Article

2023-06-11 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by badanov 2023-06-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top

#1 He pointed out the hypocrisy of Western politicians and society, who unleashed the Crimean War against Russia in 1854, accusing our country of violating the European order, and when Prussia and Austria attacked little Denmark in 1864 to take away two provinces from it, no one in " enlightened Europe" was not indignant at such a robbery.

Maybe because the Ottoman Empire who Russia attacked was considered a major power and thus a question of 'balance of power' among the other major players. Denmark was not a major power that could influence the balance of power game the big boys were playing. Interesting the Germans rationalized then, as Moscow is doing now, that a large ethnic population in the territories justified the annexation. Now where was Russia when the Germans did that?

Posted by Procopius2k 2023-06-11 07:57|| 2023-06-11 07:57|| Front Page Top

#2 No mention is made of: Oriental Despotism: A Comparative Study of Total Power, by Karl Wittfogel (1896–1988), Yale University Press, 1957. The book offers an explanation for the presence of despotic governments in "Oriental" societies, including most importantly Russia and the Soviet Union. As valuable today as the day it was published.

Posted by Slavising Unineting5672 2023-06-11 08:54|| 2023-06-11 08:54|| Front Page Top

#3 I think Western conduct towards Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union represents a horrible combination of missed opportunity and unnecessary aggression.

Posted by Cesare 2023-06-11 10:26|| 2023-06-11 10:26|| Front Page Top

#4 "Our" people didn't understand how to deal with paranoid schizophrenics. That hasn't been helped by our party of hate using them as a boogie man.

Posted by Procopius2k 2023-06-11 11:26|| 2023-06-11 11:26|| Front Page Top

#5 So now I am a Russophobe. Just add it to the list.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-06-11 12:28|| 2023-06-11 12:28|| Front Page Top

#6 It's one thing to dislike Russians or to fear Russians. But you should remember their troubles with Western Europe have almost always been instigated by Western Europeans. If you feel the need to exterminate Russians, you are no better than the most famous of these Western Europeans, Adolph Hitler.

I don't want to hear about democracy either. Not from the home of Joe Biden.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2023-06-11 17:43|| 2023-06-11 17:43|| Front Page Top

#7 I went to a service academy and took courses in Russian and Russian History because the USSR was the enemy and had been my whole life. Out of that experience I gained a respect for the Russian people. By the new definitions, I am a Russophobe if I don’t spray paint a huge Z on my car and a traitor if I am not will to sign over the entirety of our GDP to Ukrainian corruption.

Posted by Super Hose 2023-06-11 17:58|| 2023-06-11 17:58|| Front Page Top

#8 I have no issue with Russian people. I do with the Oligarch/Putin elite who want to reconstitute the Soviet Union using Russian/Russo speaking peeps peeps in previously conquered territory as an excuse to re-invade

Posted by Frank G 2023-06-11 18:06|| 2023-06-11 18:06|| Front Page Top

#9 I don't pretend to know what goes on in Putin's mind, whether or not he aspires to resurrect the Soviet Union. But I do not believe he has the wherewithal to threaten Western Europe. If he was to invade any of the Baltic countries or Poland he would be met with the full force of NATO and rightfully so. He would be defeated.

But the spheres of influence established after WWII seem now to be in a state of flux with NATO's continual expansion to the East. I believe NATO has gone far enough and has no business whatsoever in Ukraine. Joe Biden has no legitimate business in Ukraine any more than Victoria Nuland, John McCain or Lindsey Graham did. The CIA has no business in Ukraine.

If Putin fears a U.S. Naval base in Sevastopol, ruthless dictator though he may be, he has good reason and he is taking action to prevent such a development.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2023-06-11 18:22|| 2023-06-11 18:22|| Front Page Top

#10 But you should remember their troubles with Western Europe have almost always been instigated by Western Europeans.

Russia has been expanding for hundreds of years. Beginning from Muscovy before the Mongol invasion, into Europe, the arctic, Ottoman empire, the Stans, Mongolia, Siberia, and the far east reaching a peak that stretched from Berlin to the Kuriles (before selling to USA, Alaska) conquering 200 distinct ethnicities. Hardly a peace loving people.

Taking more recent history into account, during WW1, it was Russia who invaded into Germany (East Prussia) while Germany was attacking France. The Russians got their asses handed to them at Tannenberg.

It was Germany and Russia together who started WW2 in Europe by jointly invading Poland. After the war, the Cold War began when the Russians reneged on the Yalta Conference agreement for free elections in Europe, holding the conquered nations in a Communist vise grip until 1989.

After the dissolution of Soviet Union, there were two invasions of Chechnya, one of Georgia and two of Ukraine. Each to grab and annex territory. I will concede the first Chechen invasion was justified because of Chechen terrorism, but Russia lost that war.

Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-06-11 18:49|| 2023-06-11 18:49|| Front Page Top

#11 first Chechen invasion was justified because of Chechen terrorism, but Russia lost that war.

I don't know about "lost", but the Chechens seem to be encouraging a smackdown periodically. I have no problem with said smackdown.

Posted by Frank G 2023-06-11 18:54|| 2023-06-11 18:54|| Front Page Top

#12 US presidents come across as dictators, too. When's the last time Congress has declared war? How's Syria going? And then there are Executive Orders which are treated like law.

Posted by DooDahMan 2023-06-11 21:14|| 2023-06-11 21:14|| Front Page Top

23:53 Amtrak
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