Re: Ukraine did
Just adding this here because it's rather relevant to the actual events, possible outcomes and some responses were memory holed while I was composing it..
Or, given the evidence, the same person under an alt.
Uhuh. And all the people sh*tposting are the same person, probably under a bridge.. right? Or you really don't understand evidence, or things like lexical analysys because if you did, you'd quickly realise we're not the same person. Same principles apply to figuring out who's decided to flip to AC posting because some 'contributors' posting style can be rather distinctive.
Note that elsewhere Jellied references mocking people over the alleged meaning of "SMO"
It's pretty easy to mock people who don't understand some very basic, but important distinctions. And if they can't grasp that, there's little chance they understand any of the politics around this conflict. So they'll believe this is a war, 2022 was a 'full scale invasion'. Repeat a lie often enough and idiots believe it. They don't stop and think that Russia only committed a small fraction of their forces to their 'full scale invasion'.. Which was really a show of force that worked, drew forces Ukraine had built up in preparation for their own 'full scale invasion' of Donbas, and got Kiev to the negotiating table in Istanbul. Then, much as with Minsk, Kiev was offered billions if they'd just fight Russia instead. And no need for receipts.
But picking on another !War. So a while back, there was a 10 week special military operation against Argentina, commonly known as the 'Falklands War'. Except the UK never declared war, so it wasn't. See also-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undeclared_war
There is no specific format required under United States law for the way an official war declaration will be structured or delivered. The United States Constitution states: "The Congress shall have Power […] To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water"
So the US hasn't fought a war since 1942 and WW2. Which might suprise you, but that's just politics. It's fought many 'wars' since then, but if you don't actually declare one, you don't need to bother getting Congressional approval, or oversight. As Clauswitz famously said, war is foreign policy by other means. Foreign policy is an Executive, not Legislative function, so bombs away! But the US also has other related laws, like the Logan Act-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act
The Logan Act (1 Stat. 613, 18 U.S.C. § 953,) is a United States federal law that criminalizes the negotiation of a dispute between the United States and a foreign government by an unauthorized American citizen. It is intended to prevent unauthorized negotiations from undermining the U.S. government's position.
Which is still on the US statute books, but hasn't been enforced since 1852, although there have been some rulings, like this-
[T]he President alone has the power to speak or listen as a representative of the nation. He makes treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate, but he alone negotiates. Into the field of negotiation, the Senate cannot intrude; and Congress itself is powerless to invade it. As Marshall said in his great argument of March 7, 1800, in the House of Representatives, 'The President is the sole organ of the nation in its external relations, and its sole representative with foreign nations.'
Yet for some reason, a simple Senator, Lindsay Graham has spent a lot of time (and taxpayers money) flying to Kiev and meeting with their head of state. But in order to avoid violating the Logan Act, presumably they only discussed the weather, football, piano playing and absolutely not embagoes or grape-crushing sanctions, because those are policy matters. Kellog can, because he's a special envoy and thus authorised to act on behalf of the President.
But I digress. So currenly there is no legally defined war between Ukraine and Russia. Russia is bound by their Constitution, just as the US, UK, EU etc are. None of the beligerents in this conflict have declared war, even though it might look & feel like a 'war'. In fact only one country has briefly declared war-
https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/germany-accuses-russia-of-twisting-baerbocks-war-comments-for-propaganda/
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock riled Moscow with comments at an event in Strasbourg on Tuesday, when, speaking in English, she said that "we are fighting a war against Russia, and not against each other".
Which was quickly walked back because despite being Germany's Foreign Minister, declaring war is the German Chancellor's job.. But also why the correct use of language is important to prevent accidental declarations of war. Putin sees her comment, challenge accepted! and nukes Berlin.. Especially given if a war between NATO and Russia is initiated, it's rather time sensitive. Which is especially true now a NATO-adjacent state has launched a large attack against Russia's nuclear triad.. And this fired up again yesterday-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UVB-76
with some cryptic messages, and may or may not be part of Russia's 'Dead Hand' system that can automatically launch Russia's nuclear missiles at whatever they were last aimed at. Or it could be a variation on a numbers station and is messaging Russian agents in Ukraine, or elsewhere. We're living in interesting times, thanks to the Kiev clown and his antics. See also-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2r108l785o
Speaking after a phone call with the Russian president, Trump said: "President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields."
Or as Medvedev put it "Our Army is pushing forward and will continue to advance. Everything that needs to be blown up will be blown up, and those who must be eliminated will be.". I really don't fancy Zelensky's odds of a happy retirement given his claimed involvement and oversight of the attacks on Russia. Maybe Russia has decided that it's past time Ukraine had a new President and government.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
