I heard that too - strange to see Fintan lining himself up that way. Mick Wallace, Claire Daly and Fintan the Toole, all side line cheerleaders for Russian imperialism.
Talk about pouring your reputation down the jacks.
Yes the Ukrainian death toll, while not as high as the Russia toll is, its still horrendous. However, the Ukrainians have no choice. We have seen what the Russian do when they control an area, and on Russian TY, they openly speak about killing millions of Ukrainians, and completely destroying Ukraine, removing each and every trace of it. So better to die fighting and killing Russians, then end up in a mass grave with your hands tied behind your back, and shot in the head.
For a self regarding intellectual that is a very myopic article and unintentionally amusing because of that. Fintan is usually at his happiest pointing out the tunnel vision and lazy thinking of others. Having said that some of his articles are interesting to read. The one about Henry Kissinger a while back springs to mind. He also had a good tribute to the late Michael Viney back in June.
I'm an atheist, but I still find cartoons like this stupid and vile. He in no way supports what Putin doing. That cover is hysteria, lapped up by people so partisan that they have lost the capacity for reason.
He let himself down. He let himself down badly. He's supposed to be the head of a Christian church with zero thoughts of his own mortality or wellbeing only to spread the Christian message.
He plamased the Kremlin instead of going fire and brimstone condemning the state. He did it to save his own skin. Maybe worse he even sees Greatness in violence.
But the Christian message is to build bridges and to distinguish the sin from the sinner etc. He's right on message.
Then why did in the last couple of years the Vatican declare what Russia did in Ukraine in the Holodomor as genocide?
And now the Pope tells children in Russia of the Great Russia in history and to be proud of it?
It's like the Vatican and the Pope are different entities.
According to the Guardian experts have confirmed that this is a British Challenger 2 tank in this video, thought to be the first verified loss of one in the war.
I have limnited energy for defending the Papacy, tbh, but my point is that to portray him atop a Z vehicle is just vile. As I see it, he tried to make an appeal and missed in his wording/approach. Big deal. Doesn't make him a Putin supporter as that cartoon implies.
Already posted a few posts above. And further proof that you don't really read the thread. You just hop on here to post any bad news that you can. One of the easiest additions to my ignore list so far.
He did it to save his own life in Putin's Russia.
He would have been better not going to Russia if he was that afraid of saying anything out of place.
The Eastern European countries took it as a serious slight against them in telling Russians aren't ye just Great.
He messed up seriously. He had zero cop on. Eastern European countries who have been defending their existence against Russian aggression for the century and more take it very seriously. Hence picture saluting Russia.
Maybe I didn't see the post? Anyway, it's interesting we have confirmed evidence now that Ukraine are using these tanks and equipment at the frontline. Maybe it will help with momentum.
Why was he in the country at all ?
If some musician or sports team went over to play St. Petersburg they would be vilified so why not Francis.
I am also generally sceptical of anyone who says "I am xxxx but"
What what what? To the best of my knowledge the Pope has never visited Russia.
He could have instead went to Kyiv and called Putin a sinful murdering tyrant but he didn't.
Edit: It was to people in St. Petersburg not in the city.
Doesn't make what he said less wrong.
You're correct.😳
Video message to St. Petersburg Catholic youths.
Still a box to tick for the Vatican.
He did go after to Mongolia I believe but even now I'm wondering.
Anyways.
And.
That's some trenching.
Depressing twitter thread I read last night so while degrading Russia still post a very real artillery and drone presence especially if it's concentrated in just a few areas of the battlefield.
Some wise words from Mykhailo Podolyak.
"It's very simple: if the only and main strategic adversary of Europe is Russia with its bottomless imperial appetites, and Ukraine is currently demilitarizing Russia's potential, wouldn't it be more correct (and cheaper) to support Ukraine now and push back the Russian threat for many decades? Or does anyone actually choose to invest in dubious "peace plans" to encourage the aggressor and prepare their own people for war?"
Sure why stop there... press on to Beijing and take a detour to North Korea while on the way.
Some amount of nonsense talk on Twitter... imagine if Fintan came out with such rubbish.
Root for Ukraine all you want, but don't try to pad it with pseudo-academic/ intellectual crap. What's wrong with just saying "the Ukrainians are teaching Western militaries how to get their hands dirty and fight against a tyrant - give them whatever they ask for so we can celebrate Putin getting beaten back across his border"? Much more honest and spares us the bullsh!t.
...
Can anyone verify this? Or is it Russian propaganda?
Just checked out that profile. I wish I hadn't. Shilling for the Kremlin, talking about "NATO Sheep", celebrating Ukrainian losses, etc.. I wouldn't trust that guy to give me the time of day.
And? Look at who he is!! Of course he's going to say whatever is needed to gain even the smallest big of progress. It's the people who lap that nonsense up and repeat it over a pint or on an internet forum that we're talking about here. If they were quoting Russians they'd be 'bots'. There's plenty of actually informative information and thoughts put forward in this thread without having to descend to those sort of over-simplified/ reductionist Twitter quotes. Unless you want to actually address the point made and referenced in my last post?
Just have a browse of that chaps other tweets and decide for yourself.
The more of this shite that gets pumped out, you just know the Russian position in Ukraine is getting even more untenable.
The idea that winning in Ukraine would embolden Russia and lead to further conflict, is basically "Dealing with Russia for Dummies" chapter 1 page 1, and is well understood by anyone with even the slightest knowledge of Russian Geo Politics, or general history. It's not even up for debate, except by tankies and vatniks of course.
And he even attributes the story to Ruslan Ostashko. Of all Putin's propagandists I consider Ostashko to be the most dangerous. Unlike the other morons on Russian TV, he reaches younger people and has a huge following with his various online media vehicles and sh!tty patriotic music band.
Feelgood video
Taking out a couple of arms depots out is like the policing of drugs supplies they only get 10% this is stalemate territory Ukraine can't fight this unjust war alone time for a non nuclear nato involvement. Russian gangsters have a limitless resource of manpower and soon NK will get involved, we finish Russia now before its to late.
Ukraine will run out of steam but I don't want a Russian victory
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://we.vanillicon.com/v2/e050b53be62f0ae2404c620976170938.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w7.vanillicon.com/v2/7270d983550b17037464bcf52151daef.svg)
