Oddbean

Right or wrong Putin is very intelligent. If one listens to John Mearsheimer’s 2015 talk ‘why Ukraine is the West’s fault?’ and Oliver Stone’s interviews, and much of public record, one can derive some of the Russian angst with Western pressure challenges, broken ‘not an inch to the East’ promises, not by Bush senior but by Jr. and Clinton NATO expansion that landed on a well known red line issue of no NATO Ukraine. He does touch on Broken Money. Worth watching end to end: https://rumble.com/v4c98yf-tucker-carlson-x-vladimir-putin-interview.html

How much of this have you studied? Around Donbass, etc? I am far from an ‘expert’. But there are lots of questions. As in invasion - I would agree. From a position of the west promising not to move an inch to the east of Germany— they did Jr. and Clinton. Ukraine joining NATO was a known 16 year redline. The Maidan coup. The black or white us vs. them— way more complicated. I find it more refreshing than the mainstream shove it down your throat or else. A counterbalance to at least bias check.

I don't like to talk general. Ask something specific. > How much of this have you studied? Around Donbass, etc? I live in Ukraine, I saw the events with my own eyes. > From a position of the west promising not to move an inch to the east of Germany— they did Jr. and Clinton. Know nothing about that, can't comment. > Ukraine joining NATO was a known 16 year redline. Finland joined NATO just recently and has thousand kilometers border with Russia. NATO can't be any closer to rusia, look at the map. So, where is the response from putin? putin knows that NATO is not a threat, its just bla bla bla. > The Maidan coup. So? Say something specific about Maidan,

I did ask something specific. Events (as much as I wish for peace and for nobody to be caught up in this mess) doesn’t answer my question of the history and complexity and interjection of outsiders to the specific regions in the East (as it appears), not to mention the history of Crimea, etc etc. If you don’t know the NATO ‘not an inch to the east’ watch John Mearsheimer’s talk or read up on it. It is quite important from the angle questioned. That’s been brewing since the fall of the Soviet Union. The Bucharest Memorandum etc etc etc… known Red Lines for many years. Maidan had heavy foreign influence. There is open evidence there was a western aided coup. Victoria Nuland. This is well known. Western influence to thwart peace. Boris Johnson, etc. Lots of folks have blood on their watch. Why did Finland join and what CISO and SCO members surround them? It’s an after the fact (that may have still happened but not this fast). Also to an earlier point you asked why not attack a NATO member. An attack on a NATO member triggers article IV which is an attack on all members. But I pose was this a sudden invasion or were Russian historical interest and were their backs against the wall strategically and demographically, etc. Is Putin innocent? Hell no. Thug? Likely. Corrupt? All sides are. Complicated? Very. It poses tons of questions and intent to not drown in what the west shoves down the throats of the masses (while the other side does it). I don’t have certain answers, but I pose questions to ask instead of sliding down a one sided polarized like many have— or even worse censor and silence. I wish for peace and wish you didn’t need to deal with the brutal sides of war. 🙏✌️