Let’s have a war!

[Sparko]

Ignoring a crisis is the republican way right now. Somewhere a library has books.

[Shirley]

“Slava Ukraini”

Moment Russian headquarters in Crimea is hit by Storm Shadow missiles

The origins of 'Slava Ukraini'

In early March 2023, a video surfaced online showing the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. The unarmed soldier’s last words were “Slava Ukraini” – a Ukrainian national salute that means “Glory to Ukraine” – before he was shot multiple times and collapsed to his death.

Ukrainian officials condemned the POW’s murder as a war crime. The Ukrainian people were horrified and indignant at yet another blatant display of the Russian military’s cruelty.

Even before he was identified, Oleksandr Matsiievskyi became a hero with his softly-spoken yet defiant last words, embodying the resoluteness of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia's all-out war. Artwork sprouted up online and offline, etching him into eternal memory, while many civilians and public officials took to social media to celebrate his bravery.

His last words, “Slava Ukraini,” is a more than century-old slogan deeply tied to Ukrainian identity.

What are the origins of the phrase?

[...]

[ousdahl]

(I'd be curious to read the whole article)

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/ ... -is-needed

The war in Ukraine has repeatedly confounded expectations. It is now doing so again. The counter-offensive that began in June was based on the hope that Ukrainian soldiers, equipped with modern Western weapons and after training in Germany, would recapture enough territory to put their leaders in a strong position at any subsequent negotiations.

This plan is not working. Despite heroic efforts and breaches of Russian defences near Robotyne, Ukraine has liberated less than 0.25% of the territory that Russia occupied in June. The 1,000km front line has barely shifted. Ukraine’s army could still make a breakthrough in the coming weeks, triggering the collapse of brittle Russian forces. But on the evidence of the past three months, it would be a mistake to bank on that.

[ousdahl]

https://x.com/TheOnion/status/1704959944154354145?s=20

[ousdahl]

Defending Ukraine is defending democracy. Russia has pumped millions into pushing dangerous and stupid autocrats to the fore like a bad Marvel comic. See Trump. Hungary. Slovakia. France. It is possible to lose World War II 80+ years later. Ukraine suffered from many of the post-Soviet governance issues Russia did. But is miles ahead now of where it was. They are already a technology leader and will be an ever more valuable member of Europe. The absolute worthless rightwing crap will provably bring us all down anyway. Randy and Mich ask for the match to light themselves on fire, and it is infuriating. Unreachable fools will be the death of all of us.

If not now, then when the world's literally on fire, yes.

Wait, I thought the subject was the Russian invasion of Ukraine, not climate change.

well, fwiw, pretty sure the U.S. military might be thee single biggest polluter in the world

[ousdahl]

it's all just monopoly money. monopoly money and climate change. oh, and vaccines.

in a sense, all money is just Monopoly money.

but that's prob too big for this thread.

[Sparko]

Counter offensive is going well. Need fat and snarky asshats to have another beer, that is not woke, and enjoy the freedom someone else bought with their lives

[DCHawk1]

well, fwiw, pretty sure the U.S. military might be thee single biggest polluter in the world

Pretty sure you're wrong.

PLA far more likely.

[ousdahl]

Maybe you should head back to the gulag non sequitor

Ukraine is no more a democracy than Iraq or Afghanistan, Mr. Vice President.

Russia is wrong. It is the aggressor. It is a brutal, ugly, monstrous nation led by a brutal, ugly, monstrous man. Defending Ukraine is a more than justifiable position.

But not as "defending democracy." I mean...LOL.

For my money (which is supporting the effort here, same as yours) - defending Ukraine primarily for its value as a buffer is a worthwhile endeavor. I understand the problems with this next point, but: I also think supporting Ukraine's right to self-determination is a worthwhile endeavor.

Bleeding Russia dry financially and militarily is a worthwhile endeavor. Showing China (and, relatedly, Taiwan, Japan and Korea) our cards is a worthwhile endeavor. Iterating on stale R&D, and replenishing stores, is a worthwhile endeavor.*

* I also suspect we have nothing like a full view of how all of this actually functions. I fully acknowledge how problematic this next point is, also, but: would it surprise anyone if the end game here is that we use seized Russian assets to fund Ukraine's purchase of all the stuff we've sent?

if you really support Ukraine's right to self-determination, then it may at least be appropriate to consider just how much the US has fucked around there since at least the fall of the USSR. and it kinda seems insincere to support its right to self-determination if you're also gonna refer to its value as a buffer.

regarding end games, one may be to get Ukraine indebted to the west, to use as leverage down the road. Tho maybe using the term "purchase" is to suggest we indeed are giving all this to Ukraine as a line of credit.

(among other fiscal and imperial lulz)

the one thing I DO agree with you on is, the suspicion we have nothing like a full view of how all this actually functions.

[ousdahl]

well, fwiw, pretty sure the U.S. military might be thee single biggest polluter in the world

Pretty sure you're wrong.

PLA far more likely.

OK, maybe. I'm not familiar with PLA.

and either way, let's not diminish the fact the U.S. military pollutes like crazy

[Sparko]

Serve then Ous. Maybe you can adopt pollution free defense policies

[DCHawk1]

The People's Liberation Army (i.e. the People's Republic of China).

[Sparko]

Russian bot worthy DC, the number of Ous posts

[ousdahl]

The People's Liberation Army (i.e. the People's Republic of China).

ah. thanks.

I initially googled, "PLA," and came up with "polylactic acid," which is apparently some plastic-type material produced with biodegradable stuff rather than fossil fuels, so I was kinda confused how that was an even bigger polluter.

and yea, China pollutes more in terms of certain pure metrics right now. but don't worry, Merica's still number one by plenty of other metrics.

as for the People's Liberation Army, do you have anything to suggest they specifically are a bigger polluter than the Pentagon?

Cuz, I goggled it, and so far only came up with some article like, "China deploys 60,000 soldiers to plant trees." WTF kinda army is that! Doesn't China know armies are for staging coups and occupying oil-rich countries and acting as security detail for Halliburton?

[DCHawk1]

Yaroslav Hunka

CuZ dEmOcRaCy!

[ousdahl]

Further evidence that DC really is Qusdahl’s sock

[mjl2]

Yaroslav Hunka

CuZ dEmOcRaCy!

Do you think Rota, Trudeau, or Zelensky knew who he was?

[DCHawk1]

They should have.

[mjl2]

Other than Rota, who was, according to him the only one who knew about this beforehand, I don't see why. Seems like a pretty obscure person.

https://forward.com/fast-forward/561927 ... ith-nazis/

"It is unclear whether Zelenskyy knew that Hunka fought with the unit. In 2021, the Ukrainian president joined the governments of Israel and Germany in denouncing a march honoring SS Galichina in Kyiv"

[DCHawk1]

never mind