Palacegalleryratio [he/him]

looking at a Jewish guy thinking “well the antisemitism charge isn’t going to stick…”

Then having the brainwave:

“wait, antizionism, is this… terrorism?!?”

By German industry I really meant German post industrial financial capital e.g. the automobile finance companies who incidentally make cars. Not German steel producers.

And in fairness Germany tried its hardest to keep importing cheap Russian energy for as long as possible, despite American requests. I’d say that was probably why America blew up Nordstream2. So I wouldn’t precisely say they enthusiastically chose to sanction Russia.

Also German car manufacturers have been moving car manufacturing out of Germany and even Europe wherever possible (profitable) for decades. It’s not (only) manufacturing costs that’s holding them back. They’re failing to compete as their cars are overpriced and out of date. This was true before Ukraine war. They’re simply uncompetitive. That’s why Chinese car manufacturers are having their breakfast. They’re providing newer cars, with new platforms new styling and new drive trains, with new infotainment and new comfort tech all at better prices.

On the back of VW profits dropping 60% the EU is protecting German industry at all costs. Even if it means preventing the wider adoption of electric vehicles and keeping them out of reach of poor people.

Ok so you do accept that history can provide legitimate motives for an event?

Ukraine did not invade Russia

Cmon you’re almost there, one nations invasion isn’t the only thing that could justify another nations invasion. Other acts of violence across the border of another nation could be legitimate grounds for an invasion too.

And to the second part, so to your logic, every country that is weaker than a neighbour should just let them in taking all the land?!

Again, I literally did not say that, that’s your logic not mine. I don’t believe in nations full stop. It’s a very dumb concept that seeks to divide and control. I believe all nations should be dissolved and we should all live in stateless queer communist paradise.

But…

How I think the world should be is irrelevant. What I believe other countries should and shouldn’t do is irrelevant. This is idealism. Idealism is nonsense.

The only thing that matters is the material reality of a situation. The material reality is nations exist. Nations use violence to further their interests. Some nations are stronger than others. Some nations band together in defensive pacts to prevent aggression from larger neighbours. Some strong nations band together in pacts to assert their will and control over weaker nations and dole out violence with impunity. Whether anyone should or shouldn’t do these things is neither here nor there, the simple fact of the matter is that they do engage in these actions, therefore what matters is how you react to the current situation. And the material reality of the Ukraine war, as it is right now, is that Ukraine will lose and Russia will win. So what is your desired course of action given the existing material reality?

Ahh yes, history always begins on the day of the invasion. The western allies were wrong to invade France on D-Day as being the invader is always bad. There is never any preceding events that may give light to the motives of the attacker. For good or for bad. Libs ‘consider world events not just on in-the-moment vibes’ challenge: impossible.

There being no losses or gains in Ukraine is because Russia has changed its tactics, they’re now grinding it out until Ukraine collapses totally due to lack of material and manpower, not going for territorial gains. Despite this they’re still making strategically important gains in Ukraine. You know Russia has reclaimed a quarter of that land in Kursk back already don’t you? Also that it is a tiny region of land they claimed in the first place, 300 down from 400 square miles. Your vision of the future where Ukraine takes huge swaths of Russia and trades for occupied Ukrainian lands is never going to happen.

You say, every small country should all just let their bigger neighbours get control over them without a fight, because “tHiS wAr Is aLrEAdy LoST”?

I literally did not say that. In fact nothing of what you’ve put in quotation marks is a quotation of mine. Truly you have a beautiful mind. I very much doubt you really care about other nations territorial integrity, in the way your argument seems to suggest, as I doubt you’re making the same arguments when America or other nato aligned nations invade other countries.

Regarding Russian military successes and failures, I think there have been heavy losses on both sides, and major humiliations on both sides. However given that Russia controls nearly a fifth of Ukraines territory and that number is going up not down, I’d suggest that they’re doing ok in terms of land gains. Which isn’t even the main objective of Russia in this moment who have pivoted to a war of attrition, which they will certainly win.

So back to my previous point, what do you think is going to happen? And given the inevitable conclusion, why do you want to promote the war in which you will be sending thousands of Ukrainians (and indeed Russians) to a futile death?

Ok, but like realistically what do you think the outcome in this war is? Do you think there is a realistic path forwards in which Ukraine beats Russia?

If your answer to that is yes, then I don’t know what to say to you. Ukraine is getting overrun by material and people from its much larger opponent. The only way to tip that balance is the rest of nato going hot(er) and joining the war and then we have ww3 - which I hardly need to point out the devastating consequences of for the whole world.

If your answer to that is no, then what does conscription of men and the continuation of the war achieve? Other than greater suffering, death and destruction. How can that be good? I don’t want Russia to win per-say, this is a brutal war between two reactionary powers. But I do wish for all the civilians in the affected area that the war stops, so their children will stop being killed in the collateral and they can stop sacrificing their sons and fathers to the meat grinder. It is clear that Ukraine isn’t winning so the path to peace is Russia wins.

Russia winning is the most good realistic outcome.