Ukraine has become a dictatorship, it's official

[Colt]

The presidential elections were scheduled for March 31st, but they will not be held.
And please, spare me the martial law thing: a wartime can even last twenty years. That would make twenty years of martial law.
And by the way, martial law is itself, dictatorship, because there is no democratic vote.

Look at Russia. They are at war, but they still held elections.

In Russia elections are for show, like North Korea. Putins challengers and critics accidentally die!

 

[Stevicus]

That’s a kind of Balkan stereotype, but as in Serbia there’s no evidence that of anything like that on anything approaching a meaningful scale until the people at the top decided they needed a war.

That's a key point. There seems to be some level of agitation and stirring of the pot. But that's all the more reason for people to think for themselves and not get caught up in whatever they might see in the media or on the internet. It seems to be a problem in U.S. politics as well, since so many people seem to get suckered or hoodwinked by "fake news."

 

[Kathryn]

I recall a while back hearing discussions about wanting to make English the official language of the U.S. I've even heard some propose a Constitutional amendment to that effect, but such proposals never seem to go anywhere. Few people seem to think it's needed, and it has a certain odium attached to it that puts people off.

I totally agree.

 

[Estro Felino]

Bear in mind no-one in Europe attacked Russia. Russia began the hostilities, after spending several years stirring up tensions to create a pretext. Long term studies show little to no tension between speakers of Russia and other languages in the Donbas before that.

Stoltenberg: the war started in 2014, not in February 2022.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

The presidential elections were scheduled for March 31st, but they will not be held.
And please, spare me the martial law thing: a wartime can even last twenty years. That would make twenty years of martial law.
And by the way, martial law is itself, dictatorship, because there is no democratic vote.

How on earth do you propose Ukraine holds safe and fair elections when it is being bombed 24/7?

Look at Russia. They are at war, but they still held elections.

If you wish to call that "elections", sure.

My irony meter just exploded again.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I got to page 4 of this thread and stopped reading.

It is just too infuriating and depressing at the same time.

 

[Estro Felino]

I got to page 4 of this thread and stopped reading.

It is just too infuriating and depressing at the same time.

Speaking of depression...I have read that Vlaams Belang is the first party...right?

I am so sorry for the anti-nationalist, godless élites in Brussels. They are so strong...they are reacting so well...
I wouldn't have been so strong...

After all...the Russophobic propaganda has been suicidal.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Speaking of depression...I have read that Vlaams Belang is the first party...right?

Nope.

I am so sorry for the anti-nationalist, godless élites in Brussels. They are so strong...they are reacting so well...
I wouldn't have been so strong...

After all...the Russophobic propaganda has been suicidal.

We will have a strong rather liberal pro-EU government without any extreme right racists or far left delusionals.
I'm actually rather pleased with the outcome.

Also, Russia played no role at all in the campaign or the election, except indirectly when it came to additional investing in the military. Which even the racists from Vlaams Belang were for. So not sure what you think you are on about with that "russophobic propaganda being suicidal".

Over here it barely needs to be said that Putin and his cohorts are evil and dangerous warmongers. It's pretty much a given so obvious that it barely needs any mentioning.

 

[Estro Felino]

Nope.


We will have a strong rather liberal pro-EU government without any extreme right racists or far left delusionals.
I'm actually rather pleased with the outcome.

We are very patient...actually.
Big steps since the 2010s...
there are fewer and fewer banking élites in Brussels and in Strasbourg...
and by the way....if I think that there was someone like Juncker as head of the Commission...
the one who said that the aliens watch over us from other planets. Terrific.

Where is he now? In some Caribbean Island with Dragons?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

We are very patient...actually.

"we"?

Is this you expressing support for the neo-nazi's and facists from Vlaams Belang?

Big steps since the 2010s...

Not really, actually. Not in Belgium anyway.

The biggest shift in yesterday's election in Belgium happened in the french speaking side where the looong reign of the socialist left has been ended by MR, the liberals. For the federal government, this is a very good thing I reckon. The reigning parties of flanders and that socialist left from wallonie did nothing but fight instead of work together and it put the country at the federal level in a very annoying, and very costly, stalemate.

I expect things to move very quickly now for once. No more 500 days of negotiations to form a half-arsed government which does almost nothing.

there are fewer and fewer banking élites in Brussels and in Strasbourg...
and by the way....if I think that there was someone like Juncker as head of the Commission...
the one who said that the aliens watch over us from other planets. Terrific.

Where is he now? In some Caribbean Island with Dragons?

I have no idea what you are yapping about now.

 

[lukethethird]

I support neither side, as I think this is really just a fight between Russia and Ukraine and need not involve anyone else. This is their fight, and no one else's. I don't believe either of them are socialist, though. Their governments have more the character and personality of gangsterism and organized crime, not genuine statecraft or statesmanship. Something fishy is going on, but it's hard to tell what's going on behind the scenes.

I never bought into the Western narrative that Putin has some kind of "Hitler complex" and that he's maniacally hellbent on world domination. That doesn't mean I support what he's doing, as I think he's wrong for launching an aggressive invasion - which is a violation of the UN charter and various treaties. On that point, he's as guilty as a cat in a goldfish bowl, so there's no spinning that away, regardless of the pretexts used.

I tend to support socialism (or at least a mixed economy), mainly because I support a government with a coherent set of goals and principles dedicated to the betterment of the lives of the people and the overall quality and strength of the nation as a whole. When the leaders in a given state think more in terms of their own personal wealth over the well-being of the collective whole, then they have violated the social contract and can't really be considered "socialist" by any standard.

I too do not support either side. When Ukraine separated from Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed, they took with them the Russian ethnic regions of what is now easternmost Ukraine. Now a bloody correction of that is taking place and Nato nations are exploiting the situation because - US interests.

I too never bought into "the Western narrative that Putin has some kind of "Hitler complex" and that he's maniacally hellbent on world domination.," as so many on this forum have. I do not even view this as an invasion of Ukraine, I view it as what Putin claimed it was when sending in the troops, and that was to secure the easternmost provinces of Ukraine, the Donbas and Luhansk. I will be proven wrong should Russian troops proceed west beyond these regions.

 

[ImmortalFlame]

I too do not support either side. When Ukraine separated from Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed, they took with them the Russian ethnic regions of what is now easternmost Ukraine.

By "took with them" you mean "declared independence after overwhelming support in a democratic vote, including the majority of the vote in the eastern regions".

1991 Ukrainian independence referendum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Those scoundrels. How dare they execute their democratic rights.

Now a bloody correction of that is taking place and Nato nations are exploiting the situation because - US interests.

"A bloody correction". This is just a flat-out disgusting way of describing an imperialist nation invading its neighbour.

The fact that you continue to pretend - and even convince some posters - that you're anti-imperialist is laughable.

I too never bought into "the Western narrative that Putin has some kind of "Hitler complex" and that he's maniacally hellbent on world domination.," as so many on this forum have. I do not even view this as an invasion of Ukraine, I view it as what Putin claimed it was when sending in the troops, and that was to secure the easternmost provinces of Ukraine, the Donbas and Luhansk.

Which is also hilarious.

I will be proven wrong should Russian troops proceed west beyond these regions.

Because it's wrong to suggest a country is engaging in imperialism if it only engages in a bit of imperialism.

Good logic. Very sound.

Meanwhile, the rest of us reasonable people will continue to believe that Putin doesn't have to necessarily be engaging in an act intended towards total global domination - like a James Bond villain - in order to suggest that invading and annexing a sovereign state on your border is not a reasonable or morally justified thing to do.

Unimaginable, I know.

 

[Estro Felino]

I too do not support either side. When Ukraine separated from Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed, they took with them the Russian ethnic regions of what is now easternmost Ukraine. Now a bloody correction of that is taking place and Nato nations are exploiting the situation because - US interests.

I too never bought into "the Western narrative that Putin has some kind of "Hitler complex" and that he's maniacally hellbent on world domination.," as so many on this forum have. I do not even view this as an invasion of Ukraine, I view it as what Putin claimed it was when sending in the troops, and that was to secure the easternmost provinces of Ukraine, the Donbas and Luhansk. I will be proven wrong should Russian troops proceed west beyond these regions.

I used to side with Ukraine.
Then I watched the interview with Putin by Tucker Carlson...and I found out some servant of the éLites prevented, impeded, hindered the peace process between Russia and Kiev,
So I am disgusted by the warmongers forcing Ukrainians to fight until they all die.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I too do not support either side. When Ukraine separated from Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed, they took with them the Russian ethnic regions of what is now easternmost Ukraine. Now a bloody correction of that is taking place and Nato nations are exploiting the situation because - US interests.

I too never bought into "the Western narrative that Putin has some kind of "Hitler complex" and that he's maniacally hellbent on world domination.," as so many on this forum have. I do not even view this as an invasion of Ukraine, I view it as what Putin claimed it was when sending in the troops, and that was to secure the easternmost provinces of Ukraine, the Donbas and Luhansk. I will be proven wrong should Russian troops proceed west beyond these regions.

I doubt if many here believe Putin is on some path as to world domination but I think many might believe that Putin does want to see what the USSR had in the way of territory. Which would go against all those nations that have voted (and seemingly want) to be apart from Russia, and rightfully so, given that Putin doesn't seem capable of understanding the concept of democracy or even wanting such, and where his aims are mostly about his personal concept of Russia regardless if this has any basis in reality. Doing this by his ludicrous - because these peoples speak Russian and therefore belong within the Russian borders - could be applied worldwide as to some also ludicrous situations arising.

So how far would you like to see the roll-back as to what the USSR used to be?

 

[Estro Felino]

I doubt if many here believe Putin is on some path as to world domination but I think many might believe that Putin does want to see what the USSR had in the way of territory. Which would go against all those nations that have voted (and seemingly want) to be apart from Russia, and rightfully so, given that Putin doesn't seem capable of understanding the concept of democracy or even wanting such, and where his aims are mostly about his personal concept of Russia regardless if this has any basis in reality. Doing this by his ludicrous - because these peoples speak Russian and therefore belong within the Russian borders - could be applied worldwide as to some also ludicrous situations arising.

So how far would you like to see the roll-back as to what the USSR used to be?

Also because the elitist gangs overseas have never denied they are "exploiting" this war just to weaken Russia, occupy and conquer it.
So it means that that's what their goal is.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Also because the elitist gangs overseas have never denied they are "exploiting" this war just to weaken Russia, occupy and conquer it.
So it means that that's what their goal is.

Never has been. Just a fantasy by some Russians and perhaps their supporters. The West feel obliged to counter the new Russian aggression. I suspect that Putin was just so annoyed at not getting the expected equality treatment (or better) when the USSR disintegrated, he just set off on another course and knew that democracy was not for him (or for Russia), even if he gave the impression of making some attempt at this.

 

[Estro Felino]

Never has been. Just a fantasy by some Russians and perhaps their supporters. The West feel obliged to counter the new Russian aggression. I suspect that Putin was just so annoyed at not getting the expected equality treatment (or better) when the USSR disintegrated, he just set off on another course and knew that democracy was not for him (or for Russia), even if he gave the impression of making some attempt at this.

Blowing up the Nordstream indicates that the goal is 100% economic.

 

[Stevicus]

I too do not support either side. When Ukraine separated from Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed, they took with them the Russian ethnic regions of what is now easternmost Ukraine. Now a bloody correction of that is taking place and Nato nations are exploiting the situation because - US interests.

I too never bought into "the Western narrative that Putin has some kind of "Hitler complex" and that he's maniacally hellbent on world domination.," as so many on this forum have. I do not even view this as an invasion of Ukraine, I view it as what Putin claimed it was when sending in the troops, and that was to secure the easternmost provinces of Ukraine, the Donbas and Luhansk. I will be proven wrong should Russian troops proceed west beyond these regions.

It's an all-around difficult situation, since the current boundaries of the Republics were set and established during the Soviet period. They ostensibly all agreed to those boundaries, and then all withdrew somewhat precipitously from the Soviet Union (including the Russian Republic itself). The Soviet Constitution allowed the Republics the option of seceding from the Soviet Union, and all of the Republics (including Russia) chose to withdraw.

So, in a way, much of this problem is rooted in poorly conceived choices they made while they (both Ukraine and Russia) were still the Soviet Union. I'm not going to say which side is right or wrong here, except that this is more of an internal "family dispute," even if the "family" has already broken up. So, it's not really for the West to take sides here, any more than it would be our business to intervene in the Troubles between Britain and Ireland over the centuries. It's not our business; it's strictly between them.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Blowing up the Nordstream indicates that the goal is 100% economic.

No proof, and even so if one nation did this it doesn't mean all others supported this. And it could just as well have been the Russians.

 

[Estro Felino]

No proof, and even so if one nation did this it doesn't mean all others supported this

Who did it, then?
Morgan le Fay?

. And it could just as well have been the Russians.

One simple question: would you cut off your own penis?

Because that's what the Russians allegedly did: they cut off their vital source of economic support from Germany.