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The Putin divide on FR leaves me with very little interest in replying now to any of the avalanche of Ukraine threads.

There is a very good reason to stay away from the pro-Putin and anti-Putin argument.

During the 1930s, the Great Depression was known in Europe as the Slump. Here at home, there were a large number of Americans who were pro-Hitler or pro-Stalin. Both men had negated the effects of the Slump on their countries.

Hitler had negated the effects with a massive military buildup. This was financed by the City of London, Wall Street, the Paris Bourse and the gnomes of Zurich.
Stalin had negated the effects with a centrally planned program of heavy industrialization that lifted the Soviet Union out of backwardness. This was financed by the City of London, Wall Street, the Paris Bourse and the gnomes of Zurich.

Then one day in 1941, we backed into a war with Germany. Pro-Hitler Americans suddenly found themselves in serious legal trouble with Hoover's FBI. Joe Kennedy's presidential hopes collapsed because he was unable to keep his mouth shut. Being pro-Stalin was cool, trendy and the place to be during the war.

Then we discovered that the Soviets had absconded with our nuclear secrets and decided to hold on to all that territory they had gained during the war. Suddenly, being pro-Stalin was a career killer and would bring you to the attention of the FBI and up before a congressional committee to defend your loyalty.

There are times when keeping your opinions to yourself is the safest course.