Trump falsely accuses Ukraine of starting the war

[stryder]

Funny you should mention Switzerland, which has such a high rate of gun ownership. Far above that of Ukraine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_...by_country
So Switzerland is a very bad example of a country poorly equipped to defend itself.

If Ukraine had been the 19th most armed, instead of the 88th, Putin may have thought twice about invading.
I think you've managed to make my point for me.

Thanks,

Switzerland also uses compulsary conscription with it's people having a few years in the military to then be entitled to certain benefits.

As a "Neutral" country, it always still concerned itself with the need to protect itself when necessary.

As for Ukraine being armed... If they had been armed at the level of the US, then it would of been easier for Russian agents to have used weapons at the beginning to take out key persons. Sometimes not having weapons is a form of resistance in it's own right. (That being said at the start a stockpile of weapons was handed out to the general populous to use to aid in defence.)

[confused2]

The Art of the Deal..

The BBC reports..

Apparently responding to mounting speculation that the US and Ukraine may be close to striking a deal providing America with access to rare earth metals in exchange for security guarantees, Putin said Russia had "an order of magnitude" more of them, and invited America to use them together.

The offer, Putin said, also applies to mining mineral resources in Russian occupied parts of Ukraine.

[Syne]

Funny you should mention Switzerland, which has such a high rate of gun ownership. Far above that of Ukraine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_...by_country
So Switzerland is a very bad example of a country poorly equipped to defend itself.

If Ukraine had been the 19th most armed, instead of the 88th, Putin may have thought twice about invading.
I think you've managed to make my point for me.

Thanks,

No moron. High gun ownership is no match for an invading country's military. To even think so is just ignorant.

“We can never invade America,” Japanese Admiral Yamamoto has been quoted as saying. Yamamoto, who attended college in America, explained his logic this way: “There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.”

If you didn't have to rush to arm your defenders (and ask other countries for more arms), the initial cost of invasion would be much higher... possibly a deterrent.

As for Ukraine being armed... If they had been armed at the level of the US, then it would of been easier for Russian agents to have used weapons at the beginning to take out key persons.  Sometimes not having weapons is a form of resistance in it's own right.  (That being said at the start a stockpile of weapons was handed out to the general populous to use to aid in defence.)

Easier for Russian agents to use weapons... against a well-arm citizenry that shoots back?
"Not having weapons is a form of resistance?" Tell that to the Jews prior to the Holocaust.

[Magical Realist]

If you didn't have to rush to arm your defenders (and ask other countries for more arms), the initial cost of invasion would be much higher... possibly a deterrent.

LOL!

"Oh no Lieutenant. That old lady down there is firing her pistol at our jet fighter! We'd better circle back and call off the invasion!"

[Syne]

If you didn't have to rush to arm your defenders (and ask other countries for more arms), the initial cost of invasion would be much higher... possibly a deterrent.

LOL!

"Oh no Lieutenant. That old lady down there is firing her pistol at our jet fighter! We'd better circle back and call off the invasion!"

So Russia didn't use any ground troops in the invasion? Are you sure about that?

Russia launched a simultaneous ground and air attack. Missiles struck targets throughout Ukraine, and Russian troops invaded from the north, east, and south.
...
The main infantry and tank attacks were launched in four spearheads
...
The Russian invasion was unexpectedly met by fierce Ukrainian resistance.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_in...ine#Events

Imagine how much more fierce the resistance could have been. But according to you, the 88th most armed country couldn't have possibly resisted any better, even if they had been the 18th most armed country.

Now that's ridiculous.

[Magical Realist]

Russia didn't use any ground troops in the invasion? Are you sure about that?

Where did I say that liar?

With an invading army of jet fighters and ground troops a country with just gun owners stands no chance and you know it. As usual you've lost the argument and change the subject to some other stupid and erroneous claim. Quit embarrassing yourself here and move along now. You have no more points to argue.

[Yazata]

Funny you should mention Switzerland, which has such a high rate of gun ownership. Far above that of Ukraine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_...by_country
So Switzerland is a very bad example of a country poorly equipped to defend itself.

Switzerland is an interesting case:

Every Swiss male is subject to conscription at age 18. It's just an accepted part of life there. (Females aren't conscripted but can volunteer.)

Conscripts are given physicals and if they pass receive 18 weeks of initial training. Then they become reservists. Basically all males in Switzerland are military reservists subject to callup in times of emergency. They attend periodic trainings depending on their military specialties and their period of service can extend all the way until they are 50, again depending on their specialties.

Interestingly, I believe that every adult male in Switzerland who is a military reservist is required to keep uniforms and a military rifle in his home. So in Switzerland not only are "assault rifles" not illegal, you are *required* to possess one! Despite that (or because of it) the crime rate in Switzerland is very low.

It's notable that Germany never invaded Switzerland in World War II. They knew that if they had, they would be fighting essentially the whole male population of the country. Switzerland's strategy has long been to make itself as indigestible as possible to invaders.

Israel has a similar system.

[Magical Realist]

Breaking news: it appears Zelensky has accepted Trump's rare earth metals deal and will be meeting at the White House in a matter of days. Trump has said in response to reporters' questions that the US will provide needed military weaponry and funds to Ukraine in return.

[confused2]

Breaking news: it appears Zelensky has accepted Trump's rare earth metals deal and will be meeting at the White House in a matter of days. Trump has said in response to reporters' questions that the US will provide needed military weaponry and funds to Ukraine in return.

And in contrast the BBC reports (26 Feb 25)

Ukraine's President Zelensky says there are no security guarantees yet in the mineral deal between Ukraine and the US

I suspect Trump lives by the the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition - there are 287 and none make any mention of telling the truth.

---

The BBC reports..

He [Trump] didn't mention Ukrainian security guarantees, which we've heard today from Ukrainian President Zelensky are yet to be included in the deal, but Trump suggested the US having access to the minerals would amount to "automatic security" for Ukraine

Rule 239: Never be afraid to mislabel a product.

[Syne]

Russia didn't use any ground troops in the invasion? Are you sure about that?

Where did I say that liar?

With an invading army of jet fighters and ground troops a country with just gun owners stands no chance and you know it. As usual you've lost the argument and change the subject to some other stupid and erroneous claim. Quit embarrassing yourself here and move along now. You have no more points to argue.

Way to tackle the rhetorical question and completely avoid the inconvenient point you can't refute:

The Russian invasion was unexpectedly met by fierce Ukrainian resistance.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_in...ine#Events

Imagine how much more fierce the resistance could have been.