Russia - threadbanned users in OP

@correct horse battery staple

I don't think it's anything to do with appeasement as a policy, like they're going, "Let's do this thing which hasn't really worked in history and give it another go." I think what's interpreted as appeasement is more that leaders who stand to benefit from the world order as is are never going to go headlong into a confrontation which could undermine regional peace, economic stability and political stability. A lot of these people aren't really thinking of being great statesmen so much as they're thinking about the next election. They do not want to deal with a problem such as Russia's aggressions until it can no longer be ignored - until it becomes an existential risk such that confrontation's benefits outweigh the potential economic and political fallout, domestically.

And this effect amplifies the further you get from the problem. That's why Poland and the Baltics have been on the ball where countries further west have dithered at times.

I wouldn't worry too much about what these goons say. (what a great word - 'goons'. I've been waiting a long time to use it in its appropriate context and I think I've finally found the right one.)

Another way to think about that is how confident we are in the strength of our democratic institutions. We have such faith in our democratic institutions that we feel completely confident in criticising them and constantly analysing our failures. This is a good thing.

Autocratic countries by contrast have no such confidence hence why dissent and independent thinking is suppressed.

The other counterpoint to the argument is very practical; since the Ukraine war began, are previously non-aligned countries turning towards NATO and the EU, or away from it?

Russian army conducted assault actions near Toshkivka town near Severodonetsk, - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report

time to retreat, live to fight another day!

The Russians have been on the outskirts of Toshkivka for over a month now with no movement.

If you are saying the russians should retreat and fight another day then I would partially agree...they should retreat and go home and dream of fighting another day

Oh yes, democracy has taken a battering in recent years - massively driven by state-sponsored (gee, I wonder by who) online disinformation campaigns seeking to divide us. Brexit and Trump being the two most obvious 'successes'.

I'm hopeful though. I think one of the few positive things to come out of this war is that unchecked, malevolent online BS is now being called out far more than it ever was and the gatekeepers of the internet are being put under pressure to actually be somewhat responsible in what their algorithims allow in front of our eyeballs.

Their army is the same. When they do manage to advance, it's usually at a contemplative pace where they can ruminate over the futility of it all.

Must have been fun trying to keep up with the airbrushing of Soviet films in the 1930s.

"Wasn't Comrade Trotsky in this before? I'm sure I remember a scene with him giving a speech to the Red Army troops. Very patriotic, very good!"

"Ssssshhh Igor, are you trying to get us killed? We'll be sent to the gulags!"

"OK, no more about Trotsky. At least the scene with Kamenev is something to look forward to."

"ehhh, I don't know how to tell you this but..."

I'm sure people were saying the same about Germany (which committed far worse crimes on a far larger scale) in 1945.

So maybe, 'if we lost the current horrible Russian regime' would be better phrasing. We'll still have to live with Russia long after Putin is gone.

As angry as the atrocities of the Russian military in Ukraine will make us, it's best to always try not to conflate said atrocities with the country's people in general. If nothing else, then for strategic reasons - demonising all Russians only gives Putin a handy propaganda tool to amplify hatred and keep their war effort going. It's important to light fires at the foundations of what Putin is trying to achieve, and one case of that is surely the hearts and minds of the Russian people at large. I must hold out the hope that the Russian people in general would not do harm unless to defend themselves and would be equally horrified as we are, if unavoidably confronted with what is happening in Ukraine.

It is a huge statement from Biden. Its out there now for it to sink in for China. We'll they now know that they will have to take on the Americans and possibly Japan, India and Australia if they invade Taiwan. Will be interesting now what way China goes now in regards to this. Will they still do so which I believe they will eventually but they will really need to ramp up their military even more. Will they now help out Russia even more as now they know they might need their help when this confrontation happens with America which I think is more when it will happen. The only true way I think China won't invade Taiwan and I don't know why America just doesn't nip it in bud is just ask Taiwan can they station say a division of marines on the island. Least if that's done I can't see China invading Taiwan then. No point giving China the chance and a war will break out least if that's done it would give China the biggest question to ask, do we invade Taiwan even with thousands of U. S. troops and equipment on the island. No way an invasion would succeed or be at even even greater cost to China.