As I’ll explain below, I basically support Ukraine. I don’t see a Nazi problem there any more serious than what most white countries have, I don’t see why it’s so important for Russia to intervene in support of the the Russia population in Ukraine, I find Putin offensive for various reasons, etc. However I am also concerned about a war starting between the US and Russia.
About 40% of my info for this is from CNN, about 40% is from NPR,
and the rest is miscellaneous stuff including Dave Anderson’s column.
1. I have heard almost nothing about a current problem with Nazis in
Ukraine. According to Dave Anderson in the Boulder Weekly, the Nazis
are no longer politically significant. I DID read on CNN.com about a
battalion of the Ukrainian military that is more right-wing than most
military units. But I got the impression it was also not very
significant. I have read that the President of Ukraine is Jewish,
probably less than 100%. And although it’s not a good sign for him that I
feel a need to say this, I get the impression he is okay with people of
color (he recently addressed some body of the African Union and met
with his counterpart from Indonesia). I have read of Putin making vague
references to Nazism in Ukraine, but they’re incredibly vague. I have
heard some stuff making me think that RUSSIA is the one with the Nazi
problem.
2. I have heard almost nothing about Russian-speaking people being oppressed in Ukraine. I’m not sure what to think of what happened with Viktor Yanukovych. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but everything else I have read indicates that Ukraine is a healthy democracy and aside from the thing about Yanukovych I have not heard of anything about the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine being oppressed.
3. I don’t believe that NATO expansion explains what Putin is doing to Ukraine and I’m certain it doesn’t justify it. Putin has been acting like an imperialist- taking little bits here and there into his State or at least his spheres of influence- parts of Georgia, then a part of Ukraine and now more of Ukraine.
4. I cannot understand why anyone would blame the Ukrainian people for fighting back. At least some part of that population is going to be under the rule of a foreign nation, a foreign nation that has shown zero respect for the Ukrainian people (what Putin said shortly before the invasion, and what his forces have been doing as part of the invasion). I can only imagine how horrible that is.
5. I don’t like Putin. Last I heard, about 15-20 years ago, he made governors in Russia appointed instead of elected. He’s friendly with Trump. He’s incredibly homophobic. In general he seems pretty repulsive to me. My hope is that if the Ukraine invasion is too costly (in economic and military terms) it might weaken Putin.
2. I have heard almost nothing about Russian-speaking people being oppressed in Ukraine. I’m not sure what to think of what happened with Viktor Yanukovych. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but everything else I have read indicates that Ukraine is a healthy democracy and aside from the thing about Yanukovych I have not heard of anything about the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine being oppressed.
3. I don’t believe that NATO expansion explains what Putin is doing to Ukraine and I’m certain it doesn’t justify it. Putin has been acting like an imperialist- taking little bits here and there into his State or at least his spheres of influence- parts of Georgia, then a part of Ukraine and now more of Ukraine.
4. I cannot understand why anyone would blame the Ukrainian people for fighting back. At least some part of that population is going to be under the rule of a foreign nation, a foreign nation that has shown zero respect for the Ukrainian people (what Putin said shortly before the invasion, and what his forces have been doing as part of the invasion). I can only imagine how horrible that is.
5. I don’t like Putin. Last I heard, about 15-20 years ago, he made governors in Russia appointed instead of elected. He’s friendly with Trump. He’s incredibly homophobic. In general he seems pretty repulsive to me. My hope is that if the Ukraine invasion is too costly (in economic and military terms) it might weaken Putin.
6. Practically every European country that is not Russia is in NATO.
And some of the exceptions are in the EU which is also supporting
Ukraine. Critics of Biden’s Ukraine policy have been out-voted by almost
all of Europe that is not Russia. They are worried about Russian
aggression.
I realize what I just wrote might not change many minds. I’ve only
been reading about 1,000 words a day about the conflict and related
issues and in earlier years I am sure I missed a lot of relevant stuff.
But I do support Ukraine.
I AM worried about the US getting into a war with Russia. In fact,
in 2016 I told 1-3 people that Russia was the only issue where I
preferred Trump over Clinton (I voted for Clinton (there were enough
serious problems with Trump (i.e. he accepted support from David Duke)
that I ignored the fact CO is not a swing state and failed to vote for a
good 3rd party)). I can’t believe that Zelensky repeatedly asked for a
no-fly zone and I’m really glad that Biden answered with a firm NO. I
think the US can help Ukraine defend itself and at the same time avoid a
conflict with Russia (Vietnam didn't become WWIII and neither did
Afghanistan in the 1980s). Although I ended up looking a little stupid
with that book review about nuclear war, the tension between the US and
Russia is one of the reasons I am trying to promote the book and
discussion about nuclear war.
Tom
