occasional reflections on culture & politics
It seems that virtually everybody agrees that sanctions are not working, and that we should reconsider as they obviously have not yet stopped the war against Ukraine. And it certainly is true that right now, Russia seems undeterred. But we need to look a little deeper and listen to what Russia is actually saying. Before… Continue reading #170: Sanctions Against Russia Are Working – And Need to Be Even Stronger
There are quite a few opinions out there who caution against unachievable war aims and urge both parties to negotiate some kind of settlement. The delivery of more and more weapons would, in this argument, lead to a prolonged conflict, and thus to more loss of life and destruction. In the end, both parties would… Continue reading #168: Why Must Ukraine Win?
Henry Kissinger reminded us recently that Realpolitik means to make a compromise with a “great power” like Russia. Specifically, that compromise was supposed to respect Russian claims and restore the “status quo ante” before the most recent attack – thus codifying the theft of Crimea and parts of the Donbass. Such a statement clearly ignores… Continue reading #165: Realpolitik Is About Appeasing Power, not Reality or Morality
Russia is complaining that the West is “prolonging” the war unnecessarily by helping Ukraine out with weaponry. This is quite outrageous – the aggressor, who in 2014 attacked an innocent country it was bound to protect (due to the Budapest Memorandum), stole part of its territory (Crimea and Donbas), and has now been waging an… Continue reading #160: Victim Blaming Par Excellence: Russia Complains About Those Helping Ukraine
Is Putin the Aggressor? Yes. He has already stolen Crimea, and forces probably aligned with him have occupied Luhansk, Donetsk, and Transnistria. It does not take the additional troops surrounding Ukraine to understand that there is already a war going on. Any action by Ukraine to retake its territory would be justified – though at… Continue reading #136: Is Putin the Aggressor?
We are hearing all kinds of complaints by the Russian leadership in recent weeks, accompanied by a troop buildup near Ukraine. Allegedly, NATO has been threatening Russia, and that somehow justifies whatever Putin may deem justified. Let’s clarify some points, and hint at solutions. NATO is not threatening Russia. It is a defense organization. Even… Continue reading #126: NATO Is Not Threatening Russia, and Putin Knows It. Some Thoughts on Solutions.
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