More garbage from Persuasion, this time from another retread who should have been shamed into silence forever by his Iraq War idiocy.
"Their pleas went unheard. In each of these cases, Western governments decided not to risk nuclear war. Their restraint saved the peace but betrayed the peoples of Eastern Europe."
No we didn't betray them. We aren't responsible for the fate of the whole world.
"If he succeeds in conquering Ukraine, none of us in Europe will be safe."
Hard to overstate how stupid this is.
Next he is on to glib fantasies about nuclear exchanges, without the slightest acknowledgement that they could and probably would kill billions and send us back to the stone age.
It is the United States which missed the opportunity to help build a democracy after the fall of the iron curtain. We sent in our economists to build market institutions, not social scientists to build democratic institutions.
We spent a fortune on “social scientists” buildings “democratic institutions”. You can’t make another country pass laws in the Duma or the Rafa, if they aren’t so inclined. A very tired and incorrect argument you’re making. We might as well have sent 100s of 1000s of psychologist over to change people’s thinking. Alas, humanity.
We never even gave it a chance. In those other cases we were dealing with tribal societies where democracy is almost impossible. But Russia was not a tribal society. Current protests indicate that it might have been possible.
A poignant clarion call that should remind "realists" of what really matters. Well done, Mr. Ignatieff. I hope your faith in the West - and in humanity - is justified.
More garbage from Persuasion, this time from another retread who should have been shamed into silence forever by his Iraq War idiocy.
"Their pleas went unheard. In each of these cases, Western governments decided not to risk nuclear war. Their restraint saved the peace but betrayed the peoples of Eastern Europe."
No we didn't betray them. We aren't responsible for the fate of the whole world.
"If he succeeds in conquering Ukraine, none of us in Europe will be safe."
Hard to overstate how stupid this is.
Next he is on to glib fantasies about nuclear exchanges, without the slightest acknowledgement that they could and probably would kill billions and send us back to the stone age.
Enough already!
The incivility and venom is yours, with your substance-free response to my comment that has evident widespread support.
It is the United States which missed the opportunity to help build a democracy after the fall of the iron curtain. We sent in our economists to build market institutions, not social scientists to build democratic institutions.
We spent a fortune on “social scientists” buildings “democratic institutions”. You can’t make another country pass laws in the Duma or the Rafa, if they aren’t so inclined. A very tired and incorrect argument you’re making. We might as well have sent 100s of 1000s of psychologist over to change people’s thinking. Alas, humanity.
We never even gave it a chance. In those other cases we were dealing with tribal societies where democracy is almost impossible. But Russia was not a tribal society. Current protests indicate that it might have been possible.
Wow what a great piece! Thank you!!
A poignant clarion call that should remind "realists" of what really matters. Well done, Mr. Ignatieff. I hope your faith in the West - and in humanity - is justified.