Russia on brink of ... NOPE! Russia INVADES Ukraine!

Page 1218 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Nov 17, 2019
13,241
7,854
136
Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark!


Top US general describes Putin with 'tin cup in hand' asking North Korea for munitions

abcnews.go.com.ico
ABC|2 hours ago
Vladimir Putin has approached North Korea "with a tin cup in hand asking for weapons munitions and support" amid Russia's war in Ukraine, Gen. Mark Milley told ABC News ...
 

Drach

Golden Member
Apr 24, 2022
1,276
1,995
106
Regardless of what they can or cannot use the money for paying a ransom is just encouraging more hostage taking by other terrorist.
It's Iran's money not ours. Their general public should have access to drugs amongst other humanitarian goods.
The Ayatollah doesn't have unfettered access to these funds.
Yes I was around between Carter and Reagan so I do understand the resistance.
 
Last edited:

Zor Prime

Golden Member
Nov 7, 1999
1,039
615
136
Some of you are putting a lot of faith in due diligence on behalf of the Qatarians. Unless they got someone on the ground verifying billions of dollars in transactions -- like going and seeing what the money is for, and overseeing the transportation of items -- Iran is going to have their money wherever they want in short order. They're a rogue state, it would be reasonable to expect they excel in laundering.
 
Nov 17, 2019
13,241
7,854
136
^^^ Part of the deal to release 'prisoners' held there for some years.


But none of this has to do with the thread topic as far as I can see.
 

Grabo

Senior member
Apr 5, 2005
251
56
101
National media are reporting that the Swedish government has tasked the armed forces with investigating how supplying UA with Gripen fighters would affect Sweden's defensive capabilities and how quickly the lost stock could be replenished. A reply is expected in November. I guess from there it depends a bit on Erdogan, at least that's what the gov has said so far. Who in turn is expecting ... most likely the F-16.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RnR_au

Grabo

Senior member
Apr 5, 2005
251
56
101
^^^ Regarding NATO? I thought I read where Turkey had already lifted their objection.
If you were referring to Sweden -> Nato (my post) then it isn't over yet:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...uld-be-kept-separate-erdogan-says/ar-AA1gvLJS

"If you say that Congress will decide (on sales of F-16s to Turkey), then we have a Congress in Turkey as well - it is the Turkish parliament," Erdogan told reporters. "It is not possible for me to say 'yes' (to Sweden's NATO membership bid) alone unless such a decision is approved by (our) parliament."
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,074
45,040
136
National media are reporting that the Swedish government has tasked the armed forces with investigating how supplying UA with Gripen fighters would affect Sweden's defensive capabilities and how quickly the lost stock could be replenished. A reply is expected in November. I guess from there it depends a bit on Erdogan, at least that's what the gov has said so far. Who in turn is expecting ... most likely the F-16.

Slow delivery of the Gripen E to the Swedish Air Force is in part about keeping the line working for longer if at a lower rate IIRC. They built at least a dozen C/Ds that they didn't need for a similar reason. They probably have a small-ish number that could be readily transferred to Ukraine immediately and they could up the E production rate to compensate for future transfers. Ukraine almost had a deal to purchase and build the Gripen domestically like Brazil does but the war started in 2014 and priorities changed.
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
22,232
4,935
136
It's Iran's money not ours. Their general public should have access to drugs amongst other humanitarian goods.
The Ayatollah doesn't have unfettered access to these funds.
Yes I was around between Carter and Reagan so I do understand the resistance.

Ransom? What are you going on about now?


If they have access to 6 billion that is controlled spending that frees up their uncontrolled funds to spend on things that go against our sanctions. It also seems to be a ransom as they should just exchange person for person. Very unbalanced.
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,809
10,474
147
Let's Hope It's a Windowless Room.

"Apparently, Ramzan Kadyrov, believed to be a drug addict, was walking around Grozny in his pajamas when the Russian FSB decided to intervene. They took him back to his residence and contacted Putin who ordered that he be flown to Moscow for treatment of his addiction."

^^^ It's all part of his humanitarian outreach entitled Vlad Cares!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RnR_au

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,809
10,474
147
If they have access to 6 billion that is controlled spending that frees up their uncontrolled funds to spend on things that go against our sanctions. It also seems to be a ransom as they should just exchange person for person. Very unbalanced.
A good trade is one in which neither party is really satisfied. International "diplomacy" is one ugly and cyncal business.
 
Nov 17, 2019
13,241
7,854
136
Let's Hope It's a Windowless Room.

"Apparently, Ramzan Kadyrov, believed to be a drug addict, was walking around Grozny in his pajamas when the Russian FSB decided to intervene. They took him back to his residence and contacted Putin who ordered that he be flown to Moscow for treatment of his addiction."

^^^ It's all part of his humanitarian outreach entitled Vlad Cares!
Soon he'll be leavin' on a jet plane. Who knows if he'll be back again.
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
22,232
4,935
136
And Iran says this in response:


Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the $6 billion in funds the U.S. agreed to unfreeze in exchange for five U.S. prisoners will be spent “wherever we need it,” despite the Biden administration saying the funds are restricted to humanitarian use.

When asked in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt about the funds, Raisi said Iran would have “authority” over how the funds will be spent.

“This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” he said, according to an Iranian government translator.


In the interview, Raisi said that Iran would have “authority” over how the funds would be spent. “This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” he said, according to an Iranian government translator.

Asked if the money would be used for other purposes apart from humanitarian needs, Raisi said: “Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people needs, so this money will be budgeted for those needs, and the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government.


Shitty deal in my opinion. I think Iran is very happy with this deal.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,704
54,701
136
And Iran says this in response:


Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the $6 billion in funds the U.S. agreed to unfreeze in exchange for five U.S. prisoners will be spent “wherever we need it,” despite the Biden administration saying the funds are restricted to humanitarian use.

When asked in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt about the funds, Raisi said Iran would have “authority” over how the funds will be spent.

“This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” he said, according to an Iranian government translator.


In the interview, Raisi said that Iran would have “authority” over how the funds would be spent. “This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” he said, according to an Iranian government translator.

Asked if the money would be used for other purposes apart from humanitarian needs, Raisi said: “Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people needs, so this money will be budgeted for those needs, and the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government.
What the money will be used for is kind of pointless anyway - money is fungible.

Anyways, the money wasn't ours anyway and a rapprochement between Iran and the US is in both of our best interests. Like, does anyone genuinely think Iran is a bigger problem for us than the Saudis? We probably can't get Iran to rejoin the nuclear deal because Trump torched our credibility on that but an improvement in relations is a good thing.
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,417
10,009
136
And Iran says this in response:


Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the $6 billion in funds the U.S. agreed to unfreeze in exchange for five U.S. prisoners will be spent “wherever we need it,” despite the Biden administration saying the funds are restricted to humanitarian use.

When asked in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt about the funds, Raisi said Iran would have “authority” over how the funds will be spent.

“This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” he said, according to an Iranian government translator.


In the interview, Raisi said that Iran would have “authority” over how the funds would be spent. “This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” he said, according to an Iranian government translator.

Asked if the money would be used for other purposes apart from humanitarian needs, Raisi said: “Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people needs, so this money will be budgeted for those needs, and the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government.


Shitty deal in my opinion. I think Iran is very happy with this deal.
Shitty deal eh? Weren’t you celebrating when the US under Trump lost all leverage by reneging on a slightly better deal we had with Iran?
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
22,232
4,935
136
I don't support State Run Terrorism in any form.

"Raisi said Iran would have “authority” over how the funds will be spent."

A thumb in the eye for the US.
 
Last edited:

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,704
54,701
136
I don't support State Run Terrorism in any form.
That's fine, but national leaders don't have the luxury of saying that - they have to deal with the world as it exists and that means making compromises.

Saudi Arabia is now an actively hostile power and we need new partners in the region.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brainonska511

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
22,232
4,935
136
That's fine, but national leaders don't have the luxury of saying that - they have to deal with the world as it exists and that means making compromises.

Saudi Arabia is now an actively hostile power and we need new partners in the region.

So you think we should make partners with another Actively Hostile Power Iran?