The TLDR of the video is that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was bad, and that Western and Ukrainian aggression didn’t poke the tiger. He doesn’t mention that the West could end the war tomorrow.
To be fair, I’m not pro Putin. I know Russians in Russia who are risking their safety to be peace activists, which is the correct and noble position to have in Russia. An Australian guy taking the position that Putin bad just seems easy and is doing the work of the State department.
Agree that this is a very bad take. There are Cable leaks from US diplomat going back DECADES that confirm just how serious the notion of Ukraine joining nato was to Russia and that it would likely mean a war if it ever came to fruition.
This is 2008 so it’s pre 2014 coup
I think the other side of this that’s rarely talked about are the families with members that were on the ukrainian side and the russian side. For Russia a huge issue with Ukraine joining nato is the quantity of families with individuals who then become nato and will be turned into natoites. The effect that these family members will have on their family across the border is of major concern. They don’t want a base being created for colour revolution, or worse.
america has a long and storied history of ignoring the advice of their ambassadors. Not that the stupidity is a defence, but it is believable to me that natos were surprised.
and that Western and Ukrainian aggression didn’t poke the tiger.
I think his argument is more that they did poke it but that doesn’t justify a full scale land invasion.
I don’t agree with him, but honestly his take here seems way more consistent and rational than Libs on the topic. He’s still wrong, but I was honestly expecting it to be worse given his history.
If this was the entire argument, his position would be kind of valid. Nato poking the bear is an explanation, but not an excuse for Russia.
But then he later states that the forced conscription in Ukraine is just what any nation would do. Which, sure, but that’s not a fucking excuse either then.
No I agree.
He made points here I respect tho and think it’s good for Libs to hear.
Comparing this to Gaza is ridiculous, Ukraine has a government and a military, more specifically a military with the backing of the most powerful governments on earth.
There’s no evidence of genocide, Russia’s goal is clearly to take territory not to wipe out a group of people, most of the casualties are combatants not civilians.
I strongly disagree with his downplaying of how entrenched neo-Nazis clearly are in the Ukrainian military though, and suggesting there 0 genuine, non-astroturfed Russian separatist sentiment in eastern Ukraine.
For me the subtext of the video came across as “this is horrific for the working class of both countries and should stop”, which is literally the correct take.
“war is bad and should stop”, when removed from context and analysis is not a take, it’s a platitude.
The fact that he whitewashes the West’s role in the war, pretends Ukraine is not a country with a significant Russian-friendly minority, and puts the blame for the war’s consequences and continuation on Russia means that his “war is bad and should stop” ends up being an endorsement of NATO’s position - that only Russia can and should take measures to stop the war, and that any escalation from the West is justified.
Kind of a sidebar here but he says that Russia is a dictatorship and that people should gtfo about the “elections”.
Now, I don’t really know much about Russia at all, but polling shows that Putin is immensely popular, right? So what’s the point in rigging elections that you’re going to win anyway? I don’t think he was trying to make a broader point either, I think he was saying the elections themselves are shams? So… Are they?
The elections aren’t shams. The fact various powers in Russia will kill any threat and get away with it is the main drawback. With that said it’s not like the US doesn’t have a history of assassinations of political figures, carried out both by the state and by non-state actors.
