"The Iraq invasion was an atrocity, an outrage that, as I said, many of us protested at the time. It has nothing whatsoever to do with current events in Ukraine. You might as well cite the Trail of Tears or the Tuskegee Experiment. Why even bring it up? "
Because there is so much talk from the US side about how russia has to pay for all their crimes, that they broke international law and Putin has to go to Den Haag, etc.
But to me - and as far as I am aware, actually most of the not NATO world - consider this as hypocrisy, when the USA never had to pay for their crimes and rather still have made it clear, that they consider themself above the international law, with the den hague invasion act.
That an alternative to more escalation would be strengthening international law again and that would have to start with officially acknowledging guilt and accepting international war crime courts also for US personal.
In other words, actually start leading by example of being a beacon of human rights and rule of law for everyone.
If this would happen, then I can assure you, that way more countries would be joining the sanctions and military aid. Up to the point that Russia would be isolated to the point of giving up.
Because yes, quite some of the russian soft power comes from lies, propaganda and manipulation (Putin comes from the KGB after all). But this propaganda only works, if there is truth in it.
And in my opinion there is just way too much truth buried inside the russian propaganda. Remove the base for the propaganda and suddenly there would be no more soft power ammunition and a strong united front against russia and aggressors alike could form. But currently the USA and NATO are simply trusted enough, which is why russia can sell their oil and gas without much problems and continue the war til eternity as it seems. And sure, after 20 years civilian casualties will be way higher. But it does not have to come to this. Even russia can change again - because this is my main grieving point with the situation. Because I was born under russian occupation and I grew up with the russians parting in peace and a general expectation of working things out and trading freely to the west and the east. And some years it was like this. It came different and I certainly don't say or think this is all just western fault. But the west could have indeed done better. And I think this is mainly what we have to do - fixing our shit first and not messing with other peoples and countries affairs. But yes, pragmatically the military aid to Ukraine should also go on. But not as the only solution.
That was my point.
(and I am glad that it seems, that we still managed to get some kind of communication after all)
Because there is so much talk from the US side about how russia has to pay for all their crimes, that they broke international law and Putin has to go to Den Haag, etc.
But to me - and as far as I am aware, actually most of the not NATO world - consider this as hypocrisy, when the USA never had to pay for their crimes and rather still have made it clear, that they consider themself above the international law, with the den hague invasion act.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Service-Members%27_Pr...
"What point do you imagine you are making?"
That an alternative to more escalation would be strengthening international law again and that would have to start with officially acknowledging guilt and accepting international war crime courts also for US personal.
In other words, actually start leading by example of being a beacon of human rights and rule of law for everyone.
If this would happen, then I can assure you, that way more countries would be joining the sanctions and military aid. Up to the point that Russia would be isolated to the point of giving up.
Because yes, quite some of the russian soft power comes from lies, propaganda and manipulation (Putin comes from the KGB after all). But this propaganda only works, if there is truth in it.
And in my opinion there is just way too much truth buried inside the russian propaganda. Remove the base for the propaganda and suddenly there would be no more soft power ammunition and a strong united front against russia and aggressors alike could form. But currently the USA and NATO are simply trusted enough, which is why russia can sell their oil and gas without much problems and continue the war til eternity as it seems. And sure, after 20 years civilian casualties will be way higher. But it does not have to come to this. Even russia can change again - because this is my main grieving point with the situation. Because I was born under russian occupation and I grew up with the russians parting in peace and a general expectation of working things out and trading freely to the west and the east. And some years it was like this. It came different and I certainly don't say or think this is all just western fault. But the west could have indeed done better. And I think this is mainly what we have to do - fixing our shit first and not messing with other peoples and countries affairs. But yes, pragmatically the military aid to Ukraine should also go on. But not as the only solution.
That was my point.
(and I am glad that it seems, that we still managed to get some kind of communication after all)