BlueOak

How would invading the country next to you, make your own government less likely to be overthrown by an external power? It would seem to just create more enemies and chaos, making it easier to be overthrown.

Sorry for killing idealism a bit. It gets easier, if you can avoid hitting the nihilism many do. Life still matters, people (and animals) are about the only thing that does. (Hence why war is abhorrent and needs to end).

Oh totally. They were getting the resources a good price anyway. But again very different scale to your other regime, and the US hasn't managed to do it in venezula either. Over throwing a regime takes a lot of luck, and a lot of people willing to be in the new regime, instability etc, I just don't see that in Russia. Plus Russia's internal security services are second to none, and their propaganda even better. But invading Ukraine wouldn't change that, and it would probably make it easier, do you know how many Ukranians would love to see that happen now? And they have a similar culture, can blend in etc.

Yep. You've phrased it better than me.

BUT Russia might have westernised I agree. Or it might have evolved past a police state. And that, to Putin, is almost as bad. This way it remains a police state, stuck in a perpetual conflict with its neighbors, and the aging fossils running it can hang on a few more decades to power.

The logistics involved in invading a country like Russia across the globe are so far removed its not even vaguely comparable. Even the Germans who bordered them and were far technologically advanced of Russia couldn't do it, so many empires have tried. Its harsh terrain and unforgiving to invade. Russia is gigantic. Plus Russia has nukes, and they will use them if their land is invaded, or their country threatened.

We are 100% of the same mind.

NATO Is a defensive alliance. Ukraine was westernising. They wanted to move beyond where Russia is. Their population were of sufficient consciousness to protest against a stage blue oppression, and when they did, Putin had them executed on mass or beaten in the streets. This started a war. Mostly because the Russian government is horribly incompetent at managing any kind of dynamic population or social pressure. The US has been AGAINST involement in Ukraine. Trump repeatedly wants to pull back, and given Russia what it wants. Biden was softly softly, whereas Eastern Europe, used to centuries of Russian invasion and meddling in their countries saw the pattern early and called for aid. Without it, there would already have been a wider war, with those countries involved in a fight that directly effects their own people. There is no hypocrisy. Countries take what they can. The more that openly do it, the easier it is for others to justify it. This is how a world war comes about. Be sick but don't start thinking Russia isn't just as bad as any power doing it. No war is justified. End of.

@Daniel Balan Its not complicated. Narratives are all BS for the masses. To keep you thinking good and bad exists. When its just about power, and what people can do. Venezula wants to give China control over one of the most valuable resources on the planet. Oil. They have openly mocked the US for a long time publicly. The US won't have that in its backyard. Because large countries throw their weight around. Russia vs Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Chechnya, etc., Like China in the south China sea, tibet, East Turkestan, Taiwan etc. Without a unipolar world, the larger countries are doing whatever they want. Previously the US could, now they all do. Regional powers are doing it to, look at Syria, again, its everyone's land to carve up now apparently: Turkey, Israel, Isis, Iran, the Kurds, Russia, America.

I am no fan of the US. I think they are close to being an aggressive autocracy, which I loathe. Better or worse don't come into war much in my thoughts. War is hell. But when you come with language like Russia is good, after all i've seen them do, I'll certainly push back every time. I've been trying to convince people that world has shifted right for about 25 years mate. And this is the end result of it, a world war. All of these leaders are imbalanced. Democrat and republican alike. The 'left' even in the UK is barely centrist these days.

The US would never have had the political leverage or capital to do this to venezula without Russia and BRICS killing Ukranians for several years. The entirity of Europe would have condemned it like the world did Israel. World tension is high. People can more easily justify wars on the opposing parties. Besides which invading Russia is suicidal. Invading Venezuela is like picking on a tiny kid at school, a bit like China picking on Taiwan.

You know what I think. Bombing nurseries, sexually assaulting women in captured territories, torture, assassination, pardoning criminals, firing tanks at old men walking down the road and hundreds of years of Russian aggression, meddling in politics and every horror I can possibly name don't make anyone good. Oh but its alright they got back about 5 of the tens of thousands of Ukranian kids Putin abducted. GD now you've got me doing it. This bad. This good. Just let's get past it to what comes next. And build a world that isn't on fire.

There is a cold war on. Which gets hotter by the month. Venzula is aligned with BRICS. Europe and America's opponents. See every conflict with that lens as its base and its easy to understand. Of course those involved have their own reasons also that shouldn't be ignored. As do the regions, but that is a factor in most currrent and coming world conflicts 2026 - 2027 and however long it takes for people to realise this is incredibly stupid. The ones doing so will not be quoting X country is bad, X country is better, and instead looking for or offering a solution - when enough of these people exist things will calm down, until then ww3 is on the cards.

Peace possible. I'd say unlikely but possible. Still I wanted to offer the hope. NATO like guarantee's was the primary thing holding it back, now they have them. Meaning Russia can't just go for round 3. Its still more likely we'll have a larger war, as EU leaders keep warning. Them losing another 500 million dollar sub had to sting. Now they've boxed in their black sea navy by sinking some ships to stop the underwater drones, but it makes them a clustered missile target. About 15 mins in for the port situation.

Security costs. That's the basics of it Zazen. To be secure from Russia's influence and energy leverage, the prices will be higher. And any country stupid enough, this decade, to become overreliant on Russian energy as the primary or even singular source of their own energy are quite frankly cutting off their own toes in geo strategic terms. There has been no real reform in Russia, this will happen again when the opportunity arises, as that's how the Russians do business. Not to say Russia can't make a percentage of people's energy long term, as it should be, but even 30% is stupid, if a country can shut down 30% of your energy supplies that really hurts. BUT and I want to say this for the 50th time so everyone hears it. Europe increasing its GDP into defense won't sit idle on it. It will be used in some theater. That's a blunder long term that BRICS has made, not just Russia, by pushing the EU that far. Its also a reason there will be more war, as that's a huge right wing shift in the EU with obvious geopolitical opponents. It was a soft easy target, and rather than China taking the opportunity to make it their soft easy friend while America implodes, they made it their opponent via Russia. Utterly stupid long term but hey ho.

No its not simple. You underestimate that we are all 6 degrees separated from each other. So while we can drop an idea that does create a ripple, its one of several million creating that person's reality. The simple answer, has been and ALWAYS will be, no billionaires. But there are people so rich, that they don't appear on any rich list. Money is meaningless to them: https://jamiefreeman.news/hidden-wealth-why-the-worlds-richest-families-are-absent-from-forbes-list/ So until THESE families reform, the world will be as it is. You'd be 1 million times better off trying to reach them than the average man. However people do that. - Heads of states, royalty etc don't appear on any rich list, all of them hold the structure of the world in its current state, a pyramid that is not at all optimal for how people are supposed to function. Leadership should not mean power. Money should not dictate influence or ability. That's why humanity fails. Trouble is even Leo is stuck on that last one, because the entire reality is structured toward it, people actively reinforce it, so its a complete waste of time talking to the masses on this, because the reality will just be restructured in a slightly different way maintaining the same dynamic.

I would teleport 12 in from all walks of life, form a council and have a more balanced representative voice without the swings you all experience creating drama an upheavel. Then I would do the same for the globe and thus eliminate most wars and immigration issues, by slowly focusing the worlds resources systematically on the worst off countries to raise the whole. I reckon it'd take a decade to ease the world into a more comfortable less conflict prone place. Specialising each country to decrease costs and raise your quality of life globally. (I know there'd be war, but it wouldn't be global in nature)

I dunno, are you ready for a century or more of Ukranian 'terror' attacks if you somehow manage to convince enough of BRICS to send in aid to save your country from collapsing? Oh and the millions or so you've abducted. That's actively seeking out refugee's, which I think is somehow worse. People need to stop acting as if this doesn't go on all over the world if its ever going to stop.

Trump certainly didn't help the economy, but its the global conflict and countries no longer specialising but trying to do it all themselves that has led to our quality of life decreasing. Previously the world was working together, everyone fufilling a role which helped get costs down, now everyone is not only competing but actively sabotaging each other. China's heroically masculine, blame the west for everything, take no responsibility for anything approach. Cue the resident China excusers.

The Economy killed Trump. The Dems are terrible, at almost everything except fund raising.

Its okay to want anything. Getting all these wants is another matter. People are real and messy. Not data on a profile. Or a bunch of words in our heads.

Outside of your 20's or when men mature past image. Truth Loyalty and trust are infinitely more sought-after traits universally in partners. Which by the way are considerably higher standards in the modern day 'convenient' approach to dating. Ditch convenience, its the solution to it all.

As I see it mentioned. Get off the dating scene. Approach girls in real life, talk to them. If you can find a girl not on apps, its a good start. Put the work in, don't take the easy convenient approach, build things irl. Convenience is not a place to start off for the long term in my opinion. I had more women approach me this last year, approach me, because I just talk to anyone now. I couldn't care less. I picked one of the ones interested and we are happy. But i'd known her for months. Its not like i'm the most handsome guy around either, I just talk to a lot of women. I also hate 'game', I just ask them how they are show interest, sometimes make them laugh when a chance comes with something harmless but unexpected. (But i'm naturally also protective of people which many find attractive when they see that side of me).

I don't know if anyone's mentioned it but you can listen to a girl without being a wet noodle or caving in to everything she says. You can give her hard advice without sounding like an ass. You can buy her gifts without overdoing it and simping. You can have your own boundaries without being a control freak. You can argue without breaking apart. I think the world overthinks these things.

Hmm. I have low ego-ID with anything. But I go back to it because the feelings are nice. Sentiment for example. Or a protective feeling for something These are two I enjoy.