So take this awareness one step further. How much of what you're seeing in the news about Ukraine and Russia is really more of the same? Is Ukraine really a democracy simply because it held elections? (I don't know. We don't call Russia or Venezuela "democracies," and they hold elections. So "election" does not equal "democracy.") How ol…
So take this awareness one step further. How much of what you're seeing in the news about Ukraine and Russia is really more of the same? Is Ukraine really a democracy simply because it held elections? (I don't know. We don't call Russia or Venezuela "democracies," and they hold elections. So "election" does not equal "democracy.") How old is Ukraine as a country? (Answer, right around your age.) Who really runs the Ukraine? (Answer: Not the people, but a bunch of oligarchs, much like, say, Russia.) Why would Ukrainians fight to defend a corrupt government? (Answer: they're not. They're fighting to defend what they consider their country. Zelensky's just benefitting from the conflation of government and nation as ideas, just as they do, say, in the US.)
The problem is we're all being played again, just like "finding Kony," only the stakes are higher than just a little money. At any given time, wars are raging across this globe, many of them caused and supported by the US "leadership." So why aren't we excited about those? At any given time, bad autocrats are doing bad things (Xi Xingping for example). Why aren't we excited about that? Hell, we can't even get LeBron James to stop selling shoes in China much less any stronger sanctions. Why not? Why is it that we're all supposed to focus and be outraged about this one incident, that, although terrible, is hardly isolated even in this moment in time, much less across modern US history or even as something that the US might do (Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya come to mind)?
Well, let's ask one other question: What aren't we talking about? Or, more specifically, what are we considered "petty" for talking about (thank you, Nellie Bowles and TGIF)? Answer: COVID policy and the unnecessary damage it caused, inflation (including gas prices), unchecked and unvetted immigration, governmental corruption the likes of which might make even Ukrainian and Russian oligarchs jealous, censorship, refusal of the FDA to be completely transparent about how they approved the COVID vaccines and what they knew about their efficacy and safety, the fact that we're still masking five year olds in, for example, New York, the rapidly diminishing middle class, the struggles of the working class . . . and, when it comes to Ukraine, the fact that the US backed the Maidan coup in 2014, Ukraine (including under Zelensky) never held to the Minsk accords (meaning the Ukrainian government was still outright killing people in the eastern part of the country that was meant to have some autonomy, until they had bigger problems, like Russian tanks pouring over the border), that Zelensky has jailed journalists and opposition politicians, and that there are literal neo-Nazis with their own battalion (Azov Battalion) in Ukraine and that the US--I'll repeat that, the US--is supplying them with weaponry and has been for years under the guise of arming Ukraine against Russia. And that we had an off ramp with all of this if the US and its puppet Zelensky had simply agreed not to let the Ukraine join NATO ever, something that was not realistically going to happen anyway because Ukraine is corrupt and unstable. If they had made that agreement, rather than walking away from the negotiating table, it is unlikely anyone would be dying right now.
So take your lesson from high school and apply it to what you're seeing now, and you'll become a wiser person than you already seem to be. (That's a compliment.)
“(Answer: they're not. They're fighting to defend what they consider their country.[…])”
There is more insight to this than many people (especially on the left) realize. The idea that “nationalism” is not about supporting The State but defending the past and future heritage of where you, your siblings, your parents and your grand-parents were raised.
It's true here also. When people accuse you of being "un-American" (particularly on the left), what they really mean is "un-American government." Honestly, I'm perfectly fine with that.
That's a wonderful post, but I'm still having trouble figuring out what our role should be. Russia is committing war crimes, Putin has stated he wants to rebuild the Soviet Union, and I believe that NATO is going ton get sucked into this eventually. What terrifies me more than anything is that our foreign policy is being controlled by Biden/Harris and has the fingerprints all over their actions of the Obama retreads Rice/Jarrett/Rhodes/Powers who set our foreign relations back years during their run.
I've heard them saying Putin wants to rebuild the USSR, but I don't know how much of that is true and how much of that is more propaganda. I remember a few days ago when they claimed Russia was going to blow up the nuclear plant. Seems they were pretty careful not to set anything vital on fire and simply take it over. Then there is the theme that Putin's forces are mowing down innocents that get in their way, but at the same time, in the occupied city of Kherson, the residents are protesting in the streets and no Russians are shooting at them, which seems quite strange if you believe the first part. The circumstances in Ukraine are very specific and while Putin's invasion of Ukraine was illegal, it was not unprovoked. I think our role is to stand back and help the refugees and let someone else negotiate a peaceful end to this while telling Zelensky to give up his aspirations. If you're really interested in the things the US media isn't telling you, go to Rumble and find the Jimmy Dore show and look for the clips about Russia and Ukraine. We are getting a very spun, very narrow, very cultivated and manipulated set of details.
After Russiagate and COVID, I assume I'm being spun. I mean, the whole Hunter thing clearly showed a shady side of the country, but the innocents are getting terribly abused, and to think that we are allowing ANY country conduct a campaign like that is very troubling. I know that this isn't a US or NATO issue, and the UN is utterly useless. I hope that we're working with NATO on a plan B, assuming that eventually this becomes a bigger thing, and perhaps more importantly, we're working with Australia, Japan, Philippines, SKorea and whoever else to start developing a Taiwan strategy, because we'll need it before the year's up.
Lillia, Nice! More folks need to question the orthodox Ukraine narrative in media, Congress, Big Tech. Why anyone thinks we should risk WWIII to protect what was a corrupt country is mind boggling. Zelenskiyy is a stage performer, a latter day Kony meme artist. Offer assistance to the displaced people, but let Ukraine to its fate. Shut the Southern border and then I might pay attention to Ukraine. Thanks for writing.
So take this awareness one step further. How much of what you're seeing in the news about Ukraine and Russia is really more of the same? Is Ukraine really a democracy simply because it held elections? (I don't know. We don't call Russia or Venezuela "democracies," and they hold elections. So "election" does not equal "democracy.") How old is Ukraine as a country? (Answer, right around your age.) Who really runs the Ukraine? (Answer: Not the people, but a bunch of oligarchs, much like, say, Russia.) Why would Ukrainians fight to defend a corrupt government? (Answer: they're not. They're fighting to defend what they consider their country. Zelensky's just benefitting from the conflation of government and nation as ideas, just as they do, say, in the US.)
The problem is we're all being played again, just like "finding Kony," only the stakes are higher than just a little money. At any given time, wars are raging across this globe, many of them caused and supported by the US "leadership." So why aren't we excited about those? At any given time, bad autocrats are doing bad things (Xi Xingping for example). Why aren't we excited about that? Hell, we can't even get LeBron James to stop selling shoes in China much less any stronger sanctions. Why not? Why is it that we're all supposed to focus and be outraged about this one incident, that, although terrible, is hardly isolated even in this moment in time, much less across modern US history or even as something that the US might do (Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya come to mind)?
Well, let's ask one other question: What aren't we talking about? Or, more specifically, what are we considered "petty" for talking about (thank you, Nellie Bowles and TGIF)? Answer: COVID policy and the unnecessary damage it caused, inflation (including gas prices), unchecked and unvetted immigration, governmental corruption the likes of which might make even Ukrainian and Russian oligarchs jealous, censorship, refusal of the FDA to be completely transparent about how they approved the COVID vaccines and what they knew about their efficacy and safety, the fact that we're still masking five year olds in, for example, New York, the rapidly diminishing middle class, the struggles of the working class . . . and, when it comes to Ukraine, the fact that the US backed the Maidan coup in 2014, Ukraine (including under Zelensky) never held to the Minsk accords (meaning the Ukrainian government was still outright killing people in the eastern part of the country that was meant to have some autonomy, until they had bigger problems, like Russian tanks pouring over the border), that Zelensky has jailed journalists and opposition politicians, and that there are literal neo-Nazis with their own battalion (Azov Battalion) in Ukraine and that the US--I'll repeat that, the US--is supplying them with weaponry and has been for years under the guise of arming Ukraine against Russia. And that we had an off ramp with all of this if the US and its puppet Zelensky had simply agreed not to let the Ukraine join NATO ever, something that was not realistically going to happen anyway because Ukraine is corrupt and unstable. If they had made that agreement, rather than walking away from the negotiating table, it is unlikely anyone would be dying right now.
So take your lesson from high school and apply it to what you're seeing now, and you'll become a wiser person than you already seem to be. (That's a compliment.)
“(Answer: they're not. They're fighting to defend what they consider their country.[…])”
There is more insight to this than many people (especially on the left) realize. The idea that “nationalism” is not about supporting The State but defending the past and future heritage of where you, your siblings, your parents and your grand-parents were raised.
It's true here also. When people accuse you of being "un-American" (particularly on the left), what they really mean is "un-American government." Honestly, I'm perfectly fine with that.
That's a wonderful post, but I'm still having trouble figuring out what our role should be. Russia is committing war crimes, Putin has stated he wants to rebuild the Soviet Union, and I believe that NATO is going ton get sucked into this eventually. What terrifies me more than anything is that our foreign policy is being controlled by Biden/Harris and has the fingerprints all over their actions of the Obama retreads Rice/Jarrett/Rhodes/Powers who set our foreign relations back years during their run.
I've heard them saying Putin wants to rebuild the USSR, but I don't know how much of that is true and how much of that is more propaganda. I remember a few days ago when they claimed Russia was going to blow up the nuclear plant. Seems they were pretty careful not to set anything vital on fire and simply take it over. Then there is the theme that Putin's forces are mowing down innocents that get in their way, but at the same time, in the occupied city of Kherson, the residents are protesting in the streets and no Russians are shooting at them, which seems quite strange if you believe the first part. The circumstances in Ukraine are very specific and while Putin's invasion of Ukraine was illegal, it was not unprovoked. I think our role is to stand back and help the refugees and let someone else negotiate a peaceful end to this while telling Zelensky to give up his aspirations. If you're really interested in the things the US media isn't telling you, go to Rumble and find the Jimmy Dore show and look for the clips about Russia and Ukraine. We are getting a very spun, very narrow, very cultivated and manipulated set of details.
After Russiagate and COVID, I assume I'm being spun. I mean, the whole Hunter thing clearly showed a shady side of the country, but the innocents are getting terribly abused, and to think that we are allowing ANY country conduct a campaign like that is very troubling. I know that this isn't a US or NATO issue, and the UN is utterly useless. I hope that we're working with NATO on a plan B, assuming that eventually this becomes a bigger thing, and perhaps more importantly, we're working with Australia, Japan, Philippines, SKorea and whoever else to start developing a Taiwan strategy, because we'll need it before the year's up.
I'm with you as long as we figure out how to do it w/o burning the world to the ground with nuclear bombs.
Wonderful! “ How much of what you're seeing in the news about Ukraine and Russia is really more of the same?”
I hope the author reads your comment with an open mind
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Well said. This needs to be the top comment.
Preach! Amen!
Lillia, Nice! More folks need to question the orthodox Ukraine narrative in media, Congress, Big Tech. Why anyone thinks we should risk WWIII to protect what was a corrupt country is mind boggling. Zelenskiyy is a stage performer, a latter day Kony meme artist. Offer assistance to the displaced people, but let Ukraine to its fate. Shut the Southern border and then I might pay attention to Ukraine. Thanks for writing.