2022-05-21
As the media (and many others) have been pulling out all the stops to "support the Ukraine", it has become pretty hard to find anyone who is prepared to take an even-handed viewpoint - you are either with them or against them - whoever "they" may be.
The problem I have with that is that being "with them" these days is automatically to be put into the "we must send them more arms" warmongering bucket, and being against them is to be put in the "supporter of evil Putin" bucket.
Apparently there isn't a "please stop the fighting and negotiate" bucket, and there now won't be until at least one side has been fought a standstill. Which side will that be?
Judging by the surrender at the steelworks (what steelworks requires a labyrinth of underground tunnels?), it doesn't seem likely it will be the Russians.
But just how democratic are the Ukrainians anyway?
Janice Davis writing for TCW reminds us of their deficiencies ... but every country has its deficiencies as we in the UK have discovered these past years, so you will have to make up your own mind as to the relevance of these matters.
From my point of view, whereas Mr Putin may have had a fair point that he couldn't tolerate bio-weapons labs on his borders, nobody now needs this war except the arms manufacturers - follow the money.
It's time to sue for peace and to put our money not into destruction, but into reconstruction.