News Russia showed off their Oreshnik missle

[GoldensRule]

Putin has become the homicidal maniac that the Russians fought against during WWII.

Stalin.

 

[sonofeugene]

No. Hitler. At that time in history, Stalin was generally thought of as a hero. Even though he was brutal with his own people.

 

[Smittty]

Exactly, Putin is the scum of the Earth. Hard to imagine how anyone could admire or even like that genocidal maniac.

Looking at the US from the outside, the rest of the world has that view of us (and israel).

Every country US went to war in, in my lifetime, was under manufactured consent.

Our government killed a lot of people!

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Looking at the US from the outside, the rest of the world has that view of us (and israel).

From your comment, a lot of Americans do too (assuming you are an American and not a foreigner, which your comment could indicate). Still, just because a lot of people are confused and have been brainwashed by anti-American special interests ($ocialists, (ommunists, Anarchists, Islamists, Democrats, MAGA Republicans) to think unobjectively about US military actions, lumping them all together as the same with no context or differentiation whatsoever, doesn't make those beliefs true. When it comes to WWI and WWII, America was the most isolationist it has ever been. We only got involved because we absolutely had to. Thank god we stopped the Chicoms from taking over all of the Korean peninsula. Vietnam was definitely a mistake. But we can't just isolate ourselves forever because of Vietnam. That would be stupid. Especially when our adversaries aren't isolating themselves. Russia and China would love it if we adopted a hard-line isolationist stance.

Our government has killed for a reason, and the hard truth that weaker minds cannot comprehend is that many people died to keep the world as free as it is today. Are we perfect? Is killing optimal? Heck no. But we probably wouldn't be here discussing this if our government hadn't done what it had to in most cases. Don't forget we lost a lot of good people fighting wars to make the world a better place for ourselves. So we all should show a little respect to our own service members who died for that. They didn't just all die in vain. And if you look at the countries we defeated in major wars, they are doing a lot better now than they probably would have if we hadn't fought them (Germany, Japan, Iraq). And in the case of Germany and Japan, we didn't really have a choice. Those people were being led by genocidal regimes hell-bent on World domination.

 

[Smittty]

Our government killed a lot of people for a reason....

In my lifetime there was only one reason, $$$$$$$$$$$$ and remains true today.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

In my lifetime there was only one reason, $$$$$$$$$$$$ and remains true today.

That is a very simplistic and unobjective view. It's just not true. And BTW, freedom isn't free. It cost a lot of blood and treasure, so you can even have this conversation. You're able to make these inaccurate and misinformed statements because of the sacrifices others have made in the service of our nation and to support our way of life. Show a little respect by not just saying they died for greed. That's so disrespectful and not even true.

 

[GoldensRule]

Looking at the US from the outside, the rest of the world has that view of us (and israel).

Every country US went to war in, in my lifetime, was under manufactured consent.

Our government killed a lot of people!

Not sure how your red herring fallacy / smokescreen changes the fact that Vladimir Putin is the scum of the Earth and a genocidal KGB maniac.

 

[sonofeugene]

My father and I would have hoped that WWII would have put tyrants to bed permanently. Unfortunately that’s not the case.

And I have the utmost respect for anyone who fought for freedom in all wars. It’s easy to say that we fought wars for money. But that’s not accurate.

And my father stormed the beaches of southern France and fought s in house to house combat. He was wounded but survived. But, in a way, he died because of his experiences in the military. He suffered from PTSD and died at age 54 from a cigarette habit he picked up in the army.

 

[xrMike]

And my father stormed the beaches of southern France and fought s in house to house combat.

Pardon my ignorance, but what are "pretzels"? Are they Italians?

I appreciate your father's service, he died way too young.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Pardon my ignorance, but what are "pretzels"? Are they Italians?

It's the auto word censorship, it turns n@zis into pretzels, and (ommunists/$ocialists into artists.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

My father and I would have hoped that WWII would have put tyrants to bed permanently. Unfortunately that’s not the case.

And I have the utmost respect for anyone who fought for freedom in all wars. It’s easy to say that we fought wars for money. But that’s not accurate.

And my father stormed the beaches of southern France and fought s in house to house combat. He was wounded but survived. But, in a way, he died because of his experiences in the military. He suffered from PTSD and died at age 54 from a cigarette habit he picked up in the army.

My dad died at the same age from multiple myeloma as a service-related disease from his time in Vietnam (Agent Orange exposure). He also had PTSD.

My grandfather had PTSD too, from his service in WWII, 1st Marine Division. He was wounded twice, first at Guadalcanal and second at Peleliu. Almost died. But he ended up living to age 80.

 

[Wolkenflieger]

It's the auto word censorship, it turns n@zis into pretzels, and (ommunists/$ocialists into artists.

A.k.a "knotsies" one can eat.

 

[mblat1968]

Ballistic missile is by definition supersonic. W2 was supersonic.
Oreshnik is subset of old Soviet Topol' missile. Basically it is Topol' without the first stage.

Its usage I tented to scare naive into believing that Russia is an actual force that needs to be considered and accommodated.

It is true only in a sense that we rather it align with us against China rather than with China against us.

There is no other consideration this country deserves. It is backward society that lives on capital created by Soviets. But Soviets they are not. They have not created anything new technologically scientifically or culturally for decades. Its military is a joke.

That is all said we are not far away from repeating their trajectory of near total degradation. And considering Oreshnik as something worth of discussion is one of symptoms of such degradation.

 

[GoldensRule]

Ballistic missile is by definition supersonic. W2 was supersonic.
Oreshnik is subset of old Soviet Topol' missile. Basically it is Topol' without the first stage.

Its usage I tented to scare naive into believing that Russia is an actual force that needs to be considered and accommodated.

It is true only in a sense that we rather it align with us against China rather than with China against us.

There is no other consideration this country deserves. It is backward society that lives on capital created by Soviets. But Soviets they are not. They have not created anything new technologically scientifically or culturally for decades. Its military is a joke.

That is all said we are not far away from repeating their trajectory of near total degradation. And considering Oreshnik as something worth of discussion is one of symptoms of such degradation.

The unique nature of the Oreshnik is that it carries up to six MIRV warheads and in the conventional munition configuration each warhead contains multiple MANUVERABLE submunitions. Whereas all ballistic missiles are supersonic, the Oreshnik and it's warheads travel and MANUVER at hypersonic speeds ( >12,000 kph) making the missile extremely difficult to intercept in the mid-course and terminal phases. Make no mistake, this is a very dangerous weapons system.

On the other hand, it is a very expensive weapons system to produce and since Putin's strategy seems to be entirely geared towards inflicting civilian casualties, the weapon is nothing but a weapon of terror, much like the NATSEE V-2 but with MUCH greater speed and accuracy. Fortunately, the Ukrainian people have demonstrated, time and again, that they are not easily terrorized.

The way this conflict comes to an end is to provide the Ukrainians with conventional armaments parity or superiority and allow them to conduct highly precise decapitation strikes against Russian leadership. Confiscate all Russian assets in the west and use those funds to arm Ukraine. I am also in favor of waiving NATO membership rules and allowing Ukraine to join NATO, now. The world cannot allow itself to be held hostage by the nuclear saber rattling of any nation, including the United States under the current administration. You cannot appease bullies if you do, you become their motherless , forever.