@dang - why flagged?
US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
111–120 of 1001 posts
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#112[flagged]
It’s more comments than upvotes. That’s a good indicator it’s a shitty topic filled with a flame war
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#113Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#114I'm glad that this discussion finally takes place, even though the discussion is of course flagged.
You can flag here, but the mainstream press has picked up the issue:
"Can the US switch off Europe’s weapons?"
https://www.ft.com/content/1503a69e-13e4-4ee8-9d05-b9ce1f7cc...
"Such is the concern that debate has turned to whether the US maintains secret so-called kill switches that would immobilise aircraft and weapons systems. While never proven, Richard Aboulafia, managing director at consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory, said: “If you postulate the existence of something that can be done with a little bit of software code, it exists.”
In practice, it may not even matter because of how already reliant advanced combat aircraft and other sophisticated weapons — such as anti-missile systems, advanced drones and early warning aircraft — are on US spare parts and software updates."
There you go, finally mainstream press and politicians are mentioning the kill switch.
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#115I'm glad that this discussion finally takes place, even though the discussion is of course flagged. You can flag here, but the mainstream press has picked up the issue: "Can the US switch off Europe’s weapons?" https://www.ft.com/content/1503a69e-13e4-4ee8-9d05-b9ce1f7cc... "Such is the concern that debate has turned to whether the US maintains secret so-called kill switches that would immobilise aircraft and weapons…
Yeah, not delivering additional aid for free is one thing.
But retracting support is the nuclear option.
Figuratively, because you can probably one do it once, so you better pick a good reason for doing it.
And literally, because small European countries do now have to consider nukes.
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#116Right now every buyer of American kit is feverishly evaluating non-US alternatives. Seriously, America, this is like Brexit but 1000x. A voluntary decision, taken with gusto, to chop off arms and legs and ears and fingers and whatnot, cut off the deadwood, be light and free, a lone vessel on the ocean of prosperity, free of the burden of the stupid foreigners who are the sole reason why everything was going wrong.
While I agree with you, I think the problem goes beyond military equipment. There’s a lot of risk now in doing business with America in every field, because it’s so unpredictable. Why get cloud or SaaS from the US if they’re one executive order away from being forced to break the GDPR — or shut off service completely, like Maxar in Ukraine. Why build supply chains through America if the price of raw materials can arb…
Yes, I agree. There was a view that Trump is at least transactional - that so long as you pay (NATO defense spending target, US weapons etc) he'll have your back,.in a subscription basis. Likewise outside defense I guess.
But that's going up in smoke rather quickly.
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#117I genuinely wish there was an understandable endgame for the USA. The USA seems to be throwing its weight around but I’m not entirely sure to what end. This headline/article is just one area where the US is behaving perplexingly. I understand that Trump wants Zelenskyy to sign the minerals deal and that implicitly there’s security guarantees. Fine there’s at least a through line. However; by demonstrating that the US…
> I understand that Trump wants Zelenskyy to sign the minerals deal and that implicitly there’s security guarantees. I don't think there are any "security guarantees". What could they be? The "endgame" as far as I understand it: The US wants access to the minerals as a compensation for the money already spent and, perhaps, to restore some of the support currently put on hold (satellite data access). Once the Ukranian…
Truer words...
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#118Will America ever be trusted again?
Also, stop flagging news articles simply because they are slightly anti-Trump.
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
NATO has never been a threat to Russia. Under what scenario are all the governments of NATO countries convinced to attack Russia? Also Finland just joined and Russia barley registered a complaint.
>NATO has never been a threat to Russia This is a very naive take, I think. When you are responsible for the security of a nation, you can't just remain passive to the potential threats that shows up on your doorstep. I mean, it would be irresponsible his people if Putin did that and trusted NATO/US blindly to not cross the line, one way or another. (I mean, US could always make up some cooked up justification for th…
> potential threats
What threats specifically? This should be very easy to answer, but no one ever does.
NATO has had missiles at Russia’s border for 70 years, in Turkey, but that never resulted in a US special military operation to Moscow.
Re: US Ends Support For Ukrainian F-16s
#120Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is russian propaganda and it is important to know what it says, to be able to recognize it when you see it elsewhere, from the mouth of an influencer, a politician, a comment on the Web etc.
Rejecting theories by labeling them "propaganda" with out any justification is not really helping here.
Russia/USSR been pretty hostile to nations who don't want to join their peaceful and strong brotherhood. Hey they even invaded other communist nations just cause they decide to keep some independence.
If those "unfaithful" countries join NATO this creates problems for Russia to force them to give up their freedom.
And USSR/Russia started a fuss that NATO is a threat for them.