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And considering the conflicts the US rampages across the world starting, it too, has little problem throwing away it's citizens for false ideals, against people who've never done a thing against them. At least Russia has the good sense to throw their people away defending their own borders.
The difference between what I know of how USA treats their soldiers and how Russia treats theirs is big enough that I wouldn't use the words "throw away" for both of them. This is without even going into the fact that Russia conscripts men against their will. US military recruiters might target the dumb and the hopeless, they might lie and embellish, but it's a choice.
Could justify it if "defending" meant "defending" as it did during WWII, but this? Hardly different from USA's "national interests securing" and "projecting influence". The only major difference is that USA's got oceans on both sides and Russia's only got one.
Conscription is by definition against a person's will. The only reason why there's any pretense otherwise in the US is because we've barely been able to get by staffing the military on a purely voluntary basis. If we couldn't, there would be conscription.
I really don't want to seem like I'm insulting you here because I'm honestly not trying to, but are you really this dense? Even the foremost western scholars on the matter like Richard Sakwa fault the west for Russia taking drastic measures in securing its own national security interests.
but there is not, so there is substantial difference between USA and Russia here (and elsewhere)
Russia being imperialist and neighbours preferring to not be in Russia is not West fault.
In the same way if France would get silly, started desiring empire again and invaded Spain it would not automatically be Russia's fault.
Russia is not entitled to empire.
Incidentally yes. In principle, no.
No different than the Monroe Doctrine in the US. You want people to stay out of your backyard, stay out of others backyards.
well, Russia should not have meddled in Ukraine's backyard then.
Quit having your dog come through our hole in the fence.
Well, very large part of my lack of enthusiasm toward Russia is that Russia considers Poland as being within their rightful fence.
For me whole point of NATO is to have strong guard dog keeping Russian bear away. Yes, away from they consider their area to grab.
Maybe if they would not do stuff like role playing invasion of Poland and dropping nuclear weapon on Warsaw as part of their military exercises I would be liking Russian government more and would be more supportive for it.
Yeah, I hear this too. And what's the reliable source for anticipating the inevitable Putin invasion of Europe that I'm always told about?
Ah yes. "NATO is justified to manage the security threats provoked by its own existence."
Wait until you hear about the invasion plans the US has cooked up on the backend for its own neighbors. It's a pity we didn't have such hawkish stooges in the Kennedy administration, encouraging him to dig his heels in all the more against Khrushchev. After all, he might not have invaded Puerto Rico.
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