by Dr Bob Rich
It is not Russia.
It is not Ukraine.
It is what Eisenhower called the military-industrial complex.
In my childhood, my grandmother was the source of all wisdom. One of her sayings was “Every fight starts by you hitting back.” The Ukrainian war is a perfect example.
For decades, NATO has been pushing east. Several countries that used to be in the Soviet sphere of influence are now part of NATO. As the West pushed east, guess what, the rulers of Russia felt threatened.
If you were a weapons manufacturer, you would find this good for business.
Suppose that the pressure had been for the establishment of a buffer: for previous Soviet colonies to become neutral, thus reducing the possibility of conflict. This would have been very good for the people in those countries. It would have been good for Russia, and good for western Europe.
It would have been terrible for the military-industrial complex. OK, they have managed to do very nicely in other parts of the world, thank you, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, but it would have been such a loss of profit if Europe grew to be permanently peaceful!
In my Ehvelen books, there is a fictional country, Aregia. The Areg were traders. One of their proverbs was “War is wealth.” They are still around by a different name, and they are laughing.
Now that Putin has snapped under the pressure, we have no choice: Ukraine MUST be supported. If Putin had won there without much trouble, he would not have stopped, and that would have been a signal to the Chinese that they could take Taiwan (which has been another source of lovely profit to the Areg). Right now, the people of Ukraine are suffering, and need every bit of aid and help they can get. Russian soldiers and those who love them back home are suffering too. I hurt inside when I listen to the news, but also, I get angry at people who discuss it like it was a football game.
But “that’s all right,” because:
Business is business, and business must grow, regardless of crummies in tummies, you know!
Dr Seuss, ‘The Lorax‘
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I agree entirely!
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I appreciate your Lorax quote. Here’s another one for you from 99 Red Balloons by ‘Nena.’ *The war machine springs to life, opens up one eager eye…’ as if it’s an animal that hopes to be fed. There’s no question the war machine is being fed right now. Makes me wonder if it’s ultimately the same company supplying both sides. I’m not really sure it’s fair to suggest that Putin was backed into a corner. Russia’s had an aggressive posture since the break up of the soviet union and a NATO blanket probably feels pretty comforting for those countries living in Russia’s shadow.
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Thank you for your response, Jeff.
If countries like Poland, Hungary and Romania were permanently neutral, Putin would have no excuse to use a counterforce.
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Following on from ‘Welcome to a Science-Fiction Planet‘, I suspect that that regime would fabricate an excuse, if that were the case. Although ‘the West’ is not innocent in all of this, Russia’s current aggression goes beyond the pale. I think that greed must drive it all, blinding Those In Power (in whichever nation) to the longer term consequences of their actions, and driving us all off the cliff in the process.
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Polish here,
What a lot of imperialistic nonsense! Who are you to dictate sovereign countries who their alliances should be? The only reason why Poland was not invaded yet, is it’s NATO Membership.
You want us ‘neutral’? Belarus already is ‘neutral’ check out their situation and tell me how well does their ‘neutrality’ work for them.
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I see here only a thought experiment; no suggestion that anyone ‘dictate’ anything. Is it possible that you may have misunderstood Bob’s point?
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Pingback: Who is winning the war in Ukraine? | Bobbing Around
ahh great post!
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I like. Beautiful write up blog.
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I agree.
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There are no winners.
Only thousands of bereft families.
Dragged into a conflict, not of their making!
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Well explained.
Love Dr Seuss quote.
One man’s loss is another man’s gain…and this is the world we have to live.
Thank you my friend.
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Pingback: Noam agrees with me | Bobbing Around
Thanks for the heads-up on this, Bob. I read the interview with Noam Chomsky (‘Welcome to a Science-Fiction Planet’ – which references George Orwell and his ‘doublethink’ concept) you linked in your brief post, and it was chilling. I’m going to quote a few bits from it here, to try to entice others to go read it.
First, from the prelude to the interview:
… and in the interview, Naom Chomsky says:
Chomsky refers to Eisenhower’s 1953 “Cross of Iron” speech. I’ve never read it until just now. And it, too, is chilling in its prescience.
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There is never hunger in the barracks of an invading force. The post gives a comprehensive grasp of geopolitics, Colin. Thanks for posting. The winners are the weapon makers.
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The short-term winners are the weapons makers. In the longer term, they too will suffer the consequences of their avarice, I fear.
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Is it wrong to hope for equity in suffering?
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In the circumstances, schadenfreude is scant recompense (especially as they, or their progeny, are likely to survive a little longer than the rest of us).
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I’d love to hear your thoughts…
Sorry, that would need me to think aloud.
:(
Bob
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My prompt is simply a wish to be endowed with telepathy. It would, of course, have to be turn-off-and-on-able, and have the option to select individuals too, or the phlyarological cacophony would drive me insane in minutes.
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This is so far removed from the Spirit of God. Human wisdom is in deficit. This war was predicted some 2,600 years ago. And Putin had a choice. And he chose wrong.
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The very fact that you believe that “This war was predicted some 2,600 years ago” is itself proof that “Human wisdom is in deficit”. Sorry, squire, I’ve seen through your feeble attempt to get onto the Wibble comment whitelist; you’re now in moderation.
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I don’t mind being moderated by someone who disallows a book with 80% of 2500 prophecies already came true. And the fool says there is no God.
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I will always respect your right to believe whatever you wish, no matter how deluded I may believe those beliefs to be.
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