Even blatant racists from Alabama and Mississippi can manage to use indigenous place-names; it’s not that hard. Just ditch “New Zealand” completely and be done with it!

It’s like the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.

They’re still in the first stage of grief.

Ah, that makes much more sense.

Yes, the rule is up to 4% of annual proceeds can go into the national budget for covering spending. That rule, however, is arbitrary nonsense and only serves to limit the size and scale of investments on the budget.

The actual limiting factor is that the law states that the purpose of the fund is to save for the benefit of future generations.

It sounds to me like 4% is what they’ve guesstimated as being the maximum safe amount that can still fulfill that sustainable spending goal. I might call that “arguable,” but I wouldn’t call it “arbitrary.”

(the outcome of which is another signal to autocrats eyeing future invasions, for example Taiwan, Tasmania)

Wait, what? What autocrat is eyeing Tasmania?

He’s gotta try even harder; senpai Putin won’t be pleased until Trump has fully succeeded in destroying NATO.

Because Trump does whatever Putin tells him to do.

it would also potentially allow them to buy things they can’t manufacture on their own.

Namely, weapons with advanced computer chips in them.

Fanboi or agent, the result is the same.

(Personally, I think he’s both: an agent that’s so thoroughly snookered that he doesn’t even realize it, who is betraying America willingly in hopes senpai Putin will notice him.)

What does she think she’s going to accomplish inviting the US, except sabotage?

Oh wait, she’s a fascist – that’s exactly what she’s hoping to accomplish.

⭐ https://lemmy.world/post/26183949

You forgot to mention China. Unless the EU gets its shit together and resists the same forces that are destroying the US, China is going to become that unipole.

If that’s your goal, then you need to understand that Americans give even less of a fuck about the framing you gave it. It’s not the Cold War anymore; Americans have no concept that “Russia… expanding their borders and influence” would affect them in any way. Americans don’t even have a fucking clue where the borders being fought over even are!

At least the “Ukrainian self-defense” angle has a clear villain and a heroic scrappy underdog to root for as entertainment. In terms of getting Americans to care, that really is your best bet.

(Source: am American. And if you think this viewpoint is even more cynical than yours, then congratulations, you’re correct.)

The CIA is in the business of installing despots, not removing them.

A foreign democracy is sending an entire generation of their male populace into the afterlife to prevent Russia from expanding their borders and influence

More to the point, to defend themselves. Ukraine isn’t playing some kind of geopolitical game; it’s trying to survive and has a huge moral high ground that your characterization of it disregards.

“Decline” is an understatement. Trump is turning the US into a pariah rogue state, and he’s doing it fast.

As with many of the articles I’ve seen on this topic, this headline is a misrepresentation. Zelensky is willing to resign in exchange for Ukraine joining NATO, specifically. NOT the “give Russia everything it wanted and more” capitulation Trump is demanding. Only NATO.

What all these headlines talking about “bring[ing] peace” while omitting the “joining NATO” part are doing is priming public opinion to turn against Zelensky when he rightfully rejects a “peace” deal that keeps Ukraine isolated and vulnerable to further Russian aggression later.

Joining NATO is the ONLY path to real, lasting peace for Ukraine. Every “offer” short of that is nothing but a bad-faith distraction to give the temporary appearance of peace while Russia regroups and prepares to finish the job.

Expected siege engine; was disappointed.

Why yes, actually! The bird flu pandemic should be along any day now (just waiting on that one last mutation to be able to spread between humans), and that one’s projected to have a super-high death rate.