2 Points
1 point
Seems hugely suspect. “alleged Russian saboteurs.”. They were in Ukrainian garb.
Rogue Ukrainians? Seems equally possible
2 Points
Who do you think has the power to make Putin kneel? If then he’s refused to kneel to them, then surely, they don’t really have the power to compel him to anything he doesn’t want, do they? This is a dictator who has run Russia, brutally, for two decades, a man who controls nuclear weapons and is thought to have billions in personal wealth. If you asked to find someone who personifies an individual who does whatever the hell he wants, you’d be harder pressed to find a better example than Vladimir Putin, I would suggest.
Moreover, who do you think these people or groups are? If you mean there are corporations, individuals and collections of people who have undue influence on politics, politicians and the world at large then yes, I’d agree that there are. If you think it’s something like a small cabal of lizard people trying to pursue a goal of a One World Government then I would respectfully say, no, I wouldn’t think so. Realistically, I suspect it’s just the interplay of the powerful being powerful. They’ve always done it, it’s probably as old as humanity itself. From the Pope to the local parish councillor, there are networks of interests and influence. Rich and powerful people like to stay rich and powerful - more of both if they can - and they like to get their own way. They work together when it’s to their mutual benefit, trouble sparks if there is conflict in their interests but look back to the Middle Ages and even earlier and that’s always been the case and is behind most of the conflicts and a lot of suffering in this world.
Russell Brand has a video analysis of the interplay of media, corporations and the complete lack of morals at the heart of geopolitics and the situation in Ukraine at the moment. This Changes Everything - YouTube I don’t always agree with him, there’s a strong tendency to circumlocution in his work (he’s an articulate young bugger) but he raises some interesting points and has a good take on the world and how it ticks. He raises how the (governing) British Conservative party has a lot of dirty, Russian money in it. He also points out that there aren’t - and have never been - any ‘good guys’ in all of this or the past. Politicians like to make their populations afraid, it makes them easier to influence and manipulate. They all do it, the question is by what degree and by what means it’s enforced.
You ask about their respective populations living in fear. Yes, they do. I have more experience with Russia than I do the Chinese. The Chinese and Russian regimes push propaganda and have censorship and savage repression. Russian people have been protesting against what’s going on in Ukraine - and many of them don’t have reliable access to information outside of the state-controlled stuff - and thousands of them have been arrested. Many of them could face years in prison as a result. Horrible people like the UK’s current Home Secretary and Prime Minister are also trying to sneak in draconian anti-protest laws but, to some degree, we enjoy (at least at the moment) some avenues of protest, dissension and discussion. Putin has had people poisoned in the UK - one an ex-KGB critic of his, with nuclear material, another with a chemical weapon. (Alexander Litvinenko - Wikipedia and Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal - Wikipedia) He’s killed and suppressed any opposition in Russia (Alexei Navalny - Wikipedia) There are other examples, these are just amongst some of the more notorious and egregious examples.
We in the West have many faults, our systems can be as lousy, corrupt and dishonest as the politicians who infest them, but fortunately we’re not at risk of being thrown off the roof of a building or being hanged from the end of a crane for the ‘crime’ of being gay, for example, unlike some other parts of the world.
Longer term, I think China are the greater threat to the West. They’ll watch what happens in Ukraine with a view as to what they’ll do to Taiwan. History suggests that appeasement isn’t a good route to follow. Sadly, I think Ukraine will be left to bleed and fall. I hope they slow the Russian army - I suspect many of the latter don’t really want to be there - but it’s really what Putin hopes to do is key. The bravery and tenacity of the Ukrainians I think has surprised him. Is he looking for regime change? Is he going to push for the Baltic states? If I were a betting man, I suspect he’ll try to do whatever he thinks he can get away with, perhaps at best, create a ‘neutral’ buffer zone between Russia and Ukraine and NATO. I don’t know, neither does anyone else and that’s one of the most worrying aspects of this sorry, sordid situation. I don’t know how you balance such a risky situation. Help for Ukraine has been left too late, I fear and after all the rather detailed intelligence the West seems to have gleaned from Putin’s months-long preparation, something which I think has rattled him.
I realise this is a rather poor and discursive post, in my defence I’ve had very little sleep in the last 3-4 days but honestly, I despise Putin and apologies for this badly constructed word-vomit!
6 Points
I have alot to say to this post and many of the comments. The problem is, information is coming in very quickly, I have a friend in Kiev who’s hiding in the basement, and found out about the Neo-Nazis Flee mentioned this afternoon. I can make an attempt to break down the history and assign blame… but when I’ve tried it gets complicated very quickly and ultimately I don’t think it matters because this event is a small part of what’s going to happen.
<I am going to transition to some humor here because I am genuinely worried, feel horribly ignorant, and even if I had the information and absolutely impotent to do anything about it.>
Tried to, can’t. Spent time razzing Canada’s truckers… spent time on Biden… deleted it all. I know I’m wound up but to explain this post… remember the scene in Schindler’s List with the girl in the red jacket running through the ghettos? I’ll just say that I think I can relate to what Schindler was feeling then.
When I get my feet under me I may be more active… until then, my friend is hiding in his basement in Kiev. His last communication was that the city was burning ten hours ago. If any of you are religious (or Atheist and can transfer a shit-ton of money quickly) can you keep him in your thoughts?
5 Points
I realise this is a rather poor and discursive post, in my defence I’ve had very little sleep in the last 3-4 days but honestly, I despise Putin and apologies for this badly constructed word-vomit!
Dude, I’ve always relied on Teoti to be a place I can just say what I need to say and still be able to log in. This isn’t Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. The honesty of the people here (agree or disagree) is the reason I always come back. Thank you for sharing, and please know that’s okay. Trust me, been there, done that and will almost certainly do it again.
5 Points
4 Points
2 Points
Sounds like a good way to make excuses for going into a country, by pointing out this voluntary militia represents it.
3 Points
Punching a Nazi seems to have been a great excuse for many groups over the past couple of years…why not? 
3 Points
3 Points
Seems pretty thin, doesn’t it?
Also, apparently, Zelensky is Jewish and so is the Ukrainian Prime Minister (Groysman).
3 Points
What else have they got? A country that revolted to oust a leader they didn’t want, in order to be independent, gets part of it invaded, and yet isn’t expected to try and find a way to defend themselves against a superpower? Are they seriously expected to remain independent after that? The spread of NATO, was it forced upon the Eastern Europeans? It makes it pretty transparent what this is about when they’re digging at Sweden and Finland about joining.
4 Points
Putin has state controlled media, and no opposition out of sheer fear. It’s not hard to figure out who is the real loon here.
3 Points
Speaking of, the little prick has now apparently ordered his nuclear deterrence force “to a special mode of combat duty” in response to the West’s aggression.
Not good but it shows he’s seriously got the wind up him, I should think.
I don’t think anyone’s unified the West nor rejuvenated NATO more thoroughly or quickly than him. Knob.
3 Points
Rumours of peace talks, now.
If true, sounds to me like Russia is losing this, and losing it hard.
3 Points
Or he has done what he wanted. He did state from the start that he didn’t want to occupy.
There is also a rumour that him and zelensky were actually working together to get rid of some undesirable things/people in the country. Putin happy to play the bad guy to help both of them out.
Ukraine is a shit show of laundering, US interference, and apparently child trafficking.
The coup installed US puppets so who knows what corruption was abound.
@marksyzm that article about the battalion was from a very pro west/liberal paper. Not right-wing in the slightest. If they are volunteers, why is the Canadian military meeting with them and not the actual Ukrainian military?
And also, why does the Ukraine allow them guns etc if they admit to being pro nazi? People always spout that others should condemn symbols of Nazism except in this case?
I’m not saying Putin is a good guy, or doing good works here but the Ukraine is far from good themselves.
This is what good, decent people do.
3 Points
Also for perspective…
The cuban missile crisis came to be because russia attempted to put missiles on cuban soil, very close to the US. This was not to be tolerated and almost caused a war. The world seems to think the US response was justified.
US/NATO putting missiles in Ukraine is OK, and Putin’s response is not justified? In fact, Putin/Russia showed more restraint.
What’s thin is doing the exact same thing as your enemy, then calling his response, which is identical to your own, as evil and wrong.
2 Points
And to be VERY clear. I don’t support Russia or Putin. I just see beyond the bullshit of the west and am happy to call it out.
2 Points
If you see my original reply, I’ve mentioned Russell Brand’s video who’s very clear, there are and never have been any good guys in this. I agree, the good guy is a myth. It goes back to the concept of the Just War. Pretexts were and are used for all kinds of things - Genocide by Putin in this case, WMD by the West for Iraq etc etc. I’m not claiming anyone is necessarily better than anyone else here. Justifications are always found by everyone. I go back to my original claim, it’s the interplay of the powerful, trying to get what they want.
Are you thinking Ukraine is some kind of nutty Neo-Nazi state with a Jewish president? I’m not very knowledgeable on the subject but I suspect when joining a Neo-Nazi organisation, not being Jewish will probably be in paragraph one, page one, wouldn’t you? I doubt very much they’re working together with Russia on any level. You may know more about that than me, however. Putin and his inner circle have always given me the impression of being the staunchest of Russian nationalists with their own longterm agenda.
Not everything is a psy-op - Putin’s been very good at introducing distrust and dissension within opposing countries - sometimes, some things I suggest, are just what they are. Spin and analysis can see all kinds of things that may or may not be there. Perhaps the fact we’re having this conversation is a result of longterm programs? Perhaps our governments are just all collectively pricks and it’s a good thing we’re questioning them? Perhaps I’m naive?
I’d note you say he wouldn’t occupy Ukraine but I also point-out that Putin also consistently said he wouldn’t invade Ukraine; I think it’s fairly clear that he did.
I don’t think their logistics and supply lines have worked very well. They needed a fast war. Assuming it’s not all part of some grand plan between the higher-ups, of course but the fact Putin seems so rattled would suggest me that’s not the case.
There’s a long, long history of mishandling things and misreading of Putin by the West. In some ways, he’s been open and honest about what his concerns have been. How genuine these are, perhaps only Putin himself knows. I don’t know. Apparently, he’s requested that Russia join NATO at least twice. Are the West blameless? Hell no. In some respects, I feel a little sorry for Putin, but I also know his hubris and cruelty have damaged this world. Of course, his Western counterparts in the world are probably not a lot better.
Incidentally, I’m not having a go at you, you’re obviously quite free to believe whatever you want. I’m probably old-fashioned, I believe some things like the moon landings happened and I’ve given-up arguing online against people who don’t. Putin in his past moves, has seemed to me to be cold, capable and clear thinking. On this one, I don’t see it. I see a mistake, I see an old man who’s ranting and irrational and is now fairly openly threatening to use his nukes against us. I could be wrong, maybe all the plastic surgery and Botox have got to him but I don’t think you’ll change my mind that he’s a dangerous prick. Also a cornered rat is the most dangerous type of rat, too…
3 Points