The Crowded Road to Kyiv - Victor Davis Hanson

[Geee]

American Greatness

One of the oddest commentaries about the Russian invasion of Ukraine is the boilerplate reaction that “borders can’t change in modern Europe” or “this does not happen in the 21st century.” 

But why in the world should the 21st century be exempt from the pathologies of the past 20 centuries? Are we smarter than the Romans? More innovative than Florentines? Do we have more savvy leaders than Lincoln or Churchill? Are they more mellifluous than Demosthenes? Does anyone now remember that some 130,000 were slaughtered just 30 years ago in the former Yugoslavia, as NATO planes bombed Belgrade and nuclear America and Russia almost squared off? 

Has globalization, the “rules-based order,” the Davos reset elite, the “international community” so improved the very way humans think that they have rendered obsolete the now ossified ancient idea of deterrence? Will the Kardashians and Beyoncé tweet our pathway to global peace? 

 

How about transnational NGOs? NATO? WHO? The UN? Are all their recent records of service proof of our more exalted modern morality? Will some new engineered Wuhan virus alter human nature, end its innate ancient pathologies, and so eliminate war as we knew it? Are we not the League of Nations because Putin is now chair of the Security Council? 

In truth, anything can happen to anyone, anywhere,  at any time—and has and will until the end of time. 

So let us walk down the crowded road to Kiev. :snip:

[Valin]

@Geee

Leave it to VDH to bring Some sanity to this. One thing I do feel should be noted Ukraine is one of The Most Corrupt nation in the world (# 3 I believe). This is not to excuse Putin's invasion, but to point out the Ukrainian Government is hardly pure as the driven snow. One way to think of this is The Gambino's have gone to war with Colombo's.

Something else. As you know I have been posting a thread on this war. Something I cannot find actual battle scenes, from either side )ie War Porn). This is something I would expect to see, particularly given the propaganda coming from Both sides. This leads me to believe 1. The Russian Army is Not doing as well as they say, 2. The Ukrainians are Not fighting back a viciously as they say. 

[Valin]

1 hour ago, Valin said:

@Geee

Something else. As you know I have been posting a thread on this war. Something I cannot find actual battle scenes, from either side )ie War Porn). This is something I would expect to see, particularly given the propaganda coming from Both sides. This leads me to believe 1. The Russian Army is Not doing as well as they say, 2. The Ukrainians are Not fighting back a viciously as they say. 

 

Example: From The Washington Examiner

Ukraine claims roughly 4,500 enemies killed ahead of 'crucial' period in Russian invasion

Daniel Chaitin, Deputy News Editor

 Updated Feb 28, 2022, 03:15 AM

Enemy forces have suffered the loss of around 4,500 personnel over the course of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukraine's armed forces.

The estimate was released Sunday evening, four days into the conflict, while Russian military forces escalated its attack on the capital of Kyiv and other locations and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson he believed the next 24 hours was a "crucial" period for his country, according to a No. 10 spokesperson.

A Facebook post from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also said hundreds of armored vehicles, about a 150 tanks, and dozens of assorted aircraft, boats, and weapons systems have been damaged or destroyed. Russia’s defense ministry has reported more than 1,000 Ukrainian military facilities have been destroyed and on Sunday, for the first time, acknowledged some servicemen taking part in the military operation in Ukraine have died, but did not share any casualty numbers.

UKRAINE CREATES INTERNATIONAL LEGION RECRUITING FOREIGNERS TO FIGHT RUSSIA

"Russian servicemen are showing courage and heroism during the special military operation. But, regrettably, there are killed and wounded among them," the ministry’s spokesman, Igor Konashenkov said, adding that Russia’s losses are by far lesser than "losses among Ukrainian troops" and nationalists, as reported by Russian state news agency TASS. Konashenkov also acknowledged Russian soldiers have been taken prisoner.

(Snip)

[Geee]

2 hours ago, Valin said:

@Geee

Leave it to VDH to bring Some sanity to this. One thing I do feel should be noted Ukraine is one of The Most Corrupt nation in the world (# 3 I believe). This is not to excuse Putin's invasion, but to point out the Ukrainian Government is hardly pure as the driven snow. One way to think of this is The Gambino's have gone to war with Colombo's.

Something else. As you know I have been posting a thread on this war. Something I cannot find actual battle scenes, from either side )ie War Porn). This is something I would expect to see, particularly given the propaganda coming from Both sides. This leads me to believe 1. The Russian Army is Not doing as well as they say, 2. The Ukrainians are Not fighting back a viciously as they say. 

 

[Valin]

Putin's Russiagate oligarch pals lose billions, beg for peace amid Ukraine invasion

Jerry Dunleavy, Justice Department Reporter

February 28, 2022

Billionaire pals of Vladimir Putin, including a pair swept up in phony claims of 2016 Trump-Russia collusion, are calling for peace in Ukraine as sweeping U.S. and international sanctions in reaction to Russia's invasion threaten their fortunes.

Mikhail Fridman, a co-founder of Russia’s Alfa Bank, which was the subject of debunked claims of a secret backchannel to the Trump Organization during the 2016 presidential election, has voiced objections to Putin's war against the neighboring country. Now, Oleg Deripaska, known for his prior business relationships with former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and British ex-spy Christopher Steele and accused of assisting the Russian government’s influence operations worldwide, has piped up for peace as well.

Deripaska said on his Telegram page over the weekend, “Peace is very important! Negotiations need to start as soon as possible!”

Fridman was even more direct — and personal.

“I was born in Western Ukraine and lived there until I was 17. My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv, my favorite city,” Fridman wrote in a weekend email to staff at his U.K. equity firm LetterOne, according to the Financial Times. “But I have also spent much of my life as a citizen of Russia, building and growing businesses. I am deeply attached to Ukrainian and Russian peoples and see the current conflict as a tragedy for them both.”

Fridman continued, warning that the war is splitting countries with common bonds.

(Snip)