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Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-24

TBH, your perspective looks a lot like someone worrying about how the tablecloths aren't straight, while the hotel is burning down around them.

The people who are fighting in this war are just that - people. They might be "workers", but right now, they're people, either defending their own land, or attacking someone else's land. And there's nothing we're going to be able to do about any structural aspects of their relationship with their various states while there's a hot war on the ground. Maybe save the idealistic ideologising for when the war is over, and people are trying to win the peace?

And I really don't quite understand what point you're trying to make in criticising the provision of military aid. What are you actually suggesting?

Save the class talk for the future. A familiar line!

Look, you're saying there's nothing we can do about any of it. I completely disagree but if that's what you're saying, what does it matter what I'm saying?

I didn't criticise the provision of military aid. I just asked if anyone thought it would help the Ukrainian army stop the invasion, or just prolong the conflict. And nobody seems to think it will so I think I'm probably right to say it won't stop the invasion and will only prolong the conflict.
 
This article gives some background.

Thanks, very interesting. I had read that some govt employees were resigning over the war so its interesting to read about what it's like to work in these news stations and that some are/have resigned, even if many are scared to. The bit about trying to get male relatives out of the country to avoid the draft seems significant.
 
Take it he never brought up Vietnam ?

No but he did call on Biden to be the leader not just of the USA but of the world, by being the leader of peace. By closing the skies or at least supplying planes and weapons.

I've now seen the graphic images I mentioned in previous post, part of a 'close the skies' propaganda video that was shown, because that bit still features in youtube streaming of the event by UK media on their youtube channels. I'm mostly mentioning it so that nobody accidentally sees something they didnt want to see, as there are images of bodies being thrown into mass graves, badly injured children and dead children.
 
demonstrably the opposition to Putin is numerically insignificant, politically incoherent, with it's ranks being dminished daily by people leaving the country and people either being in jail or the subjects of a criminal case.

Equally demonstrably, in addition to the extraordinary resistance shown by the Ukrainian military and civil defence, the atrocious logistics & dubious motivation of the Russian army, drones from Turkey, anti-tank missiles from various countries, and abandoned Russian kit have helped the Ukrainians defend their country successfully. Moreover (whether peace comes in the next few days or not) it has forced the Russians to engage seriously with talks aimed at ending the conflict.

I'm not sure why people are arguing one or other is more likely to bring down Putin. Both could bring him down, but most likely neither will. You think Putin cares about popular legitimacy or what people think of him? He is surrounded, still, by oligarchs, siloviki, and his church. As long as that pyramid is intact he's not going anywhere.
 
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A full transcript of Putin's speech today:
It is actually a really interesting read. I think it gives an insight into where he's coming from. I don't see any signs of him looking for a way to back down in the immediate future, at all. Comes cross as cornered but proud and committed to forging ahead with the great battle against not Ukraine so much as The West.
 
I've now seen the graphic images I mentioned in previous post, part of a 'close the skies' propaganda video that was shown, because that bit still features in youtube streaming of the event by UK media on their youtube channels. I'm mostly mentioning it so that nobody accidentally sees something they didnt want to see, as there are images of bodies being thrown into mass graves, badly injured children and dead children

I have viewed those images too. Not pleasant.
 
Save the class talk for the future. A familiar line!

Look, you're saying there's nothing we can do about any of it. I completely disagree but if that's what you're saying, what does it matter what I'm saying?

I didn't criticise the provision of military aid. I just asked if anyone thought it would help the Ukrainian army stop the invasion, or just prolong the conflict. And nobody seems to think it will so I think I'm probably right to say it won't stop the invasion and will only prolong the conflict.
Well, I think that's a very one-sided viewpoint, as far as the military aid is concerned. I can't help but get the feeling you're kind of wanting to say we shouldn't help Ukraine, without actually saying so. Because, from what I can see, not supplying that aid just leaves Ukraine twisting in the wind, with no chance whatsoever of tempering the Russian attack. As someone else pointed upthread, war isn't binary.
 
A full transcript of Putin's speech today:
It is actually a really interesting read. I think it gives an insight into where he's coming from. I don't see any signs of him looking for a way to back down in the immediate future, at all. Comes cross as cornered but proud and committed to forging ahead with the great battle against not Ukraine so much as The West.
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Gulags are coming back for ordinary Russians.

For anyone who doesn't know what 5th column meant under Stalinism, I would look it up asap.

The talk about spitting out flies, too.

Putin's grandad was a personal chef for Lenin and Stalin, and Putin is said to particularly idolize Stalin.

Time for educated Russians to GTFO NOW.
 
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Why are you twisting what I'm saying?

I didn't say that it was likely an antiwar movement would bring an end to the war anytime soon. In fact I think the lack of support coming from outside makes this less likely. I think you and people make you make it less likely.

I am not twisting what you saying, you seem all over the place, and nothing is particularly clear about what you actually want/think.

You did say, 'I think the best chance of ending the war is probably mass protest in Russia itself', and [to me] 'you have given up on even believing that it is possible for workers to organise to stop wars', now it appears you don't think that's likely to end the war.

My point was that there is a better chance of opposition to Putin at home ending the invasion than the Ukranian regular army. If you want to disagree with that then fine but just say that so we know what you think.

You bang on about providing weapons will only prolong the war, implying you are against that, whilst also saying 'time is not on Russia's side because the longer war drags on the more potential for anger at the war to grow in Russia though right?', which is a good reason for supplying the weapons.
 
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Gulags are coming back for ordinary Russians.

For anyone who doesn't know what 5th column meant under Stalinism, I would look it up asap.

But also a good idea to look up the extent to which rhetoric about the fifth column has been used very heavily and crudely for years under Putin already.

For example this article from 2015:

 
Full of refugees, apparently. Although there seems already to be some suggestion that Russia is saying that it was some kind of nest of neo-Nazis.
There's quite a bit on this incident as yet unverified so didn't want to say much more outside the speculation thread, but they've been doing this haven't they, spinning the blame of their attacks on civilians.
 
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