Indeed, China and India probably won't publically align with the Euro-American liberal democratic axis, but what they say publicly, think privately, do and don't do all figure into their stance towards Russia. Lets not forget that the 8 year chronic conflict has been occurring on Ukrainian soil, as well as the current war. Let's also not…
Indeed, China and India probably won't publically align with the Euro-American liberal democratic axis, but what they say publicly, think privately, do and don't do all figure into their stance towards Russia. Lets not forget that the 8 year chronic conflict has been occurring on Ukrainian soil, as well as the current war. Let's also not forget whose soil the Chechnya and Georgia actions occurred. It was a short 30 years ago that Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union, so it doesn't surprise me that there are elements in Ukraine whose behavior has mimicked that of Russia, but the weight of evidence is clearly on the side of their interest in, and march towards democracy as opposed to autocracy. If we are to be compared to Russia, then we should have long since invaded Cuba, slaughtered many thousands of their citizen non-combatants and installed a puppet government, suppressed local media and political interests and demilitarized the island. We would have invaded and occupied the northernmost section of Mexico and established internal barriers to immigration north. And, we would have heavily suppressed any internal US press that reported on those activities to keep internal opposition as passified as possible. I think the US made huge errors in Iraq and Afganistan which weakened the force of our ideals tremendously and acted as justification for Putin's aggression in the eastern Europe and near-Asian spheres. However, in each case, coalitions of nations participated and our press remained essentially unfettered in its ability to report and opine on those actions. There aren't any purely white hats in this world, but it's not difficult to tell black from white-ish in this episode. Your concept of "losing" a nuclear war is alarming, as there are no winners in a nuclear conflict. Mutually assured destruction assures that everyone loses, including the remainder of the world. Russia is free to establish and offer similar banking systems to any country that wishes to participate. Saying "we don't wish to do business with you anymore" is not an act of war, no matter what Putin says. Had the Russian military stayed in their barracks, the subsequent consequences would have not occurred.
I don't have time to do justice to your reply, with which I have profound disagreements. I will simply obvserve that your assertion that the Americsn press is "essentially unfettered" is absurd on its face.
That's a shame. I fear that you'll be locking your door, closing your curtains and sleeping in a different bed every night now that you've expressed views potentially unfavorable to the current regime. I've lived overseas and experienced different interpretations of American history, and I know that one shouldn't simply absorb and reflect everything one hears on the news. I think the discussion we're having now and the forum on which we are interacting suggests that we have substantial freedom of expression and opinion in this country.
"The business of a New York journalist is to distort the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of Mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread, or for what is about the same -- his salary. You know this, and I know it; and what foolery to be toasting an 'Independent Press! We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are jumping-jacks. They pull the string and we dance. Our time, our talents, our lives, our possibilities, are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes." ~John Swinton (1829–1901)
I read a very diverse set of news sources. Perhaps they are all as you suggest. I draw my own conclusions as to the degree to which I agree with their viewpoint. I check the weather, then carry along my raincoat if the skies suggest I should. Unfettered and unbiased are two different things.
Indeed, China and India probably won't publically align with the Euro-American liberal democratic axis, but what they say publicly, think privately, do and don't do all figure into their stance towards Russia. Lets not forget that the 8 year chronic conflict has been occurring on Ukrainian soil, as well as the current war. Let's also not forget whose soil the Chechnya and Georgia actions occurred. It was a short 30 years ago that Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union, so it doesn't surprise me that there are elements in Ukraine whose behavior has mimicked that of Russia, but the weight of evidence is clearly on the side of their interest in, and march towards democracy as opposed to autocracy. If we are to be compared to Russia, then we should have long since invaded Cuba, slaughtered many thousands of their citizen non-combatants and installed a puppet government, suppressed local media and political interests and demilitarized the island. We would have invaded and occupied the northernmost section of Mexico and established internal barriers to immigration north. And, we would have heavily suppressed any internal US press that reported on those activities to keep internal opposition as passified as possible. I think the US made huge errors in Iraq and Afganistan which weakened the force of our ideals tremendously and acted as justification for Putin's aggression in the eastern Europe and near-Asian spheres. However, in each case, coalitions of nations participated and our press remained essentially unfettered in its ability to report and opine on those actions. There aren't any purely white hats in this world, but it's not difficult to tell black from white-ish in this episode. Your concept of "losing" a nuclear war is alarming, as there are no winners in a nuclear conflict. Mutually assured destruction assures that everyone loses, including the remainder of the world. Russia is free to establish and offer similar banking systems to any country that wishes to participate. Saying "we don't wish to do business with you anymore" is not an act of war, no matter what Putin says. Had the Russian military stayed in their barracks, the subsequent consequences would have not occurred.
I don't have time to do justice to your reply, with which I have profound disagreements. I will simply obvserve that your assertion that the Americsn press is "essentially unfettered" is absurd on its face.
That's a shame. I fear that you'll be locking your door, closing your curtains and sleeping in a different bed every night now that you've expressed views potentially unfavorable to the current regime. I've lived overseas and experienced different interpretations of American history, and I know that one shouldn't simply absorb and reflect everything one hears on the news. I think the discussion we're having now and the forum on which we are interacting suggests that we have substantial freedom of expression and opinion in this country.
"The business of a New York journalist is to distort the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of Mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread, or for what is about the same -- his salary. You know this, and I know it; and what foolery to be toasting an 'Independent Press! We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are jumping-jacks. They pull the string and we dance. Our time, our talents, our lives, our possibilities, are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes." ~John Swinton (1829–1901)
1829-1901...
I read a very diverse set of news sources. Perhaps they are all as you suggest. I draw my own conclusions as to the degree to which I agree with their viewpoint. I check the weather, then carry along my raincoat if the skies suggest I should. Unfettered and unbiased are two different things.
So, whom do you distrust the least?