Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Swede

(38,242 posts)
Mon Oct 20, 2025, 03:33 PM Oct 20

"I mean, Hitler's already taken 40% of France, just leave it the way it is."

“I mean, Hitler’s already taken 40% of France, just leave it the way it is.”

Julie DiCaro (@juliedicaro.bsky.social) 2025-10-20T15:54:00.767Z
6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Deuxcents

(25,394 posts)
1. He's all for rewarding the aggressor, his friend. That's not negotiating..that's dictating. No pun intended
Mon Oct 20, 2025, 03:37 PM
Oct 20

Emrys

(8,910 posts)
5. "Taken" is working hard there.
Mon Oct 20, 2025, 07:20 PM
Oct 20

The Russian troops, especially in recent months, have had a habit of sending suicide squads darting into Ukrainian territory, staging photo ops by flying a flag or two off buildings in a locality, then doing their best to flee before the Ukrainian forces catch up with them. I guess those territories class as "taken". In reality, there are vast swathes of grey zones among the conventionally recognized fronts depicted in snazzy maps.

In areas where the Russians have established more long-lasting occupation, things haven't been going well from the start. Many areas have severe water shortages coupled with ironic flooding of mines etc., unpredictable power supplies, ever-increasing fuel shortages, leading to reliance on bikes etc., and poor provision of food and basic supplies and amenities in villages and townships which are often just conurbations of bombed-out ruins, along with the threats of random cruelty and boredom- and sadism-driven drone strikes on individuals trying to struggle though their everyday activities. That likely also classes as "taken".

As if Putin's war is purely about territory anyway. That's a failed real estate shark's blinkered interpretation. It's more about subjugation and providing a distraction from the horrible mess Putin's made of his country while he and the Russian mafia have robbed its citizens blind. If the war ends, on whatever terms, Putin faces a reckoning, along with the problems of reintegrating the raggle-taggle, often criminal, murderous and deranged hordes who've survived his war, with whatever limbs or faculties missing, and aren't exactly going to be returning to a land fit for heroes that will welcome and honour them rapturously.

When the Russians first started trying to stir up opposition to Ukrainian rule in the Donbas back around 2014, insurgent provocateur and war criminal Igor Girkin (a.k.a. Strelkov) lamented that he couldn't muster even 1,000 of the locals to fight alongside him.

I wish permanently attention-seeking, low-attention span, high-drama Trump and his craven, crooked cronies would make their bloody minds up. If the war in Ukraine is of no concern and none of the US's business, then just fuck off and stop dabbling with people whose business it is, as you're demonstrably only making things worse.

If the US administration is now whining about "war fatigue", imagine how the Europeans and the rest of NATO, let alone the Ukrainians, feel about being continuously dicked around by Trump's obsession with spending his twilight years play-acting as a diplomat when he can't find anything more amusing to fill up the idle days of his advanced dotage.

Emrys

(8,910 posts)
6. Also, why the heck does Trump keep doing these interviews in that doorway?
Mon Oct 20, 2025, 07:23 PM
Oct 20

Doesn't he realize it looks exactly like someone's just intercepted him on his way to the john?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»"I mean, Hitler's already...