If you're surprised by the horrific scenes out of Bucha, then you weren't paying attention to Aleppo and/or Grozny. This is the Russian playbook; we're just getting a better view of it now. The question is, are we willing to risk to a nuclear war and/or the cyberdestruction of our power grid to take Russia down? I question whether as a society we are willing to pay that price. And, what will China do? Will it actively intervene on behalf of its Russian ally?
Excellent commentary Diane. You nailed it when you said “Putin’s mass murder is rooted in a Hitlerian ‘super race’ theology”. It is “chillingly similar.” How else do you explain their hubristic, chauvinistic, arrogant behaviour where they refer to Ukrainians as ‘khokhols’, a derogatory term that denigrates Ukrainians to sub-human status? Russians have been fed this super race rubbish since 1917. They have been inundated with propaganda that only Mother Russia can purify the world. First, by Soviet Communism and now with idiots like Dugin running around like some Russian mystic spouting doctrines of Russian glory. You are right Diane that Russia’s armed forces must be obliterated and it’s economy dismantled.
I read yesterday, that 66% of Russian Gas production is exported to the E.U. 58% of Ukraine's Gas consumption is imported from Russia. There are at least 4 major pipelines that cross through Ukraine. Russia transits much of that 66% gas from Russia to the E.U. through these pipelines. Ukraine gets a Commission as payment for the gas to transit. Apparently, the Russian separatists in south eastern Ukraine take exception to this transit tax. If Ukraine wants to ramp things up, just prevent the transit of that gas to the E.U. Their domestic gas needs are shrinking every day anyway. If Putin was to win control over Ukraine, the new 'owner' of those pipelines may substantially increase the pipeline fee. In that Putin thinks as a Crime boss first, is this one of his targets?
A man Putin imprisoned for 10 years was on NBC saying Biden was right to call for his removal and this was an ethical statement the soft media condemned. Also said Macron of France is under Putin's thumb. He said Putin is a criminal dictator and the west has to get tougher as he understands this. Send in fighter jets to control the skies and anti airplane missiles NOW. Get Russia out of UN, G20. Get India to stop its charade of supporting him. Canada should pump more oil and stop the green fearmongering the BBC promotes. Trudeau needs to get tougher and back off the endless PC regime he heads.
Granted that there is fear of the unknown (and that rushing to judgement quickly can cause unnecessary escalation ie WW1) and the result is obfuscation of a leader's mind.
Rolling Thunder approach to arms relief for Ukraine should be encouraged as to lethality ie longer range air defence, hand over the Migs, implement Harpoon missile defence for the south.
The major oil port of Novorosiysk exports Russian and Kashakastan oil and it's origin could be lied about. If non public arms lethality doesn't work then it would be time to start threatening Putin with elimination of his Novorosiysk exporting facilities.
An escalation yes; but can you imagine what damage an obfuscated mind is already doing?
I think we have reached that point of taking action NOW. With the election in Hungary going in favour of a Putin ally, this is getting out of hand. As mentioned by Ian Sirota below, Putin has been practicing in other peoples backyard. Putin must stay out of our backyard. We must test this nuclear option, JFK did with Cuba in 1962. We can no longer afford to be held for ransom by a butcher.
Maybe Putin looks at this like after WW@ with the Nazis. And he wants what was after the war where he had many countries under Russia. Putin doing the same as the Nazis but projecting that Ukraine is Nazism and doing what Russia did to the Nazis but now to Ukraine. Food for thought.
If you're surprised by the horrific scenes out of Bucha, then you weren't paying attention to Aleppo and/or Grozny. This is the Russian playbook; we're just getting a better view of it now. The question is, are we willing to risk to a nuclear war and/or the cyberdestruction of our power grid to take Russia down? I question whether as a society we are willing to pay that price. And, what will China do? Will it actively intervene on behalf of its Russian ally?
Excellent commentary Diane. You nailed it when you said “Putin’s mass murder is rooted in a Hitlerian ‘super race’ theology”. It is “chillingly similar.” How else do you explain their hubristic, chauvinistic, arrogant behaviour where they refer to Ukrainians as ‘khokhols’, a derogatory term that denigrates Ukrainians to sub-human status? Russians have been fed this super race rubbish since 1917. They have been inundated with propaganda that only Mother Russia can purify the world. First, by Soviet Communism and now with idiots like Dugin running around like some Russian mystic spouting doctrines of Russian glory. You are right Diane that Russia’s armed forces must be obliterated and it’s economy dismantled.
I read yesterday, that 66% of Russian Gas production is exported to the E.U. 58% of Ukraine's Gas consumption is imported from Russia. There are at least 4 major pipelines that cross through Ukraine. Russia transits much of that 66% gas from Russia to the E.U. through these pipelines. Ukraine gets a Commission as payment for the gas to transit. Apparently, the Russian separatists in south eastern Ukraine take exception to this transit tax. If Ukraine wants to ramp things up, just prevent the transit of that gas to the E.U. Their domestic gas needs are shrinking every day anyway. If Putin was to win control over Ukraine, the new 'owner' of those pipelines may substantially increase the pipeline fee. In that Putin thinks as a Crime boss first, is this one of his targets?
A man Putin imprisoned for 10 years was on NBC saying Biden was right to call for his removal and this was an ethical statement the soft media condemned. Also said Macron of France is under Putin's thumb. He said Putin is a criminal dictator and the west has to get tougher as he understands this. Send in fighter jets to control the skies and anti airplane missiles NOW. Get Russia out of UN, G20. Get India to stop its charade of supporting him. Canada should pump more oil and stop the green fearmongering the BBC promotes. Trudeau needs to get tougher and back off the endless PC regime he heads.
Rarely any simple solutions.
Thanks Mary Ann. Seems that Trudeau will not pump more oil because he will not take on the greens? Or what do you think?
Incredible coincidence (?) that the creation of the Nazi party in Germany was Feb 24 and the invasion of Ukraine was 102 years later on Feb 24th also.
Apparently NATO not sending jets to Ukraine is because they think Russian jets will destroy them on the ground.
Granted that there is fear of the unknown (and that rushing to judgement quickly can cause unnecessary escalation ie WW1) and the result is obfuscation of a leader's mind.
Rolling Thunder approach to arms relief for Ukraine should be encouraged as to lethality ie longer range air defence, hand over the Migs, implement Harpoon missile defence for the south.
The major oil port of Novorosiysk exports Russian and Kashakastan oil and it's origin could be lied about. If non public arms lethality doesn't work then it would be time to start threatening Putin with elimination of his Novorosiysk exporting facilities.
An escalation yes; but can you imagine what damage an obfuscated mind is already doing?
I think we have reached that point of taking action NOW. With the election in Hungary going in favour of a Putin ally, this is getting out of hand. As mentioned by Ian Sirota below, Putin has been practicing in other peoples backyard. Putin must stay out of our backyard. We must test this nuclear option, JFK did with Cuba in 1962. We can no longer afford to be held for ransom by a butcher.
Maybe Putin looks at this like after WW@ with the Nazis. And he wants what was after the war where he had many countries under Russia. Putin doing the same as the Nazis but projecting that Ukraine is Nazism and doing what Russia did to the Nazis but now to Ukraine. Food for thought.