Try again. Justify this warâthe hundreds of thousands dead, the millions displaced and homeless, all of itâwithout engaging in this infantile retort.
You just don't (want to) get it. I don't justify this war. The people that predicted the war, and in some cases the likely outcome, didn't justify it either. They warned you what might happen. FAFO.
Agent Obama (2016) on core interests, using the language of 'realist' IR academics:
Down memory lane (and likely all buried deep in this thread)
Remember back in 1999 when Poland joined NATO?
Remember back in 2004 when Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia joined NATO?
All of them border the Russian Federation. Somehow that wasn't a crisis. That didn't call for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, the displacement of millions, and the sacrifice of a generation of young men.
Remember in 2010 when Ukraine's parliament voted to abandon plans to seek NATO membership and remain neutral? Remember back in 2014, when the Ukrainian parliament voted unanimously to remove the premier Russia had bought (whose very opulent home is now on display as a museum of corruption), but remained neutral? Remember when Russia then invaded four months later anyway, annexing Crimea?
No? Well, I get it—history is hard.
No country has the right to determine the fate of its neighbors, who they ally with, or what their policies will be. If a large number of your neighbors leave an alliance with you and join in an alliance to protect themselves from you that might be cause for sober reflection: why are they afraid of you? What can you do to allay that fear? How can you gain their trust?
Or you could continue to bully, threaten, and attempt to keep them in thrall by intimidation. I guess you go with what you know.
Looks like Zelensky is now kowtowing...wants back at the negotiating table.
Not that he wasn't disrespected, but he could have handled himself better in the face of that chubby bastard.
He's come too far to allow Trump's ego to prevent his negotiating a way out for Ukraine.
Looks like Zelensky is now kowtowing...wants back at the negotiating table.
Not that he wasn't disrespected, but he could have handled himself better in the face of that chubby bastard.
Outside of all the rhetoric and assumed l-t objectives which have made this bad situation even worse, and stating the obviousâ¦the US involvement is voluntary. The US involvement may be as a result of it acting as âpolicemanâ of the world in protecting Ukraine from an indefensible and militarily unprovoked Russian assault. If it chooses that path, asking for restitution in some form from rare earth deposits is not out of the question (in which case, the US acts more like a mercenary). Another reason for involvement is to punish Russia with a prolonged war effort, that Ukraine most likely canât win alone. However, without our âfullâ support, Ukraine may still not win, at least not anytime soonâ¦meaning years of death and destruction. Iâm not sure I would want to sign up for that or put my soldiers in that situation.
As such, at least some attempt at dialogue seems appropriate.
I agree but let's let a competent leader or leaders from other countries take the lead on it as Trump/Musk/Vance are clearly not up to the task and will certainly not achieve any concessions from Russia that would benefit Ukraine.
When Trump said Zelensky was welcome back when he was ready for peace he might as well have said "when you are ready to listen to and agree to the all the terms that Putin gave me to pass onto you". Puppets will be puppets after all...
If only the Ukrainians would have built some statue to Trump (thanking him & the US for their support) and thrown it up in some city square and took pictures of it to show to Trump or offer to take Trump to visit it... his ass would have been slathered enough to probably double the aid packages to Ukraine. A $50,000 statue could have bought them billions more in continued aid.
Outside of all the rhetoric and assumed l-t objectives which have made this bad situation even worse, and stating the obviousâ¦the US involvement is voluntary. The US involvement may be as a result of it acting as âpolicemanâ of the world in protecting Ukraine from an indefensible and militarily unprovoked Russian assault. If it chooses that path, asking for restitution in some form from rare earth deposits is not out of the question (in which case, the US acts more like a mercenary). Another reason for involvement is to punish Russia with a prolonged war effort, that Ukraine most likely canât win alone. However, without our âfullâ support, Ukraine may still not win, at least not anytime soonâ¦meaning years of death and destruction. Iâm not sure I would want to sign up for that or put my soldiers in that situation.
As such, at least some attempt at dialogue seems appropriate.
Nobody wants war except for the aggressor. You can identify them as the ones who crossed the border with guns in hand. A peaceful solution is available - the aggressor stops being aggressive *AND* returns back across the border. Anything less just encourages future aggressions. Calling out Ukraine for resisting the onslaught is ridiculous and only serves the cause of the aggressor.
Nobody wants war except for the aggressor. You can identify them as the ones who crossed the border with guns in hand. A peaceful solution is available - the aggressor stops being aggressive *AND* returns back across the border. Anything less just encourages future aggressions. Calling out Ukraine for resisting the onslaught is ridiculous and only serves the cause of the aggressor.
