Check out these voracious expanding states

[FluffyMcDeath]

Just look at the maps!!

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

 

[Glaucus]

No, Russia doesn't want war. That's just what lying scum bags like you say to distract from what's really going on. Russia just wants it's old oppressive empire back. And that's why so many nations are looking Westward for help. Those with NATO bases are the lucky ones, I feel sorry for the ones that hesitated and will surely be absorbed into the Russian federation as a lesser state.

 

[Robert]

lying scum bags like you..

Tut, tut.

You're increasingly losing the ability to civilly tolerate differing opinions, Mike.

It's not a good look, sir.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

No, Russia doesn't want war. That's just what lying scum bags like you say to distract from what's really going on.

Bwah ha ha ha! Because I've been saying all along that Russia wants a war? Must check my diary for missing days.

Russia just wants it's old oppressive empire back.

That's just so cartoony.

Those with NATO bases are the lucky ones, I feel sorry for the ones that hesitated and will surely be absorbed into the Russian federation as a lesser state.

The choice is, be absorbed into the US banking system or be absorbed into Russia? Perhaps, but the being absorbed into the US system isn't the lesser evil. Ever since the USSR collapsed and the US went unipolar it's behaviour has been on a rapid moral decline. If Russia completely folds it will get even worse. We need a balance of powers so that each of them needs to at least act as if they are morally superior. Russia has actually invaded far fewer countries than the US has in the last thirty years. The last one was Afghanistan when they were trying to prevent the Taliban from taking over. Ha! We made sure that didn't work out.

 

[Robert]

Ever since the USSR collapsed and the US went unipolar it's behaviour has been on a rapid moral decline.

I'm not sure I'd go along with that. They've been interfering and invading other countries for far longer than that, however:

If Russia completely folds it will get even worse. We need a balance of powers so that each of them needs to at least act as if they are morally superior.

I'd reluctantly agree with this. It's not a nice situation but perhaps it's the best we can hope for, for now.

 

[Glaucus]

You're increasingly losing the ability to civilly tolerate differing opinions, Mike.

What if I said: I don't care what people say about Wilse, he's a stand up guy and no one should attack him.

It's a weird thing to say considering no one actually threatened to attack you, but me "defending" you that way makes people wonder what could you have done for people to want to attack you. Now you have to explain yourself even though there's nothing to explain.

Fluffy's post is along those lines. No one says Russia wants war, Russia wants it's former glory back and that's a different thing. I'm not disputing the existence of those bases, but that's just the bit of truth mixed in with the lies that makes it dangerous.

Let me put it another way, the argument that Russia or anyone else wants war is a tactic that favors Putin. War is scary and that means the threat of war alone is enough for people to do something or to not do something. In this case we are constantly presented with what's called a false dichotomy or false dilemma where it appears our two choices are to risk our own destruction by triggering WW3 or to preserve our existence by simply allowing Ukraine to be absorbed into Russia. Constantly talking about war with Russia makes it very scary and that's because a war with Russia would be scary, however, a war with Russia is not realistic at this point so what's with all the fear mongering? This is why I consider this to be more than just an opinion but out right manipulation. And sorry, I don't consider those who lie to me to be my friends and that's why I'm so harsh with Fluffy now. I know it seems like I'm flying off the handle but I find his posts rather insulting.

It's not a good look, sir.

Maybe not, but you didn't seem to mind when I was an asshole with Fade or Smerf. Whyzzat?

 

[Glaucus]

The choice is, be absorbed into the US banking system or be absorbed into Russia? Perhaps, but the being absorbed into the US system isn't the lesser evil.

That is your opinion but it's up to Ukrainians to decide how they want to go. Even if I agreed with you, which I don't, I'd still argue that it's their call to make and that's that.

We need a balance of powers so that each of them needs to at least act as if they are morally superior.

I always figured you missed the cold war, but I don't. I think the world is better off now. The proxy wars were worse than what we see now. But aside from the wars there was also the long term oppression of entire nations.

Russia has actually invaded far fewer countries than the US has in the last thirty years.

Well, just in the last 10 years Russia not only invaded but annexed parts or all of Chechnya, Georgia and Ukraine.

The last one was Afghanistan when they were trying to prevent the Taliban from taking over. Ha! We made sure that didn't work out.

No, they invaded because they suspected the current Afghan leaders to be leaning a little too far to the West. And the Taliban was just one group that opposed the Soviets and the rebels (Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara) were backed by other nations as well, such as Iran and China.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

More Russian expansionism ... and by Russian I mean ... someone else.