And I’m acknowledging the context you’re leaving out: that Russia has been an expansionist, imperialist oppressor country for centuries, and that the newest excuses are just that - excuses. Can’t you see how Putin is playing you, using your commendable anti-Nazi position to get you to unintentionally defend his imperialistic talking points?
NATO does not annex land. Russia does. I am not against willing countries joining their forces. I am against wars of conquest where one party subjugates the other or steals their land. Countries apply to join NATO, and many of those who want to join are not invited to join. Ukraine among them. What was the last time a country willingly joined Russia?
Do we also agree that, as a hypothetical, even though both sides do things which are wrong, both sides can also sometimes do things which are good?
And, again as a hypothetical, do we agree that one of these good things is helping a third country which is the victim to one of the wrongs of the other country?
Such as the Soviet Union helping the Vietnamese fight off the Americans.
And your argument was off the rails to begin with when you decided to defend Russian imperialism.
Not defending anything. I’m acknowledging the context you’re intentionally leaving out.
And I’m acknowledging the context you’re leaving out: that Russia has been an expansionist, imperialist oppressor country for centuries, and that the newest excuses are just that - excuses. Can’t you see how Putin is playing you, using your commendable anti-Nazi position to get you to unintentionally defend his imperialistic talking points?
You’re not exactly in a position to be pretending your anti-expansionist, while you’re defending NATO.
NATO does not annex land. Russia does. I am not against willing countries joining their forces. I am against wars of conquest where one party subjugates the other or steals their land. Countries apply to join NATO, and many of those who want to join are not invited to join. Ukraine among them. What was the last time a country willingly joined Russia?
NATO has backed a number of coups throughout its existence, including funding and backing the Maiden Coup in Ukraine.
https://www.wsws.org/en/topics/event/2014-coup-ukraine
Which shouldn’t be surprising, since it was founded in cooperation with Hitler’s former commanders.
So do I understand your point correctly, that what NATO has done is wrong, and therefore what Russia is doing is also wrong?
Yes, they’re both wrong.
Then we don’t disagree.
Do we also agree that, as a hypothetical, even though both sides do things which are wrong, both sides can also sometimes do things which are good?
And, again as a hypothetical, do we agree that one of these good things is helping a third country which is the victim to one of the wrongs of the other country?
Such as the Soviet Union helping the Vietnamese fight off the Americans.
Or America helping Ukraine fight off Russia.