# Biden saber rattling re Russians **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 5, 2021, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231 "2021-02-05T01:50:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/1 "2021-02-05T01:50:56Z")
What is he doing? Is he a war hawk throwing down a gauntlet with his provocative rhetoric? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/2 "2021-02-05T01:52:11Z")
He’s doing his job, sticking up for the interests of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/3 "2021-02-05T01:56:59Z")
Well, he did defeat a known Russian agent in the last election. That had to have pissed Vlad off. ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/4 "2021-02-05T01:58:09Z")
I guess I was wishing for a more diplomatic approach. You know, we have not seen eye to eye, but in the future a mutually acceptable solution can be worked out. I don’t think the Russians react well to in your face confrontation. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/5 "2021-02-05T02:05:54Z")
What’s your evidence for that? For the past four years we’ve had nothing but complete capitulation to Russia and it has only encouraged them to be more hostile. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/6 "2021-02-05T02:09:31Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Well, he did defeat a known Russian agent in the last election. That candidate would have been considered as a “useful idiot” and consequently fully expendable, though his disruption of core American democratic institutions exceeded expectations. ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/7 "2021-02-05T02:10:58Z")
I agree Trump was beholden to the Russians due to them buying his NY property and keeping his cash flow positive. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/8 "2021-02-05T02:11:36Z")
Can I ask what this thread is in reference to? ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/9 "2021-02-05T02:16:19Z")
MM28 talked about capitulation, I was offering my opinion as to the motive. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/10 "2021-02-05T02:17:28Z")
This, probably. > **[Biden says ‘days of rolling over’ to Russia are done as he signals foreign...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/biden-state-department-speech-b1797846.html)** > > In first remarks from State Department, president outlines diplomatic commitments and approach to Putin 'in a manner very different from my predecessor' ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/11 "2021-02-05T02:21:14Z")
Ah, thankee! ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/12 "2021-02-05T02:28:18Z")
After reading the article, the word/concept he seemed to use the most was “diplomacy”. Which is pretty damn far from war hawking/sabre rattling to me. ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/13 "2021-02-05T02:32:26Z")
“We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interests and our people," he said. Ok, this might just be negotiating from a position of strength, and not unduly aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/14 "2021-02-05T02:37:10Z")
So you cherry pick this one phrase out of an entire speech dedicated to diplomacy and you see it as war hawking? Edit, to be fair, I just read the article, not the whole speech. Perhaps I’m the one missing the true context. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/15 "2021-02-05T02:47:27Z")
Holy Christ, this is turning into Obama all over again-No matter what Biden does it MUST be bad because Biden is doing it. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/16 "2021-02-05T02:51:00Z")
Do you have an opinion about the phrasing and tone of President Biden in this example? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/17 "2021-02-05T02:54:51Z")
[quote=“MrMrmrmr, post:13, topic:932231”] … “We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interests and our people," he said. [/quote] Biden quote\* Um, what’s wrong with this? How is this worse than the previous guy, the Putin bootlicker? You know how Pence gazes creepily into Trump’s eyse? That’s how Trump gazes ino Putin’s eyes. Now we have a guy who says: (Allegedly, taking your word) “We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interests and our people," and that’s a problem? ? ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/18 "2021-02-05T02:59:25Z")
Did you miss the part where I said he might be negotiating from a position of strength? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/19 "2021-02-05T02:59:51Z")
Well, they were both born in Kenya. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231/20 "2021-02-05T03:00:07Z")
I think I missed the part where you made a point. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-saber-rattling-re-russians/932231.md?page=2)