(February 14, 2024 at 10:30 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently several media outlets carried a story quoting a politician who said that the US was sending its old stock of weapons to Ukraine so that they could use them up, and this allowed America to buy all new ones. This was reported as a GOOD THING. It was pointed out on more left-wing, anti-war sites that the only people who really benefit from this are the arms manufacturers.

...and their employees

Bela seems to think that the Ukrainian military should spontaneously be able to integrate the latest western tech into their arsenal. Forget about the non-NATO spec basis of its military. Just cram that 5.56 into your 7.62 AK, right? Integrate all the software seamlessly right?

Russia is rolling out T-55s with birdcages welded onto them. But let's talk about donated mil equipment that was stockpiled in western armories instead.

"The Russian Armed Forces’ need to use outdated military equipment became evident by the summer of 2022. At that time, the first losses of de-mothballed tanks were recorded. The number of destroyed T-62s increased by the autumn of 2022 and since spring 2023, T-54/55 tanks, produced sometime between 1946¬–1979, have been taken out of storage. The Russians themselves admitted that these tanks were deployed in the occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region, but their role on the battlefield was unclear. Later it turned out that there were several options for their use. In particular, they could be deployed as artillery systems for non-precision fires, due to the loss of a large amount of tube artillery. This was necessary to strengthen the defensive line in the occupied territories and provide fire support for units anticipating the Ukrainian counteroffensive."

source: https://euro-sd.com/2023/11/articles/349...raine-war/

Stop digging your hole dude.

(February 15, 2024 at 12:13 pm)Deesse23 Wrote:

(February 14, 2024 at 10:30 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently several media outlets carried a story quoting a politician who said that the US was sending its old stock of weapons to Ukraine so that they could use them up, and this allowed America to buy all new ones. This was reported as a GOOD THING. It was pointed out on more left-wing, anti-war sites that the only people who really benefit from this are the arms manufacturers.

...and their employees

...and the US military who would otherwise have to pay to decommission those old munitions, and pay for their replacements.

Quote:A Joe Biden presidency would be better for Russia than a Donald Trump one, Russian President Vladimir Putin told pro-Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin in an on-camera interview Wednesday.

CNN

(February 13, 2024 at 9:46 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:

(February 12, 2024 at 11:39 pm)Belacqua Wrote: We can talk to Julian Assange about who gets to sit in prison and who doesn't. 

That was a case of revealing stolen classified materials, not offering contrary opinions as in Russia. Nice false equivalency, though.

Don't forget the rape. No wonder T****y likes him.

(February 15, 2024 at 12:13 pm)Nanny Wrote: Bela seems to think

No, I never said anything like that. 

Could you offer counter-examples to what I've said, rather than making up things?

For example, if you know of any cases where the Times, or any large corporate media outlet, argued against the established power structures of the country, the military/industrial complex, or big banks, that would be relevant to the discussion. 

To be clear, I'm not talking about support for one party or the other. (They both serve the same masters.)

(February 15, 2024 at 5:32 pm)Belacqua Wrote:

(February 15, 2024 at 12:13 pm)Nanny Wrote: Bela seems to think

No, I never said anything like that. 

Well that's a good thing!

(February 15, 2024 at 12:13 pm)Deesse23 Wrote:

(February 14, 2024 at 10:30 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently several media outlets carried a story quoting a politician who said that the US was sending its old stock of weapons to Ukraine so that they could use them up, and this allowed America to buy all new ones. This was reported as a GOOD THING. It was pointed out on more left-wing, anti-war sites that the only people who really benefit from this are the arms manufacturers.

...and their employees

You're certainly correct. Many parts of the US economy benefit if there's a war going on. 

Everybody knows that when there's a billion-dollar military aid package for some war somewhere, the majority of the money stays in the US.

Suffering far away means profit in the US.

So the idea that the US could move away from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy seems inconceivable, given the powers that be. This is why the corporate media and the arms dealers, etc., work together to justify violence wherever possible.

(February 15, 2024 at 6:34 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Suffering far away means profit in the US.

Defending Ukrainian freedom makes money here. Because, let's face it, not supplying Ukraine with arms will not reduce Ukrainian suffering. So what the problem is?

(February 15, 2024 at 6:43 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:

(February 15, 2024 at 6:34 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Suffering far away means profit in the US.

Defending Ukrainian freedom makes money here. Because, let's face it, not supplying Ukraine with arms will not reduce Ukrainian suffering. So what the problem is?

More shooting does not equal less suffering.