War

[Nimbus]

Putin again? Why not Kremlin's ass?

OK, I guess Putin declared war because he despise Zelenskyy for kissing Uncle Sam's ass .

Seriously, I think he wants to settle the Crimea and Donbass issue once and for all. And restore fresh water supply which had been cut-off by the Ukrainian government.

And perhaps Zelenskyy wants to be part of NATO so Russia may return Crimea to Ukraine.

I’m trying to figure out whether you’re explaining why Putin attacks Ukraine (like a historian explaining why Hitler attacked Poland), or justifying Putin’s action.

 

[ChrisTex]

It gets worse. Any news that doesn’t fit their world view is fake.

Russians during Soviet times studied the use of propaganda extensively. Their success in subverting the internet and social media is mind blowing, once they applied this rediscovered art.

When I went to Russia in the summer of 1992, when touring this one palace in Moscow, our hosts(part of a sister city exchange program) told us up until 1991, they were told how Russia was ahead of other countries, we are the best, yada yada yada. However after the Soviet Union collapsed, ordinary Russians found out they were lied to. To put it in perspective, if you lived during the 70's and went to Russia in the 90's, you might have thought you went back in time.

 

[Bob]

When I went to Russia in the summer of 1992, when touring this one palace in Moscow, our hosts(part of a sister city exchange program) told us up until 1991, they were told how Russia was ahead of other countries, we are the best, yada yada yada. However after the Soviet Union collapsed, ordinary Russians found out they were lied to. To put it in perspective, if you lived during the 70's and went to Russia in the 90's, you might have thought you went back in time.

Ah so like the US then in a way.

 

[Helpful Herbert]

When I went to Russia in the summer of 1992, when touring this one palace in Moscow, our hosts(part of a sister city exchange program) told us up until 1991, they were told how Russia was ahead of other countries, we are the best, yada yada yada. However after the Soviet Union collapsed, ordinary Russians found out they were lied to. To put it in perspective, if you lived during the 70's and went to Russia in the 90's, you might have thought you went back in time.

I went to Moscow in 1993 and remember the new McDonalds, and outside it there were lines of hundreds of pensioners desperately trying to sell anything, cucumbers, plastic bags, cutlery, just holding them in their hands. Russians are used to hardship and with all the international firms pulling out, probably for years, and the rouble already collapsing, there will be plenty of hardship coming for the ordinary citizen. But Putin and co will still have the 1bn dacha with the Aquatic disco [although I imagine it has several NATO nukes trained on it, just in case]

 

[Nimbus]

When I went to Russia in the summer of 1992, when touring this one palace in Moscow, our hosts(part of a sister city exchange program) told us up until 1991, they were told how Russia was ahead of other countries, we are the best, yada yada yada. However after the Soviet Union collapsed, ordinary Russians found out they were lied to. To put it in perspective, if you lived during the 70's and went to Russia in the 90's, you might have thought you went back in time.

The lie ran so deep that even the elite themselves believed it, until shown otherwise.

When Boris Yeltsin went grocery shopping in Clear Lake

In 1989 Russian president Boris Yeltsin's wide-eyed trip to a Clear Lake grocery store...

www.nhregister.com

 

[ChrisTex]

Ah so like the US then in a way.

In terms of some of the lies(The Russians have poisoned the snow), yes, but in terms of buildings, no. One of my univ professors who is Scottish had said when he was there in 1995, he was looking around thinking he had lived in a decade like this before.

I went to Moscow in 1993 and remember the new McDonalds, and outside it there were lines of hundreds of pensioners desperately trying to sell anything, cucumbers, plastic bags, cutlery, just holding them in their hands. Russians are used to hardship and with all the international firms pulling out, probably for years, and the rouble already collapsing, there will be plenty of hardship coming for the ordinary citizen. But Putin and co will still have the 1bn dacha with the Aquatic disco [although I imagine it has several NATO nukes trained on it, just in case]

Yup, we went to McDs and the line was really long. There was a lady with a sign saying someone from her family had been killed by the KGB.

At the time you could supposedly only buy 2 bottles of vodka, but they had the black market where you could always get more. In Moscow, the two main black markets were East Milo and Arbots. We saw a guy with a knife wound across his throat at Arbots and when we were talking with another friend from Moscow back in Texas about that guy, he laughed and said that was his friend.

The lie ran so deep that even the elite themselves believed it, until shown otherwise.

When Boris Yeltsin went grocery shopping in Clear Lake

In 1989 Russian president Boris Yeltsin's wide-eyed trip to a Clear Lake grocery store...

www.nhregister.com

I wish I could remember the name of the place we were at, but there were gold statues all around and at the fountains. It was places like this where the ordinary Russians found out where some of the money went. For a time, UK students were allowed to use the UK embassy store for their groceries.


On a funnier note on the corruption, Bert Kreischer shares about his experience with the Russian mob.

 

[Bob]

In terms of some of the lies(The Russians have poisoned the snow), yes, but in terms of buildings, no. One of my univ professors who is Scottish had said when he was there in 1995, he was looking around thinking he had lived in a decade like this before.



Yup, we went to McDs and the line was really long. There was a lady with a sign saying someone from her family had been killed by the KGB.

At the time you could supposedly only buy 2 bottles of vodka, but they had the black market where you could always get more. In Moscow, the two main black markets were East Milo and Arbots. We saw a guy with a knife wound across his throat at Arbots and when we were talking with another friend from Moscow back in Texas about that guy, he laughed and said that was his friend.



I wish I could remember the name of the place we were at, but there were gold statues all around and at the fountains. It was places like this where the ordinary Russians found out where some of the money went. For a time, UK students were allowed to use the UK embassy store for their groceries.


On a funnier note on the corruption, Bert Kreischer shares about his experience with the Russian mob.

That sounds like a very interesting trip. I was there a while before, when St. Petersburg was Leningrad and they had not yet been blessed with McShytes. I'd like to see what it's like now but I guess that won't be viable anytime soon.
My comment was more about living in the US and having 'we are the best in everything imaginable' constantly force fed to us while in reality we're far from it.

 

[ChrisTex]

That sounds like a very interesting trip. I was there a while before, when St. Petersburg was Leningrad and they had not yet been blessed with McShytes. I'd like to see what it's like now but I guess that won't be viable anytime soon.
My comment was more about living in the US and having 'we are the best in everything imaginable' constantly force fed to us while in reality we're far from it.

That is why when I hear someone say the French are arrogant/talk about about another country(nothing positive at all), I will ask two questions: have you been there(the answer is usually no) and what country isn't?

 

[Dave70]

 

[Nimbus]

Here’s why I believe people are the same everywhere, they all want to be proud of themselves and their country. Hitler enjoyed popularity in the beginning because he flouted the humiliating treaty of Versailles and restored German pride. Sukarno was popular because he defied ‘nekolim’ (neo colonialists and imperialists, father of neoconservatives) and established the non-aligned movement along with Tito. Putin is popular because he is a strong man bent on restoring Russian glory. Trump is popular because he appeals to the crowd chanting USA! USA! USA!

Nationalism combined with a sense of victimhood can be really dangerous. An angry and hungry crowd is not good at nuances.

 

[Dave70]

And perhaps Zelenskyy wants to be part of NATO so Russia may return Crimea to Ukraine.

I’m trying to figure out whether you’re explaining why Putin attacks Ukraine (like a historian explaining why Hitler attacked Poland), or justifying Putin’s action.

@Nimbus, please watch below video to know why.

 

[Nimbus]

@Nimbus, please watch below video to know why.

You haven’t answered the question whether you support the Russian invasion. At this point I don’t give a flying fig about what Russia thinks. Nothing justifies the invasion.

 

[Dave70]

You haven’t answered the question whether you support the Russian invasion. At this point I don’t give a flying fig about what Russia thinks. Nothing justifies the invasion.

Of course I don't support any war.

As my grandfather used to say, "whoever throw the first punch is WRONG".

However, as an aspiring "geopolitical analyst", I try to find the reason behind it. It's not like everything Russia did is wrong and everything the West did is right. It cannot always be Russia is bad, or Russia is evil. We have to look at the problem, on both sides, and through their lens.

 

[Nimbus]

Of course I don't support any war.

As my grandfather used to say, "whoever throw the first punch is WRONG".

However, as an aspiring "geopolitical analyst", I try to find the reason behind it. It's not like everything Russia did is wrong and everything the West did is right. It cannot always be Russia is bad, or Russia is evil. We have to look at the problem, on both sides, and through their lens.

The world is not black and white. You can even say that Germans in WWII had some justification due to the harsh terms of the treaty of Versaille. But at the end of the day the Germans were wrong and the Allies were right. This time around Russia has even fewer justifications than Germany.

• No Ukrainian terrorists bombing Russian buildings.
• No Ukrainian military attack into Russian territory.

Before the war the fact was that Crimea was still annexed by Russia, and Ukraine wanted to prevent further incursions by joining NATO.

Why are you so scared of saying Russian invasion is wrong?

 

[Dave70]

Why are you so scared of saying Russian invasion is wrong?

As you said yourself, “the world is not black and white”. An observer, like me, doesn’t judge the rightness or wrongness. A geopolitical analysis should be free of ideology and judgement.

 

[fastpitch17]

As you said yourself, “the world is not black and white”. An observer, like me, doesn’t judge the rightness or wrongness. A geopolitical analysis should be free of ideology and judgement.

Sure. So, what's your geopolitical analysis of one nation invading another unprovoked and then when the invaders are being blogged down by those being invaded upping their fire power which now includes primarily targeting civilians? How about that analysis of the invader being condemned by the majority of the world?

 

[Nimbus]

As you said yourself, “the world is not black and white”. An observer, like me, doesn’t judge the rightness or wrongness. A geopolitical analysis should be free of ideology and judgement.

Calling Russia wrong in invading Ukraine is not ‘ideology’. Steadfastly refusing to call it as such is.

It’s like a criminologist who refuses to call crime ‘wrong’. There is no such standard, he can be a professional and still call crime wrong.

As far as I can tell, you’re not even a professional political analyst. Quit hiding behind a made-up code of conduct. Even Trump is still more honest and openly supports Putin.

 

[Dave70]

Calling Russia wrong in invading Ukraine is not ‘ideology’. Steadfastly refusing to call it as such is.

It’s like a criminologist who refuses to call crime ‘wrong’. There is no such standard, he can be a professional and still call crime wrong.

As far as I can tell, you’re not even a professional political analyst. Quit hiding behind a made-up code of conduct. Even Trump is still more honest and openly supports Putin.

Calling Russia wrong in invading Ukraine is being JUDGEMENTAL (not ideology).

Criminologist is very different from a geopolitical analyst.

I didn’t say I’m a ‘professional political analyst’, I said I’m an ASPIRING geopolitical analyst. Maybe I’ll never be one, but I’m still aspiring to be one, perhaps when I retire. Nevertheless, learning process starts NOW.

If you look up “geopolitical analysis”, you will find that their report should be free of ideology and judgement.

But fact is, as Kim Iversen puts it (towards the end of her video, post #131), “because of US funding and US backing (Ukraine is forced) to be more aggressive towards Russia, that obviously upset Russia. We have sort of poked the bear and now the bear is coming roaring”.

BTW, since you are Indonesian (or Naturalized American?) but in America, I share with you the hottest news right now in Indonesia about Ukraine.

Batalyon Azov Ukraina Olesi Peluru dengan Lemak Babi, Diduga untuk Melawan Pasukan Muslim Chechnya - Tribunnews.com

Beberapa waktu lalu Garda Nasional Ukraina membagikan video di akun Twitternya yang menunjukkan seorang pria mengolesi pelurunya dengan lemak babi.

www.tribunnews.com

 

[fastpitch17]

Calling Russia wrong in invading Ukraine is being JUDGEMENTAL (not ideology).

Criminologist is very different from a geopolitical analyst.

I didn’t say I’m a ‘professional political analyst’, I said I’m an ASPIRING geopolitical analyst. Maybe I’ll never be one, but I’m still aspiring to be one, perhaps when I retire. Nevertheless, learning process starts NOW.

If you look up “geopolitical analysis”, you will find that their report should be free of ideology and judgement.

But fact is, as Kim Iversen puts it (towards the end of her video, post #131), “because of US funding and US backing (Ukraine is forced) to be more aggressive towards Russia, that obviously upset Russia. We have sort of poked the bear and now the bear is coming roaring”.

BTW, since you are Indonesian (or Naturalized American?) but in America, I share with you the hottest news right now in Indonesia about Ukraine.

Batalyon Azov Ukraina Olesi Peluru dengan Lemak Babi, Diduga untuk Melawan Pasukan Muslim Chechnya - Tribunnews.com

Beberapa waktu lalu Garda Nasional Ukraina membagikan video di akun Twitternya yang menunjukkan seorang pria mengolesi pelurunya dengan lemak babi.

www.tribunnews.com

That article was taken from Vice Indonesia who failed to explain that the Azov were only 900 strong and badically outcast from Ukraines standpoint. These articles are meant only to stir up Muslim sentiments against Ukraine making it sound like it is all of Ukraine and not .0000225% of their population. Plus, for a geopolitical analyst, one would know this isn't the first time this had been done. There was even a bullit manufacturer who did. Evidently analysis has fences one stops at and ignores what is beyond.

I did learn something new. Evidently Geopolitical Analyst don't mind sharing inacurate news to enable a large group to be offended. If I were a betting man I would say your analysis is based on personal thoughts and beliefs with no room for anything else. So much for that "free of ideology and judgement." If your shooting for retirement for your success, I hope you are very young now.

 

[atlantis]

I share with you the hottest news right now in Indonesia about Ukraine.

Batalyon Azov Ukraina Olesi Peluru dengan Lemak Babi, Diduga untuk Melawan Pasukan Muslim Chechnya - Tribunnews.com

Beberapa waktu lalu Garda Nasional Ukraina membagikan video di akun Twitternya yang menunjukkan seorang pria mengolesi pelurunya dengan lemak babi.

www.tribunnews.com

The hottest news right now in Indonesia about Ukraine???? This is beyond a gross exaggeration, not to say a silly one.

Since you take the article on tribunnews you perhaps could have check their video too. 11.500 views, 150 comment in 2 days. Super hot bro!

Regular national medias have given just a few line to the news, nothing more than it's worth, considering much more serious stuff are happening in Ukraine at the moment.

Also do you have any idea about what represent in proportion, batalyon Azov within the Ukrainian army? If you don't know, it's about 4.000 soldiers in an army of about 250.000 soldiers in a country of about 44 millions people.

Yes, batalyon Azov is bad, really bad, and has been involved in human rights violations and probably war crimes but it doesn't define the Ukrainian army nor the people of Ukraine.

Neonazism is unfortunately rampant in Europe, including in Eastern Europe and Russia. The Russian National Unity group of Alexander Barkashov claims having over 100.000 members in Russia, yet it doesn't define Russia nor Russians.

We often denigrate Indonesia about racism directed to black skin people. I think being black in Indonesia, you would receive a much better treatment than being black in Ukraine or Russia. When I was a student I had friends from Africa who had been student in Moscow and St Petersburg. They told me they had to go through almost daily humiliation and racial abuses due to their skin color, and I had similar report from Blacks having been student in Eastern Europe. It is most certainly not the fact of a majority, but it's probably easier to be Christian, white and blond in this part of the world than being black and Muslim.