Play Nice The NM Devils Chessboard thread.

[Val Keating]

Anyone pretending the "Europe at war" narrative and its obvious racial implications aren't a huge part of this is kidding themselves.

Not really.

 

[DesertRoo]

It doesn't matter. If he attacks Moldova next, a non-Nato country his apologists here and abroad will have their excuses ready.

of course it matters, it’s a simple question of why..

 

[B4Bear]

It's not really their point though.

By all means cover the geopolitical dimensions. Cover the nuclear threat situation. But don't frame it as if it is somehow more shocking because the participants are "blonde and blue-eyed", or middle-class Europeans. Don't make invidious comparisons with Iraqis and Afghanis.

And why not have the conversation about "power dynamics in post colonial world"? We may think that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan has huge implications geopolitically, but our disgust at their aggression should be no greater than disgust at aggression anywhere (unless the level of aggression warrants it).

This was stated by a Ukrainian government minister. Guess what they are blond blue-eyed and middle class Europeans.

What should they have done, rounded up a few immigrant blacks or Indians or students and used them in a photo op?

This race bullshit is diverting attention from the actual crimes be committed and allowing lying narratives about Nato, Nazi's, drug addicts' for leaders and genocide to be forgotten because they were called out for the crap they were.

Do crimes occur simply because of race on race. Absolutely they do. Rwanda genocide, Armenian genocide, Holocaust, Hindu-Muslim Indian partition, Burma and on it goes. Which have nothing to do with what is occurring now.

 

[Val Keating]

of course it matters, it’s a simple question of why..

Could be as simple as he wants history to remember him. It’s been enough motivation for many men like him.

 

[B4Bear]

of course it matters, it’s a simple question of why..

I said it 30 pages ago. Powerful people want one thing, and one thing only. More power. A deep grudge against the West for the fall of the USSR and a desire to create a Russian empire (more power) rule his worldview.

All the rest is smoke and mirrors for his useful idiots to believe.

 

[Del191229]

I said it 30 pages ago. Powerful people want one thing, and one thing only. More power. A deep grudge against the West for the fall of the USSR and a desire to create a Russian empire (more power) rule his worldview.

All the rest is smoke and mirrors for his useful idiots to believe.

Come on.

The bloke is a trained KGB officer who has been in power for 23 years.

In that time he's won multiple wars - Chechnya, Georgia, Crimea, Syria.

He's spent 15 years warning the West that they have broken the international norms and laws that have maintained world peace with actions like the invasion of Iraq and recognising Kosovo.

He demonstrated repeatedly when he first came to power that he wanted to work with the West. After 9/11 he genuinely though the US would recognise they had a mutual enemy in jihadism.

Pretendind he's some comic book Soviet villain from the 1950s is just duuuuuuuuuuummmmmbbb.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

You wouldn’t happen to know Putin’s preferred demarcation line is?
at what point he deems this action is successful?

It’s all guesswork at this stage.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

This was stated by a Ukrainian government minister. Guess what they are blond blue-eyed and middle class Europeans.

What should they have done, rounded up a few immigrant blacks or Indians or students and used them in a photo op?

This race bullshit is diverting attention from the actual crimes be committed and allowing lying narratives about Nato, Nazi's, drug addicts' for leaders and genocide to be forgotten because they were called out for the crap they were.

Do crimes occur simply because of race on race. Absolutely they do. Rwanda genocide, Armenian genocide, Holocaust, Hindu-Muslim Indian partition, Burma and on it goes. Which have nothing to do with what is occurring now.

The blonde and blue-eyed comment was. The middle class Europeans was a news anchor. The comparisons with Iraqis and Afghans was in press coverage.

Who has forgotten these lying narratives? Not you and not me.

I hardly think that any attention has been diverted from the crimes being committed. Ukraine is in everybody's "thoughts and prayers" it would seem - Frydenberg gave it a mention while introducing some boring economics data today.

People should be able to call out the double standards in press coverage without people immediately assuming they are trying to minimise the issues in Ukraine right now. They should just avoid the "race" word though because that seems to lead everyone to have a ****ing aneurysm.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Come on.

The bloke is a trained KGB officer who has been in power for 23 years.

In that time he's won multiple wars - Chechnya, Georgia, Crimea, Syria.

He's spent 15 years warning the West that they have broken the international norms and laws that have maintained world peace with actions like the invasion of Iraq and recognising Kosovo.

He demonstrated repeatedly when he first came to power that he wanted to work with the West. After 9/11 he genuinely though the US would recognise they had a mutual enemy in jihadism.

Pretendind he's some comic book Soviet villain from the 1950s is just duuuuuuuuuuummmmmbbb.

He “genuinely thought” that the US would recognise they had a mutual enemy? Wow, I thought it was remarkable that this thread had one participant with access to Putin’s inner thoughts, when it turns out there’s actually two! How lucky are we!

Also, I’ve clearly missed the part of the ICJ’s ruling 10-4 in favour for the legitimacy of Kosovo’s declaration where they cover off on this litany of broken international laws you refer to. Mind throwing me a link?

 

[Val Keating]

 

[Sopwiths North]

Anyone who is upset by this invasion because Ukrainians are white are idiots.

Anyone who doesn't realise that this invasion is garnering more media coverage and prompting a greater international response from governments because the perpetrators are the worlds greatest nuclear power and are carrying out their actions on the border with, and in direct opposition to an EU with a long memory of Soviet aggression are also idiots. The potential geopolitical ramifications of this are huge and multi-generational.

If this was China invading Taiwan then we would also have wall to wall coverage and disgust at Chinese aggression.

No offence to anyone or any nation, but if Ethiopia and Somalia are attacking each other it really doesn't have much of an impact on the global geopolitical landscape, hence there is little interest. As sh*t as that is, it is the way of the world. Skin colour has noting to do with it. The reality of power dynamics in a post colonial world does, and that's another conversation altogether.

Yep, there's a lot of truth in this.

We also need to remember that there's a ton of people from other western countries who live in Ukraine, or have family there. Canadians, Americans, British, Swedish, the list is endless. We've so far got 2 Bigfooty posters with family there. There's a commonality there and it's nothing to do with skin colour. Ordinary citizens from many countries are leaving their homes to go to Ukraine and help fight. Because they have friends or family there, or they used to live there or were born there.

There's also a commonality on an energetic level. The world is watching an ordinary guy - an ex-actor and comedian, with no previous political or military experience - stand up to a bullying megalomaniac, who's successfully had the western world tiptoe around him for two decades until now. We're watching a guy who wore a pink satin jumpsuit and won the Ukrainian version of Dancing with the Stars leading an army made up in part of ordinary citizens who, like him, have never fired a gun before, and are now defending their country with all manner of weapons - literally whatever they can improvise in the moment is being created and used by thousands of volunteer citizens - against a global superpower threatening to slaughter them all and take over their home, unprovoked. That alone is worthy of global attention, regardless of skin colour or geopolitical ramifications.

The world is tired. We've just been through a pandemic, that frankly has served to divide us more than unite us. It's no wonder people right now want to suddenly climb aboard the "I Stand For Ukraine" train. What's happening in that country right now is nothing short of remarkable, and inspirational. And it reminds us of what we are all capable of, if we just have courage and unity.

The things that oppress us in this world have to be released. The days of dominance and control need to be over. Putin is a relic. A mad relic, and he's done. He's become his own weakest link. His madness has no place going forward in our world.

Zelensky - I really hope he makes it out of this alive. I fear for him. But the world will be changed because of him either way. And he's basically just an ordinary guy. Who can dance REALLY well. I mean, think about it - he's like the anti-Trump. In so many ways. And he's uniting much of the world right now. In hope.

Anyways, Slava Ukraini. And prayers that the casualties on both sides are not huge, and we see an end to this soon.

 

[Mav]

Pretendind he's some comic book Soviet villain from the 1950s is just duuuuuuuuuuummmmmbbb.

But its easy to do...

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

But its easy to do...

Ha ha, it's good to inject a bit of humour into this thread.

He really is a 21st century Nero isn't he?

 

[Val Keating]

Didn’t have his judo stuff. Riding a 3 wheeler is camp as **** tbh.

 

[Val Keating]

And isn’t it funny how all these communists always go down the same path?

 

[Swallow_Wood]

Yeah. Sure.

Disturbing Videos Show Indian Students Fleeing Ukraine Brutally Beaten By Forces At Borders

A video that is now going viral and has been shared by many verified handles on Twitter shows forces of Romania and Poland kicking and beating stranded Indian students, girls and boys alike.

www.indiatimes.com

That there are racist arseholes in jobs where they get to beat on people is no surprise to anyone. Hang out with members of VicPol and you will see they exist everywhere. Probably more in some areas, and most likely more in parts of eastern Europe who don't get much of the outside world passing through their hood. But what has the beating of Indian students got to do with Putin invading an sovereign Ukraine and the corresponding coverage and response?

 

[Swallow_Wood]

It's not really their point though.

By all means cover the geopolitical dimensions. Cover the nuclear threat situation. But don't frame it as if it is somehow more shocking because the participants are "blonde and blue-eyed", or middle-class Europeans. Don't make invidious comparisons with Iraqis and Afghanis.

As I said, anyone who us upset at the invasion because Ukrainians are white are ****ing idiots.

And why not have the conversation about "power dynamics in post colonial world"? We may think that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan has huge implications geopolitically, but our disgust at their aggression should be no greater than disgust at aggression anywhere (unless the level of aggression warrants it).

I agree that disgust at aggression should be the same everywhere, but it isn't because of a number of factors. I don't think race is the major factor as to why it gets exposed and discussed. I think the power of the participants is a major factor and potential regional and international impact over time are major factors of far more importance than skin colour of the participants. Whilst its fine to point out hypocrisy lets not pretend that importance does not depend on actual and potential consequence. Sure, there are some instances of dickheads in media covering the invasion using racially charged language, but that written piece makes significant leaps of logic to land its punches. There are millions of people alive in Europe today who grew up in the rubble and shadows of the most devastating war in human memory, who survived Soviet invasion and takeover of their homelands, who had their neighbours and 'friends' turn on them because of their religion. Myopia it seems crosses continents and races.

 

[DesertRoo]

As the world is watching Ukraine, US meets with Taiwan.

Beijing reacts to US ‘defense’ delegation in Taiwan

China has warned against American meddling in Taiwan after a US delegation visited to voice support for the island

www.rt.com

 

[andana]

Televangelist Pat Robertson said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “compelled by God” in his decision to invade Ukraine, suggesting that Russia’s attacks are a precursor to an end-times battle in Israel.

The Christian media mogul returned to “The 700 Club” a few months after he retired from the show he hosted for 55 years on the Christian Broadcasting Network. In his return, Robertson claimed that Putin was simply following God’s wishes when Russia invaded Ukraine — to fulfill a biblical prophecy.

He went into the Ukraine, but that wasn’t his goal. His goal was to move against Israel, ultimately.”

Robertson then cited verses from the book of Ezekiel that note how nations will come together to rise up against Israel, suggesting that Ukraine is merely a “staging ground” for an eventual Armageddon battle.

 

[ferball]

That there are racist arseholes in jobs where they get to beat on people is no surprise to anyone. Hang out with members of VicPol and you will see they exist everywhere. Probably more in some areas, and most likely more in parts of eastern Europe who don't get much of the outside world passing through their hood. But what has the beating of Indian students got to do with Putin invading an sovereign Ukraine and the corresponding coverage and response?

Well it wouldn't have happened without it obviously.

These stories are coming out like a flood at the moment. Africans, Middle easterners and South Asians all being abused at borders, threatened, held back, in some cases denied food or having it stolen. Its ****ed.

And I'm not hanging out with ****en cops to prove people can be campaigners. There is a song about it.

 

[B4Bear]

So if Russia is justified in what they are doing, then the logical conclusion is that those who agree must take umbrage at all aid being given to Ukraine.

Where is the outrage here for the war mongering Swiss?

 

[big_e]

Still getting over the comment that RT has bland reporting with no lies or disinformation.

 

[ferball]

Still getting over the comment that RT has bland reporting with no lies or disinformation.

I was gonna post them but they aren't there any more. Enjoy this brave new world.

 

[ferball]

Okay its there now.

No more 403 forbidden.

Pentagon confirms US position on Ukraine no-fly zone

The US is not discussing setting up a no-fly zone over Ukraine despite calls from Kiev to do so, a Pentagon official has confirmed

www.rt.com

This seems reasonable.

Russia announces first International Anti-Fascist Congress

Russia has announced its first anti-fascism congress to unite international efforts to fight against Nazi ideology

www.rt.com

That's hilarious tho. I've met Russian antifa people online over the years. No way they'd agree with this war. They're probably in jail now.

Boeing suspends jet maintenance for Russian airlines

Boeing is suspending technical support operations for its planes owned by Russian airlines in response to Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.

www.rt.com

This is ****ed. Anyone here willing to defend it?

The last thing we should be doing is getting in a race to the bottom.

 

[Val Keating]

Okay its there now.

No more 403 forbidden.

Pentagon confirms US position on Ukraine no-fly zone

The US is not discussing setting up a no-fly zone over Ukraine despite calls from Kiev to do so, a Pentagon official has confirmed

www.rt.com

This seems reasonable.

Russia announces first International Anti-Fascist Congress

Russia has announced its first anti-fascism congress to unite international efforts to fight against Nazi ideology

www.rt.com

That's hilarious tho. I've met Russian antifa people online over the years. No way they'd agree with this war. They're probably in jail now.

Boeing suspends jet maintenance for Russian airlines

Boeing is suspending technical support operations for its planes owned by Russian airlines in response to Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.

www.rt.com

This is f’ed. Anyone here willing to defend it?

The last thing we should be doing is getting in a race to the bottom.

Are you taking the piss with this?