[bpodgursky]

The US has not put any nuclear weapons (or long-range missiles) in Latvia or Estonia, which are already part of NATO and closer to Moscow... so no.

There's already a perfectly close place to put them, which the US hasn't bothered doing, because it's unnecessary.

[ajsnigrutin]

So, for example, if russia became more friendly and cooparetive with eg. Cuba, that wouldn't be problematic to USA, because proximity doesn't matter that much?

[bpodgursky]

You're shifting goalposts because you don't have any rebuttal to my point.

In the many years that Cuba was friendly and cooperative with the USSR, the US never made any more than a joke attempt at a military intervention. The US was obviously not thrilled, but never did anything comparable to the current invasion of Ukraine. Not sure your point.

[trasz]

Except destroying Cuban economy with sanctions, which continue to this day.

There is a difference though: we can’t punish US, because it’s a superpower. USSR was a superpower too. But Russia isn’t.

[bpodgursky]

Ok? Russia didn't sanction Ukraine; they invaded and have killed tens of thousands of people (so far). There's no equivalence here.

[trasz]

Sanctions cost lives too. And sure, there is no equivalence between them and the literal ethnic genocide Russia has been perpetrating for the past five months, but you can’t really claim US isn’t actively hostile towards Cuba: it literally destroyed the country and is forcibly keeping it like that purely to keep votes of Cuban diaspora.

But that’s besides the point, which is: like it or not, in politics might makes right, and Russia very obviously lacks the might.

[ajsnigrutin]

I mean.. let's be honest.. if it's a cold winter this year, Russia will be punishing all of us. I live in slovenia, we're tiny, we have only a handful of soldiers, and we're still a part of occupying forces in countries like syria... so maybe we deserve it... but i prefer watching "punishments" on tv, and not by being cold and hungry in my own home, because a few politicians are in a dick-size competition, while they're stealing a bunch of our money and helping their pals in the weapons industry.

[trasz]

Most of the gas is used for industry, not heating. And even the industry seems to be able to lower the usage quite drastically. It’ll be tough for economy of course.

Also, everyone has just realized Russian army was all bluff. Every single country bordering with them will take advantage of this. Which means there will be multiple parties we can buy the formerly Russian gas from.

[ajsnigrutin]

Yeah...

https://www.businessinsider.com/germany-gas-crisis-landlords...

> Germany starts rationing hot water and turning down the heating in case Russia cuts off its natural gas supplies

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/germans-told-t...

> Germans told to wear a sweater to cope with soaring energy prices

Yeah...

[wiseowise]

Russians should’ve tried destroying Ukraine’s economy then.

[trasz]

They’ve been sabotaging Ukrainian politics - and thus economy - for the past two decades.

[wiseowise]

Maybe, how is that relevant to Ukraine?