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We’ve Had Enough of Zero-Sum Democracy
The American Conservative ^ | March 7th, 2022 | Peter Van Buren

Posted on 03/07/2022 7:23:18 AM PST by Mariner

The whole idea of boycotting Russian vodka reminds too much of “freedom fries” from Gulf War 2.0. It seems stupid and silly until you realize we are stupid and silly and this is how we are led to war.

The tsunami of pro-Ukrainian propaganda is only matched by its transparency. The Ghost of Kiev was crafted out of an aircraft computer game. The Ukrainians on that island who would rather die than surrender surrendered. Zelensky is Where’s Waldo?, popping up in undated video with unidentifiable backgrounds, dressed in military cosplay reminiscent of George W. Bush in his flight suit. For Americans, war only happens on TV anyway.

The simplistic narrative is the same simplistic narrative: plucky freedom fighters against some evil dictator. It’s the same story of the resistance fighters in Syria against Assad, the Kurds against ISIS, the Taliban whom Ronald Reagan called the equivalent of our Founding Fathers for their fight against the Red Army.

Putin now is the most evil man on earth, unhinged, mentally unwell. Saddam once was, Assad used to be, and Gaddafi was to the point where America cheered as he was sodomized with a bayonet on TV. Familiar voices sound. The Brookings Institution demands “Regime change: Russia.” The Council on Foreign Relations roars “the conversation has shifted to include the possibility of desired regime change in Russia.” One headline wishfully notes “knocking Putin’s teams off the sports stage leaves him exposed to his own people.” No one seems to recall our last attempt at regime change in Russia is what put Putin into power in the first place.

Putin’s goals have gone in a matter of days from sorting out Cold War borders to “the restoration of a triumphalist, imperialistic Russian identity, or another bloodstained nationalistic surge to cover for the criminality of his regime...

(Excerpt) Read more at theamericanconservative.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: russia; ukraine; war
If this article resonates with you, you are probably a paleo conservative. This publication is ground zero for paleo conservative thought, with Pat Buchannan as one of the founders.

If it makes you physically ill with rage, you are likely a neoconservative...and we're happy it offended you.

1 posted on 03/07/2022 7:23:18 AM PST by Mariner
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To: Mariner

We’ve always been at war with Eastasia, Winston.” - G. Orwell, 1984....................


2 posted on 03/07/2022 7:26:14 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Mariner
Putin now is the most evil man on earth, unhinged, mentally unwell. Saddam once was, Assad used to be, and Gaddafi..."

Yes. And they all were. There is no shortage of people with evil intent.

And yes, the agitprop from Ukraine isn't helping. But neither is the avalanche of bovine scat from the pro-Soviet KGB guy either.

3 posted on 03/07/2022 7:28:10 AM PST by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: Dead Corpse

You missed the point of the article.

There are crazy people in charge of nation states.

But it’s not our problem to solve.


4 posted on 03/07/2022 7:30:40 AM PST by Mariner (War criminal #18)
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To: Mariner

.


5 posted on 03/07/2022 7:32:06 AM PST by sauropod (Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.)
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To: Red Badger

Those people who applaud corporations denying products and services to Russia as punishment for their invasion of Ukraine, should wait for the light bulb over their head to start glowing, however meekly, and realize that these same corporations can more easily deny their products and services to individuals who do not march to the oligarchs’ tune.


6 posted on 03/07/2022 7:32:25 AM PST by who_would_fardels_bear (This is not a tagline.)
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To: Mariner

One of them is most definitely OURS to solve.

Right here in the 200XX zipcode block.


7 posted on 03/07/2022 7:35:55 AM PST by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: Mariner

Things are clearly not as black and white as folks think. I am not really good at “nuance” or “shades of gray” and I have managed to figure this out. To the extent I have a side, I am on the side of the Ukrainians simply because the Russians are there and should not be.

Putin has reduced his demands to a reasonable level: Ukraine will never be part of NATO, the independence of the ethnic Russian breakaway areas (Donbas?) must be recognized, and the Crimea must be ceded.
I think the first is a no brainer. For the second, I would require that the area become part of Russia. The Donbas areas is too likely to become a flashpoint if left on their own. The third, cede Crimea, simply recognizes the facts of the current situation.

I think Ukraine should grab for these. They’re losing and I don’t think they are going to get a better offer.


8 posted on 03/07/2022 7:38:31 AM PST by Little Ray (Civilization runs on a narrow margin. What sustains it is not magic, but hard work. )
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To: Mariner
...sorting out Cold War borders...

LOL.

If they wanted to dictate the borders the Soviets should have won the Cold War.

9 posted on 03/07/2022 7:41:59 AM PST by semimojo
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To: Mariner
I've had enough of worrying more about Ukraine's borders than our borders.

Maybe it's the American in me.

10 posted on 03/07/2022 7:44:53 AM PST by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: Mariner
"This worldview is consequence free."

IMHO. Key phrase in the article.

I would add "until its not". And a lot of people will suffer because of it.

11 posted on 03/07/2022 7:53:05 AM PST by Tench_Coxe
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To: Mariner

Except in our own nation state.


12 posted on 03/07/2022 8:45:47 AM PST by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged )
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To: Tell It Right

Me too. A place far across the sea doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.

Our southern border has disappeared and we’re now North Mexico.


13 posted on 03/07/2022 8:51:33 AM PST by jmacusa (America. Founded by geniuses. Now governed by idiots. )
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To: Little Ray

I agree, but let’s be honest.

“The Ukraine” has not been an independent state for any length of time in history. They will be sliced up sooner or later.

I would make a deal, and then start trying to see who to sell real estate to. Because Russia will be back, and they will take Kiev some day.


14 posted on 03/07/2022 12:15:47 PM PST by redgolum (If this is civilization, I will be the barbarian. )
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To: redgolum

I would take Putin’s current offer:
Ukraine never joins NATO.
Independence for Luhansk and Donetsk.
Sign over the Crimea.

I would have two caveats:
Luhansk and Donetsk must become part of Russia. No tiny landlocked states with obnoxious governments to act as Russian proxies.
The Russians have to pay compensation for the loss of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk.

That is probably the best offer the Ukraine is going to get.


15 posted on 03/07/2022 12:40:24 PM PST by Little Ray (Civilization runs on a narrow margin. What sustains it is not magic, but hard work. )
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To: Mariner

This is a great summary of the dishonest propaganda that our rulers are putting out to get Americans to support going to war in Ukraine.

I see a lot of conservatives here on FR being taken in by it.

I’ve lived through the Gulf of Tonkin non-incident and the Sadaam-has-nukes drumbeats war. I’m not Charlie Brown and the football.

The only thing about this article I do not like is the suggestion that America has no role in the rest of the world with its military. I disagree. We should use our military to protect American vital interests. Ukraine is not even close.


16 posted on 03/07/2022 1:07:09 PM PST by ModelBreaker
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