Walter Grant5 said:Anyone actually follow the details on that recent plane crash? A buddy was lecturing me all day yesterday about Americans. Obviously, he "hates" them, but that doesn't mean his facts are wrong. Honestly, I couldn't retain a single thing he said because he was just rattling off info non-stop while we were out. Also, how much weight do the Russians actually put behind those pro-Russian types in Ukraine? How much (or little) support are they giving them? How, and why? If anyone knows their stuff, give me the short version. Thanks.
Like ruggedjackal46 mentioned, the Ukrainians and Russians had some kind of profitable economic pact before the uprising kicked off and the government was overthrown. What took over was this neo-Nazi right wing, pretty extreme stuff. Things shifted in the country, and rights for the Russian minority were stripped away—I can't recall the specifics, maybe something regarding language laws. Naturally, that minority revolted. Crimea is vital to Russia because of their military presence there. That's why they have troops on the ground (the West accused them of moving troops in, but they've always been stationed there). They held a referendum for secession, which falls under international law regarding a people's right to self-determination. Most people voted to join Russia—around 90%—and frankly, Crimea has always been Russian territory.
After that, the U.S. stepped in, acting like Russia is the only one breaking international law. 🤣
Putin eventually checked them, but honestly, it’s ridiculous when the U.S. claims someone is violating international law when they acted like those laws didn't even exist for decades. Of course, the new government aligned with the West and secured their backing. Russia’s primary fear is NATO pushing its borders right up to their doorstep. That’s why they reclaimed Crimea; imagine if those high-value military bases—territory that is historically Russian and where they won massive battles—fell into NATO hands. It’s not surprising they reacted. I don't know what your friend told you about the U.S., but the reality is they run an expansionist policy, playing global sheriff and sticking their noses into everything. Look at France recently buying two warships from Russia; their relations started improving, and the U.S., despite being a long-time ally, isn't happy about it.
The absolute peak of U.S. political stupidity is the way they fund terrorist groups in Syria—calling them "rebels" when they're actually Al-Qaeda. Then, once those same rebels start causing chaos in Iraq, the U.S. has to pivot and oppose them because they have interests there. So, they back terrorists one day and fight them the next. And Syria is a whole other mess. What's happening there is horrific; they label Assad a tyrant and manipulate the media, conveniently ignoring that the man is incredibly sharp and has explained the situation clearly in numerous interviews.
