And let's be clear here: you are pragmatically waving away the mass killing and devastation of Ukraine by a brutal authoritarian regime because it suits your wider objective of opposing Western capitalism, so I think you might have a lot more in common with Bandera than you suppose.
Cute attempt, but no. I'm promoting an understanding of the origins of this conflict that isn't as shallow as a hallmark card. How many more times do I have to point out that very pro-American experts who are favorable to western capitalism not only opposed the expansion of NATO but predicted exactly this outcome? I'm not presenting you some fringe theory; it's just something that has been excised from media discourse because for whatever reason they want to make the Iraq war run-up look like a shining example of honesty, deliberation, and journalistic integrity by comparison.
Remember, Putin is simultaneously the only one capable of stopping Western Imperialism and powerless to control even his own actions as head of state. Russia is a powerful rival of the United States and a poor oppressed colony in the American empire. We have always been at war with Ukraine.
I assume you're capable of reading what I've written, but you've given me plenty of reason to doubt that.
But considering that every argument you've used against Western intervention in Ukraine could just as easily be applied to some hypothetical action in support of Palestine, I have to ask, do you faint with moral outrage at the mere suggestion? We wouldn't want to antagonize poor Issac Herzog by interfering in Israel's sphere of influence would we?
Or is it different because Russia is apparently a "white country"?
Russia is a country that justifiably feels threatened by the most powerful military alliance in human history that has unremittingly moved itself and its weapons closer and closer even after they achieved regime change. It also has thousands of nuclear missiles ready to launch at a moment's notice. Israel is a settler colonial state that exists on stolen land largely at the pleasure of my (and to a lesser extent your) government; it shouldn't really have even existed in the first place, though that ship has sailed by now. The difference between how each is treated by our governments illustrates that sanctions against Russia have nothing to do with any humanitarian concern-- except that they will cause much additional suffering among innocent people.
It's amusing, because I was going to make the point that arguing with you is exactly like arguing with Zionists (what with the doublethink and all). But thanks for drawing attention to it for me.
You're welcome for drawing your attention to an asinine point that you'd have done better not to mention at all. I'll do that for you any time you like.
That I decline to hold Russia to a higher standard than the United States has ever held itself or its dubious allies is not a great point. Why should I expect Putin to act better than the United States? Why would I signal my support of a campaign by the United States to punish Putin for acting like the United States (or the UK)? Why would you?
Putin invaded a country on flimsy pretenses! Oh wow, the United States has never done that.
Putin's country is dominated by a wealthy elite! Not like here, then!
Putin's military is causing civilian casualties! Unheard of.
Putin is making questionable accusations about WMD in Ukraine! Unprecedented.
Putin attacked a hospital! Never before have we seen such things.
The major difference between the United States and Russia is that Russia is doing this in its own neighborhood ostensibly to try to secure itself against a very credible threat of attack. You've jumped on board a train that is very transparently about weakening a target of the most powerful country in human history at the expense of innocents in both Ukraine and Russia. Rationalize it however you like-- and you'll have no shortage of help in doing so-- but that is what you are doing.
Your premises seem no less malleable and self-serving, and I fear the men behind them.
This just tells me that you either refuse to see the point of what I've written or that you're comfortable with American imperialism, shallow posturing to the contrary notwithstanding.
I seem clear-headed enough to recognise that assisting the Third Reich with an invasion and annexation constitutes collaboration with Nazis, and that gifting somebody an influential job on the basis of their familial relationship to such a POS sends a very bad message.
This has not convinced me of your clear-headedness. The guy did some diplomacy on behalf of the Soviet Union and made an agreement to secure temporary peace with a monster after capitalist countries rejected Stalin's suggestion of forming an antifascist alliance. This is somehow comparable to-- greater than, even!-- engaging in gleeful pogroms in Nazi occupied territory in your view.