- May 19, 2011
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On imgur some guy was saying that if Russia invaded some NATO country rather than Ukraine then it would be "totally different" (without elaborating on what that entailed), as well as that the West aren't going to risk WW3 / a nuclear exchange for the sake of Ukraine. AFAIK the NATO proposition is that an attack on one is an attack on all, but considering that Russia is invading Ukraine based on a BS argument we don't know with confidence what their endgame for this conflict actually is, for example will Russia attempt to invade other countries.
So, if the West / EU / NATO have cold feet about a military response to Russia for invading Ukraine based on wanting to avoid WW3 / nukes, then is say Poland really that different in their view. I think conservative values, eg. FYGM and a splash of NIMBY are relevant here. NATO is largely steered by US policy, and it worries me that the GQP have been increasingly cosy with Putin, and also how the likes of Fox are spinning this invasion. I'm slightly reassured by McConnell's statement here:
But the GQP's attitude towards Putin has mostly been to protect Russia while attacking the Democratic party and claiming that stuff is their fault, and coming back to my point about NATO being largely steered by the US, that if the US is not showing a united front towards Putin then can we honestly expect NATO to be completely unaffected by this. Trump spent time undermining America's relationship with NATO and I think he did it to appease Putin for whatever reasons (admiration, debt with Russian banks, who knows), and could that mean that NATO might not step up when Russia possibly attempts salami tactics against a NATO country.
I wish I had a decent idea about why Russia is invading Ukraine. Is Putin seeking to revive what he perceives to be the glory days of the USSR, or some similar ego-based objective, or is there a logically more sound objective in mind?
It also worries me that AFAIK China made a statement warning Russia about military action in Ukraine yet since then has "shared its security concerns" and refused to condemn the invasion. I'm wondering if China wants a quid pro quo situation with Russia so it turns a blind eye to Russia's ambitions while it has ambitions elsewhere (Taiwan?), and they move forward and have each other's backs?
PS: Personally, US + EU + UK should have a completely united front and say to Russia that if they invade Ukraine then they should expect a military response from all of them, no ifs and no buts, with an addendum that Russia should always expect this response if they get any further ideas of 'breathing room' in future, and on the flipside, those borders aren't going to change positions because US/EU/UK want "breathing room".
More IMO: It matters little whether it's Ukraine or a NATO country like say Poland. If it comes to a nuclear exchange, I doubt anyone writing the history books is going to give two craps whether the last straw was Ukraine or Poland or pretty much any other country for that matter, it's likely to be a global shit sandwich.
So, if the West / EU / NATO have cold feet about a military response to Russia for invading Ukraine based on wanting to avoid WW3 / nukes, then is say Poland really that different in their view. I think conservative values, eg. FYGM and a splash of NIMBY are relevant here. NATO is largely steered by US policy, and it worries me that the GQP have been increasingly cosy with Putin, and also how the likes of Fox are spinning this invasion. I'm slightly reassured by McConnell's statement here:
McConnell on Putin Invading Ukraine: “The World Is Watching” for America’s Response | Republican Leader
Republican Leader
www.republicanleader.senate.gov
But the GQP's attitude towards Putin has mostly been to protect Russia while attacking the Democratic party and claiming that stuff is their fault, and coming back to my point about NATO being largely steered by the US, that if the US is not showing a united front towards Putin then can we honestly expect NATO to be completely unaffected by this. Trump spent time undermining America's relationship with NATO and I think he did it to appease Putin for whatever reasons (admiration, debt with Russian banks, who knows), and could that mean that NATO might not step up when Russia possibly attempts salami tactics against a NATO country.
I wish I had a decent idea about why Russia is invading Ukraine. Is Putin seeking to revive what he perceives to be the glory days of the USSR, or some similar ego-based objective, or is there a logically more sound objective in mind?
It also worries me that AFAIK China made a statement warning Russia about military action in Ukraine yet since then has "shared its security concerns" and refused to condemn the invasion. I'm wondering if China wants a quid pro quo situation with Russia so it turns a blind eye to Russia's ambitions while it has ambitions elsewhere (Taiwan?), and they move forward and have each other's backs?
PS: Personally, US + EU + UK should have a completely united front and say to Russia that if they invade Ukraine then they should expect a military response from all of them, no ifs and no buts, with an addendum that Russia should always expect this response if they get any further ideas of 'breathing room' in future, and on the flipside, those borders aren't going to change positions because US/EU/UK want "breathing room".
More IMO: It matters little whether it's Ukraine or a NATO country like say Poland. If it comes to a nuclear exchange, I doubt anyone writing the history books is going to give two craps whether the last straw was Ukraine or Poland or pretty much any other country for that matter, it's likely to be a global shit sandwich.
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