On Ukraine and Russia
OK, before the inevitable tomatoes get thrown, let me make some things clear:
Putin is indeed a great malefactor in the world. The way he has given license to the oligarchs, the religious fundamentalists in his country (look up Alexander Dugan) , the fundamentalist's in OUR country and his outright trashing of environmental standards are all things that are a red alert for democracy, indeed, humanity as a whole. Yes, China is big, scary and outright poker-faced, but Russians have a willingness to act on their passions in self destructive ways, and frankly, ways destructive to those around them. China may revere Chairman Mao, but the vast majority, probably Xi included, have no desire for any crusade. Yes they want Taiwan and Hong Kong, and yes, they are courting full out Jihad with their treatment of the Uighurs, but they also know that they have already exhausted their supply of good will, which they want badly.
Russia, they do not care, and they know, just like our Red state barbarians, that chaos is the fire that feeds them. They will happily burn the cities and leave civilization to rubble if they think that Jesus will love them, and proclaim that they are children of destiny/the pure white race/yadda yadda. There is a difference between fighting someone who is motivated by an idea, and one motivated by faith.
So, after I slammed Russia, why am I about to say something that many might not like? The Truth
Truth one: After the USSR fell, we had a great opportunity to help them. They had good will towards us, still happy with Glasnost. What did we do? We tried to steal everything not nailed down by forcing them to privatize everything. We totally reneged on the idea that we would not expand Nato into the Eastern Bloc, especially Ukraine. Oh yes, I blame Merkel for part of that, especially as her right wing economics did a lot to sour the dream of the EU, but we were dancing on their grave, partying like it was 1999.
Yes, Putin is indeed our enemy. The very second he said the "n" word, aka NUCLEAR, he signed his own death warrant, as NOBODY in the world has any illusions that once bombs drop, they will not feel it. Even Xi knows that once the fallout floats his way, he will not be able to ensure control of China, a nations that for all it's glory, is one bad harvest away for chaos. And let's not even mention how fallout will churn ecological disasters that are already on the way, demanding payment for long unpaid bills. We know that Putin, and his altar boy, Trump are tryign to bring in chaos because it is the only thing they are good at making.
But all the same, let us not turn this into the 90's Let us not take comfort in the old demonizing of Russians, most of whom are every bit as scared as we are. As Freddy Nietzsche put it "in the course of fighting monsters, we must not become monsters.
This type of hate was old when Sting sang about it, we do not need to wear it like some shirt that has nto fit for years.
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