Ukraine

[hepcat]

There was a piece on this on the radio this morning. Some 22 year old from Indiana with zero military training flew to Poland last week and is trying to get into Ukraine so he can fight.

Frankly, that's just stupid. The reality of war is going to be a sharp wake up call for someone who I believe got the idea from playing video games and thinks he'll be a hero just by showing up. Even beyond that, he has no connection to Ukraine. He doesn't know anyone there, doesn't speak the language, doesn't know the land. He's going to end up getting himself and anyone who takes him in killed, more than likely.

[malchior]

You'd figure they'd ferret that out and that doesn't mean they'd be useful in some non-combat role. Freeing up someone else who might be able to fight is still useful potentially. I'm not suggesting anyone should start flooding in as an untrained wannabes but I'd expect it isn't necessarily a problem in small doses.

[Unagi]

Is it possible that a ‘NATO level cyber organization’ is one of the randos that make up Anonymous?

[LawBeefaroni]

There was a piece on this on the radio this morning. Some 22 year old from Indiana with zero military training flew to Poland last week and is trying to get into Ukraine so he can fight.

Frankly, that's just stupid. The reality of war is going to be a sharp wake up call for someone who I believe got the idea from playing video games and thinks he'll be a hero just by showing up. Even beyond that, he has no connection to Ukraine. He doesn't know anyone there, doesn't speak the language, doesn't know the land. He's going to end up getting himself and anyone who takes him in killed, more than likely.

You'd figure they'd ferret that out and that doesn't mean they'd be useful in some non-combat role. Freeing up someone else who might be able to fight is still useful potentially. I'm not suggesting anyone should start flooding in as an untrained wannabes but I'd expect it isn't necessarily a problem in small doses.

They just had a similar piece on CNN. There is a process to assess their battle readiness. Lots of volunteers won't be sent to combat. Their bigger concern is the trustworthiness of the combat ready guys. They could Russian agents or just psychos.

There was one guy on the CNN story who fixes tires. He said something like, "if it's black, rubber, and round, I can fix it and get it on a vehicle...Logistics are key." Maybe Indiana kid has some kind of skill not related to combat, or could learn one.

[malchior]

Is it possible that a ‘NATO level cyber organization’ is one of the randos that make up Anonymous?

Sure but they'd still risk sticking out. It is sort of like the difference in a break in by a street gang versus an organized burglary ring. There are better approaches too. They can take after how the FBI operates in sting operations. It wouldn't surprise me if nat. sec. groups hung out in their chat rooms, suggested ideas, and pointed out where the "unlocked doors" are. Especially doors they jimmied open for them...

[Unagi]

Yeah, that’s sorta what I was imagining.
Playing a a role , perhaps not actually touching much, except where they can do it where their fingerprints are expected.

If that makes any sense.

[malchior]

Yeah, that’s sorta what I was imagining.
Playing a a role , perhaps not actually touching much, except where they can do it where their fingerprints are expected.

If that makes any sense.

I mean I unofficially can say with very high confidence I am aware of organizations (more like individuals in some organizations) that hang out in those chats and interact with them for many reasons.

[Isgrimnur]

There was one guy on the CNN story who fixes tires. He said something like, "if it's black, rubber, and round, I can fix it and get it on a vehicle...Logistics are key." Maybe Indiana kid has some kind of skill not related to combat, or could learn one.

[LawBeefaroni]

What is the quote attributed to every great general? "Amateurs focus on strategy, professionals focus on logistics." Something like that.

[Unagi]

I think it was something like strategy wins battles, logistics wins wars.

[Jaymann]

[dbt1949]

So...........Putin is going to become China's bitch. That ought to slow China's economy too.

[malchior]

What's sort of interesting is that some voices in China have spoken up about the danger of supporting Russia.

Hu Wei advocates that the West is going to become stronger for this and China should get on the right side of this issue before it is too late.

Wang Huiyao thinks China could be central to negotiating a peace since there is great risk to Putin escalating the conflict as he continues to lose face.

Both are worth a read but the second one probably earns China the most advantage so it might be the more likely path it takes.

[LawBeefaroni]

I think it was something like strategy wins battles, logistics wins wars.

This is the one I was thinking of:

Amateurs talk about strategy, professionals talk about logistics.

[coopasonic]

Didn't Russia put Taiwan on their published list of unfriendly countries? Asking China for help after that seems doomed.

[LawBeefaroni]

Didn't Russia put Taiwan on their published list of unfriendly countries? Asking China for help after that seems doomed.

Why? Isn't that exactly what China would want?

[coopasonic]

Didn't Russia put Taiwan on their published list of unfriendly countries? Asking China for help after that seems doomed.

Why? Isn't that exactly what China would want?

In China's eyes Taiwan isn't a separate country, or at least that was my understanding. Any reference to Taiwan as an independent entity brings down their wrath.

[Jaymann]

Is Taiwan a separate country? It looks like mostly true. At least for the nonce.

[LawBeefaroni]

Didn't Russia put Taiwan on their published list of unfriendly countries? Asking China for help after that seems doomed.

Why? Isn't that exactly what China would want?

In China's eyes Taiwan isn't a separate country, or at least that was my understanding. Any reference to Taiwan as an independent entity brings down their wrath.

I think they name ROC as a territory that is unfriendly. Either way, China knows what they mean. They book all ROC trade balance as PRC.
Putin was over there grovelling during the Olympics.

[El Guapo]

Didn't Russia put Taiwan on their published list of unfriendly countries? Asking China for help after that seems doomed.

Why? Isn't that exactly what China would want?

In China's eyes Taiwan isn't a separate country, or at least that was my understanding. Any reference to Taiwan as an independent entity brings down their wrath.

That is correct. Taiwan is clearly a separate country as a de facto matter, in that they have their own separate government, elections, and set of laws. But China is very clear that they regard Taiwan as essentially a rogue province of China, and any prominent reference to them by anyone at any point makes them very angry.

Hence, for example, John Cena's obsequious apology to them in Chinese.



So yeah, China would obviously be ticked off about Russia referring to them as a country, unfriendly or otherwise. Although that's not by itself going to outweigh China's assessment of its own national self-interest in terms of how to approach the Russia / Ukraine situation. China may leverage that mistake to raise the price of any help from it to Russia, though.

[coopasonic]

I guess I didn't pick up the quotes around the word countries in reference to the list. I see other articles calling it a list of "countries and territories." I guess I should have had more faith in Vlad.

[YellowKing]

I know as a movie star he has money on the line, but it kind of pisses me off he has to apologize. Because really, F China and what they think. It sucks businesses have to bow down to a country responsible for so many human rights abuses because of the almighty dollar.

[Jaymann]

Didn't Russia put Taiwan on their published list of unfriendly countries? Asking China for help after that seems doomed.

Why? Isn't that exactly what China would want?

In China's eyes Taiwan isn't a separate country, or at least that was my understanding. Any reference to Taiwan as an independent entity brings down their wrath.

That is correct. Taiwan is clearly a separate country as a de facto matter, in that they have their own separate government, elections, and set of laws. But China is very clear that they regard Taiwan as essentially a rogue province of China, and any prominent reference to them by anyone at any point makes them very angry.

Hence, for example, John Cena's obsequious apology to them in Chinese.

I find that particularly repugnant, given that it's a freaking country that was a founding member of the United Nations until they got bullied out by PRC. Was it pressure from his studio?

[El Guapo]

I find that particularly repugnant, given that it's a freaking country that was a founding member of the United Nations until they got bullied out by PRC. Was it pressure from his studio?

Almost certainly and/or maybe his agent. I can't imagine Cena cares that much about China's feelings about Taiwan.

[Defiant]

[Carpet_pissr]

And she was never heard from again...

[Holman]

I find that particularly repugnant, given that it's a freaking country that was a founding member of the United Nations until they got bullied out by PRC. Was it pressure from his studio?

Almost certainly and/or maybe his agent. I can't imagine Cena cares that much about China's feelings about Taiwan.

Although getting blacklisted by China is a good way to make sure you never get cast in another major-studio movie. Cena presumably cares about that.

[Victoria Raverna]

I think Taiwan will reunite with China. They're one country that got divided by a civil war. Both government claimed (or used to claim) to be the legitimate government of the whole China.

[Daehawk]

Not until China stops being introverts.

[Alefroth]

I think Taiwan will reunite with China. They're one country that got divided by a civil war. Both government claimed (or used to claim) to be the legitimate government of the whole China.

Can you explain reunite?

[Victoria Raverna]

I think Taiwan will reunite with China. They're one country that got divided by a civil war. Both government claimed (or used to claim) to be the legitimate government of the whole China.

Can you explain reunite?

Become one country again?

[hepcat]

Ah, you meant invaded and forced to become part of china again.

[raydude]

Ah, you meant invaded and forced to become part of china again.

I'm told China is very patient. After all, it's a nation that's lasted thousands of years. Let's hope they have an infinite amount of patience for Taiwan to come back on their own

[Daehawk]

That'll be the day.

[Blackhawk]

Sort of like the way Ukraine is reuniting with Russia.

[Kraken]

China certainly has played the long game throughout its history, but the long game includes taking advantage of fluid situations. Plus, individual rulers like to be remembered for their derring-do. Taiwan must be very nervous right now.

[Alefroth]

I think Taiwan will reunite with China. They're one country that got divided by a civil war. Both government claimed (or used to claim) to be the legitimate government of the whole China.

Can you explain reunite?

Become one country again?

And how do you think that will happen?

Does the Taiwanese govt. currently claim they are the legitimate govt. of all of China?

[Daehawk]

We should just move Tiawan to off the CA coast.

[Defiant]

Thread worth reading:

[raydude]

That'll be the day.

Hence the infinite and smiley face, grasshopper.