I don't know why I even bother replying to some of you.
Its not as if you have anything to say beyond 'Western imperialism sucks'.
And it does. But, and its a big but:
- western attempts at regime change have attempted to combat drug/weapon/'WMD' perceived threats, and to try to replace with more 'democratic' process
- and they've failed, largely because the targets concerned are decidedly corrupt and the population isn't strong enough to demand and sustain democracy, ...
- ... and if your livelihood depends on opium production, its a tough change to less valuable crops
I see these things as unfortunate and a remaining blight on the world political landscape. But there are real issues with corruption, despotic controlling governments, freedom of press, power of organized crime etc.
That does not distract from a wholly different situation in Ukraine:
- it was a soviet satellite and had a wholly corrupt 'system' as a result
- it has been trying to improve (by my standards? Yours?) by westernizing, democratizing, and reducing levels of corruption
- it wasn't all the way there yet (whatever that means these days of influencers etc) but it seems not as bad as Russia
- it was invaded as a pure Russian land-grab, as was Crimea, based on dodgy historical precedent. Should we give England back to the Normans, the Romans, the Celts? Let's not even talk about who should have Israel and Palestine (and most of Egypt) if you go back far enough. Probably shouldn't discuss the Indian sub-continent either. Or even the Moors in southern Europe - much as they left wonderful architecture and some seafaring knowledge. Ebb and flow of land-grab. Haven't we grown out of that yet? Is it still defensible?
I think we can agree that Western 'invasions' have failed, even when they had some UN backing as a 'world security farce'. I put it to you - that they are not brutal and total enough to succeed. Success requires regime change, total control of media and the population, and patient brutality and suppression until it all comes round to your way of operating. And a western democracy isn't up to that. Nor is NATO (which is defensive) or the UN (which is a bit pointless in practice, it seems).
You need to come clean: stop defending Putin's land grab. Its nothing like anything else we've seen since Hitler. Even the break up of Yugoslavia was somewhat different, and at least we did eventually bang heads together, and instigate some war crimes trials.
So - denounce the Russian land grab. Or justify it.
Bear in mind that you are allowed to do so here, while Russian protesters are locked up.