we're required to pretend they're all "brave, brave citizens" rather than discuss the complexity of supporting one side over the other (in disputes over independence) when each have unsavoury elements.
That's what I mean by having to wear our hearts on our sleeves. I didn't answer because I don't see discussion of it as relevant. — Isaac
No, he was driven by a narcissistic ambition to be known. There are thousands of examples of this all around the world. It's just a matter of time before a leader of a nation has the same kind of mentality. — Christoffer
Fucking disgusting. — SophistiCat
Hello and thank you for the links.
I note that the first article is from 2015 with a particular focus on a woman's group.
Do you think that all the citizens who must stay and fight against an invasion are the same?
— Amity
How could I possibly? No. Just disrupting the rosy media-friendly picture of the poor underdog Ukrainians being set upon by nasty thugish Russia. — Isaac
I often face it with Russian stuff. I have to show I'm passionately anti-Putin before people pay attention to anything I'm saying. — jamalrob
What exactly do you mean by 'wearing one's heart on one's sleeve' in this context?
Where has anyone suggested that you need preface every paragraph in such a way, or else you are a monster? — Amity
Who am I that I need to show how I feel about things? — jamalrob
Can someone enlighten me? Why the demand for condemnation? Are we here to discuss or just to show we're on the right side? — jamalrob
I'm much closer to the people affected than most members of the forum. I personally know Ukrainian people here in Russia who are worried about their children in Ukraine. My wife has many Ukrainian friends in Kiev who are sending her messages and videos, frightened people who are leaving the city to get away from the conflict — jamalrob
I don't usually mention these things here, because they have nothing to do with why the invasion happened, don't shed any light on the position of the Russian government, don't reveal what divisions there might be among people in power in Russia and thus how the regime might change, and so on. — jamalrob
Do people need me to tell them that war is bad, that invading other countries is bad?
That's where I'm coming from — jamalrob
I don't hold with this modern fetish for wearing one's heart on one's sleeve. If I have to preface every paragraph with "bombing innocent people is bad", or else be thought a monster then we're not going have a very productive conversation.
— Isaac
:100: — jamalrob
place is going downhill fast at the moment. — Wayfarer
To all: don't forget to flag low quality posts and discussions, or let us know about problem members by private message (PM). — jamalrob
I'm not drawing from any speciific sources here, but if I find something good I'll send it your way. There are plenty of helpful links in this thread too. jamalrob and @StreetlightX are likely better versed than me anyway. — Baden
That's what I meant. I'm not a catholic anymore, but I still like a few guys in that church. — Olivier5
God, maybe, or your vision of Him. Parents, often. Your self-esteem too, perhaps. — Olivier5
Current pope Francis chose his papal name in reference to Francis of Assisi, for this very reason. St Francis is modern, in this sense, as the patron saint of ecology. — Olivier5
Not many folks would understand Renaud's verses here. It's not even standard French... — Olivier5
This may be a bit easier to follow. Must be the only pop song mentioning Derrida. — Olivier5
I don't have rhythm in my skin ?Je n’ai pas le rythme dans la peau — Olivier5
Dedans comme dehors — Olivier5
God has the same skin?Dieu a la même peau — Olivier5
I'm aware Ukraine now has significantly better weaponry than they did back with the Crimea situation, but, I don't think Ukraine can do too much to Russia's military. — Manuel
How do the militaries compare?
Any invasion by Russia into Ukraine will pit the Kremlin’s large, recently modernised military against an adversary largely using older versions of the same or similar equipment, dating back to the Soviet era. Russia has significant numerical advantages on land and in particular in air and at sea, although the Ukrainians would be defending their homeland. — Guardian
...if they want to give severe sanctions, I'd imagine most oligarchs would be involved — Manuel
... it is a mutual process which has been going on, pretty much unseen, for a long time.
For example: the ennoblement of Mr Lebedev, son of a former KGB agent... — Amity
Boris Johnson could not have been more clear. “I just think it’s very important that the house understands – we do not raise money from Russian oligarchs.” Some opposition MPs laughed, and it very much is the case that the prime minister was accurate only in a strict legalistic sense.
It would be impossible for someone only with Russian nationality, however rich, to donate legally to a UK political party. What has undoubtedly happened is that a series of people with dual UK-Russian nationality, or with significant business links with Russia, have donated heavily to the Conservatives in recent years.
A Labour party calculation based on Electoral Commission information estimated that donors who have made money from Russia or Russians have given £1.93m to either the Tory party or constituency associations since Johnson became prime minister.
Others put the sum higher. Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, to whom Johnson was replying in the Commons on Wednesday, said the Tories had raised £2.3m “from Russian oligarchs”
[ ... ]
The biggest single donor of this group is the financier Lubov Chernukhin, who has donated £700,000. A British national since 2011, she is married to Vladimir Chernukhin, a former deputy finance minister under Putin.
Documents published in the Pandora papers in October suggest he was allowed to leave Russia in 2004 with assets worth about $500m (£366m) and retain Russian business connections.
— Guardian - Tory Party funding linked to Russia
Russia portrays NATO's maneuvers as an attempt to weaken it in relative terms and NATO portrays Russia's maneuvers as an imperialistic. But regardless of who fires the first shot (and war has been going on by proxy in the Ukraine’s eastern regions already), both sides taking an aggressive posture and neither backing down is the ethical failure here — Baden
That Russia’s not backing down manifests more obviously in open conflict and the eventual subjugation of Ukraine, whereas NATO's not backing down would manifest in the full transformation of the Ukraine into a western client state is not the primary issue imo but the short-sighted lack of mutual engagemen — Baden
The Ukraine-Russia crisis explained: a complete visual guide
Tensions have escalated sharply after Vladimir Putin ordered troops into east Ukraine. What might happen next?
A map released by Ukrainian military intelligence in November showed a worst-case scenario: Russian forces crossing the Ukrainian border from the east and attacking from annexed Crimea, as well as launching an amphibious assault on Odessa with support from Russian soldiers in Transnistria and troops sent in from Belarus...
What is the role of Nord Stream 2?
On 22 February, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, stopped the certification process for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to Russia’s recognition of the two self-proclaimed republics...
Europe’s most divisive energy project, Nord Stream 2 bypasses the traditional gas transit nation of Ukraine by running along the bed of the Baltic Sea. It has faced resistance within the European Union, and from the United States as well as Ukraine, on the grounds that it increases Europe’s energy dependence on Russia, denies Ukraine transit fees and makes it more vulnerable to Russian invasion.
— Guardian: the Ukraine-Russian crisis explained
Plus I really don't have enough of an idea what is going on or what Putin's strategy is. And disillusionment now deters me from even trying to find out more.
I did share an article early in the discussion, which I think still applies, as does the video that I like sushi posted. They put the whole thing in context. Characteristically, they didn't produce much discussion, although I'll give credit to SophistiCat for engaging reasonably and critically with them (as I recall). — jamalrob
Sadly it's been above zero in Moscow for a couple of weeks so a lot of the snow has gone and the streets are all yucky. My cross-country skiing trip in a week is in danger of being a washout. — jamalrob
It’s an abject failure if the American system that Trump isn’t in jail already for sedition. — Wayfarer
Putin is a major threat because he's a fucking lunatic. To have a former president and someone who might take office again, call Putin a genius is serious.
A lot of people will die and there will be a major hit to the security of the world if Putin invades Ukraine. So who can defend such a statement from Trump? How can the blatant pro-Putin and apathy of the republican party be something the US people would support? What the fuck is wrong with people? — Christoffer
The US and European nations have long opposed Russian territorial aggression on Ukraine. The US has been screaming blue murder for the last six weeks, which a lot of people say is simply scare-mongering, although it's obviously not.
— Wayfarer
Yes. Words come easy. Some are genuine.
Putin has been a dangerous, now totally paranoid, dictator for how long?
How many leaders have shaken his hand and been showered upon... — Amity
The ennoblement of Mr Lebedev, son of a former KGB agent, who owns the Evening Standard and The Independent, comes days after the intelligence and security committee warned of the growing influence of a “Russian elite” in British life. — The Times - Evgeny Lebedev son of KGB agent handed a seat in the House of Lords
Do note that Putin also actively encouraged Scottish independence. When you think of it, the Scottish Independence Party and UKIP/Brexit crowd are quite in opposite camps. But that doesn't matter. For Russia, there is no other logic than to a) break up Atlanticism and NATO, b) break up the EU and c) break up Western countries, if possible. — ssu
Then there is of course option f) Act surprised when you have power outages and blame them on something, the weather, climate change, Putin's cyberwarfare or whatever you can invent that would seem acceptable to the ignorant voters. — ssu
Empire and socialism
The British empire and imperialism also make an appearance. While the document says the reformation and renaissance are unlikely to be an issue:
For more recent historical events including those which are particularly contentious and disputed, political issues may be presented to pupils. This includes many topics relating to empire and imperialism, on which there are differing partisan political views, and which should be taught in a balanced manner.
The framing hundreds of years of exploitation and occupation simply as a ‘partisan’ issue, surely downplays the continuing impacts of imperialism around the world.
[ ... ]
The Tory choice of topics is telling. Why Israel/Palestine, BLM and empire? Of all issues, why are these being treated as if two equally legitimate sides deserve to be heard. Also significant, is the government decision to reinforce with guidance what already appears to be law.We need to question why they are doing this. — The Canary - Tory Guidance on teaching politics
Boris Johnson yesterday unveiled “the first barrage” of sanctions against Russian business interests in response to the country’s movement of troops into Ukraine.
Yet the measures scarcely scratch the surface of the extensive business links between Moscow and Britain. From the dozens of Russian companies listed in London, to BP’s 20 per cent stake in Kremlin-backed Rosneft and the flow of commodities to the UK, Anglo-Russian commerce is under intense scrutiny as the prime minister and his counterparts in the EU and America mull further sanctions. — The Times - Unpicking Russia's Web of UK Interests
“If it comes to an invasion, it will be total war like in 1939. The whole country will be fighting back, there will be a massive resistance. The west should know there will be a large number of refugees too, maybe 5 to 10 million.”
Those determined to fight include Oleg Sentsov, a film director from Crimea who became a national hero after he was detained in his home city in 2014 and convicted of terrorism in a Russian military court. Human rights groups denounced it as a show trial.
He spent five years in Russian jails, including in Siberia where the cold severely damaged his health, before he was released in a prisoner swap in 2019. He says he is ready to fight, even as his latest film, Rhino, is feted at festivals.
“I will be in uniform. I have some military training and I know how to act in war,” he said in an interview at a central Kyiv cafe, hours before Putin announced his plans to recognise breakaway regions of Ukraine. “The main thing I learned in this life is not to be afraid. In such a difficult time, I will not be the person running from my country.” — The Guardian - Ukrainians ready for resistance
...its the guy's own design. Believe that one's a 12 string, but he has a couple others. Amazing classical guitar player. — Seppo
The French text is much better than my translation, BTW. He writes in thick Parisian slang, and I learnt English in books. I don't speak any English slang. — Olivier5
I was somewhat less interested in ecclesiastic history when I visited Assisi than I am now. I remember the basilica was beautiful. A missed opportunity for my spiritual education I guess. — Olivier5
Renaud wrote about his own two sides in the following song, implying that we are all part Dr Jekyll, part Mister Hyde. He has indeed two distinct styles: one ultra-sarcastic, and one very romantic. — Olivier5
I visited Assisi once but I know very little about St Francis, still — Olivier5
↪Wayfarer Well called in advance from you. — ssu
The Russian foreign policy objectives and it's agenda are totally logical. Going against NATO, against the Transatlantic connection and the EU is obvious as these supranational organizations make it possible for smaller countries in the zone of influence of Russia, like the Baltic States, to go against Russia. If relations in Europe were done on a one-to-one basis, Russia would have a very influential position. But if it has to negotiate with the EU, it is in a disadvantage. Hence the anti-EU stance of Russia. And the anti-NATO stance of Russia ought to be obvious to everybody.
Yet with supporting clandestinely Trump, giving loans to the French National Front and having connections to far-right and anti-immigration / anti-EU parties, Russia now has hit a populist streak that likely it didn't think would be possible. Above all, it's de facto enemy, is in total dissarray.
[ ... ]
Russia and it's intelligence services are winning.
I think things are getting worse, not better... — ssu
As Putin is obviously trying to reconstitute and reconquer the Russian (Soviet) Empire, he truly is the modern imperialist... — ssu
Covid laws and free mass testing are to be swept away across England after Rishi Sunak won a cabinet battle on cutting the cost of the pandemic, prompting fears that the poor and vulnerable will pay the price.
Boris Johnson announced plans to end free testing for the general public from 1 April, saying it was time for people to “get our confidence back”.
People who test positive for Covid will no longer have to isolate by law from this Thursday – and from April will not even be advised to stay at home if infected, the prime minister said. — Guardian article
Si l'enfer c'est les autres, le paradis aussi. — Olivier5