Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The war in iraq was wrong. but you obviously know two wrongs don't make a right. Just because the United States has done bad things doesn't mean that Putin isn't an idiot who should have known better and who is obviously in the wrong.

That may all be true but what would you respond to Putin saying - hey, your president, too, invaded another country, that doesn't even share a border with you, for stupid made-up reasons, killed half a million people, and nothing really bad happened to him or your country. So why do you say I'm not allowed to do the same?

jeesh... I'd say exactly the same thing I said to you. Two wrongs don't make a right, and why on earth would you punish Ukraine for something the US did? and anyway he is not invading Ukraine in retaliation for Iraq, he is invading Ukraine because he is a greedy sob.

Well we don’t really know why the US invaded Iraq, but there is no good answer to the question of why some countries are allowed to invade others and some are not. The invasion of Iraq was a lot more gruesome with a much higher body count, yet nothing happened to the government that led the invasion of the people of its country. In fact, I’m sure you’d be bubbling with rage if anyone suggested that American people ought to be denied visas or bank accounts due to the actions of their government. Why is that ? Are Iraqis less sympathetic ? Less relatable? Legitimate prey? Why did the world not weep for Iraqis the way it wept for Ukrainians? Because their invader is more powerful?

This line of thought is just so odd to me. Thing A was really bad and I'm upset about it so therefore Thing B that is really bad is ok? If you cared about Iraq then you should care about Ukraine. If you were upset about Iraq then you should be upset about Ukraine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The war in iraq was wrong. but you obviously know two wrongs don't make a right. Just because the United States has done bad things doesn't mean that Putin isn't an idiot who should have known better and who is obviously in the wrong.

That may all be true but what would you respond to Putin saying - hey, your president, too, invaded another country, that doesn't even share a border with you, for stupid made-up reasons, killed half a million people, and nothing really bad happened to him or your country. So why do you say I'm not allowed to do the same?

jeesh... I'd say exactly the same thing I said to you. Two wrongs don't make a right, and why on earth would you punish Ukraine for something the US did? and anyway he is not invading Ukraine in retaliation for Iraq, he is invading Ukraine because he is a greedy sob.

Well we don’t really know why the US invaded Iraq, but there is no good answer to the question of why some countries are allowed to invade others and some are not. The invasion of Iraq was a lot more gruesome with a much higher body count, yet nothing happened to the government that led the invasion of the people of its country. In fact, I’m sure you’d be bubbling with rage if anyone suggested that American people ought to be denied visas or bank accounts due to the actions of their government. Why is that ? Are Iraqis less sympathetic ? Less relatable? Legitimate prey? Why did the world not weep for Iraqis the way it wept for Ukrainians? Because their invader is more powerful?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The war in iraq was wrong. but you obviously know two wrongs don't make a right. Just because the United States has done bad things doesn't mean that Putin isn't an idiot who should have known better and who is obviously in the wrong.

That may all be true but what would you respond to Putin saying - hey, your president, too, invaded another country, that doesn't even share a border with you, for stupid made-up reasons, killed half a million people, and nothing really bad happened to him or your country. So why do you say I'm not allowed to do the same?

jeesh... I'd say exactly the same thing I said to you. Two wrongs don't make a right, and why on earth would you punish Ukraine for something the US did? and anyway he is not invading Ukraine in retaliation for Iraq, he is invading Ukraine because he is a greedy sob.

Answer: Belarus cucks itself to Putin/Russia on a daily basis. That's why they have "friendly" relations....but its a one-way friendship.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

LOL you can always tell when America is displeased with another country: they start referring to its government as "regime".

Government=good guys.

Regime=we no likey, you go soon.

Regime is generally understood to mean an authoritarian government. Does Russia not have an authoritarian government? Okay then.

You’re not very good at this.

LOL yet none of the Gulf dictatorship is ever described as "the Al-Khalifa regime" despite being 100% more authoritarian than Putin's government. And Al-Saud, a hereditary absolute monarchy state with zero popular participation wasn't ever described as a "regime" until Biden got pissed with MBS's lack of cooperation.

Hypocrite.

Believe what you like. Defend Putin to your dying breath. The days of his regime are numbered due to internal and external opponents. He misplayed his hand and will be lucky to retain control over Crimea in the short term. He’s biding his time hoping that Republicans take control in January.

Maybe one day you’ll see the irony of Putin funding common ground with MBS, Erdogan, Assad and Orban. It tells you everything you need to know. It’s sad when his only support in the UN comes from the likes of Belarus, Syria, Cuba, Nicaragua and North Korea.

What do you mean, believe what you like? Are the Gulf dictatorship authoritarian or not? If yes, why aren't they ever described as regimes? I thought you said all authoritarian governments are described as regimes? Were you lying?

It's less about defending Putin than knocking down your hypocrisy.

And finding common ground with MBS? You mean America's best friend for decades?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

LOL you can always tell when America is displeased with another country: they start referring to its government as "regime".

Government=good guys.

Regime=we no likey, you go soon.

Regime is generally understood to mean an authoritarian government. Does Russia not have an authoritarian government? Okay then.

You’re not very good at this.

Authoritarian government, schmauthoritarian schmovernment...it's about the money, honey.

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/10/18/retired-us-military-brass-are-cashing-in-with-work-for-gulf-autocrats-reports/

Hundreds of U.S. veterans, including former generals and other high-ranking officers, are cashing in on their government experience by working for foreign countries, according to a pair of explosive investigations from the Project on Government Oversight and the Washington Post.

The vast majority of former service members implicated in the investigations have worked for countries in the Middle East, where the U.S. military has taken part in a series of wars in recent decades.

Most of those have worked for military contractors in the United Arab Emirates, a country with a dismal human rights record both at home and abroad. The U.S. presence in the UAE is so significant that the Post called it a “military machine guided by Americans.” Notably, retired Marine Gen. Jim Mattis served as a military adviser to the UAE in 2015 before returning to government two years later as secretary of defense.

And 15 former generals and admirals have worked directly for Saudi Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohamed Bin Salman, who launched, and has since led, his country’s brutal war in Yemen.

Retired Marine General James L. Jones, who served as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser, started working with MbS in 2017, when the Saudi government enlisted Jones to “conduct an organizational assessment” of the country’s military. For the project, the former general enlisted the help of “about a dozen ​​former senior Pentagon officials, including William S. Cohen, who served as secretary of defense in the Clinton administration,” according to the Post.

The news raises serious questions about how secondary considerations — like getting a cushy job after retirement — could affect the decision-making process of America’s military leadership. After all, base pay for even the nation’s top generals is around $200,000 per year, and many have made far more than that in the service of foreign governments.

As the Post noted, some officers “even negotiated jobs with foreign governments while they were still on active duty,” and others are working in countries where they were stationed while on active duty.

The investigations stem from a trove of documents that POGO and the Post acquired from the Pentagon in a pair of lawsuits.

Given that former soldiers and officers can be called back to active service at any time, they are not allowed to receive anything of value from a foreign government, like all current U.S. officials. But in 1977, Congress granted the Pentagon and State Department the ability to issue waivers for that rule; those documents make up much of the dossiers acquired in the investigation.

Many of the forms are heavily redacted, and POGO and the Post continue to push the government for more complete information.

Though the executive branch can reject requests for waivers for numerous reasons, 95 percent of them have been approved since 2015, implying that the process is little more than a rubber stamp. And the Post found “scores of retirees on LinkedIn who say they have taken military contracting jobs in the Persian Gulf, but for whom there is no record of federal approval,” meaning that many veterans simply don’t take the time to ask permission. In other words, the actual scale of the problem remains hard to quantify.

In total, the documents reveal that veterans have been authorized to work for at least 50 foreign governments. In addition to countries in the Middle East, this includes Singapore, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Djibouti, and Australia.

Furthermore, this would mean that retired officers would be picking up six- or seven-figure salaries overseas while earning lucrative taxpayer-funded pensions back home. A four-star general with over 40-years of service in the military, for example, would be expected to receive more than $230,000 a year in retirement pay, plus health care benefits.

Notably, U.S. defense contractors have also become more enmeshed in the military-industrial complex of foreign countries. As the Post notes, Northrop Grumman has opened a joint venture called Vinnell Arabia LLC with Saudi firm Arab Builders for Trading. Vinnell employs “hundreds of Americans” tasked with training the Saudi national guard, according to the Post.

The revelations add to concerns about the extent to which foreign countries, including many with authoritarian governments, have expanded their influence over U.S. institutions.

Just last month, Responsible Statecraft reported that former Sen. Norm Coleman, a leading Republican fundraiser, currently works as a paid lobbyist for Saudi Arabia. And another recent RS investigation found that dozens of former officials, including numerous ex-members of Congress, have become lobbyists for Middle East autocracies, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Egypt.

Moreover, Retired four-star Marine general John R. Allen stepped down as head of the Brookings Institution in June after news broke that federal authorities believe Allen illegally lobbied for Qatar.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

LOL you can always tell when America is displeased with another country: they start referring to its government as "regime".

Government=good guys.

Regime=we no likey, you go soon.

Regime is generally understood to mean an authoritarian government. Does Russia not have an authoritarian government? Okay then.

You’re not very good at this.

LOL yet none of the Gulf dictatorship is ever described as "the Al-Khalifa regime" despite being 100% more authoritarian than Putin's government. And Al-Saud, a hereditary absolute monarchy state with zero popular participation wasn't ever described as a "regime" until Biden got pissed with MBS's lack of cooperation.

Hypocrite.

Believe what you like. Defend Putin to your dying breath. The days of his regime are numbered due to internal and external opponents. He misplayed his hand and will be lucky to retain control over Crimea in the short term. He’s biding his time hoping that Republicans take control in January.

Maybe one day you’ll see the irony of Putin funding common ground with MBS, Erdogan, Assad and Orban. It tells you everything you need to know. It’s sad when his only support in the UN comes from the likes of Belarus, Syria, Cuba, Nicaragua and North Korea.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

LOL you can always tell when America is displeased with another country: they start referring to its government as "regime".

Government=good guys.

Regime=we no likey, you go soon.

Regime is generally understood to mean an authoritarian government. Does Russia not have an authoritarian government? Okay then.

You’re not very good at this.

LOL yet none of the Gulf dictatorship is ever described as "the Al-Khalifa regime" despite being 100% more authoritarian than Putin's government. And Al-Saud, a hereditary absolute monarchy state with zero popular participation wasn't ever described as a "regime" until Biden got pissed with MBS's lack of cooperation.

Hypocrite.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The war in iraq was wrong. but you obviously know two wrongs don't make a right. Just because the United States has done bad things doesn't mean that Putin isn't an idiot who should have known better and who is obviously in the wrong.

That may all be true but what would you respond to Putin saying - hey, your president, too, invaded another country, that doesn't even share a border with you, for stupid made-up reasons, killed half a million people, and nothing really bad happened to him or your country. So why do you say I'm not allowed to do the same?

Spare us your whataboutist claptrap. Only a simpleton would attempt justify Putin’s bad acts by saying America has done bad things too.

You mean you don't have an answer?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

LOL you can always tell when America is displeased with another country: they start referring to its government as "regime".

Government=good guys.

Regime=we no likey, you go soon.

Regime is generally understood to mean an authoritarian government. Does Russia not have an authoritarian government? Okay then.

You’re not very good at this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The war in iraq was wrong. but you obviously know two wrongs don't make a right. Just because the United States has done bad things doesn't mean that Putin isn't an idiot who should have known better and who is obviously in the wrong.

That may all be true but what would you respond to Putin saying - hey, your president, too, invaded another country, that doesn't even share a border with you, for stupid made-up reasons, killed half a million people, and nothing really bad happened to him or your country. So why do you say I'm not allowed to do the same?

Spare us your whataboutist claptrap. Only a simpleton would attempt justify Putin’s bad acts by saying America has done bad things too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

What do you mean no one excusing the actions taken in Iraq? Who exactly was punished for this war? Who was called a terrorist? Was anyone sanctioned, cut off from the world, put in prison, declared a terrorist state? No one? Congratulations, that means everyone excused it. Atrocities with impunity? That's the definition right there. So please stop saying "no one is excusing the actions taken in Iraq" because guess what, everyone did.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The discourse concerning Russia’s status as a terrorist state which has destroyed about one-third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure snd is abducting children to live with Russian families. The swell guy who is targeting civilian centers with Iranian made drone bombs? Nobody is excusing the actions taken in Iraq snd yet you seem to believe that the Putin regime can commit atrocities with impunity.

LOL you can always tell when America is displeased with another country: they start referring to its government as "regime".

Government=good guys.

Regime=we no likey, you go soon.

Anonymous wrote:Putin loves when his goons resort to zelyonkin attacks on critics: Navalny, Kasyanov, Metrokhin

Keep your white supremacist, Russia-is-for-Russians Navalny, thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing Saddam to Putin probably isn’t the winning argument you seem to think.

I'm not comparing Putin to Saddam. I'm comparing a falsehood-inspired hysteria against Saddam and the terrible consequences it visited upon Iraq to the current discourse about Putin.

But you probably think the war in Iraq is a forgivable indiscretion because it's not like the bomb came down on your own house. Half a million dead brown people, meh, who cares. Let's weep for the blue-eyed instead.

The war in iraq was wrong. but you obviously know two wrongs don't make a right. Just because the United States has done bad things doesn't mean that Putin isn't an idiot who should have known better and who is obviously in the wrong.

That may all be true but what would you respond to Putin saying - hey, your president, too, invaded another country, that doesn't even share a border with you, for stupid made-up reasons, killed half a million people, and nothing really bad happened to him or your country. So why do you say I'm not allowed to do the same?