Maher: Russia’s Invasion ‘Wasn’t Just All Biden’

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/380483-congress-bans-arms-to-controversial-ukrainian-militia-linked-to-neo-nazis/

“…….House-passed spending bills for the past three years have included a ban on U.S. aid to Ukraine from going to the Azov Battalion, but the provision was stripped out before final passage each year…..”

Our Congress started trying to strip the Ukie Nazis of funding in 2015. They were aware of them prior to their first attempts in 2015. They were guilty of funding them for at least three years.

41 posted on 04/29/2023 3:05:29 PM PDT by delta7

More for the Ukie Nazi deniers.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/3ab7dw/azov-battalion-ukraine-far-right

Fact is there are many Bandera statues mostly seen in western Ukraine. Google map how many “ Bandera Boulevards “ there are in Ukraine. To deny they have had a Nazi problem since WW2 is the same as denying the Holocaust.

Rewriting history fails even if the Western media narrative tries to change it.

42 posted on 04/29/2023 3:24:57 PM PDT by delta7

From your article, “The Azov Batallion was founded in 2014”.

43 posted on 04/29/2023 3:31:50 PM PDT by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)

To: ChicagoConservative27

Maher is full of it again Russia’s invasion is all Biden’s he owns it the sob stupid didn’t know how or when to act to prevent it.

If he wasn’t president Ukraine would still be at peace Putin picked Biden’s pockets clean Biden is pure chump he abuses the privilege of using stupidity.

44 posted on 04/29/2023 3:39:11 PM PDT by Vaduz (....)

To: Its All Over Except ...

It's All Over Except: "Where did I say they secretly engineered them?"

Is that not what your words mean?

"State Dept was behind the Maidan uprising in Ukraine"

Trump's words decried, the "state department support for uprisings in Ukraine"
Well, I "supported" them too, I cheered for them, every reasonable person did, but does that mean I was somehow "behind" them? No.

As a Russian propagandist, what you are trying to do here is turn the 100% legitimate activities of a functioning democracy into something dark & nefarious.
It wasn't, it was what Ukrainians wanted.

It's All Over Except: "After violent events associated with the Maidan revolution protests, Ukraine’s parliament ousted President Viktor Yanukovich in February 2014 and replaced him with Petro Poroshenko."

One way you can know for certain if you are a Russian propagandist is, do you call such events a "coup"?
"Coup" is propaganda talk.
What happened in Ukraine in 2014 was a 100% legitimate, constitutional impeachment by Ukraine's parliament, the vote was 328 to 0.

It's All Over Except: "McCain, Murphy Rally Ukraine Protesters"

Sure, in your video link, in December 2013, Ukrainian Euro-Maidan protesters wanted to see Ukraine sign a trade deal with the European Union.
Democrat Senator Murphy announced he would support sanctions against individuals responsible if there was official violence against the protestors.
That's it! Totally 100% legitimate.

It's All Over Except quoting report: "An embarassing phone conversation about Ukraine politics between two high profile US diplomats has surfaced online...
...This episode will be embarassing for the US as President Barack Obama has denied the administration is manipulating the Ukrainian opposition."

A random conversation between two American officials does not constitute "manipulating" Ukrainian politics.

It's All Over Except: "Problem is, Putin originally wanted Russia to be a part of NATO."

From the beginning, circa 1991, Russia contemplated joining NATO and under Boris Yeltsin in 1994 took steps to begin, along with other Eastern European countries.
Yeltsin and his successor, Vladimir Putin, were strongly supported in this by US President Slick William and by European NATO leaders.
By 2004 relations between Russia and NATO began to strain and in 2008 turned cold after Russia invaded Georgia.
Vlad the Invader's 2014 capture & annex of Crimea made NATO hostile to Russia, which it remains today.

In the meantime, other Eastern European countries continued their Membership Action Plans toward NATO membership, including Ukraine which:

1991, Ukraine joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council -- prelude to NATO membership
1994, Ukraine joined the of the Partnership for Peace initiative, along with Russia, prelude to NATO membership.
1997, the official NATO Information and Documentation Center opened in Kyiv, aimed to foster transparency about the alliance.[36]
A Ukrainian public opinion poll of 6 May showed 37% in favor of joining NATO with 28% opposed and 34% undecided.[37]
1997, a NATO-Ukraine Commission was established.[38]
2002, the NATO–Ukraine commission adopted a NATO-Ukraine Action Plan.[39]
2004, the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament] adopted a law on the free access of NATO forces to the territory of Ukraine.
2005, During [Ukraine] President Viktor Yushchenko's first official visit to the United States, President George W. Bush declared: 'I am a supporter of the idea of Ukraine's membership in NATO.'
2005, Viktor Yushchenko returned to Ukraine's military doctrine the mention of Ukraine's strategic goal – 'full membership in NATO and the European Union.'
The new text read as follows: 'Based on the fact that NATO and the EU are the guarantors of security and stability in Europe, Ukraine is preparing for full membership in these organizations.'
2006, at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, the representative of the NATO Secretary General, James Appathurai, stated that all members of the alliance support the speedy integration of Ukraine into NATO.
2008, the Ukrainian President, Prime Minister and head of parliament sent an official letter (the so-called "letter of three") to apply for the Membership Action Plan for NATO membership.[43][44]
2008, US President George W. Bush and both nominees for President of the United States in the 2008 election, U.S. senator Barack Obama and U.S. senator John McCain, did offer backing to Ukraine's membership of NATO.[52][53][54]
Russian reactions were negative.
In April 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke out against Ukraine's membership in NATO.[55][56]
2010, under Yanukovych, NATO and Ukraine continued to cooperate in the framework of the Annual National Program,[73] including joint exercises.[74]
According to Ukraine the continuation of Ukraine-NATO cooperation does not exclude the development of a strategic partnership with Russia.[75]
2010, the Ukrainian parliament passed a bill proposed by the President that excluded the goal of "integration into Euro-Atlantic security and NATO membership" from the country's national security strategy.[77]
The law precluded Ukraine's membership of any military bloc, but allowed for co-operation with alliances such as NATO.[78]
2010, the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers approved an action plan to implement an annual national program of cooperation with NATO.[80]
2014, following reports that the Russian military was operating within Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenii Yatseniuk announced that he would ask the Ukrainian parliament to put Ukraine on a path towards NATO membership.[94]
The government has also signaled that it hoped for major non-NATO ally status with the United States, NATO's largest military power and contributor.[95]
2014, the Ukrainian parliament renounced Ukraine's non-aligned status, a step harshly condemned by Russia.[6][97]
The new law stated that Ukraine's previous non-aligned status 'proved to be ineffective in guaranteeing Ukraine's security and protecting the country from external aggression and pressure' and also aimed to deepen Ukrainian cooperation with NATO 'to achieve the criteria which are required for membership in the alliance'.[98]
On 29 December 2014, Poroshenko vowed to hold a referendum on joining NATO.[99]
2015, NATO launched five trust funds for €5.4 million for the Ukrainian army.
€2 million are planned to be sent for the modernization of communication systems,
€1.2 million – to reform the logistic and standardization systems,
€845,000 – for physical rehabilitation and prostheses,
€815,000 for cyber defense, and €410,000 for retraining and resettlement.
2017, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law making integration with NATO a foreign policy priority.[104]
In July 2017 Poroshenko announced that he would seek the opening of negotiations on a MAP with NATO.[105]
2018, NATO added Ukraine in the list of NATO aspiring members (others including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia).
Several months later, in late June, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada passed a National Security bill: the bill defines the principles of state policy on national security and defence as well as focusing on Ukraine's integration into the European security, economic and legal system; improvement in mutual relations with other states and eventual membership in EU and NATO.
2020, Ukraine joined NATO's enhanced opportunity partner interoperability program.[nb 3][111]
According to an official NATO statement, the new status "does not prejudge any decisions on NATO membership."[111]
2020, Ukraine Pres. Zelenskyy approved Ukraine's new National Security Strategy, 'which provides for the development of the distinctive partnership with NATO with the aim of membership in NATO.'[112][113][114]
and so on, and so on...

It's All Over Except: "Victoria Nuland was known as the midwife of Maidan – the Obama-Biden point person reportedly running the overthrow of the Ukrainian Presidency in 2013-14."

"known as" and "reportedly" mean nothing.
There is no reason for us to assume that Ukrainians weren't in charge of their own democratic actions in 2013-14.
Ukraine's parliament voted 328 to zero to constitutionally remove the treasonous Russian stooge from office.
That is not a "coup" nor could Victoria Nuland have done it, or run it.

It's All Over Except quoting: "Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, the midwife of Maidan, threatened sanctions against Ukraine’s government if President Viktor Yanukovych remained in office. (Over 100 people were killed in the protests.)"

The video you posted shows Connecticut Democrat Senator Murphy in December 2013 threatening sanctions if Ukraine's president Yanukovych used violence to suppress Euro-Maidan protestors.
I've seen no evidence of any American demanding Yanukovych be removed from office.

It's All Over Except: "The Obama-Biden Administration helped create instability in Ukraine, leading to a Mafia-like climate where potential Russian aggression leads to Ukraine demanding protection.
Protection money is easily extorted, benefiting Hunter Biden and indirectly Joe Biden."

It appears to me that the entire Biden Crime Family belongs in jail, for long sentences, but no part of that is a cause for Ukraine's continuously seeking NATO membership going back to 1991.

It's All Over Except: "After the coup, the US installed leaders and the Biden’s began moving money from Ukrain to the family coffers. ..."

The US "installed" nobody in Ukraine.
Three months after lawfully impeaching the treasonous Russian stooge Yanukovych, Ukrainians freely elected new leadership.

It's All Over Except: "We now know that Nuland visited Sudan recently to encourage the country not to align with Russia."

You realize, don't you, that changing the subject is a de facto admission that you lost the previous argument?

Can we stick to Ukraine?

45 posted on 04/30/2023 6:37:16 AM PDT by BroJoeK (future DDG 134 -- we remember)

To: Salman; ChicagoConservative27

Salman: "The USA became the ne Evil Empire at the end of the Cold War when the Warsaw Pact dissolved and NATO did not.
And defense spending increased."

Rubbish! We were neither "evil" nor and "empire".

Plus, long term, defense spending has done nothing but decrease since its peak in the Second World War, with much smaller peaks later, then falling drastically after every smaller peak, notably the post-Cold War "peace dividend":

1945 WWII defense spending peaked at 41% of GDP
1953 Korean War defense peaked at 14% of GDP
1971 Vietnam War defense peaked at 9% of GDP
1986 Reagan Cold War build-up peaked at 6% of GDP
1999 "peace dividend" reductions bottomed at 3% of GDP
2011 War on Terror defense peaked at 5% of GDP
2023 Today's defense spending is around 3% of GDP.

46 posted on 04/30/2023 7:10:48 AM PDT by BroJoeK (future DDG 134 -- we remember)

To: delta7; Eagles6

delta7: "Fact is there are many Bandera statues mostly seen in western Ukraine.
Google map how many “ Bandera Boulevards “ there are in Ukraine.
To deny they have had a Nazi problem since WW2 is the same as denying the Holocaust."

Obviously, and for good reasons, many Ukrainians welcomed the invading Germans as liberators from Stalin's murderous Communist tyranny.
Some continued to serve the Germans even after Nazis' own murderous policies became known.

But for today, how about if we go back to school -- what are the differences between a socialist, a communist, a fascist and a Nazi?

Answer: they are all socialists at core, meaning they want maximum government ownership and/or control over the economy, and each one adds different political flavoring to their socialism.

generic socialists include democratic socialists, who hope they can convince majorities to vote them into power.
Communists are totalitarian socialists who know they can only ever shoot their way into political power.
Fascists are also totalitarian socialists, willing to shoot their way into power, but also willing to settle for crony capitalism as an alternative to outright state ownership of economic assets.
Nazis are simply antisemitic fascists.

So, how many antisemitic fascists are there in Ukraine?
Officially, none, zero, nada, since the Azov Brigade was incorporated into the Ukrainian military and it's "Nazi" leadership forced to either recant or leave.

As for Ukrainians in general, in 2019 73% voted for Volodymir Zelenskyy, whose 1st prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman, like Zelenskyy, is Jewish.

It's interesting to notice that between 2010 and 2016 the percentage of Ukrainians saying they are Jewish doubled, and then doubled again in 2018 to roughly one half of one percent.
I don't think you can call people who vote democratically to elect Jewish leaders "Nazis" or any of those other derogatory names.

47 posted on 04/30/2023 8:03:15 AM PDT by BroJoeK (future DDG 134 -- we remember)

I don’t think you can call people who vote democratically to elect Jewish leaders “Nazis” or any of those other derogatory names.
————
Zelensky claims to be Jewish, he married a Christian and his children were baptized. Does that sound like one of Jewish faith? No, a fake. Israeli Jews know better.

“ I don’t see the Jewish heroism in serving a foreign power and foreign interests. I don’t see the Jewish heroism in intermarrying. I don’t see the Jewish heroism in Baptizing one’s children. I don’t see the Jewish heroism in consistently voting against Israel in openly antisemitic, targeted UN resolutions. I don’t see the Jewish heroism in allyship with neo-Nazis. I don’t see the Jewish heroism in Holocaust trivialization, distortion, and denial.

Yes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not behave in the way one would expect a Jewish hero to behave. He married a non-Jewish woman named Olena in 2003 and Baptized their children in a Russian Orthodox Church. He openly celebrates such holidays as “the Day of Christianization of Kievan Rus-Ukraine,” a holiday marking the establishment of Christianity as the official region of Kievan Rus in 987, and, by all accounts, religiously identifies as a Christian, not a Jew.

Since taking office in 2019, Zelenskyy has maintained a firm anti-Israel stance, specifically on the UN floor. In 2020 alone, Ukraine voted for several UNRWA-affirming UN resolutions, voted in favor of condemning Israeli “occupation” of Judea and Samaria, Israeli “occupation” of Jerusalem, and Israeli “occupation” of “the occupied Syrian Golan.” For the resolution to launch a formal UN investigation into suggested Israeli “human rights abuses,” suggesting Israel as an apartheid, perhaps even a genocidal power, Zelenskyy’s Ukraine was kind enough to abstain.

The way Zelenskyy entered the office is equally disqualifying towards his proposed status as a Jewish hero. In Ukraine, a country rife with antisemitism historically and today, Zelenskyy needed all the help he could get to get elected. He got this help largely from Ukrainian neo-Nazis and their allies, like political kingmaker Arsten Avakov, willing to compromise to present a united front against Russia……”

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/zelenskyy-is-not-a-jewish-hero/

48 posted on 04/30/2023 12:14:13 PM PDT by delta7

I agree.

It's a red herring.

Let's not forget, Stalin is, still, popular in Russia and many units fly the soviet hammer and sickle.

49 posted on 04/30/2023 12:36:49 PM PDT by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)

Everything about the corrupted comedian Zelensky and his corrupted government stinks.

But what are the poor, deceived Ukrainians going to do? We are in the same boat, what are we going to do? Huge populations have been hijacked by their Corrupted leaders and their corrupted governments all over the world, the EU, England, America, Canada, Mexico, the list grows, getting historical.

50 posted on 04/30/2023 12:43:16 PM PDT by delta7

delta7: "In Ukraine, a country rife with antisemitism historically and today, Zelenskyy needed all the help he could get to get elected.
He got this help largely from Ukrainian neo-Nazis and their allies, like political kingmaker Arsten Avakov, willing to compromise to present a united front against Russia……”"

The number of Ukrainians calling themselves Jewish doubled from 2010 to 2016 and then doubled again by 2018.
Still a very small number, one half of one percent, that would be around 260,000 in a nation of 44 million.
There are 271 Jewish communities in Ukraine, the most in Kiev.
Non-religious Ukrainian Jews might double the number.
In the US, around 72% of Jews are religious, the others are not.
In the US, if I understand correctly, the numbers of "hate crimes" against Jews are more than against any other group.
Are we going to call Americans "antisemitic"?

delta7: "Since taking office in 2019, Zelenskyy has maintained a firm anti-Israel stance, specifically on the UN floor.
In 2020 alone, Ukraine voted for several UNRWA-affirming UN resolutions, voted in favor of condemning Israeli “occupation” of Judea and Samaria, Israeli “occupation” of Jerusalem, and Israeli “occupation” of “the occupied Syrian Golan.” "

Israel's support for Ukraine is small, but important, and includes:

"Anti-drone systems
Unspecified anti-drone systems [September 2022] (delivered by an Israeli defence contractor to Ukraine indirectly through Poland, and the United States)[216][217] Vehicles
7 armored ambulances [Delivered From December 2022 to January 2023][218]
Military gear[219][220]
3,500 helmets [2,000 in April 2022, further 1,500 in June]
2,000 bulletproof vests [500 in April 2022, further 1,500 in June]
1,000 gas masks [June 2022]
"hundreds" of mine protection suits [June 2022] "dozens" of hazmat filtration systems [June 2022] Miscellaneous
Intelligence regarding drones used by Russian forces [From November 2022].[221][222]"

So, I'd say there is no open hostility between allegedly antisemitic Ukraine and Israel.

And there is a singular fact, a matter of definitions -- if you claim to be a "Nazi", but you democratically vote to elect a leader of Jewish heritage, then you are not a genuine e Nazi, you are not even a real totalitarian fascist.
You might still be a socialist, but so long as you remain lawful and democratic, then by definition, you are neither fascist, communist, nor Nazi.
You're a garden variety democratic socialist.
And just because you want to defend your country against an invading army, that alone does not make you a historical "national socialist."

delta7: "Everything about the corrupted comedian Zelensky and his corrupted government stinks."

Nonsense! The real problem here is something wrong with you, pal, some deep-seated personal issues you are projecting psychologically onto Ukraine and its president.

None of it corresponds to reality, and none of it remotely justifies Vlad the Invader's conquering and annexing parts of Ukraine.

delta7: "We are in the same boat, what are we going to do?
Huge populations have been hijacked by their Corrupted leaders and their corrupted governments all over the world, the EU, England, America, Canada, Mexico, the list grows, getting historical."

Political "hijackings" are one thing -- countries which have genuinely democratic elections can vote the SOBs out and clean up their own corruption.

A military invasion of another country is a very, very different matter.
Preventing Russia from being Russia, or China from being China, is what the Cold War from circa 1945 to 1990 was all about.
Now, for over 30 years we've forgotten everything we once well understood, and the result is Russia and China are reverting to form, to their historical roots as totalitarian conquering empire builders.

Today the hour is very late, but it's not yet too late to stop Russia and China from invading their smaller neighbors.

51 posted on 04/30/2023 4:58:29 PM PDT by BroJoeK (future DDG 134 -- we remember)

The real problem here is something wrong with you, pal, some deep-seated personal issues you are projecting psychologically onto Ukraine and its president.
———-
I have been there , along with working in Moscow training Ivan’s for three years. I am not a keyboard commando like most here. Like I said, the corruption is so huge there, from the top down to the 12 year old kids on the streets. Corruption is ingrained in their society. Get back with me should you ever get out of your chair and visit the place.

The old EU saying, “ when shaking hands with a Ukrainian, be sure to check how many fingers he stole”, rings truer every day.

52 posted on 04/30/2023 7:34:40 PM PDT by delta7

delta7: "I have been there , along with working in Moscow training Ivan’s for three years."

Oh? That's very interesting, so you well know the levels of corruption in Russia?
And your experience in Ukraine is...?

Somewhere in my googling, I came across a site which reports on groups which actually try to quantify and measure levels of corruption in each country.
By their definitions and measures, countries like Switzerland in Western Europe are the gold standard for non-corruption, and Russia is the... ah... lead standard for the most corrupt countries.
In their chart, the US scored well, but not as well as several countries in Europe.
Ukraine landed about half way between the least corrupt in Europe and the most corrupt, being Russia.

That sounds about right to me, and it means that territories conquered by Vlad the Invader will go from less corrupt to the most corrupt under Russian control.

delta7: "Get back with me should you ever get out of your chair and visit the place."

In the 1970s I "stood guard" in the US Army in Germany, near the Fulda Gap, to prevent the old Soviets from doing to West Germany what they are now doing in Ukraine.
Our job was to act as a deterrence, not just a bluff, but an actual military force capable defeating Russia's then considered overwhelming force T-62s, BMP-1s & Migs.
We did our job and the old Soviets stayed put, eventually crumbled.

That's what was missing in Ukraine -- a deterrence -- and that's why the ultimate Old Soviet, Vlad the Invader, did there what Russians, by their nature, naturally do, he invaded his smaller neighbors.

In all the years of the Cold War, the old Soviets never acted insane or suicidal.
Sure, they were bullies, and weakness provoked their aggression, but they always respected genuine force and that's how we kept the world at relative peace for 45+ years.

53 posted on 05/01/2023 4:41:31 AM PDT by BroJoeK (future DDG 134 -- we remember)

In the 1970s I “stood guard” in the US Army in Germany, near the Fulda Gap,…
———
Same same, however I was with the 82nd Airborne Div in the mid 70’s training to fight the Soviets….. Ive got news for you, the Russian Federation is not the old USSR. I had bought into the “ Evil Russian” narrative for some time, until I took a job training Ivan’s in Moscow for three years.

My advice: don’t buy into the Democrat’s Russian Derangement Syndrome, it started during Trump’s time , many here it seems have been infected with it.

The only cure is to turn off US MSM and stop listening to senile Joe and company.

54 posted on 05/01/2023 6:45:12 AM PDT by delta7

delta7: "Ive got news for you, the Russian Federation is not the old USSR."

It certainly is, to the degree that Vlad the Invader can make it so.
He is the absolute archetypal Old Soviet, KGB!!
If Russia doesn't live up to the standards of the Old Soviets, it's not because Vlad isn't trying his best.

And Vlad the Invader is in the Old Russian traditions of Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great.
His purpose and function is to increase the size and power of Russia at the expense of his weaker neighbors.

delta7: "I had bought into the “ Evil Russian” narrative for some time, until I took a job training Ivan’s in Moscow for three years."

The only way Russia is not the heart of evil is if you pretend that, somehow, invading, conquering and annexing your weaker neighbors is a legitimate enterprise.
I promise you, I guarantee you, that as soon as you legitimize Vlad the Invader's actions, you will see many more like it from aggressive dictators all over the world.

That will not be our world, and we will not like it.

delta7: "My advice: don’t buy into the Democrat’s Russian Derangement Syndrome, it started during Trump’s time , many here it seems have been infected with it."

I have no doubt that the Russian people are just fine, no reason to hate them at all.
But the Russian government, going back many centuries, has always been all about conquering their smaller neighbors, and that describes exactly what Vlad the Invader is doing in Ukraine.

Why would you even try to deny the obvious?

55 posted on 05/01/2023 9:54:07 AM PDT by BroJoeK (future DDG 134 -- we remember)

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