Since we're all about fweedom & democracy... Shouldn't we be going to war with our neighbor to the north? There's a tyrannical lunatic up there putting peaceful protesters in jail with no bail.
Guaranteed you'll be singing a different tune when you're sitting in a three hour gas line... But hey...Demockwacy & Fweedom.
Uhhh no, I don’t think I’ll ever want to invade Canada what does it have to do with the Ukraine situation? Not a goddamn thing you just desperately wanted to troll about it
I'm glad to see you acknowledge that Russia is a brutal dictatorship. We also agree that Ukraine has a history of corruption and authoritarianism. The specific question, as I see it, is this: Is there enough difference between the brutal dictatorship that is Russia and what I call the "imperfect, fledgling democracy" and you call the "soft authoritarianism" of the Ukraine to make clear whom we should support? The more general question, as I see it, is this: What should be our response generally to the prospect of a large country attempting to invade and dominate a smaller, neighboring country? What kind of world would we live in if such aggression were ignored and allowed to proliferate? This question takes on greater importance when the larger country is a "brutal dictatorship" which stifles freedom and imposes oppression in a profound and pervasive way, and the smaller country has made progress in moving toward a free democracy (e.g., has a recent history of free and fair elections)? Whether we see the current corruption and authoritarian tendencies in Ukraine as proof of the need to reject the Zelensky government or as a deeply rooted, historical problem that has not yet been solved (a solution made more difficult by Russia's ongoing attempts to undermine the democratically elected Zelensky government [see my post #64 in this blog]), there is no doubt that Zelensky was elected with more that 70% of the vote in a free and fair election. Five key things to know about Ukraine’s presidential election (brookings.edu) So, again, we have to ask ourselves: Is there enough of a difference between Russia and Ukraine to demand that we support the Ukraine or demand that we remain neutral? The very thorough analyses by Freedom House tells me that Ukraine is "Partly Free" (Global Freedom Score 62) and Russia is "Not Free" (Global Freedom Score 20). Furthermore, when we see how Russia's takeover of Crimea has resulted only in profound, authoritarian repression ("Not Free," Global Freedom Score 7), we see how the citizens of the Ukraine will likely be similarly oppressed in a profound way. Countries and Territories | Freedom House For me, it is perfectly obvious whom we, as a freedom loving country, should support and whom we should resist. Furthermore, I believe that focusing on the imperfections in Ukranian democracy at this time of Russian intimidation and forceful military invasion just gives aid and comfort to Russian aggression.
Is that the go to? Anyone against getting involved in Ukraine is a Russian apologist? You're better than that.
It seems that there are some Americans who would let Russian aggression go unchecked and who whine about the monetary costs of the resistance to the aggression. These people should consider the sacrifices made by ordinary people during World War II: "The OPA rationed automobiles, tires, gasoline, fuel oil, coal, firewood, nylon, silk, and shoes. Americans used their ration cards and stamps to take their meager share of household staples including meat, dairy, coffee, dried fruits, jams, jellies, lard, shortening, and oils. Americans learned, as they did during the Great Depression, to do without. Sacrificing certain items during the war became the norm for most Americans. It was considered a common good for the war effort, and it affected every American household." Sacrificing for the Common Good: Rationing in WWII (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) This is why those ordinary people in the 1940's became known as "the Greatest Generation." That is, they were willing to sacrifice in whatever ways necessary to support the war effort against totalitarian aggression. Today, the totalitarian aggression against a weaker country comes from Communist Russia rather than from Fascist Nazi Germany. Unfortunately, there are isolationists and even totalitarian admirers in America today, just as there were in 1939. Are we willing to tighten our belts to resist Communist oppression like our grandfathers did to resist Fascist oppression?
Appreciate your well tendered response... I don't pretend to know everything about Ukrainian/Russian politics... not even close. But I'm not seeing where getting involved is in any way to the betterment of American citizens. And all I've heard is democracy... and freedom. Frankly I'm more troubled by the dwindling freedom and democracy on these shores. Maybe I'd feel different if Joe Biden's dirty corrupt fingerprints weren't all over it. I don't trust this administration... neither their motives or their ability to achieve a positive outcome... for us or the Ukrainians. I've got a few Russian friends... and two from Ukraine. None are happy about the U.S. getting involved.
Please do not start with this stupid tyrannical tirade. It's an insult to a vast majority of canadian. And I would even add that these protester are a huge danger to our democracy. Most of their funding are from outside canada (usa being the largest contributor.). As Canadian myself. I am astonished and frustrated to see how your media interpret what is happening right now in Canada. It is no way fight for freedom but simply put, people who want to reverse the current elected government and that believe in conspiracy theory like the big replacement, the great reset, QAnon and many other non sense. Basically, a vast majority of canadian do NOT support their actions and our government was elected just 5 months ago like a normal election. 2/3rd of canadian are very progressive and believe in social democracy and are supportive of the government action. Anybody claiming otherwise (especially american) are a threat to our freedom and our democracy. It frustrate me so much reading the bad takes of Tucker Carson and Candace Owens who want to promote their agenda and feel like our democracy is threatened by a tyran/dictator. Which is comical and scary at the sametime.
I appreciate your willingness to consider the issues in a more thorough and rational way. As the days go on, it becomes clearer and clearer to me that we are at a "which side are you on?" crossroads. The recent collusion of China's Li with Russia's Putin tells us that once again totalitarian forces are feeling the need to unite in order to conquer the nontotalitarian world (shades of the 1939 Russian-Nazi alliance? Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact - Wikipedia): China's Alliance With Putin on Ukraine Confirms U.S. Fears | Time Russia’s Ukraine Tactics Could Be Used by China on Taiwan (foreignpolicy.com) Thankfully, all the democratic countries of the world are starting to unite to this fundamental threat to their basic existence as free nations. Will this be a tremendous challenge to all of us? Certainly, but probably no more a challenge than the free world faced in 1939.
Lol talk about dramatic. It’s always easy to say that for people who have their life built already and don’t have to consider the next forty years financially. It’s also reasonable for American’s to be apprehensive in wanting to get involved in foreign conflict. We’ve only entered a million useless wars since World War II that have netted us nothing but financial loss and dead young Americans over seas. So the trust in the US Government is not there any more. Oh and again. You’re being dramatic. This isn’t Saving Private Ryan.
I've agreed with SundayJack that "there's no such thing as a winnable war," and I agree with Vilma that "We've only entered a million useless wars since World War II that have netted us nothing but financial loss and dead young Americans over seas." So I think that military intervention must be the absolute last resort in two ways: a) when vital (i.e., national survival) strategic interests are involved; and b) when all other means of resolving the situation have been exhausted. But I have to leave it up to the experts to determine when those conditions are met because I basically know nothing about the relevant thresholds. Will our survival be threatened if Russia launches a wide ranging, deep seated IT attack on our vital electronic infrastructure? If China attacks and occupies Taiwan, cutting off a vital source of microchips, would that be threatening to our economic survival? I have to leave such evaluations to experts who have studied the issues for their whole lives.
Our failed former president left no doubt whose side he's on. He came out yesterday and said its "wonderful" what Putin is doing, calling it "genius" and even suggested we should try it on our southern border... https://www.npr.org/2022/02/22/1082...amid-new-escalations-on-russia-ukraine-border
