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Posted by on Feb 24, 2022 in Blog, Essays, Politics, What's Left | 1 comment

Mind-Boggling American Misconceptions on the Russia-Ukraine War

 

 

We’re less than 24-hours into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and already the level of mass ignorance on this subject has reached epidemic proportions.

So typical, especially of many Americans who apparently have never cracked open a history book, or come within thousands of miles of Eastern Europe, or ever heard of the longstanding acrimony between these two nations/peoples, or ever talked to a real Russian or a Ukrainian, here’s an important lesson:

*Getting your talking points from Facebook memes and useful idiot commentators on FOX amounts to a willful disregard of facts.*

#1 — Here’s a fact:  It makes absolutely no difference who is President of the United States when it comes to V. Putin’s decisions and actions on Ukraine. Whether Biden is in office, or Trump is in office, or anyone else–this invasion would have happened no matter what. This incursion has been planned for a very long time. And, no matter who was elected in 2016, or 2020, Putin already had very clear intentions to invade, annex, and conquer this territory. ALL evidence points to this fact.

#2 — Here’s another fact:  Far too many Americans think the world revolves around the United States. I have some upsetting news, folks. It doesn’t. Russia has its own agenda and national interests at stake, and even if they do threaten global peace and stability, it considers those fragile territories to be within its own sphere of political and economic influence. Putin/Russia knows very well that Americans have no desire to engage in yet another war. This is true among Americans on the right. This is true among Americans on the left. It doesn’t matter who leads either faction. The chessboard was optimally set up for Russia’s aggression. The time was now. And it makes zero difference who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue because prevailing American popular opinion (rightly or wrongly) spurns even the idea of another long and costly foreign engagement.

#3 — And here’s one more fact:  The only significant precursor to an invasion that probably would have impeded it was Ukraine becoming a NATO member. That strategic alliance would have committed all NATO members to act in accordance with the “attack one, attack all” doctrine. Hence, Russia would not have moved into Ukraine if they knew that all Western forces would be committed to responding with military action. However, for many reasons, that international alliance didn’t happen. Hence, Ukraine, for now, remains an independent and non-aligned nation pretty much on its own.

No doubt, war is hell. This is a mess. But it’s another flashpoint in a centuries-long struggle launched by a despot who wants more power and conflicting national interests and clashing ideologies. Biden, or Trump, Marilyn Monroe, or Mickey Mouse — the U.S. wasn’t much of a factor in this war.

Nothing short of Ukraine being a NATO partner would have stopped it.

1 Comment

  1. Just discovered Nolan Dalla and in so doing discovered a wonderful genius – to coin a phrase. Now where can I read a clearer image of the map in this article?

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