Putin better be careful. Obama might warn him again.

"One by one they fell and the Russian empire grew..." That's what our grandkids will tell their grandkids when the next cold war is on.

Empty barking. It's like a role reversal from the Ukrainian situation - Russia has little to gain and just talks, while the West has a lot to lose and will act if necessary.

Actually, I expect good ol' Vlad intends to invade under the charade of "human rights violations" much like we invaded Iraq under the charade of "weapons of mass destruction".

I'm not saying we are better than him. In fact, quite the opposite. We are on the same level. Whatever serves our interests best, we do and find an excuse for.

There is quite a difference between invading a country with no allies like Iraq and invading a NATO member like Estonia. Estonia is not Russia's backyard like Ukraine, not anymore. Any sensible country understands that Russia meddling in Ukraine is pretty much its right if it wants to retain any aura of being an international power and regional hegemon. Russia invading Estonia would be an act of aggression that didn't occur between major power blocs since WWII. No country that has any say on the international stage would allow such disruption of balance without making Russia the biggest pariah on Earth.

Have they put troops in Estonia yet?

"much like we invaded Iraq under the charade of "weapons of mass destruction".

I'm not saying we are better than him. In fact, quite the opposite. We are on the same level. "

EXACTLY the point V Putin has made himself - we have zero grounds to tell Russia what to do. We've lost our moral leadership, our integrity on the world stage.

Adolf Hitler is dancing in his grave, proud that his 1939 tactics are being utilized so successfully.

Is that a Godwin? I don't know the technical rules...

Hitler wasn't the first to use propaganda though.

Godwin'd in 9 replies. Fuck, I think that's a new record.

Oh no, it's not a record...

Godwin or not, it's precisely true.

Bo, it's the specific claims of the propaganda that mirror Hitler. It's "Well, this used to be our land anyway...well those are our people in that land...we just want to protect our own people and we promise we'll stop there...." and the people, now "re-united" with the motherland, cheer and wave flags...and then...

It's exactly 1939 all over again, except there is no longer a Churchill in the wings. (and thank god for that...this time we don't need to stop him...let him do his thing...who cares...)

Since when is American propaganda any different?

You really are not a very well informed individual. There is no point in having any further discussion with you.

Then inform him, krellin.

Why do people so often stop when something becomes useful for someone's brains?

It's okay, steephie, he's being nice. He doesn't want to hurt my undeveloped little ball of slush.

The only difference between American propaganda and the typical "this was our land so it should be ours again" propaganda is that American propaganda is so successful that the land didn't even have to be ours in the past for us to think that it's our duty to take it back.

Bo-sucks is of the perverse american education system by which there is no right and wrong int he world -- instead all governments are evil and bad. He can see no good, because of his perverse pubic indoctrination, coupled with a Me-First youth culture inwhich anyone not handing him his life on a platter is evil.

Until he decides on his own to pick up a history book or five, and actually decides to find legitimate news sources, there is no point in trying to have a reasonable discussion with him about the similarities and diferences between (for example) the US versus Russia, or the situation in the Crimea as it relates to Hitler's march across Europe.

He's not really interested in learning, Steephie, because he's **18** and he knows it ALL....

Okay, inform me then.
You can't realistically use the argument of not being interested in learning against me, I'd say...

He thinks I don't read the news and have never picked up a nonfiction text not assigned to me by a class. He also thinks that students are incapable of educating themselves, which is why I'm on a site like this one during class, because you all have more productive things to say than half of my teachers.

Hehe hehe ... You said "Perverse pubic indoctrination" ... Hehehehehe

Apparently this thread is very popular with people I have muted