On the war in Ukraine we're mad not to use the tools of diplomacy to try to end the war. I'm sure that you want to jump the gun on me now and tell me that I'm a Russian stooge etc. Heck, I'm not even using the dreadful words of negotiation and peace here. No, what I'm saying yet again is why not try to stop the war? Putin will not fall this year or the next, and by the time he does we'll all be really out of pocket money. Now don't expect Europe to fund the reconstruction because something like that always comes after the above mentioned usage of the tools of diplomacy. Jaw, jaw is always better than war, war, remember that Churchill saying? Heck, we're all coming out of a pandemic and we're still funding a war instead of ending one. Utter madness!
PS I'm sorry that I've left some of the discussions on faith unaswered as yet on here. It was because of ill health. I'll try to bring those to the front too next. But lets move to this one yet again first
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While I agree and wish we could stop the war as soon as possible it is a naive thought and wish. Diplomacy needs to come back but as long as Russia keeps slaughtering the people of Ukraine I don't see that happening. Diplomacy should and can work in conflicts where there is no clear right or wrong like the Palestine/Israel one, where both sides commit acts of aggression. The war in Ukraine is an imperialist one. Russia is clearly the aggressor with Ukraine only defending itself. Any win for Putin would create a precedent for other imperialist nations.
@Annie13 Naive? I beg your pardon. I don't want the war war to continue so I'm naive. There's a lot of mirroring in that statement. Do you know what they did to the Free Poles after World War Two? Do you think that it's naive to think that there's no other ending in sight than to disappoint allies yet again? Do you really want the war to continue till Putin falls? Somehow I don't think that will work. It's a bit like democrates not understanding why at times over one in three is still supporting the former president. Somehow there's no-one around who understands how both a group psyche works and diplomacy in the real sense of the word. Even Anne Applebaum is talking about this brave new world that will open up when Russia will do what she thinks that it should do. Utter madness!
@val70 The Ukrainian people who don't want to live under opressive russia don't want Putin to win and internationally Putin shouldn't win cause it would create a terrible precedent. Your idea of peace would require Ukraine to give up large parts of their territory and submit to an imperialist power.
If someone came into your house and kills your family... would you be willing to let the person stay in your house?
@Annie13 Where are you from, lad? Ever been occupied? Ever had your family been put against a wall? Ever had your family starve and be terrified each day when bombs were dropping in the near distance? Just wondering
@val70 I was born in the US but my family is German where I currently am. Have you spoken to Ukrainians? They are desperate for this war to end but they don't want to go back to a home that got taken from them by Putin. Have you been occupied or lived near a war zone? You are defending Putins aggression and it is despicable
@val70 It is very messy but in this war clearly one party chose to invade and another to defend. I made a point that I would like you to adress. The precedent for imperial nations if Putin would win territory the violent way in Ukraine. It would certainly be inspiration for China in regards to Taiwan.
@Annie13 Do you really think that China didn't do that before with Tibet? You can't compare apples and oranges. Tibet had a much bigger claim to independence than Taiwan and it's now not even regarded as that. No independence for Tibet because it suited the political situation then and now. The present war is very much again like a Vietnam/Afghanistan-style of operation. I think that's even why Biden wanted to get out of Afghanistan. It makes indeed a lot more sense if one looks at wars going on around the world that way. Sapping the strength out of countries. But then again, that analysis is faulty too. Russia will never give up on anything Russian, and that's a sure thing even without Putin
