OT perspective/ Ukraine/Russia

[Geoff Parkstone]

It's a difficult one, and I'm probably going to make myself unpopular here, but is Putin any different to Kennedy in the Bay of Pigs invasion and subsequent Cuban issues. Russia doesn't want NATO nukes on his border just like USA didn't want them in Cuba....or indeed later in Mexico.

Methodology might be more ruthless and I'm not saying I agree with what he's doing, but I can see both sides of the argument

[Trickytreesreds]

It's a difficult one, and I'm probably going to make myself unpopular here, but is Putin any different to Kennedy in the Bay of Pigs invasion and subsequent Cuban issues. Russia doesn't want NATO nukes on his border just like USA didn't want them in Cuba....or indeed later in Mexico.

Methodology might be more ruthless and I'm not saying I agree with what he's doing, but I can see both sides of the argument

It hadn't gone any where as far as the bay of pigs GP

Also, in those days, TNM were of limited range and having them that close to Florida was provocative.
Today, that is irrelevant, with SSBN's etc

[ramAnag]

I think GP makes a fair point.
Having said that, I despise what Putin is doing but there is an element of truth in what he says.
On the plus side...the way in which the World has pulled together and Europe has reunited to isolate this aggressor is encouraging.

I see Trump is being revealed in his true colours and I think we now see what the Russian’s alleged involvement in his victory over Clinton and the Brexit result was all about. Divide and rule, backed up by enormous firepower, seems to represent Putin’s major strategy.

The fate of numerous brave Ukrainians (and equally brave protesting Russians) apart I think the saddest part of all this is the way governments can suddenly find such vast amounts for financing weaponry.
I appreciate why it has had to be done but, at a time when we appear to be on the threshold of so many breakthroughs in the fight against numerous diseases (including the big C), it seems especially tragic that we now have to spend so much money on arms and weapons at the expense of saving and improving lives.

[Andy_Faber]

It's a difficult one, and I'm probably going to make myself unpopular here, but is Putin any different to Kennedy in the Bay of Pigs invasion and subsequent Cuban issues. Russia doesn't want NATO nukes on his border just like USA didn't want them in Cuba....or indeed later in Mexico.

Methodology might be more ruthless and I'm not saying I agree with what he's doing, but I can see both sides of the argument

I think the difference would be that Kennedy was seeking to overthrow a regime which turned out to be duplicitous, Putin is seeking to overthrow a regime that isn't. But I can see that line of argument gaining traction on the 'other side'

[Geoff Parkstone]

I agree about the grotesque waste of resources on arms, but there ain't no room for us pacifists rA.

If by big C you mean covid, you may be right. If you mean cancer, then big pharma will never let a cure emerge as they make too much money treating it. In fact I would be very surprised if they haven't had a cure for a long time already.

[Andy_Faber]

it seems especially tragic that we now have to spend so much money on arms and weapons at the expense of saving and improving lives.

Although a military man would argue that wars against oppression save lives in the long run. Tricky (no pun intended) call

[ramAnag]

I agree about the grotesque waste of resources on arms, but there ain't no room for us pacifists rA.

If by big C you mean covid, you may be right. If you mean cancer, then big pharma will never let a cure emerge as they make too much money treating it. In fact I would be very surprised if they haven't had a cure for a long time already.

I meant Cancer and I’m not really being a ‘pacifist’. I recognise the need to fight sometimes but the money spent on arms and, for the likely foreseeable, on armies just saddens me.
If you’re right and ‘big pharma will never let a cure emerge’ then what a dreadful indictment of our and other societies that is.

[Trickytreesreds]

Although a military man would argue that wars against oppression save lives in the long run. Tricky (no pun intended) call

The strong will always pick on the weak. It's in the genetics

[Trickytreesreds]

I recognise the need to fight sometimes but the money spent on arms and, for the likely foreseeable, on armies just saddens me.

It probably saddens everyone RA.

But as in 1938*39 showed. We were very weak with a rising threat.
That weakness with arms nearly consumed us.
We were lucky that people like RJ Mitchell had the foresight to see, what was needed and it arrived just in time.

[StensonRam]

A Ukrainian woman confronts an armed Russian soldier and asks if he'll put these sunflower seeds in his pocket so at least a sunflower can grow where he lies dead, got to me that did I don't mind telling you