ukraine's army has been killed or permanently disabled!

2. And the way to save millions of lives is to NOT negotiate for peace or agree to NOT have NATO expand into Ukraine which would end the war immediately(and never had to happen-except NATO wants Ukraine). It's to continue this war as long as possible, with the additional $61,000,000,000 being  enough to extend the "life saving"  kill-fest into 2025.

More TRUTH about the US/NATO war using Ukrainians to fight it. List of links to the previous threads on the Ukraine war the past 2 years.

               Re: Re:  Who speaks the truth? NOT NATO!         

                         By metmike - March 27, 2024, 12:25 p.m.            

+++++++++++++++

                Re: Re:  Eye rolling absurd            

                            By metmike - Feb. 27, 2023, 10:04 p.m.            

            The Basic Principles of War Propaganda

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Basic_Principles_of_War_Propaganda

The basic principles of war propaganda (Principes élémentaires de propagande de guerre)  is a monograph by Anne Morelli published in 2001. It has not been translated into English. The subtitle recommends its "usability in case of cold, hot or lukewarm war" (Utilisables en cas de guerre froide, chaude ou tiède).

The ten "commandments" of propaganda which Anne Morelli elaborates in this work are, above all, an analytical framework for pedagogical purposes and for media analysis. Morelli does not want to take sides or defend "dictators", but show the regularity of use of the ten principles in the media and in society:

1. We don't want war, we are only defending ourselves!

2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war!

3. Our adversary's leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil

4. We are defending a noble cause, not our particular interests!

5. The enemy is purposefully committing atrocities; if we are making mistakes this happens without intention

6. The enemy makes use of illegal weapons

7. We suffer few losses, the enemy's losses are considerable

8. Recognized intellectuals and artists support our cause

9. Our cause is sacred

10. Whoever casts doubt on our propaganda helps the enemy and is a traitor

++++++++++++++

Unless you've been living in a cave, you know  well that the above defines the propaganda from the West/NATO/US. In 2023, the technology allows for it to be much more powerful/widespread and effective than at times in the past, like the Vietnam war.

You would think that advanced communications would better reflect more facts, evidence and truth. Lies, distortions and false narratives would all be exposed.

NOPE. Just the opposite.

Governments have agenda's.

The gatekeepers of messages/media have  biased agenda's. One of them is to make money. Another one is to convince people to believe things which support their political agenda's.......maximizing the use of the powerful communication tools of this age.                 

In Pursuit of Being on the ‘Right Side of History,’ Speaker Johnson Gambles Job to Provide Ukraine Aid

Staring down a decision so consequential it could alter the course of history -- but also end his own career -- House Speaker Mike Johnson prayed for guidance

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/seeking-side-history-speaker-mike-johnson-risks-job-109438215

++++++++++

This is too much (-:

He was bashed and mocked for this same mentality and his positions for months and suddenly, he's a hero and being glorified because he agreed to be PART of the corrupt problem  instead of part of the solution.

Now he's gone from goat to hero in just a few days with nobody showing the actual facts.

Not just about the Military-Industrial-Political-Complex's grip on our polititicans and media but about this being a death sentence for 100,000+ more brave soldiers sent on suicide missions because of this money and refusing to negotiate for peace.

We should note how much time the propaganda spends on discussing peace.

Almost nothing.

How many soldiers die during peace?

ZERO!

How much money/benefits  does the Military-Industrial-Political-Complex get  from peace?  Not even close to the amount from war.

War is one of the best ways to boost sales/ratings/readers/viewers for the media!

Last time that I checked, the God in Christian faiths respects all 8,000,000,000 human beings on the planet by the same amount.

Humans in more powerful countries are expected to do MORE for humanity because they were blessed with more gifts.

And that God is against killing for self serving agenda's.

And that God is for peace not war. Again, why is Mike Johnson and everybody else NOT discussing peace?

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/103112/

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected

https://law.pepperdine.edu/surf-report/posts/to-whom-much-is-given-much-is-expected.htm                        

Zelensky: ‘America has saved millions of Ukrainian lives’

https://money.yahoo.com/video/zelensky-america-saved-millions-ukrainian-190932894.html

‘Thank You America!’: Ukraine’s Zelensky and Israel’s Netanyahu hail House passage of $95 billion foreign aid package    

“Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it. The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. Just peace and security can only be attained through strength,” Zelensky added.

Turning point for Ukraine?

The passing of the measures for Ukraine following months of resistance by some Republicans is seen by some as a potential turning point in the country’s fight against Russia’s invasion.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/20/world/foreign-aid-bill-ukraine-israel-thank-you-intl-latam/index.html

++++++++++++++++++++

What was the actual number of lives saved by the initial $120 billion that the US send to Ukraine during the first 2 years for this war?

Answer: ZERO!

I have over 1 million eye witnesses that will vouch for that number. That would be the family members of the 500,000+ brave soldiers that will never see their sons, husbands and fathers coming home. The precious human lives that were destroyed because NATO/Biden/Zelensky won't negotiate for peace. That our corrupt Congress cares less about than their own self serving interests and politics because the Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex benefits personally from the war in Ukraine.

How is this a "turning point" when it only continues exactly what has resulted in so much death and destruction in Ukraine the past 2+ years?

Copied from this post below:       

        Re: Re:  War in Ukraine drags on 9-3-23                    

                                            By metmike - Oct. 26, 2023, 3:56 p.m.         

We all remember this, when the R party faked information to get us into the Iraq war!

The Iraq Invasion 20 Years Later: It Was Indeed a Big Lie that Launched  the Catastrophic War

Bush and Cheney were not misled by flawed intelligence; they were promoting false information.

David CornMarch 20, 2023

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/03/the-iraq-invasion-20-years-later-it-was-indeed-a-big-lie-that-launched-the-catastrophic-war/

Remember this expression:

September 2021 Biden and Zelensky discussing the dynamics of  expected war with Russia. Provoke him by cutting off negotiations with Putin and telling him that Ukraine was joining NATO whether he liked it or not. Despite Putin's insistence that he would keep NATO from expanding into Ukraine, even if he had to invade Ukraine to do it.

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/98691/#99443

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/98691/#99446

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/99761/#99771

                War in Ukraine drags on 9-3-23            

                            By metmike - Sept. 7, 2023, 6:33 a.m.            

This is what controls our politicians/government!!!

Over 500 Former Government Officials Are Now Lobbying for Defense Contractors

Dozens of armed services committee and Defense Department personnel swung through the “revolving door” in 2023.

https://truthout.org/articles/over-500-former-government-officials-are-now-lobbying-for-defense-contractors/

Prepared by Senator Elizabeth Warren
April 2023
Pentagon Alchemy:
How Defense Officials Pass Through the
Revolving Door and Peddle Brass for Gold

https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/DoD%20Revolving%20Door%20Report.pdf

III. Findings
A. Top Defense Contractors Hire Hundreds of Former Government Officials, Most
as Lobbyists. This analysis identified 672 cases in 2022 in which the top 20 defense contractors had
former government officials, military officers, Members of Congress and senior legislative staff

B. Defense Industry Consolidation Increases the Risks from Big Corporations Abuse
of the Revolving Door

The sheer size of America’s military budget provides ample and lucrative opportunities
for former government officials. Last year Congress gave the DoD over $851 billion in total
funding.19 The DoD is also the largest federal contracting agency: of the total $692.3 billion in
contracts awarded by the federal government in FY 2021, 61 percent were awarded by DoD
amounting to $386.9 billion.20 Almost 40 percent of this was awarded to just 10 defense
contractors.

C. Big Defense Contractors Hired the Most Revolving Door Lobbyists and Stocked
Their Boards Stocked with Government Officials

+++++++++++++++++

Chairman@WSBChairman

The combined net worth of the 50 richest members of Congress is $4.8 Billion. With an annual salary of $174k, they would have to work 27,500 years to earn that much money.  The highest positions of our government, on both sides of the aisle, are abusing their power for personal financial gain. How are we allowing this to happen?

4:30 PM · Sep 6, 2023

·2.8M Views

The no longer objective, or investigative professional journalists can't even disguise their bias anymore.

There they are trying shame the ones that voted again this bill.

Note: Not just showing how everyone voted in unbiased reporting but instead,  only drawing attention to the evil Rs that voted against the bill to help damage them come election time. Great job national media!

These 112 House Republicans voted against Ukraine aid

https://www.businessinsider.com/which-house-republicans-voted-against-ukraine-russia-aid-2024-4

+++++++++++++++++++

Full List Of Republican Senators Who Voted Against Ukraine Aid

https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-aid-bill-republicans-senators-voted-against-full-list-1893529

+++++++++++++++++++++

GOP critics vow no more US aid for Ukraine

 - 04/25/24 

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4619185-gop-critics-vow-no-more-us-aid-for-ukraine/

“It’s going to take some time for us to dig out of the hole that was created by six months of delay before Congress passed the supplemental,” he said.

+++++++++++++++++++

metmike: So up until 6 months ago, Ukraine was winning. Brave soldiers weren't dying/going on suicide missions for nothing????

The so called Spring, then Summer counteroffensive wasn't really a massive failure????

Lets go back to just before the ammo/supplies stopped gushing in. August 18, 2023:

Troop Deaths and Injuries in Ukraine War Near 500,000, U.S. Officials Say

https://www.congress.gov/118/meeting/house/116768/documents/HHRG-118-ZS00-20240130-SD002.pdf

+++++++++++++++

So Ukraine, with only half their army left, will somehow dig out of a 6 month hole and get back to where things were 6 months ago????

Blaming the current "hole" on the delay in passing this $61,000,000,000 aid package?  

What was to blame BEFORE that?

Answer: The War!

Ukrainians want peace. It's NATO, Zelensky and the US Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex that wants Ukrainians to keep fighting this war because these US elites get the benefits. Ukrainians have nothing but massive losses.

The additional $61 billion is just a continuation of that.

++++++++++++

There is a near 0 chance that Ukraine will somehow win the war before this latest $61 billion runs out. 

What happens then?

In the story "The Boy that Cried Wolf" the village people were much smarter than Americans. They stopped believing him pretty quickly.

But they only had a boy telling lies, not the all powerful Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex bombarding Americans all day long,  using hundreds of sources with THEIR convincing lies/propaganda.

Even gullible Americans will finally realize that they got fleeced out of another 200 billion that was flushed down the corrupt Ukrainian toilet so that the even more corrupt entities stealing our tax dollars for this could enrich themselves and their interests.

American Views on the Ukraine War in 6 Charts

https://news.gallup.com/poll/513680/american-views-ukraine-war-charts.aspx

November 2, 2023

This one below is telling about how effective the massive propaganda campaign has been:

Almost nobody believed that Russia was winning the war, even though they were clearly winning by every standard.

The reason? The propaganda convinced them that Ukraine was winning OR that Ukraine was going to win.  That's the ONLY way to sustain the support, like we just saw.

People will NOT support sending money if they know that Ukraine lost the war! What would be the point? Just more killing for nothing. Exactly my point!

+++++++++++++++++

Let's look at a map of Ukraine, a couple of months before that poll was taken and see who really was winning(it got WORSE not better after this and when the poll was taken)

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/97046/#98087

How much blue is there("claimed" Ukrainian counteroffensive)?

How much red is there(under Russian control)?

As I've been saying since then, UKRAINE LOST THE WAR! 

Red had a strong grip of 95%+ of the territory when we were told that Ukraine was having their greatest success.

Now, half of their army has been killed and disabled. 

Why did we just send another  $61,000,000,000 (after the previous $100+ billion resulted in the map above when they were at closer to  full strength), for the badly beaten blue, with half an army left.....so they can get further decimated INSTEAD OF NEGOTIATING FOR PEACE?

To save Europe? 

To save democracy?

To save civilization?

Look at the map, man they are going on suicide missions for NATO and our Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex.

Zelensky has to know this too. He's one of the greatest traitors to his country in history recruited by NATO to do their dirty work at the expense of his people that elected him in 2019 on his promise to negotiate peace with Russia.

He's had to cancel democratic elections in Ukraine(that should have been held last month) to stay in office! Blaming the war.

He's right about 1 thing. HIS war is why he canceled the elections to avoid people voting him out.

And our corrupt politicians just sentenced Ukraine to another $61 billion worth of  the death and destruction That our money could buy!

You wonder why the lady in Congress from Ukraine voted against the aid package?

Because she actually cares about the hundreds of thousands of the brave human beings fighting and dying in the war(and their families) ..more than the corrupted politics Driving her colleagues Decisions.

don’t let them fool you into thinking most of Congress doesn’t know exactly what I’m stating.

How did this lady know.

How do some of them know and voted against this bill.

Its there job to know. That’s what we elected them for. 

That why they have the power to spend trillions of our tax dollars every year.

If they don’t know, they are blatantly failing at their job and failing the American people!

I didnt get paid a penny for this.

How did I know?

Graham warns Putin ‘will not stop’ if successful in Ukraine

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4609349-graham-warns-putin-will-not-stop-if-successful-in-ukraine/

++++++++++

Warning!

Corrupt, out of control war monger politician with 0 credibility spreading blatantly, proven false propaganda to scare people in order to manipulate them for his self serving, self enriching  agenda! Quintessential example of "bought and paid for".

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/99844/#101017

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/99844/#101023

+++++++++++++++

Lindsey Graham Faces Backlash Over Ukraine Mobilization Call

Published Mar 19, 2024

https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-russia-lindsey-graham-senator-aid-backlash-1880693

However, pro-Ukrainian social media users took issue with his demand to Kyiv. "Ukrainians themselves decide who will be sent to the front," posted user Poslanik Mira on X.

++++++++++++

The incredible audacity of this person! Going to Ukraine and telling them who should be sent on the suicide missions for his self serving interests as a manipulating US politician!!!!

++++++++++++++++

Russia issues arrest warrant for Lindsey Graham over Ukraine comments

May 29, 2023

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-lindsey-graham-arrest-warrant-52ea51c2f33145badbd0666c4e42da36

In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy’s office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that “the Russians are dying” and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as “the best money we’ve ever spent.”

+++++++++++++

Lindsey Graham responds defiantly to arrest warrant from Russia

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/29/lindsey-graham-putin-russia-warrant-hague-00099168

Graham has sometimes amped up his rhetoric about Putin beyond mere criticism. In March 2022, Graham called for a Julius Caesar-style killing of Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia invaded Ukraine. The White House later pushed back on those comments, stating that it’s “not the position of the United States government.”

On Monday, Graham said he would wear the arrest warrant “as a badge of honor.”

“To know that my commitment to Ukraine has drawn the ire of Putin’s regime brings me immense joy,” Graham said. “I will continue to stand with and for Ukraine’s freedom until every Russian soldier is expelled from Ukrainian territory.”

++++++++++++

The only thing that Ukraine was going to lose if NATO hadn't stopped the negotiations with Russia was membership in NATO. That's all that Putin wanted from Ukraine!! With regards to Ukraine's fighting for democracy, it wasn't Putin that shut down the elections earlier this year. It was Zelensky, using the war as an excuse to keep the people from voting him out of office. 

With supposed friends like Graham, that got hundreds of thousands killed and disabled and the country obliterated for his agenda and goes over there to tell Ukrainains it's not enough..........who needs enemies!

100-mile US glide bombs fail in Ukraine

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/04/26/russia-ukraine-latest-us-abrams-tanks-drone-threats/

Much-vaunted US-supplied glide bombs given to Ukraine “didn’t work” due to a combination of mud and Russian signal jamming, the Pentagon has admitted.

++++++++++++++++++

No problem-o. The US military-industrial-political-media complex is making out like bandits and Ukraine already lost the war. What's the difference anyway in the manner that Ukrainians get obliterated?

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Ukraine war latest: US announces additional $6 billion in weapons for Ukraine

https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-april-26/

Politico previously reported on April 25 that the U.S. was preparing to announce a new weapons contract worth around $6 billion in military aid to Kyiv. The weapon supplies are not expected to reach Ukraine for "several years" since the funding is allocated under the USAI.

+++++++++++++++++++++

There's more proof of the retarded racket. We are we adding ANOTHER $6,000,000,000 in weapons that won't get to Ukraine until 2027!

These people WANT war, not peace.  Unless NATO starts sending troops, the greatly depleted Ukraine army has no chance of lasting to 2027.  They've already been crushed and desperately need thousands of new soldiers to send on the suicide missions RIGHT NOW!

But the propaganda will lie to us and make us think that they are suddenly winning, like they did last year.

Future weapons, dead soldiers and a losing position doesn't win wars. It just kills more people for nothing.

Peace saves lives. Why are they not discussing peace??

You know why. They won't do that until Americans finally wake up and say enough is enough.

Updated Fri, Apr 26 202412:06 PM EDT

Zelenskyy says U.S. aid delay allowed Russia to ‘seize the initiative’; Blinken warns of more sanctions on Chinese firms

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/26/live-updates-latest-news-on-russia-and-the-war-in-ukraine.html

Sure thing Zelensky, we can tell from the map below that Ukraine was winning after the first 100 billion got flushed down the corrupt Ukrainian toilet, before the aid ran out. Just look at all the Ukrainian blue. There's as much blue in the color bar box on the left as there is on the map of the battlefields. And this is when we were told they were WINNING!

 https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/97046/#98087

++++++++++++++++++++++

Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60506682?at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_medium=custom7&at_campaign=64&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom4=357710B0-9717-11EC-94D6-8512BECD475E&at_custom3=%40BBCWorld

This guy is extremely sharp and PRO Ukrainian!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8-LaCkeDmY

Interactive Map: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

This interactive map complements the static control-of-terrain maps that ISW daily produces with high-fidelity and, where possible, street level assessments of the war in Ukraine.

https://www.understandingwar.org/interactive-map-russias-invasion-ukraine

Go to this link for a better map:

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/36a7f6a6f5a9448496de641cf64bd375

Is the $60.8bn Ukrainian aid package coming too late? | Ukraine war

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYcEVbgSaDs

       Russian forces to change targets and intensify strikes in coming weeks in Ukraine

Russia will increase strikes against logistics centers and storage facilities of Western armament             

                Kanal13        

Russians capture Novomykhailivka village in Donbas after 73 days of attack with heavy losses             

Poland ready to host US nuclear weapons on Putin's doorstep, Russia threatens a tough response             

+++++++++++++++++

This is the complete opposite of what Putin wanted before the war and since.

1. No NATO in Ukraine

2. No US nuclear weapons in NATO countries surrounding Russia

3. NATO response.......take a hike Putin!. Go ahead and invade Ukraine.

YOUR AUSSIE GUY IS MUCH TO HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND.  LOL  BY THE TIME I'D FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WAS SAYIN'... I HAD TO TRY & REMEMBER WHAT HE'D SAID.

I SAW THIS OFF TO THE SIDE Scott Ritter Explains What's Actually Happening In Ukraine During The War With Russia!  9 MINUTES.    WHICH LEAD ME TO THIS'N...........Douglas Macgregor Reveals Russia Just Gave Belarus Nuclear Weapons & SHOCKS Ukraine!    9 MINUTES

Thanks, Jean!

I've always liked your 2 sources THE MOST! They interpret based on the realities not propaganda, with great insights and discernment and rejecting the complete nonsense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Z6UscNdjg

Regarding McGregor from wiki: 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Macgregor

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Macgregor appeared on three Fox Newsprograms in February and early March to speak in support of Russia's actions. Three days after the war began, he said "The battle in eastern Ukraine is really almost over," and predicted "If [Ukraine] don't surrender in the next 24 hours, I suspect Russia will ultimately annihilate them." Macgregor said he believed Russia should be allowed to seize whatever parts of Ukraine it wanted.

  His opinions on Russia and Ukraine have caused controversy, with some including Liz Cheney describing Macgregor as being a member of the "Putinwing of the GOP."

—————-

“In 2019, he argued for the myth that there were more white, mostly Irish "slaves" than African slaves in America in the late 1700s.”

Irish slaves myth:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_slaves_myth

—————————

 After reading all of this, I’m leaning toward thinking McGregor is a far right nutbag and Putin supporter unless someone can convince me otherwise. He’s well-spoken, but I’m not going to let that fool me into supporting him.

Thanks much, Larry!

I see your points about his clear bias.

It's pretty sad that sometimes it takes an extreme person(bias and all) for us to get indisputable truths mixed in with their clearly leaning hard to one side bs(which the other side refuses to tell).

This is actually why I listen to NPR & CNN as WELL AS FOX and try to discard all the chaff and keep what is sometimes not much wheat left.

+++++++++++++++++

I'm sure that some pro Ukrainians reading me think that I'm pro Russia or anti Ukraine. 

You'll note that this thread is bashing the heck out of the US (politicians) more than anybody. I do it BECAUSE I'm as pro US as you can get and hold people messing our country up accountable.

I'm also EXTREMELY pro Ukraine as in pro UKRAINIANS. That's who I stand for. The human beings fighting a war that is so unfairly forced on them. 

Most people were falsely  led to believe that supporting Ukraine meant they would win. At least that they COULD win. 

Knowing what we know now about what happened, if people knew this in February 2022 that it would evolve this way for 26 months, how many people would have supported spending that money/support to kill people and get crushed doing it?

The difference then was that people were for it because they were misled. I was AGAINST IT that entire time because I knew this was completely inevitable. 

Once people are convinced of something, its almost impossible to change their minds. Even after this powerful lesson the last 2 years............we didn't learn anything? It's like the Boy that Cried Wolf and the village people, day after day, week after week keep believing the same thing THAT NEVER HAPPENS. 

After 2+ years, we still believe it? They're like 0 for XX on their predictions and our country and the world has lost alot of money/resources and human beings......so  we just rewarded them with another $61 billion based on...........them promising the same things as before. 

What have they been right about with this war?

And the complete nonsense they tell us about Putin coming for NATO countries if we don't stop him here and right now.  This is completely made up from a source that is 0 for XX on everything that we could verify. 

Their biggest claim of success is that they killed a bunch of evil Russians and weakened Putin. 

1. What was the cost to us?

2. Those evil Russians fighting in the war are human beings with no choice, just like the ones on OUR side. 

3. Otherwise, its just the same promises as before only now, HALF OF UKRAINE'S ARMY is no longer with us. 

4. Nobody is calling for peace (other than Putin) because they clearly don't want peace.

Russia is hoodwinking the West about peace negotiations with Ukraine

https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2024-04-15/russia-hoodwinking-west-about-peace-negotiations-ukraine

+++++++++++

The West insists its non negotiable. Putin needs to withdraw all of his troops and all his demands for NATO to stay out of Ukraine.

Egads. Putin won the war, Ukraine lost the war but won't admit it.

Since when does the loser of the war get 100% of their demands and the winner get's nothing?

NATO wants Ukrainians to keep fighting and losing more.  I'm sorry to say this but NATO scares me more than Putin.

They're the ones surrounding Putin and insisting on putting US nuclear weapons in some of those countries.

What if Putin started an alliance with Mexico and Canada and sent Russian nuclear weapons to them, aimed at the United States?

We don't want to see it but that's what NATO is doing.

The Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/cuban-missile-crisis

https://www.nukestrat.com/us/afn/nato.htm

Poland’s bid to participate in NATO nuclear sharing

https://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-comments/2023/polands-bid-to-participate-in-nato-nuclear-sharing/

++++++++++++

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#102994

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#103024

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#103276

++++++++++

This isn't like the Middle East where it seems like a permanent solution is impossible. This thing could have EASILY been avoided and it could end quickly without NATO losing anything.

Give up on Ukraine!

See how easy that was?

They don't have Ukraine so they didn't lose anything. Sadly, Ukraine is NOW going to have to give up part of their country. Sorry, but they lost the war. I don't like it but that's the real world.

The longer they fight.......THE MORE THEY LOSE!

The reason that NATO scares me so much is that they may actually send NATO troops to Ukraine instead of giving up on having Ukraine.

We already know its a NATO/US vs Russia war, using Ukraine/Ukrainians. I am actually amazed that Putin hasn't been more aggressive trying to hurt the United States........yet.

Look at what the United States is doing to him! Provoking him to an extreme.

Russia is making daily tactical gains in eastern Ukraine, as concerns swirl around Ukrainian military reporting    

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/28/europe/russia-daily-gains-ukraine-military-criticism-intl/index.html

            “Russian forces will likely make significant tactical gains in the coming weeks as Ukraine waits for US security assistance to arrive at the front but remain unlikely to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses,” it wrote.    

                Ukraine’s other major quantitative weakness, which also helps explain recent battlefield trajectories, is manpower. A new mobilization law comes into effect next month, which is expected to improve conscription processes. But Kyiv has proved highly reluctant to say clearly how many more soldiers it needs, while Moscow keeps increasing numbers.    

            “The quality (of Russian fighters) of course varies, but the quantitative advantage is a serious problem, Rob Lee of Foreign Policy Research Institute, posted on X.       

            “Without (its) manpower advantage, Russia’s artillery and airpower advantage would not be sufficient for Russia to make gains on the battlefield. The relative manpower situation is likely the most important factor that will determine the war’s trajectory, particularly if Russia can sustain recruiting 20-30k a month,” Lee adds.    

+++++++++++

Why has nobody on NATO's side acknowledged that this has always doomed Ukraine to being defeated?

I've been stating this since the war started!

                  STOP THE WAR!!!                       

                                            By metmike - April 10, 2023, 11:45 a.m.                   

March 22, 2022

  The Demography of War: Ukraine vs. Russia  

https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-demography-of-war-ukraine-vs-russia

+++++++++++++++

                Re: UKRAINE ~ FWIW            

                        By metmike - Feb. 14, 2023, 10:33 a.m.            

The US/NATO/West have been playing this exactly wrong every step of the way. Maximizing the damage/death to Ukraine. Maximizing the cost to the world. Maximizing the cost to US tax payers.

Then, telling us about how they are so right and so smart with their off the charts really dumb and really bad decisions using propaganda.

++++++++++++

Earth to these delusional propaganda artists. Look at the number of soldiers that Russia HAD compared to Ukraine. 900K to 196.6K.

In this war of attrition, there have been 100K in soldier deaths to each side. It doesn't take a mathematician to tell you that Ukraine is going to quickly be running out of soldiers. Using the stated math as a guideline, Ukraine is down to 96.6K soldiers to Russia's 800K left.

After the another 50K in deaths, Ukraine will be down to 46.6K soldiers to fight Russia's 750K sized army.  Russia absolutely knows this. It means THEY CAN'T LOSE!

It means Ukraine CAN'T win.

They will have had most of their army killed off. Tens of thousands of civilians killed and millions leaving the country, along with hundreds of billions in damage to the country fighting a war that they never had a chance to win from the beginning.........even as the West pretends otherwise with many thousands of blatant lies about how Putin is so vulnerable and sanctions.......that HURT US much more than they hurt Russia...........and blowing up his ng pipeline.

This has been known from the beginning! But nobody wanted to agree to any of Putin's terms, mostly to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. Instead they chose this path and defended it with propaganda and elevated a charismatic, extremely dangerous psychopath to a global hero.......Zelensky and used his massive ego that caused him to put his self serving agenda a light year ahead of protecting his people and doing what's best for Ukraine.

https://wisevoter.com/country-rankings/military-size-by-country/

++++++++++++++

Zelenskiy's First Year: He Promised Sweeping Changes. How's He Doing?

April 25, 2020

https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskiys-first-year-he-promised-sweeping-changes-how-s-he-doing-/30576329.html

"One of Zelensky's two main promises was to bring the war to an end, a goal that polls have shown Ukrainians want to see accomplished more than anything."

Breaking news from Ukraine (-:

They tell us that Russia is being hurt bad!

Newsweek carries it as a credible story!

More evidence that we can't trust anything coming out of Ukraine OR the media that long ago lost most of the their objective, professional journalists(Like Alex McCallum used to be). Today they are mostly activists practicing yellow journalism.

Russia Loses 38 Artillery Systems, 14 APVs in a Day: Ukraine

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-artillery-apvs-1894865

Russia continues to suffer large losses of troops and equipment, including artillery systems and armored personnel vehicles (APVs), according to Kyiv's latest figures.

Ukraine's General Staff said on Saturday that over the previous 24 hours Russian casualties totalled 1,124, the highest figure for six weeks. The last time it was higher was on March 16, when the figure was 1,160.

Russian forces also lost 38 artillery systems—the second highest figure for a week—taking the total losses of this equipment type to 11,905 since the start of the war.

Kyiv's latest figures also showed that Russia had lost 14 APVs the previous day, taking the total for the full-scale invasion to 13,971.

Ukraine has estimated that Russia has lost 465,054 troops during the war

+++++++

No mention of Ukraine taking losses. Maybe the Ukraine troops have gained immorality?

No, it's just more propaganda...........same as the last 2+ years. 

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/103404/#103478

How is it that some nobody, atmospheric scientist/chess coach from Yahoo, Indiana knew all this and Ukraine, NATO, US politicians and the media didn't??        

  Thomas Sowell Interview , "Social Justice Fallacies"                         Started by cutworm - Dec. 18, 2023, 6:19 p.m.  

    https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/101353/

“Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true. But many other things are believed simply because they have been asserted repeatedly—and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence.”

Ukraine retreats in the east as Russia pushes forward while U.S. ally waits for aid

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Sunday that his troops had retreated from three eastern villages as the situation on the front lines had "worsened."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukraine-retreats-east-villages-seized-russia-us-aid-rcna149731

+++++++++++++

Still nobody but Putin trying to negotiate for peace here in April 2024.

The best deal that Ukraine could have gotten was in late 2021. Which was actually pretty fair:

                Re: Re: Re: Re:  UKRAINE TO JOIN NATO????????  :)            

                           By metmike - April 7, 2024, 10:18 p.m.                                                                               

Russia demands NATO roll back from East Europe and stay out of Ukraine

By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Tom Balmforth

December 17, 2021

https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-unveils-security-guarantees-says-western-response-not-encouraging-2021-12-17/

MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it wanted a legally binding guarantee that NATO would give up any military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, part of a wish list of security guarantees it wants to negotiate with the West.

Moscow for the first time laid out in detail demands that it says are essential for lowering tensions in Europe and defusing a crisis over Ukraine

Others would imply the removal of U.S. nuclear weapons from Europe and the withdrawal of multinational NATO battalions from Poland and from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania that were once in the Soviet Union.

Proposals handed over to United States this week

++++++++++++++++++++++++

After the invasion in Feb. 2022, with Russia having the upper hand, the deal that Putin offered wasn't as good but it was still MUCH better than what they can get now after losing the war(loss of land included). 

The longer they wait, the more land Russia gets, the worse the deal will be.

Die Welt publishes peace deal Ukraine and Russia could have signed in April 2022

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/04/27/7453222/

++++++++++++++++++++

April 2024

Zelensky: ‘America has saved millions of Ukrainian lives’

https://money.yahoo.com/video/zelensky-america-saved-millions-ukrainian-190932894.html

+++++++++++++++

By not negotiating peace and choosing war with Russia????

Vladimir Putin on the brink as China's Xi Jinping to pull strings for Ukraine ceasefire

Vladimir Putin could be forced into a ceasefire by Xi Jinping as China's position on the Ukraine war appears to change.

https://www.the-express.com/news/world-news/135964/vladimir-putin-xi-jinping-ukraine-ceasefire

++++++++++++++

Complete nonsense. Putin has won the war and has almost complete control and is gaining MORE every day. It's NATO that loses more with every passing day. It's Putin that will negotiate any time and NATO that's acting irrational by not acting. China has been backing Putin all along, nothing has changed except that he's won the war.

If NATO decides to send in NATO troops to START OVER (since Ukraine was already defeated by every legit measure and doesn't even have enough army left to win-no matter if the US sends a trillion in weapons) then its a different story.

Then it's WW3 and everybody knows it. Then China will do everything possible to end it.

But not now, when their ally is winning more every day.  

And BTW, if NATO  does suddenly decide to  take Ukraine because they are hell bent on defeating Russia, so that they can send troops, it affirms exactly why Putin started this war to begin with........ keep NATO from taking Ukraine so that NATO can use Ukraine to surround and eventually crush Russia.

Again, Putin did NOT want Ukrainian territory BEFORE the war. He did not want to interfere with their democracy. He wanted an assurance that NATO would not get Ukraine.

This one actually made me laugh out loud when I read the title:

Blinken: As soon as Russia demonstrates a sincere desire to negotiate, we will be there. I believe that Ukrainians will be there too

https://unn.ua/en/news/blinken-as-soon-as-russia-demonstrates-a-sincere-desire-to-negotiate-we-will-be-there-i-believe-that-ukrainians-will-be-there-too

Blinken once again emphasized that the war in Ukraine was a "strategic defeat" for Russia, as Russia is now weaker economically, militarily and diplomatically.

"All of this, I think, is a huge strategic defeat for Russia. In many ways, Putin has accelerated a lot of things that he was trying to prevent. I hope there is a recognition of that," Blinken said.

+++++++++++++

He wants us to think that Russia actually lost and because of that, Ukraine has the upper hand in negotiations AND that's why they continually reject Russia's attempts to negotiate because THEIR version is that Ukraine gets everything that a winner should get.

                Re: Re: Quote of the day April 2024            

           NEVER trust a politician!

Russia will sink Britain under nuclear tidal wave(if NATO sends troops to Ukraine), warns top Putin propagandist

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/russia-britain-nuclear-attack-nato-putin-b2537004.html

“If Nato countries send their troops into Ukraine in order to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, then the very moment about which Putin once said, 'Why do we need the world, if there is no Russia in it?' would come.”

++++++++++++++++

Ukraine has lost THIS war against NATO using Ukraine and Ukrainians armed with NATO/US weapons but NATO won't acknowledge it. Ukraine's army has been killed off  to a level so that it can't win no matter what.

NATO is sending out signals that it wants to admit Ukraine so that it CAN START A NEW WAR WITH UKRAINE AS A NATO COUNTRY.  That way, it can send NATO troops from all the NATO countries, along WITH NATO weapons.

It will no longer be a war, pretending to be Ukraine vs Russia but instead an all out battle between NATO and Russia using NATO troops.

It's not propaganda to assume that Putin not only thinks this way but he would logically have legit justification to directly attack the countries that are sending weapons AND TROOPS to try to obliterate his army and Russia.

This is what NATO's mission has been the past 2 decades. NATO scares me much more than Putin. The worst that Putin has always wanted was to keep NATO out of Ukraine and  stop nuclear weapons in NATO countries surrounding him. His invasion of Ukraine was wrong but we know why he did it(NATO wouldn't negotiate).
Putin going on for more countries after Ukraine is a huge lie meant to scare people and generate support for defeating Russia.

NATO wants every single country surrounding Putin and to arm those countries and to destroy Russia.

Who is more dangerous?

It's all right here:

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#102994

https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/102957/#103276

After Ukraine funding win, Biden shifts his messaging strategy

Foreign policy hands want the administration to keep pressing the case for supporting Ukraine.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/02/biden-messaging-strategy-ukraine-funding-00155638

President Joe Biden scored a massive foreign policy win with the passage of a foreign aid bill last week that included $60 billion for Ukraine.

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This is exactly what I mean when posting: 

                Re: Re: Quote of the day April 2024         

Our country is having enormous, negative consequences from a massive debt and can't balance or agree upon a budget but it's a "massive foreign policy win" to use $95,000,000,000 tax payer dollars, to extend a never ending kill-fests(but not calling for peace) BECAUSE IT BENEFITS THEM!!!!!!!!!

Repeating. That was the worst spending of  American tax dollars in history. 

1. The amount was astronomical. We are drowning in debt. This was OUR money!

2. We're investing in the WRONG THING. WAR NOT PEACE!

3. No Ukrainians benefited from this other than their corrupt political officials, including Zelensky. The people want peace with Russia. The soldiers want to stop being sent on suicide missions. 

4.  Russian soldiers who have no choice but fight will also be killed......yippee, we are taught to think! These evil units are not really human beings.

5. Again, the US Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex serving as gatekeepers and decision makers are who benefited.

6. Evidence of the media's role, serving as the mouthpiece for propaganda......"President Joe Biden scored a massive foreign policy win with the passage of a foreign aid bill last week that included $60 billion for Ukraine"

7. Instead of flushing that money down the corrupt Ukrainian toilet for an already lost war, think of how much good, that much money could have done at home!! Or even in Ukraine if it was earmarked to REBUILD UKRAINE NOT DESTROY IT!

Now we're supposed to believe Russia is suddenly using chemical weapons. 

Kremlin reacts to U.S.′ chemical weapons allegations; Russia claims further advance in east Ukraine

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/02/ukraine-war-live-updates-latest-news-on-russia-and-the-war-in-ukraine.html

“Putin’s increasingly aggressive tactics against Ukraine, such as strikes on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure, are intended to impress Ukraine that continuing to fight will only increase the damage to Ukraine and offer no plausible path to victory,” Haines reportedly said.

“These aggressive tactics are likely to continue and the war is unlikely to end anytime soon,” she added.

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Dugh!!!  The war won't end because NATO refuses to acknowledge that Ukraine lost it along time ago. They will fight to the last drop of brave Ukrainian soldiers blood because it also drains Russia of resources. They are absolutely NOT helping Ukraine. They are HEARTLESSLY USING Ukraine to hurt Russia. 

No safety in retreat: Ukrainian soldiers say rear defensive lines barely exist amid Russian advance

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-fortifications-8a72981dfdb755de6f8011b13f4d062e

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Dugh!!! That's what happenes when over half your army has been killed or disabled with no replacements and you already lost the war many months ago.

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The only way this makes sense is if NATO sends NATO troops!!!

Here ya go:

Asia Times: NATO sends combat troops to Ukraine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt15FuEJNqs

 Asia Times also notes that the United States has already fully realized the inevitable collapse of the Ukrainian army, and therefore the only way out of the current situation is considered the full-fledged deployment of American and NATO troops to Ukraine. In national security circles, there is fear of a Russian victory in Ukraine. It would be a serious setback for America's security strategy and a blow to NATO, perhaps even a fatal one, the publication says.

I KNOW  GUY THAT'S BEEN IN UKRAINE FOR MONTHS!! HE LANDED ION THE HOSPITAL A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT... WE DON'T KNOW WHY.  HIS WIFE ASKED FOR PRAYERS FOR HIM.

HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE JAN. 6TH DEBACLE.... TRANSPORTING THE "RIOTERS"

Jean,

Anybody that actually  knows anything about the war in Ukraine knows that Ukraine lost the war and most of their brave troops that gave up their lives or were disabled on NATOs suicide missions to weaken Russia. don’t have replacements.

In most situations like this,  the losing side in a war cries uncle to stop the excessive bleeding. They can negotiate peace terms or the winner just takes everything or something else can happen but it’s usually counterproductive to continue to resist when the other side has completely overwhelmed your side.

what’s the point when it’s impossible to win and continuing to fight just ensures more obliteration of your side. Keep in mind that the war is IN Ukraine. Ukrainian's are giving up their lives to have Ukraine obliterated in a country that stopped democratic elections to keep the NATO puppet sentencing them to this in office.

We are told that Ukraine is fighting for democracy And we are told dozens of other manufactured things to keep the war going at any cost.

Now we are told that as soon the US weapons arrive, Ukraines army will rise from the dead and do what it couldn’t do at full power and with twice this amount money previously.

NATO has continued to  miscalculate or is so diabolical that it has a semblance of tactical positioning skill and is doing this on purpose to weaken Russia using Ukrainians sacrificing their precious lives. Then NATO troops can go in and defeat a weakened Russia with a NEW war.
The problem with that is convincing THE PEOPLE in NATO countries to send enough troops to match Russias  army. 

NATO would be sending in tens of thousand of troops  if it could right now. So instead, they will sneak in as many as possible and hatch their latest plot to keep people misinformed and manipulated with propaganda.to keep the war going as long as possible. At the very least, it’s serving as a great tool to gush out daily messages about how evil Russia is, used as a marketing scheme to amplify the hate for Putin more and more.

We have been conditioned the past 2+ years, with the propaganda to accept this as normal. 1 side getting completely annihilated but we will still send them another 61 billion to extend the annihilation for X more months…..until that money runs out.

Shmyhal on NATO membership: Ukraine is "one step away from an invitation"

https://unn.ua/en/news/shmyhal-on-nato-membership-ukraine-is-one-step-away-from-an-invitation

Russia Vows to 'Use All Means' to Defend Against US Amid Nuclear Drills

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-vows-use-all-means-defend-against-us-amid-nuclear-drills-1897722

Russia Issues Stern Warning To France Over Army Deployment In Ukraine: 'They Will Inevitably Become Targets'

https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38702862/russia-issues-stern-warning-to-france-over-army-deployment-in-ukraine-they-will-inevitably-become-ta

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NATO wants WW3!!

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine sacks commander amid fierce battles with Russian forces; Putin reshuffle 'may hint he is preparing for future confrontation with NATO'                                                            

Fierce fighting is taking place in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, with Moscow claiming to have seized nine border villages in the area. And in Moscow, Vladimir Putin has replaced a long-time ally. Submit your question on the war for our experts below.

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-latest-updates-thousands-of-civilians-flee-region-under-attack-lord-cameron-warns-of-extremely-dangerous-moment-for-ukraine-12541713

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Russian Forces Seize Nine Villages, Amid ‘Difficult Situation’ for Ukraine

https://time.com/6977403/russia-kharkiv-offensive/

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metmike: BUT WAIT, all you need to do is read Newsweek's propaganda and you can block out the reality and pretend that Russia is getting their butt whooped! Newsweek's readers will want to all come back to Newsweek to have their wishes granted with manufactured stories about the war and other things. Great way to boost ratings:

Russia Suffers Highest Daily Casualties of War So Far: Kyiv

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-suffers-highest-daily-casualties-ukraine-war-1740-troops-eliminated-1899692

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                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: : Congress should be ashamed            

                            By metmike - April 24, 2024, 3:11 p.m.            

More TRUTH about the US/NATO war using Ukrainians to fight it. List of links to the previous threads on the Ukraine war the past 2 years.

               Re: Re:  Who speaks the truth? NOT NATO!         

                         By metmike - March 27, 2024, 12:25 p.m.            

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                Re: Re:  Eye rolling absurd            

                            By metmike - Feb. 27, 2023, 10:04 p.m.            

            The Basic Principles of War Propaganda

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Basic_Principles_of_War_Propaganda

The basic principles of war propaganda (Principes élémentaires de propagande de guerre)  is a monograph by Anne Morelli published in 2001. It has not been translated into English. The subtitle recommends its "usability in case of cold, hot or lukewarm war" (Utilisables en cas de guerre froide, chaude ou tiède).

The ten "commandments" of propaganda which Anne Morelli elaborates in this work are, above all, an analytical framework for pedagogical purposes and for media analysis. Morelli does not want to take sides or defend "dictators", but show the regularity of use of the ten principles in the media and in society:

Stop wasting US tax payers money to fund a kill-fest that benefits the US Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex!!

Give Ukrainians the peace they want. Stop sending brave Ukrainian soldiers on suicide missions as pawns for the Biden/US/NATO war against Russia. Stop causing massive losses to families of the soldiers. Stop getting Ukraine obliterated. Stop the lies and war propaganda.

The first 120,000,000,000 didn't do anything but increase the death/destruction. Another 61,000,000,000 will only extend it longer. 

Blinken, in Kyiv, says U.S aid arriving at 'challenging' time for Ukraine

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blinken-arrives-ukraine-show-us-solidarity-amid-russian-attacks-2024-05-14/

EXPANDING THE FIGHTING

Russia now controls about 18% of Ukraine and has been gaining ground since the failure of Kyiv's 2023 counter-offensive to make serious inroads against Russian troops dug in behind deep minefields.

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Over half of Ukraine's army has been killed or permanently disabled with Russia having even greater losses but from an army 3 times as large that now has an overwhelming, impossible to reverse advantage(unless NATO sends troops to start WW3). 

THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS!

This was obviously going to happen from the get go. NATO strategists are heartless, incompetents willing to sacrifice so many lives, after recruiting puppet, Zelensky who was on board as the charismatic, career actor salesman to become a NATO  hero/star at the expense of his people and country. 

When was the last time that you saw the charismatic leader of a country, constantly traveling to other rich countries(many dozens of visits over 2+ years)  to generate funding and support in selling a war, NATO's war that gets half his army killed and his country obliterated?

Lying out of both sides of his mouth with absurd war propaganda. 

How about NEVER!

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Ukraine ‘will lose the war’ if US fails to approve aid, says Zelensky    

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/europe/ukraine-lose-war-us-congress-zelensky-intl/index.html

Zelensky previously told CNN that “millions” could die in Ukraine’s war with Russia if US lawmakers do not approve the aid package.

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STOP believing this guy's (and NATO/US elites) war cheer leading, complete nonsense.

It's PEACE that saves lives, not never ending war!

Stop enabling our corrupt politicians and media to steal our intelligence and do these diabolical things to REAL HUMAN BEINGS!

Ukraine Aid Packages Leave Many Unanswered Questions

https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-aid-packages-leave-many-unanswered-questions-opinion-1901975

Since 2022, Congress has designated more than $173 billion for the conflict in Ukraine—nearly as much as the Army's annual budget and about $1,300 per American household—and there is still no plan for victory or peace from the commander in chief. All of this, of course, comes on top of an $895 billion budget for the Department of Defense this year.

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I've been saying this for 2 years!!!!

More TRUTH about the US/NATO war using Ukrainians to fight it. List of links to the previous threads on the Ukraine war the past 2 years.

               Re: Re:  Who speaks the truth? NOT NATO!         

                      By metmike - March 27, 2024, 12:25 p.m.            

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                Re: Re:  Eye rolling absurd            

                            By metmike - Feb. 27, 2023, 10:04 p.m.            

Zelenskyy's popularity in Ukraine has fallen. Will he hold elections?

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/21/1252641146/zelenskyys-popularity-in-ukraine-has-fallen-will-he-hold-elections

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Zelensky is a NATO puppet working for NATO NOT Ukraine or Ukrainians!!!!!!!

Ukrainians want PEACE with Russia. Zelensky campaigned and won in 2019 on  "peace with Russia"  but had his brain hijacked in 2021 by NATO. Since then, it's been all about Ukraine becoming part of NATO and defeating Russia NOT peace or negotiating.

Russia-Ukraine war – latest: Zelensky calls on Nato to shoot down Putin’s

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-map-live-putin-kharkiv-battle-b2548467.html

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Exclusive: Ukraine's Zelenskiy pushes allies to step up aid and involvement in war

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/western-aid-ukraine-too-slow-risks-us-election-limited-zelenskiy-2024-05-20/                                                                                    

• Summary
• Zelenskiy speaks on fifth anniversary of inauguration
• Ukrainian leader chastises West for slow military aid
• He also pushes them to get more directly involved in war
• Leader concedes that war is "difficult" amid Russian advances
• He urges China to join peace summit in Switzerland in June

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Where in those messages do you see anything about PEACE?

Mostly just about defeating Russia and doing his job as the charismatic NATO puppet..... selling this war to NATO countries, compelling them to send EVEN MORE assistance for a war that was long, long ago lost.

Even as this decimates Ukraine and Ukrainians.

This Ukrainian traitor, sold his soul to the NATO devil.  Everybody in Ukraine would love to turn the clock back to pre-Zelensky days, when they thought they had it bad but he's led these HUMAN BEINGS into ALMOST hell on earth. Human beings living in Gaza know what actual hell on earth is.

Both those situations are mostly about agenda, especially driven by the corrupt, extraordinarily powerful Military-Industrial-Political-Media complex in the US, that dehumanizes these people and treat them as units and statistics.

Ignore the suffering and pain that extends to their massive families that multiplies the horrific impact by several times.  That all takes a far back seat to the elites in the United States making decisions that ENRICH their self serving interests.