Russia Invades Ukraine IX

Status
Not open for further replies.

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
86,439
44,459
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
I have ben chatting with colleagues about what it takes to create a nationality.
A national myth (shared cultural experiences, whether they are true or not is not as important as that they are accepted), a language, a common homeland?
How many of those does Ukraine have?
An army and navy (sort of). Seriously, language alone isn't it and that is the thrust of the Russian position now. Yesterday, state TV there insisted that all of the Russian speakers in the east and across the south of Ukraine were really Russians who'd been fooled into thinking they were Ukrainians. Look at where you are for a good language example...
 

Its On A Slab

All-American
Apr 18, 2018
2,163
3,534
182
Pyongyang, Democratic Republic of Korea
An army and navy (sort of). Seriously, language alone isn't it and that is the thrust of the Russian position now. Yesterday, state TV there insisted that all of the Russian speakers in the east and across the south of Ukraine were really Russians who'd been fooled into thinking they were Ukrainians. Look at where you are for a good language example...
I am going to have to spend some time on Sunday around one of my wife's friends, a Russian expat and über Putin supporter.

The last time they visited, it was just as the war was starting. I had steeled myself to try to avoid discussing the war because I wanted to be a nice, hospitable host, and didn't want to say what I wanted to say(such as, go jump in the lake, but in more direct tones ;) ) . She constantly tried to steer conversations toward her agit-prop, but I didn't go there with her.

It will be interesting to hear how her attitude has changed since the war began, if at all. In February, she was convinced the the entire world was hoodwinked by false propaganda in the media, and that Putin's goals were noble.

It's going to be much harder this time around for me to listen to such b.s. and not say something. Maybe extended absences from the table might do the trick.
 

Con

Hall of Fame
Dec 19, 2006
6,933
5,159
187
Northern Hemisphere
I am going to have to spend some time on Sunday around one of my wife's friends, a Russian expat and über Putin supporter.

The last time they visited, it was just as the war was starting. I had steeled myself to try to avoid discussing the war because I wanted to be a nice, hospitable host, and didn't want to say what I wanted to say(such as, go jump in the lake, but in more direct tones ;) ) . She constantly tried to steer conversations toward her agit-prop, but I didn't go there with her.

It will be interesting to hear how her attitude has changed since the war began, if at all. In February, she was convinced the the entire world was hoodwinked by false propaganda in the media, and that Putin's goals were noble.

It's going to be much harder this time around for me to listen to such b.s. and not say something. Maybe extended absences from the table might do the trick.
I can't wait for your Monday report. It could be interesting.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
86,439
44,459
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
At least one good thing is coming of this war.
Last I saw, they were not longer at war with the Russia, having ended that in the mid-50s, but there's still tension over the Kuril Islands, occupied by Russia at the end of WWII and never resolved...
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
68,747
84,399
462
crimsonaudio.net
At least one good thing is coming of this war.
Well, I keep hearing - from sources all over - that we're weakening militarily. Yes, other countries supporting their own defense is a good thing, but projection of US power has historically been really good at keeping bad actors from pushing their boundaries too hard.

I've long been against the amount of money we spend, wanting instead for other countries to pick up the tab for their own defense (or at lease a substantial part of it). But I'd never really thought what the potential loss of US military preeminence / hegemony would mean for the overall balance of world power. I suspect we're just beginning to see what that looks like.
 

Its On A Slab

All-American
Apr 18, 2018
2,163
3,534
182
Pyongyang, Democratic Republic of Korea
I can't wait for your Monday report. It could be interesting.
The report may be pretty subdued. The expat is getting married and needs my wife and I to be witnesses.

It's one of those marriages so she can remain in country. Her visa is about to expire and her ex-husband wants to keep her here. Complicated situation. He is also an expat Russian, but I believe his sympathies lie with Ukraine(like most decent Russians).
 

uafanataum

All-American
Oct 18, 2014
2,917
1,369
182
Well, I keep hearing - from sources all over - that we're weakening militarily. Yes, other countries supporting their own defense is a good thing, but projection of US power has historically been really good at keeping bad actors from pushing their boundaries too hard.

I've long been against the amount of money we spend, wanting instead for other countries to pick up the tab for their own defense (or at lease a substantial part of it). But I'd never really thought what the potential loss of US military preeminence / hegemony would mean for the overall balance of world power. I suspect we're just beginning to see what that looks like.
If all of our allies start contributing to their defense as much as we do then the U.S. will be in a better situation militarily, not a weaker one. We should be able to look at our alliances as partnerships instead of them just being host countries for our nukes and launch sites into their corner of the world.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
86,439
44,459
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
If all of our allies start contributing to their defense as much as we do then the U.S. will be in a better situation militarily, not a weaker one. We should be able to look at our alliances as partnerships instead of them just being host countries for our nukes and launch sites into their corner of the world.
Judging from some that we've seen, it looks like Ukraine has waked some up. One fear I have is that, now Putin's army has been revealed as an empty pile of poop, the urge to up defense spending may fade again, as soon as the present crisis is more or less resolved...
 

UAH

All-American
Nov 27, 2017
4,126
5,217
187
Excellent reporting today on Morning Joe. Coverage of Russian UN representative's scathing public resignation. Discussion of Putin with Katty Kay of the BBC and Max Boot of the Washington Post and and Senior Fellow on the Counsel of Foreign Relations. Max Boot's Comments are on the mark if anyone wishes to advance the video to his segment.

 
  • Thank You
Reactions: TIDE-HSV

Bamaro

TideFans Legend
Oct 19, 2001
28,754
14,088
287
Jacksonville, Md USA
I am going to have to spend some time on Sunday around one of my wife's friends, a Russian expat and über Putin supporter.

The last time they visited, it was just as the war was starting. I had steeled myself to try to avoid discussing the war because I wanted to be a nice, hospitable host, and didn't want to say what I wanted to say(such as, go jump in the lake, but in more direct tones ;) ) . She constantly tried to steer conversations toward her agit-prop, but I didn't go there with her.

It will be interesting to hear how her attitude has changed since the war began, if at all. In February, she was convinced the the entire world was hoodwinked by false propaganda in the media, and that Putin's goals were noble.

It's going to be much harder this time around for me to listen to such b.s. and not say something. Maybe extended absences from the table might do the trick.
Good luck. Many Americans cant even see the truth about the t:poop:p years.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Latest threads