scoobdog

lol. I thought you were referring to the fact they were previously part of treaties. So, yes, you’re right.

It wouldn't mean that at all. The existing treaties don't have to mandate military response; they could allow information sharing or joint defense exercises. That being said, joining NATO would mean they're giving up neutrality.

Also, lol at Nabs yelling at people to educate themselves on what genocides are. Yes, he's actually yelling at his computer.

Wow, that was an almost coherent threat...

Lol.

You don't compete with the memory of a former spouse. It sounds cliche to say you need to make your own memories with someone who's lost a loved one, but what it means is that you have to create a unique relationship with that person. She isn't the same person as she was when she was with her late wife, so what she needs out of your relationship is not what she needed then. Focus on what Charlotte needs now, and go from there.

The fact you have young men conscripted in the service being thrust into a human blender just highlights the odd and seemingly incongruous behavior of some of Russia's forces.

Didn’t think so.

Only two boards? Does that even count?

It kills me that the crud is back.

The irony is that they will indeed be abandoned by Russia as soon as the cost of the campaign becomes crippling.

Broooo….

I’m never trusting a balcony ever again.

Were you in the room at the time the miscreant(s) broke in?

China isn't going to make Russia a "client state" - they have absolutely no need for Russia besides whatever resources they can get from them on the cheap. The partnership really only serves the greater purpose of uniting against the United States. In the long run, China will be fine; they've done just enough nothing in this conflict to recover most of their previous contacts once the quagmire becomes perpetual background noise. It might have killed their more adventurous goals in the near term, but it also shifted much of the global ire toward Putin and Russia. Furthermore, Xi knows that there is plenty of opportunity in the vacuum of left by Putin's eventual collapse not just in the West but also in the Near East where there are far more viable partners to build an effective coalition. All of this get Xi to this summer not just unscathed but in a relatively stronger position without even needing to do something as drastic as start any special operations.

¡C'est magnifique!

Well, I mean that's what the "show" is all about, an escape for both your audience and you. He might be in a refugee camp; those places are pretty awful.

Katt didn't even have to comment on the edit, but she did because she's so considerate.

I think you should make room in your freezer for your boss.

You always miss things.

That's awesome. How is he doing?

I really think it's more likely that Putin's stated opposition to NATO was more about him regaining influence over former Soviet satellite states and less about him actively trying to suppress NATO. It was always a means to an end, as evidenced by the fact he went into a country that hadn't really even attempted to join prior. On its surface it make no real sense for either Russia or China to oppose NATO unless it serves to break up a coalition with the United States (almost explicitly so in the case of China). For China, the invasion itself was a monumental disaster because it puts them in a position where they have to defend Russia against Europe at a time when they seek to have greater influence in Europe. None of this helps them isolate Europe from North America, which is always going to be their primary goal because Europe (particularly the more conservative former Eastern Bloc members) is a valuable piece in this game of global chess - an affluent customer that doesn't particularly want to be pushed around economically by the US. More importantly, keeping Europe and NATO as a whole placated has the added benefit of hamstringing the US when it comes to China attempting to exert influence in its own sphere. China gets nothing from being an enemy of NATO, and the longer Russia botches this invasion, the more likely that China is unable to extract itself from Putin's stench. That can have disastrous effects for any aspirations China might have in expanding its control into the South China Sea or taking over Taiwan. TL;DR - Opposition to NATO was always a means to an end for Russia and by product of other aspirations for China.

Yes, please!

*Checks List....* I had no idea I had a Parkinson's joke on my list, but there it is...