By Ted Belman
So far, in my writings and postings, I have given Russia a pass. No longer.
I am working on an article which spotlights Russia’s activities in Libya, Syria, Iran and Ukraine.
Its not going to be pretty.
I will also spotlight her relations with Israel which leave much to be desired.
If anyone wants to suggest articles I should read, please email me or put the links in the Comments.
A very granular and balanced review of the details that led to the Ukrainian Civil War and the current Russian invasion, much more thorough than the discussions by Dr. Mearshimer, though more focused on the current crisis than the 2014 coup:
https://odysee.com/richard-sakwa:dec29b07c8d1b122bbba73703789422bd8c7ecc2?src=embed
Quite fascinating article wrote by a ukrainian military analyst 10 days before the start of the war 15.02.22 He was right on what was going to happen. https://kyivindependent.com/opinion/illia-ponomarenko-even-if-russia-attacks-ukraines-fall-is-not-predestined/#mc4wp_form_widget-2
In french, easy translation, fondamental article published and retracted by NOVOSTI the first days of war, describes the vison and strategy of poutine and the Russians
https://www.fondapol.org/decryptage/la-russie-na-pas-seulement-defie-loccident-elle-a-montre-que-lere-de-la-domination-occidentale-mondiale-peut-etre-consideree-comme-completement-et-definitivement-revolue/
In french, easy translation, fondamental article published and retracted by NOVOSTI the first days of war, describes the vison and strategy of poutine and the Russians
https://www.fondapol.org/decryptage/la-russie-na-pas-seulement-defie-loccident-elle-a-montre-que-lere-de-la-domination-occidentale-mondiale-peut-etre-consideree-comme-completement-et-definitivement-revolue/
@Ted Belman
No one has been “giving Russia a pass”
Every European state has a long and bloody past (the US has a shorter bloody past), so there is no state that should be “given a pass”.
It is a question of geopolitics and the right of a state to self-defense.
You are turning this into a thesis that the states that are not virtuous enough have no right to self-defense, i.e.,”they should not be given a pass”.
However, there is one state that should ALWAYS be given a pass (because it is the epitome of freedom and democracy) – the United States.
My problem with that is that after the last 2 years, the West headed by the US has absolutely lost its reputation for freedom and democracy, and its people – their right to call themselves free and democratic.
Therefore, all this rhetoric emanating from them about the free and democratic Ukraine defending itself from an unjustified and unprovoked invasion by the totalitarian Russia should, at least, be taken woth a large grain of salt.
I realize that the emotional, ignorant, and brainwashed “patriots” constitute the largest part of you readership, and you don’t want to lose them.
I also want to add that Russia, at least, in its bloody past doesn’t have the distinction of enabling the virtuous Germans to slaughter 6 million Jews in Europe by actively locking them in there and consciously and actively preventing their rescue like some pillars of freedom and democracy did in WWII.
@eddavis317
Are you joking?
Tell it to the Serbs whom the Germans bombed with pleasure – they were so happy to do this again!
And they were bombing civilians, not military installations.
The Serbs were even deprived of the potable water for a time which is against the international law.
If this is peaceful… I don’t know what isn’t.
Eddavis
Defend from what precisely?
I hope you are familiar with the material forwarded here by Reader before you write here?
And also by Peloni and videos on Maidan by Ted
Ted
You can investigate all you like. It cannot change my previous answer
But who caused this is important. After the coup in February 2014 the dye was cast. It had become a de facto puppet of America with nuclear arms on that border.
That’s the cause.
I am focusing only on this war. Is it not the issue?
Ted,
I agree that Russia should not be given a pass. The posters who insist that Russia had something to fear from Ukraine, let alone a NATO filled with pacifist nations that do not want to fund NATO are either Russian trolls or apologists for Putin. NATO is a defensive alliance and barely has the will or capacity to defend its members. The NATO countries at the greatest risk are Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. Consider the history of Poland and what it has to lose.