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So what about the German right-wing conspiracy that got busted? On one hand, they seem pretty crazy with conspiracy theories and actually believing that the German people would support a coup. On the other hand, they don't seem like random nobodies but the kind of people you would want on your coup if you were to do a coup.
Link to news story: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63885028
Some random thoughts:
Was this conspiracy realistic? Or was it just a big larp? (Are all coups big larps?)
How strong were the Russian connections? Are the arrests a blow to Putin?
Why do the conspiracy thing when you can just do normal politics in AfD and actually get power the true and tried way [insert reference to well-known, democratically successful German right wing leader]. Or if you insist on conspiracy, you can at least march trough the institutions, it seems like the better option? And if you really need power nownow, why not just take the exit option (e.g. move to Russia and make your own auth-right comune there?)?
I'd be happy for someone who has an actual take or an interesting perspective on this to create their own top level thread.
So "larp" is colloquial and sloppy. With things like these, that seem to have little chance of success and members that are quite detached from reality, it's often inferred that the reason these guys are loading up on guns and talking about coups is not that they actually want to do a coup, but instead more that they want to be the kind of person who does a coup. Hence the "larp". I guess there's danger in psycho-analysing people through the news though. Still, I would imagine that ex-special forces guys know a thing or two about coups and wouldn't plan something that's obviously doomed to fail. But maybe I'm just overestimating the jarheads.
Seems like the likely scenario.
I guess I just assume people are rational and intelligent and that people with strong political convictions take reasonable steps to reach their political goals. I just need to downgrade that prior, when I read it aloud I myself realize it's stupid.
There are more strange stories about German soldiers coming out these days.
https://www.dw.com/en/german-ex-soldiers-sentenced-for-planning-mercenary-force-in-yemen/a-63540736
"Christian fundamentalists" following advice of fortune teller? To join a war between Muslim factions? The whole thing as described in news makes no sense (maybe German definition of "fundamentalist" is one who visits church more frequently than twice per year?)
Wait, what? Are they going to prosecute Germans who're fighting in Ukraine?
I guess the thing about the idea of liability is that, while the consequences aren't perfectly-guaranteed, it's really not worth the risk at all. I would guess they might not go after German volunteers in Ukraine unless it's universally-applied as such.
As Eetan pointed out, that article seems rather...vaguely-worded.
There's been thousands and thousands of volunteers from Western countries. Probably under 10k, overall though.
In March, Russians almost killed perhaps 500 westerners in a cruise missile attack; luckily, the missile aimed at the actual barracks building was apparently one of the few that got shot down by air defence. (this was said by the soldier in the recent video interview posted to the main page)
Russian MOD is saying so far they believe they've killed 300 Americans. (I'm wondering what time will tell)
Yeah, I'm thinking there probably aren't consequences, it's all who/whom as usual.
Sure, Western countries "aren't at war' with Russia, but somehow, billions of dollars in weapons and lots of qualified military personnel end up fighting Russia in Ukraine.
Mhmm. Could be a bit more egregious, the West could just start sending entire military units over, volunteer soldiers signing up, equipment and everything just gifted. Next level after that is Russia's "polite men".
If you're going to get into semantics about it, Russia isn't "at war" either. So it seems kind of silly of you (or anyone else) to complain about people taking sides.
Though, as George S Patton and Robert A Heinlein both famously observed, someone who buys it in a police action (or "special military operation") is just as dead as someone killed in a war.
De-facto, Russia is at war.
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