Links and Stuff
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Add to the above list if you can, thank you.
Resources For Understanding The War Beyond The Bulletins
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map, who is an independent youtuber with a mostly neutral viewpoint.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have good analysis (though also a couple bad takes here and there)
Understanding War and the Saker: neo-conservative sources but their reporting of the war (so far) seems to line up with reality better than most liberal sources.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict and, unlike most western analysts, has some degree of understanding on how war works. He is a reactionary, however.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent journalist reporting in the Ukrainian warzones.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Yesterday's discussion post.
It was really funny to watch the media do a collective celebration dance at Sweden and Finland handing in their NATO applications:
'In Rebirth for NATO, Europe Unites in Face of Putin’s Ambition' (May 16th, NYT)
And Europe saying they were finally gonna do the economic nuclear option of a Russian oil and gas embargo that they should call Russia's bluff on even after Russia showed that it was perfectly willing to turn the gas off:
'Europe should call Russia's bluff on energy' (May 5th, CNN)
And that it was a signifier of EU unity:
'Putin’s gas shock is acid test of EU unity' (April 27th, Reuters)
Then it was just an oil embargo, as Europe ran back to Russia to buy natural gas... then they couldn't agree on an oil embargo... then Turkey said they wouldn't let Sweden and Finland join NATO...
Then there was that article by the WSJ on May 18th by Joe Lieberman, 'Does Erdogan’s Turkey Belong in NATO?', which was pretty entertaining.
I've noticed that the number of masturbatory articles by western journalists has gone way down lately. That's partially because there's been a swathe of articles about gun control and things of that nature after Buffalo and Texas, but also because, like, what can they even really report on? The Kharkiv front has been largely stopped in its tracks, Russia is moving forward in Donbass, there's a small advance near Kherson but it doesn't seem to be recapturing anything other than miles upon miles of farmland at great cost to their own troops. All you can do is just be like "yeah, this NEXT weapon will be the gamechanger. no, actually, THIS one will. no, THIS." as the weeks go by without any breakthroughs for Ukraine.
All in all, Putin must be quaking in his boots at the incredible amount of unity arrayed against him, and the sanctions on him, as he dries his tears with stacks of oil money.
I must admit that I'm pretty amazed at how hard the west has failed. I thought they would be able to wield at least some power but at every step of the way they have revealed themselves to be a paper tiger.
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H&K stock went soaring in the immediate days following Russia crossing into Ukraine in late Feb
I can only assume other arms manufacturers had similar spikes
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I wonder if Putin was counting on this or if these were "well if we are lucky" or if he is as amused and surprised by the complete lack of spine.
I love how they frame the gas shutoff as "we will not bow to putler's DEMANDS to be paid for gas in rubles" instead of putin not bowing to their demands for free gas.