We needed to drag Crimea out of that humiliating position and state that Crimea and Sevastopol had been pushed into when they were part of another state that had only provided leftover financing to these territories.
There is more to it. The fact is we know what needs to be done next, how it needs to be done, and at what cost – and we will fulfil all these plans, absolutely.
These decisions are not even as important as the fact that the residents of Crimea and Sevastopol made the right choice when they put up a firm barrier against neo-Nazis and ultra-nationalists. What was and is still happening on other territories is the best indication that they did the right thing.
People who lived and live in Donbass did not agree with this coup d’état, either. Several punitive military operations were instantly staged against them; they were besieged and subjected to systemic shelling with artillery and bombing by aircraft – and this is actually what is called “genocide.”
The main goal and motive of the military operation that we launched in Donbass and Ukraine is to relieve these people of suffering, of this genocide. At this point, I recall the words from the Holy Scripture: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” And we are seeing how heroically our military are fighting during this operation.
These words come from the Holy Scripture of Christianity, from what is cherished by those who profess this religion. But the bottom line is that this is a universal value for all nations and those of all religions in Russia, and primarily for our people. The best evidence of this is how our fellows are fighting and acting in this operation: shoulder to shoulder, helping and supporting each other. If they have to, they will cover each other with their bodies to protect their comrade from a bullet in the battlefield, as they would to save their brother. It has been a long time since we had such unity. — Vladimir Putin
One view is that ethical dilemmas of this kind only exist for world leaders as they act to advance the interests of their countries in the context of competition for political survival. — frank
So the question is, why the above condemnation (which I agree with, actually, don't find anything incorrect there) is only preserved for Israel, but not for Russia and Putin? Now for some reason I find myself with a realpolitik (or anti-US?) Benkei who doesn't care what Russia does. (Perhaps it's all Western propaganda or what?) — ssu
NATO can't have it both ways — boethius
in a typical colonial way, commentators are homogenizing Ukrainians and misrecognizing the political diversity in a nation of 40 million people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently tweeted about the principle “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” contrary to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inclination to determine Ukraine’s membership in NATO in a narrow circle of Great Powers. However, the problem is not only deciding “without Ukraine” but also deciding “for” very diverse Ukrainians as if they held identical opinions on the critical issues in question. — Volodymyr Ishchenko, research associate at the Institute of East European Studies, Freie Universität Berlin.,*
If people want to discuss the issues that Russia is using as propaganda talking points, then it would be good to understand that they are talking about issues that are used as propaganda. — ssu
Then came the surfacing of Hunter Biden’s missing laptop, with its library of decadent pictures and business email chains, mysteriously left at a Wilmington repair shop, which found its way to Republican political operatives including Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon, plus the rightwing press and the FBI.
On the political flip-side, House intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff said the laptop was a “smear” from Russian intelligence, and 50 former intelligence officials said it was probably Russian disinformation. Now, however, almost no one disputes its authenticity. — https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/27/hunter-biden-joe-biden-president-business-dealings
ban — Isaac
suppression — Isaac
Aren't the Palestinians similar here to the Ukrainians? There's a link, except that:If you want to compare it, then the Palestinians are Ukrainians. — Benkei
WTF?I blame Russia for an act of aggression but I think it was the only correct strategic move. — Benkei
Just to put into the proper context issues like the idea of the US sponsoring biowarfare labs in Ukraine.But you've yet to explain what you want anyone to do about this, nor provided any reason at all for your assumption that they don't already know this. — Isaac
Yet people have said that the US installed neo-nazis to lead Ukraine's government and have long wanted to make this a discussion of neo-nazis, even if extreme right has for example in France a lot more support... which has been supported by Putin's Russia. Hopefully we perhaps have sufficiently cleared the role of the extreme-right in Ukrainian politics: that even if they do exist, perhaps the assumption that they rule Ukraine isn't truthful.Not one person has said that Ukraine's Neo-Nazi problem morally justified invasion, not one person has said that NATO expansion morally justified invasion. — Isaac
Can you explain how you're using these words? — Srap Tasmaner
Does any of that qualify as "banning" or "suppressing" discussion for you? — Srap Tasmaner
Just to put into the proper context issues like the idea of the US sponsoring biowarfare labs in Ukraine. — ssu
It's like someone ardently wants to discuss Pizzagate in a thread of US politics as a real issue. So let's discuss where the children were kept! No really, where are they? — ssu
Yet people have said that the US installed neo-nazis to lead Ukraine's government — ssu
perhaps the assumption that they rule Ukraine isn't truthful. — ssu
Things like what are Russia's options next would be interesting. Or how this war will affect the wider region. Or how the war might end. Or where is Russia going from here. — ssu
I blame Russia for an act of aggression but I think it was the only correct strategic move. — Benkei
Yet people have said that the US installed neo-nazis to lead Ukraine's government — ssu
Only correct strategic move? To start a war they cannot win? — ssu
Some people are going for a trial thing ...
• Statement calling for the creation of a Special Tribunal for the punishment of the crime of aggression against Ukraine
• ICC prosecutor launches Ukraine war crimes investigation (AP)
• Ukraine calls for Nuremberg-style tribunal to judge Vladimir Putin (Politico)
• Why we need a new Nuremberg trial to make Putin pay (Daily Mail)
• Putin’s use of military force is a crime of aggression (Financial Times) — jorndoe
Person referring to Holy Scripture in the justification of the war he started likely isn't going to cut a peace deal immediately. — ssu
"President Bush said to all of us: 'I am driven with a mission from God'. God would tell me, 'George go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan'. And I did. And then God would tell me 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq'. And I did."
Mr Bush went on: "And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East'. And, by God, I'm gonna do it."
Blair ‘believed strongly, although he couldn’t say it at the time, that intervention in Kosovo, Sierra Leone—Iraq too—was all part of the Christian battle; good should triumph over evil’
“Those who have served through the ages and have drawn inspiration from the Book of Isaiah, when the Lord says: ‘Whom shall I send? Who shall go for us?’ The American military has been answering for a long time. ‘Here I am, Lord. Send me. Here I am, send me.’ Each one of these women and men of our armed forces are the heirs of that tradition of sacrifice, of volunteering to go into harm’s way to risk everything, not for glory, not for profit, but to defend what we love and the people we love.”
GQ has an array of daily briefing booklet sent by Donald Rumsfeld to George W. Bush on the Iraq war and the war on terror that featured Biblical sayings. This is the reading prepared for a president who called the war on terror a “crusade.” Such Biblical inspirational sayings as “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him…To deliver their soul from death” were coupled with triumphant pictures for the President’s daily briefings.
Some people are going for a trial thing ... — jorndoe
I am worried for President Putin: my biggest fear is that he will be alone. — FreeEmotion
ssu did not say Putin was exceptional in that, though. He just said that holy warriors aren't known for signing peace deals, so Putin is unlikely to seek peace in Ukraine. — Olivier5
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