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As a person with a stake in it, what percentage of your net worth have you pledged? Are you willing to fight?
Yes. Peace is so valuable that we should be willing to engage even with dishonest actors.
Russia has lost 100,000 soldiers so far. By the time they lick their wounds, Putin will be dead, and the world will be freaking out over some different crisis. But the dead soldiers will still be dead. They won't get the chance to marry or watch their children grow. Their mothers will still mourn the child who grew up to become a young man and then had his future cut short.
People are not chessboard pieces. The cost to war is high and the benefits uncertain.
Much like poor white Confederate soldiers could've ended the rich planter's war very quickly, Russian conscripts could've ended the oligarch's war very quickly as well.
Any soldier that did not immediately surrender to the first Ukranian he saw, I feel no sympathy for. I'm sure there is a small percentage of soldiers who did legitimately hate service, and got killed before they could do anything, but outside of that, the reality is the same - just as the vast percentage of poor Confederate's preferred the system with rich planters in charge, with African-American's in bondage and aren't victims, the vast majority of Russian soldiers are OK with this war, and want Ukraine back in the Russian fold.
Now, brokering for peace is fine. A cease fire or halting hostilities is not.
It's the third time I've said this in this thread, but I'll say it again.
Why do you think that you would be any different from a typical Russian soldier were you in their shoes? Scott gave his kidney to a stranger. He's different and special. Maybe you're different and special too. But I seriously doubt it. Most people aren't.
I'm not sure what the distinction is here. Do you mean that neither side should just lay down and quit and let their opponent win? Yes, I agree. This is obvious, I think.
Do you think that Ukrainians and Russians should both be willing to negotiate an end to this war? Because, if so, we agree.
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For start, if peace and appeasing Russia would reduce total death and suffering I would support it (after discounting outright terrorism like "we will murder 100 000 random hostages if you will not give up Crimea" and after ignoring deaths of Russian soldiers).
My problem with it is that I do not believe that appeasing Russia will work well for that.
about 2% (depends on how you count some things) - not counting what went via taxes, and no. And large part of reason for supporting Ukraine is that I prefer minor financial support and donating of old soviet tanks by Europe over redoing WW II in my city. Or personally dying in muddy trench via artillery that I cannot even see.
I frankly do not care about this and consider it as benefit, not as a problem. Ukrainians dying is actual problem for me that I would consider as legitimate humanitarian cost.
Yes, I would prefer this people to live peaceful and fulfilling lives or peaceful and mildly dysfunctional.
But if they are army marching in my direction or having their leaders even imply taking war to my city is something they like or want to do? I am entirely OK with them dying horribly, I am fine with my taxes and donations going to fund said horrible deaths in war their country started, war they support, war that is continuation of what they celebrate, war that is repeat of their previous wars they refused to consider as a mistakes and horrible evil.
I am entirely fine with using deadly force for self-defence. If Russia or Russians dislike it: they should emigrate and posture less about invading Poland, and at least pretend that you are sorry for invading Poland together with Nazi Germany and oppression under Tzar. Yes, I am sad about small part of good Russians, but well.
Yes, I am entirely fine with using deadly force for self-defence. Also when there is noticeable collateral damage. Maybe my estimate of risk is overinflated, but I am going to blame it on (surprise!) Russia. Maybe they should be running a different type of propaganda. They persuaded me that they are still danger, like 1920 Russia, like 1939 Russia, like 1918 Russia, like powerful Russia at any other date.
And I am even more fine with Ukrainians killing them in very direct self-defence. It is rare case of war where it is 100% clear which side is right and which side is not at all. Yes, I know that it does not guarantee that right side will win.
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