Why sure. It's obvious in that I quoted in boldface your particular passage that my comment was intended to compare, contrast and expand on. What part of what I said do you disagree with?
This NYTimes article about Russia's military recruiting difficulties does not paint the picture of a "winning nation". I predict a total disaster is going to befall the Russian nation at the hands of Vladimir Putin. Very sad to see this taking place before our eyes; yet there is no force other than that of the Russian people themselves that can rescue Russia from the headlong rush toward ignominy they are embarked upon.. From today's NYTimes: ... Four Russian veterans of the war in Ukraine recently published short videos online to complain about what they called their shabby treatment after returning to the Russian region of Chechnya, after six weeks on the battlefield. One claimed to have been denied a promised payment of nearly $2,000. Another grumbled that a local hospital declined to remove shrapnel lodged in his body. Their public pleas for help got results, but not the kind they were hoping for. Instead, an aide to Ramzan Kadyrov, the autocrat who runs Chechnya, berated them at length on television as ingrates and forced them to recant. “I was paid much more than they promised,” said Nikolai Lipa, the young Russian who had claimed that he had been cheated. Ordinarily, these sort of complaints might be ignored, but the swift rebuke underscores how Russian officials want to stamp out any criticism about military service in Ukraine. They need more soldiers, desperately, and are already using what some analysts call a ‘‘stealth mobilization’’ to bring in new recruits without resorting to a politically risky national draft. “Russia has a problem with recruitment and mobilization,” said Kamil Galeev, an independent Russian analyst and former fellow at The Wilson Center in Washington. “It is basically desperate to get more men using any means possible.” The numbers of battlefield dead and wounded are closely held secrets on both sides. The British military recently estimated the number of dead Russians at 25,000, with tens of thousands more wounded, out of an invasion force of 300,000, including support units. Yet, President Vladimir V. Putin hobbled the mobilization effort from the beginning, experts said, by refusing to put Russia on a war footing that would have allowed the military to start calling up reserves. Hence, the Kremlin has tried to glue together replacement battalions through other means. Avoiding a draft for all adult males allows the Kremlin to maintain the fiction that the war is a limited “special military operation,” while also minimizing the risk of the kind of public backlash that spurred the end of previous Russian military debacles, like the one in Afghanistan and the first Chechen war. To make up the manpower shortfall, the Kremlin is relying on a combination of impoverished ethnic minorities, Ukrainians from the separatist territories, mercenaries and militarized National Guard units to fight the war, and promising hefty cash incentives for volunteers. ... Read the entirety of the article here, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/10/world/europe/russia-recruits-ukraine-war.html . The remainder of the article only paints a darker picture still for Russia's prospects.
I apologize for having upset you so much. The fault is mine. Also, you win the exchange. Your victory is total. Congratulations.
I don't trust the NYT at all anymore. Too many deceptions. No longer a valid news source, if ever was. Propoganda rag. Just my opinion, though. Probably wrong.
Are you happy about that>? Do you have a hard on for the population of Russia, the regular people who just want to do their thing, have a family, enjoy the garden, play a little guitar, paint a picture, live a life? What problem do they pose to you? What would you suggest they do? What should disgruntled United States Veterans who have been in much worse conditions at least since 'Nam? Agree? Have you ever poste to ET an article posing that view to counter what could be seen as onesided rah rah nonsense. Does an honest portrait of poopy joe's america depict a winning nation? LOL. Let us count the downfalls... post that sometime as we stumble into possible shitstorm.
Wonder how many news sources are clean if any. You're writing legit news, making pennies and then a ,,sponsor" shows up, with an article which is a little bit off from reality, yet, the check is too tempting to refuse. One of my friends is writing some tech articles for a site in our region. A well known processor manufacturer contacted him with ,,If you write that the new product of our competition is a garbage, you get this and this for free.. " Don't know till this day, did he accepted or not. Doesn't matter. A dying friendship anyways.
Putin ordered to commanders to speak with parents from soldiers. What they tell and how they tell it shows they don't care about the life of these soldiers. Some things these commanders tell: Can Putin withdraw? Yes he can, but in that case these nazi's will soon attack the village or city in which you live. So we cannot withdraw. Parents should be proud that their sons want to fight and defend Russia. (So they should be proud that there sons will be killed while Putin and the oligarchs continue stealing billions from gaz and oil sales). The parents and soldiers should not forget that after the war they will feel the consequences of refusing to fight. Life will become very uncomfortable for them, so better do what Putin tells. Life in Russia is really wonderful. It is a privilige to live there. Much better than in the decadent West.