Alexander, I do not blame many of the others here who simply have no awareness or understanding of the geo-political landscape and are easily misled by the slogans of the MSM and the Globalist lefty/homo alliance that currently makes up the leadership of NATO and the USA. However, I know that you are much more aware of world affairs and the history of this region than you like to let on.
Of course, Putin is a dictator who other dictators in the world admire. But he is also very popular among the leadership and people who live in every country which is now formally part of BRICS or leaning toward membership. Putin currently is more popular than he has ever been in any region not directly under the influence of Westen Media.
And the sentiment of these people can no longer be ignored. BRICS has become a more powerful economic alliance than G7 and BRICS contains far more people. They are on the upswing while Western countries are withering on the vine by most analysis.
And what turned the tide against us? For the United States foreign entanglements in hugely expensive conflicts that have little to no strategic value. These boondoggles have shown the world what a weak and flaccid bunch of fools we now have in charge. Number one on this list of fiascos is the conflict in Ukraine. To the large majority of people in the world Putin regardless of his status as a dictator looks competent and our leadership looks like a bunch of fools.
This is why President Trump has promised to end this quagmire within 24 hours of taking office. None of this would have happened if he had been in office at the time when Biden was promising Putin that nothing would be done if it was a “minor incursion”. Everything the people you have aligned yourself with turns to crap when they get their fingers in the pot.
Conflict in this region has a history that goes back many hundreds of years while you and your cronies try to pretend that it goes back only to 1991 when the Soviet Union dissolved. And even after that... you still try to pretend that recent efforts by Western Intelligence Agencies, George Soros and others to subvert the political process for questionable and corrupt gain should not be considered.
Alexander, I have always respected your knowledge and experience of this situation... I only wish that you could be honest about what you actually know. This is all a game for you despite knowing refugees from this area and understanding the actual repercussions.
Western economies and the role of the dollar in trade and as the DeFacto reserve currency is crumbling. The situation in Ukraine is the spearhead that is largely to blame. The longer this situation is allowed to continue because of financing and war materials being provided by Western entities which are profiting from the mayhem... the more damage will be done. Thank God President Trump has vowed to pull the plug in the first 24 hours after he takes office.
First of all: My initial objection still stands: If you attempt to smear others (i.e., FReepers) because they happen to hold the same stance as various "execrables" like Kamala, Pelosi, AOC, et al., then our side is likewise free to smear you for being on the same as North Korea, Iran, etc.
As I pointed out, that (your argumentum ad odium) is an informal logical fallacy (or a formal logical fallacy - namely: a non sequitur - depending upon how you want to look at it).
However, you did not even attempt to refute my accusation of "guilt by association" (its other name) - so it still stands. Rather, by referencing BRIC, you instead pivoted to another hoary old fallacy, the argumentum ad populum.
The admiration Putin enjoys among the leadership of North Korea and Iran, and the sentiment of the unwashed masses in BRIC have absolutely no bearing upon the subject at hand, namely: The immorality and illegality of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
[...] you are much more aware of world affairs and the history of this region than you like to let on.
That may be - but it (i.e., the long and conflict-rich history of this world region) is completely irrelevant to the subject at hand, namely: The immorality and illegality of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
This is why President Trump has promised to end this quagmire within 24 hours of taking office. None of this would have happened if he had been in office at the time when Biden was promising Putin that nothing would be done if it was a “minor incursion”.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I, too, wish that Trump had been sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021; quite likely, it would then have never come to this. But what you are saying is irrelevant to the discussion at hand, namely: The immorality and illegality of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Everything the people you have aligned yourself with turns to crap when they get their fingers in the pot.
Again with the "guilt by association" ploy! Please drop that! "Hitler drank tea... You drink tea... Therefore...!" That is not a rational argument!
Western economies and the role of the dollar in trade and as the DeFacto reserve currency is crumbling. The situation in Ukraine is the spearhead that is largely to blame. The longer this situation is allowed to continue because of financing and war materials being provided by Western entities which are profiting from the mayhem... the more damage will be done.
That is blatant fear-mongering and/or the attempt to generate a general climate of panic. You might as well have thrown in that the prevalence of dandruff was also on the rise and that "Lucky Strikes" used to taste better. And then you go and deftly insert a bold and nigh unprovable assertion in the midst of your lamentations.
By expanding the scope of the discussion far beyond anything that could be practically dealt with within the confines of this forum... by sneakily introducing, piecemeal, ever more claims, you contribute to the breakdown of the conversation we were having.
That's why our little dialogs usually yield such meagre results.
Regards,