Sativied
Well-Known Member
Yes where there is a will, there is a way. So after Russia conquered all of Ukraine, we can conclude Putin succeeded because a lack of will in the west. The west is scared of WW3, scared of Putin’s nukes and damage to their own economies or worse. Which they probably should be, but if that’s the case, is it not really dumb to let him expand his territory by taking Ukraine? More space to park nukes, just like Belarus. Will letting Putin take Ukraine actually make it less likely we’ll end up fighting Russia anyway?
Putin just said any country trying to impose no-fly zone will be considered participating in the conflict, also oil sanctions = war declaration. Uhm… Russian president, fuck off?
Anyway, this is a must-read:
Why the cavalry isn't coming to Ukraine's side | CNN
Marcus Mabry writes that the practice of realpolitik does not consider the morality of allowing a smaller country to be swallowed by a larger one, or a democratic one to be crushed by an authoritarian one. But that is the whole point of realpolitik.
“To put the current state of international affairs in the most terribly brutal realpolitik terms: Is Ukraine worth the possibility of involving the United States and Russia, two nuclear powers that could destroy human life on earth, in a shooting war? And are the risks to their citizens and the world worth keeping Putin out of Ukraine?
These questions do not consider the morality of allowing a smaller country to be swallowed by a larger one, or a democratic one to be crushed by an authoritarian one. But that is the whole point of realpolitik.”
Also interesting is the part where the author suggests Biden signalled his adversery how far he can’t and thus can go by saying he won’t send in troops. If it’s already decided Putin can take Ukraine without interference of the only one (NATO) who could stop him, the blue-yellow structures all over the world are even more nauseating. The eagerness and record breaking fast decisions of the EU to send weapons is fueled by the idea Ukrainians can buy them time, not because they believe the Ukraine can win.
Realpolitik works on the assumption both sides are rational, which Putin doesn’t seem to be. How crazy must Putin act before we stop hiding behind one-directional rationality and do the right thing.
