Ellsberg was adamant that this was a brutal and unjustified war of aggression launched by Putin. But he was incredulous at the notion, too often accepted as a given by commentators, that no superpower since the end of World War II has committed such heinous atrocities. âIâm 91,â he says. âSo, Iâm burdened by an awful lot of historical analogies in my lifetime, many of which I participated in: the buildup of nuclear weapons, and the Vietnam War, which were moral catastrophes. Putin is a bad guy, very clearly. His aggression is murderous and as illegitimate as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.â He pauses. âOr the US invasion of Afghanistan or Iraq. Or Hitlerâs invasion of Poland. Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam by the USâwe havenât reached that level remotely yet â
Ellsberg specifically mentioned the use of phosphorous bombs, which burn through to the bone, by the United States and its allies in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and napalm used against civilians in Vietnam. Then, going back to World War II and the all-out effort to defeat fascism, he spoke of allied bombing raids that deliberately created firestorms in Dresden and Hamburgâkilling tens of thousands of civilians in single nights in the two German citiesâas well as a raid against Berlin, in February 1945, which failed to generate a firestorm but still killed roughly 25,000 people. He detailed the bombing of 64 cities in Japan before the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that cumulatively killed roughly 900,000 peopleâincluding up to 120,000 who died in Tokyo in a firestorm created by saturation bombing.
âThe atom bomb didnât change the policy of trying to kill as many people as possible; it just made it cheaper and more efficient,â Ellsberg argued.
....
He is furious at the shortsighted policies pushed by George W. Bushâs administration, and continued by the administrations that came after, to expand NATO east onto Russiaâs flank. He quotes Cold War theorist George Kennanâs warning that such an expansion was âa fateful error,â the most historic blunder since the end of the Cold War, arguing that it made it almost certain that a humiliated Russia would turn toward nationalism and militarism. In dangling the prospect of NATO membership before Ukraineâs government, even if NATO didnât actually want the country as a member, Washington was, Ellsberg came to feel, deliberately tempting Russia to intervene.
Ellsberg is worried that a reinvigorated NATO, and a military-industrial complex champing at the bit to sell ever more weaponsâboth to sustain Ukraine in resisting invasion, and, if it were to be successfully occupied, to make possible years of insurgencyâin combination with a revanchist and paranoid Russia, could plunge the world into years of conflict.
{{linked to Google cached versionâthe article's about actual cannons but ends with this:}}
Olga Khmil, one of Molfarâs intelligence analysts, says Russia is now using group channels in messaging apps like Telegram to aim its artillery better. Russians pretending to be Ukrainians on these channels feign fear of shelling in order to elicit information about infrastructure that has and has not been hit. On May 24th the sbu revealed an even more devious approach to such espionage. The agency said it had discovered that Russian intelligence was using smartphone games to induce unwitting youngsters to snap and upload geotagged photos of critical infrastructure, military and civilian. In exchange, players receive virtual prizes of no value outside the video-game world. And Russia gets to wreck their country.
via Twitter / Facebook: a historian now fighting for his country had a bit of rant (totally justified IMO):
...And in similar conditions, if not harder, there are now thousands of historians, writers, accountants, bankers, IT workers, teachers, designers and others in Ukraine, away from peaceful professions. They are killed from the 152th and from the point-in, they will fly bullets and vogi, cassette and phosphorous ammunition. Some of them are already dead. And someone will never return to their profession again because they burned out. But they all keep fighting. Because Ukraine is behind them. Because if they put their guns down, their parents will be killed, wives and daughters raped, and homes destroyed or confiscated.
And when by the mouths of politicians of France, Italy, Germany and other countries offer us to lay down arms, agree to the loss of territories, give Russia some security guarantees (absurd !!! Russia does not need any guarantees of security, it is its neighbors who need guarantees from their threat)... So I feel rage and deep disgust. Disgusting these worthless people who, through their prejudices or thanks to Putin's dirty money, are ready to condemn my country to absorption, to a slow and painful death. Disgust and rage at those who have enormous opportunities to help overcome a crisis but instead strive, knowingly or unknowingly, to deepen it. Because even the complete surrender of Ukraine will not solve the problems of world security. On the contrary, will push Russia to new zagarbanʹ.
We don't need suggestions to surrender. If you are not ready to fight with us against the said enemy, then help us with weapons, money, sanctions. We need a lot of things to defeat Russia and thus sharply reduce the level of the global crisis. But we have the main thing - motivation. We have historians willing to sleep on drawers of five people in two bedrooms and for weeks muck without being able to wash. We have accountants ready to eat only porridge with stew for months. We have young students living their best years under threat of death. And they won't go anywhere - unless they all get killed.
Upon your consent.
Ukraine will fight either to victory or until it can resist.
And what will you do?
With respect,
candidate of historical sciences,
a writer, author of six books,
currently a junior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
via Twitter / Facebook: a historian now fighting for his country had a bit of rant (totally justified IMO):
...And in similar conditions, if not harder, there are now thousands of historians, writers, accountants, bankers, IT workers, teachers, designers and others in Ukraine, away from peaceful professions. They are killed from the 152th and from the point-in, they will fly bullets and vogi, cassette and phosphorous ammunition. Some of them are already dead. And someone will never return to their profession again because they burned out. But they all keep fighting. Because Ukraine is behind them. Because if they put their guns down, their parents will be killed, wives and daughters raped, and homes destroyed or confiscated.
And when by the mouths of politicians of France, Italy, Germany and other countries offer us to lay down arms, agree to the loss of territories, give Russia some security guarantees (absurd !!! Russia does not need any guarantees of security, it is its neighbors who need guarantees from their threat)... So I feel rage and deep disgust. Disgusting these worthless people who, through their prejudices or thanks to Putin's dirty money, are ready to condemn my country to absorption, to a slow and painful death. Disgust and rage at those who have enormous opportunities to help overcome a crisis but instead strive, knowingly or unknowingly, to deepen it. Because even the complete surrender of Ukraine will not solve the problems of world security. On the contrary, will push Russia to new zagarbanʹ.
We don't need suggestions to surrender. If you are not ready to fight with us against the said enemy, then help us with weapons, money, sanctions. We need a lot of things to defeat Russia and thus sharply reduce the level of the global crisis. But we have the main thing - motivation. We have historians willing to sleep on drawers of five people in two bedrooms and for weeks muck without being able to wash. We have accountants ready to eat only porridge with stew for months. We have young students living their best years under threat of death. And they won't go anywhere - unless they all get killed.
Upon your consent.
Ukraine will fight either to victory or until it can resist.
And what will you do?
With respect,
candidate of historical sciences,
a writer, author of six books,
currently a junior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
This came out yesterday, Boris Bondarev Russia's guy in Geneva resigned and posted this on his LinkedIn account.
Boris Bondarev• 3rd+Arms Control, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation, Export Control1d • Edited • 1 day ago
Long overdue, but today I resign from civil service. Enough is enough.
For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24 of this year. The aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine, and in fact against the entire Western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people, but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia, with a bold letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society in our country. Those who conceived this war want only one thing - to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity. To achieve that they are willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes. Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have already died just for this. I regret to admit that over all these twenty years the level of lies and unprofessionalism in the work of the Foreign Ministry has been increasing all the time. However, in most recent years, this has become simply catastrophic. Instead of unbiased information, impartial analysis and sober forecasting, there are propaganda clichés in the spirit of Soviet newspapers of the 1930s. A system has been built that deceives itself. Minister Lavrov is a good illustration of the degradation of this system. In 18 years, he went from a professional and educated intellectual, whom many my colleagues held in such high esteem, to a person who constantly broadcasts conflicting statements and threatens the world (that is, Russia too) with nuclear weapons! Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering, lies and hatred. It serves interests of few, the very few people thus contributing to further isolation and degradation of my country. Russia no longer has allies, and there is no one to blame but its reckless and ill-conceived policy. I studied to be a diplomat and have been a diplomat for twenty years. The Ministry has become my home and family. But I simply cannot any longer share in this bloody, witless and absolutely needless ignominy. Job offers are welcome...
It's weird when you stumble across the other side of social media. Apparently Russia invaded because Ukraine is full of money laundering, sex trafficking peodophiles who are developing biological weapons. And Biden is in on it.
It's weird when you stumble across the other side of social media. Apparently Russia invaded because Ukraine is full of money laundering, sex trafficking peodophiles who are developing biological weapons. And Biden is in on it.
It's weird when you stumble across the other side of social media. Apparently Russia invaded because Ukraine is full of money laundering, sex trafficking peodophiles who are developing biological weapons. And Biden is in on it.
Richard, there would be a great conversation to be had here, were you willing to expound on where you think we should all be headed rather than constantly taking cheap shots at 2-dimensional adversaries. ,,,
You know my stance. I firmly believe that Putin turns what used to be a linear spectrum into a ring, as he has far more affinity to Nazi Germany and fascism than to the communist ideals touted in 1918. But, prey tell, what on earth is yours? I'm a European centrist. Quintessence of boring. But what are you?
Nothing like this happens in a vacuum. Maybe they let him speak to create an image of an open society, but I'm guessing they are setting the stage either for a massive build-up of the war effort (us against the world, this is WWII all over again) or for stepping back. The criticism of the sabre-rattling against Finland is intriguing as that is totally contrary to the official line, so maybe there are forces in the Russian government trying to steer the ship around and they will finally pull out. Ukraine on the other hand senses victory and I don't think they are interested in a ceasefire and giving up any territory.
(quick thought-watch fareed zakaria's doc on putin if you can) i think i can agree, there wasn't the expected pushback from the apparatchiks putin has made a horrible mistake his power profiling of nato was way off and russia's military and economy are suffering for it surely he recognizes this and is posturing for an eventual exit he appears to be following text book soviet negotiation 101 and everyone that matters seem to know it i personally wouldn't use the "weakening russia" verbiage, but those in the know are (using it as a strategy?) others are openly calling him out and agitating for wearing him/russia down and holding him accountable for his blatant atrocities
For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24 of this year. The aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine, and in fact against the entire Western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people, but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia, with a bold letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society in our country.
Those who conceived this war want only one thing - to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity. To achieve that they are willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes. Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have already died just for this.
I regret to admit that over all these twenty years the level of lies and unprofessionalism in the work of the Foreign Ministry has been increasing all the time. However, in most recent years, this has become simply catastrophic. Instead of unbiased information, impartial analysis and sober forecasting, there are propaganda clichés in the spirit of Soviet newspapers of the 1930s. A system has been built that deceives itself.
Minister Lavrov is a good illustration of the degradation of this system. In 18 years, he went from a professional and educated intellectual, whom many my colleagues held in such high esteem, to a person who constantly broadcasts conflicting statements and threatens the world (that is, Russia too) with nuclear weapons!
Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering, lies and hatred. It serves interests of few, the very few people thus contributing to further isolation and degradation of my country. Russia no longer has allies, and there is no one to blame but its reckless and ill-conceived policy.
I studied to be a diplomat and have been a diplomat for twenty years. The Ministry has become my home and family. But I simply cannot any longer share in this bloody, witless and absolutely needless ignominy.
Job offers are welcome...