"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (3 Viewers)

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SplitRz said:
Stevie Wonder can see from my quote that I'm replying to Biff

Now would you like to politely re-think that bit about misreading?!
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Biff wasn't saying anything like that either, and from your reply you seemed to being going off half-shot. You might be misreading me, you might be misreading him, but it would seem that you're the common denominator here.

As far as "politely" goes, I didn't need to use asterisks or threaten cussin' goes. Looks like a you problem. You have a scroll-wheel for a reason.

As for re-thinking about your misreading, nah, I'm pretty sure you've got this wrong. No one, repeat no one, in this sidebar is arguing that Russian aggression equals "freedom".
 

 
Thumpalumpacus said:
As for re-thinking about your misreading, nah, I'm pretty sure you've got this wrong. No one, repeat no one, in this sidebar is arguing that Russian aggression equals "freedom".
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And I never said anyone here had or did.

What I was talking about to was the apparent separation that appeared to be made between continuing to supply Ukraine in order to 'bleed out Putin' - from - supporting Ukraine in order to 'preserve freedom'. I'm assuming that as eleven regular contributors thumbed up my comment, they clearly comprehended my meaning and that distinction too. They clearly don't think 'Russian aggression equals freedom' any more than you or I.

However, Putin and a sizeable chunk of his population clearly do. And even in the western world, tin-foil hatters and conspiracy theorists think that he really *is* 'de-nazifying' Ukraine, do think it does. As seemingly do a worrying number of people in some of the FSU like Serbia and Hungary and - for the sake of entente and trade if nothing else - over in China, Iran and North Korea.

My ongoing comment was made in the context of the rest of Biff's, of the risks of a USA in which 'certain parties' and the media are floating the idea of incipient war weariness and the need to consider cutting of military aid, amidst what looks like a continuing drift towards self-interest, cynicism and isolationism . And I repeat this for a second time in the hopes that I don't have to spell it out and earn a ban: the person I mistook for generating that quote is not a member of this site, (though he shares four of the same five letters of his name as you) - presumably because he has some legal issues to address at the moment.

I am sorry that four asterisks offended you - or that you assumed that my ire or imaginary cussing was directed at you (or even Biff, who's post I was actually replying to). It wasn't - again, as I'd hoped I'd made clear. Given I've already apologised for any misunderstanding, if you refuse to believe me and want to keep arguing over it, I can but give a virtual shrug and will move along.
 
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With a view to the ongoing situation, as a European (well, recently politically self-annexed part, at least), I am very concerned at the moment is the reluctance of many European nations to 'buckle up' in regards to Ukraine and the clear threat and intention that Putin's vision implies.

One aspects of widespread American national concern, which I think has to be respected, is the degree to which many nations appear still comfortable to cosily presume 'uncle Sam' will step in a save their bacon if things escalate. Just have a look at these GDP expenditures: List of countries in Europe by military expenditures

Given the USA is the worlds second largest economy and is still expending 3.5% of its GDP, in part to essentially underwrite most of the worlds democracies, raising it to a minimum of 2% across the EU and NATO seems both logical and entirely fair. Especially in the light of the very real potential for the USA to withdraw from NATO without (or even with) that commitment. And as a collective action, even that small increase across the board would be impossible for Russia to match economically - and would also help replenish the reserves across NATO members that are currently being shipped to Ukraine.

Everytime I read the news and hear the commentators talking about 'war weariness' and apathy to whats supposedly seen as an old story, I just can't help look at the similarities to the attitudes of the 1930s. I keep humming 'Its all just a little bit of history repeating'... In those times at least people had the horrific experience of ww1 a mere two decades ago and a huge depression to still their enthusiasm for spending money on military kit when they couldn't feed their kids properly. But now it seems to be more about their ability to buy or not buy more consumer goods. And yet there are so many parallels to a nation driven by a nationalist leader who wants to try and re-create an imperial past.

With key elections looming in the next 24 months for many of the key players on this part of the world stage, I wonder how many (any?) are going to take any brave or decisive action regarding military expenditure....?

(appols if this has been commented on or discussed elsewhere in this MOAT (Mother Of All Threads)
 
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I agree - the similarities are terrifying. Unfortunately I feel that many today (including those in Government) don't have the slightest inclination to study, let alone understand, history.

SplitRz said:
With key elections looming in the next 24 months for many of the key players on this part of the world stage, I wonder how many (any?) are going to take any brave or decisive action regarding military expenditure....?
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This is where the following series and messaging will be interesting. I commend the team for doing it:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylk8i8vfu90
 

I'm not "offended" -- you don't have my permission to offend me.

As for your context, had you made it clearer we wouldn't be here. At any rate, I'm fine with a shrug. It wasn't anything groundbreaking anyway.
 
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