Yep:
The saddest part? This skit was produced after the initial invasion. Yet months later, it's not far off the state of things. Initially we were told Putin would never invade. We were told the Russian forces were moving away. Then when they returned we were assured they would never be so brazen. Then when they invaded, we saw things unravel for the Russians and people said Russia would be chased out in a few weeks. And now here we are.
I think the point of China is the biggest issue. When Russia did invade, everyone watched to see what China would do. After all, Putin was clearly cozying up to China. China not coming out and throwing its support behind Putin was greeted with cheers and applause.
The problem is, China didn't condemn Russia either. Nor has India. Nor has most of the Middle East. In fact, apart from NATO, there don't seem to be many countries in the world who care to express outrage at Russia. It's almost like they're waiting to see if this might be the first step in the last walk of the West.
I have a feeling there wouldn't be too many tears around the world to see the West die, even if they might be sorry to see it go. Our own official narrative is that the West brought virtually nothing to the world. Anything we brought was pointless because the world was already better. Given that within the West there are many happy to see it go, I'd wager there are many outside the West who share the same opinion. Hence the fence-sitting and pondering the next steps if, in fact, Russia comes out the winner.
Whatever happens, it will likely have little to do with us. We're already sliding toward 2nd World Status. Clearly we don't have the same clout we once had. We can't even get baby food on our shelves. And our military is far more concerned with drag queen performances even as they have to suspend training exercises because of the growing number of accidental fatalities occurring. I guess at this point it really does matter where these other countries end of landing, because we've made our position clear, and as of now, it has not had the impact Americans have long taken for granted.
I wouldn't say things "unraveled," for Russia. Both sides started with a roughly equivalent number of troops in the field (Russia has a considerably larger army overall, but only a portion of it was committed to the war in Ukraine), Ukraine had 8 years of combat experience fighting the Donbass Sepratists while Russia hadn't fought a large conventional war since 2008, not to mention Ukraine having the deffensive advantage. People in the West largely still haven't moved beyond the Cold War, so we all expected Russia to have the same Army they had in the 1980s, when their Empire extended West past Berlin and South to the Afgan Border. People also expect every war to be WWII, with total conquest being the goal. Most conflicts aren't like that. All things considered, Russia isn't doing too badly. Their only mistake was misjudging Ukraine's public opinion and morale at the start of the conflict.
ReplyDeletePerhaps unraveled is too harsh, but tehre is little to suggest things turned out the way Putin envisioned. At least in the short term. As it is, Russia is making steady, if slow, advances twoard whatever goal Putin had in the invasion. Already I'm seeing stories begin to trickle in about how Putin may come out looking better, stronger, faster. Whether Russia ends up with a win is hard to say. But within the first weeks almost everyone seemed to feel Russia bit off more than it could chew. Not it's clear that is no longer the assessment. Also, China, India, and so much of the Middle East that has stayed back and watched. They may not have joined Russia, but they haven't joined against it either. Given that NATO/the West has framed this as a war on Democracy and the whole of the West, I also find that significant. Probably the biggest news is just how irrelevant the US is in all of this. For that matter, how irrelevant all the global corporate interests who tried to browbeat Russia into submission. Right now, it looks like it's Ukraine and Russia, and all the extras and externals seems to have little bearing on things.
DeleteMy guess is that Putin will end up with gains, but Zelinsky will still claim victory due to Kiev having not fallen. With both sides trying to present themselves as the winner, nations around the world will have to pick a side. My French and German ancestry wants Ukraine to win a full victory, while my Patriotic American side wants to see Putin win so as to bring Soros, CNN and Biden down a peg. If India goes over to the Russian camp, I wonder how it will affect Putin's relationship with China. India is on fairly unfriendly terms with the CCP and Pakistan is a Chinese ally. Will we see a return to the late 1960s with Russia, China and the US in a three way battle royale, only Brazil replaces Cuba as the main Russian ally in Latin America? Will Venezuela favor Russia? Or will their Socialist tendencies make them a Chinese stooge? Things are taking an interesting turn.....
DeleteThat is a good question. And yet the US aligned with the USSR in WWII. Quite frankly, I think it depends on just how prepared the rest of the world is to usher in a post-Western era. The popular narrative in the West is that the world would have been a happier place without either the Christian West or the American experiment. There is certainly a growing consensus movement in the world that seems to agree. Yet how much they really agree, or simply put on the front to pander to sentiments in their own countries, is hard to say. We'll have to wait I guess. Though I have a feeling we won't have to wait much longer.
DeleteThe Democratic party is fanatically anti-Putin. Whatever anti-Western ideas they may harbor, their hate for Putin seems to be more important. During the first month of the current war Joe Scarborough of MSNBC was singing the praises of Ronald Reagan and CNN was dissing the USSR. Whatever their ultimate goal is, Putin seems to be an obstacle. China is an ally of convenience in some respects, but the CCP is extremely nationalistic, which suggests conflict sooner or later with George Soros and his globalistic socialist/banking/technocratic/neo-feudal/ whatever the heck they are Davos pals.
DeleteThat guy in the skit forgot that the invasion of Crimea was a response to the Euromaidan Coup, in which the West supported a rebellion to bring Ukraine into the George Soros sphere of influence.
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