Russia did not “reveal a different face” overnight. The face of the murderous beast was there long before and it was clearly visible. But most of the West opened its eyes overnight.
Yes, seriously as you would have known if you been following or researched the chronology and development of the Donbass conflict as well as its statistics and perhaps then compared it to the damage done only in two months of this war.
“What do his morals say about that?”
The same could be asked about the Washington correspondents for just about every media outlet, who lie beyond belief about just about everything today.
Stuck to the subject would you. There are plenty of articles critical of America on UnHerd, and I don’t see you complaining about the behaviour of Putin & co on those, so why try and deflect when the articles are critical of Russia?
What a ridiculously irrelevant contribution – so Russian in its deflective whataboutery, and complete refusal to address the matter at hand. Pathetic.
Iris C
1 year ago
I am asked every time I log on if I am a member. If the content of your articles and the responses continue to be bland without any controversy, I can’t see the point of being a member. Have you been hacked? Or have I been hacked and that is why I am asked for my details every time I log on?
So you’d rather they parrot nonsense from Russia State television? Just because there are two sides to every story, that doesn’t mean both sides are correct or equally valid. Ukraine has done nothing to cause the slaughter and destruction Russia has put upon its people, the blame for this falls entirely on Putins shoulders
Peter Scott
1 year ago
In my view the first thing to say is, that Putin is a tyrant with blood-soaked hands.
The second thing is that anyone who hopes/expects Russia to become a peaceful civilized democracy, as understood by Thomas Jefferson, is living in the same dreamland that produced the invasion of Iraq (with the sincere but deluded wish that that country would be a beacon example to the rest of Middle Eastern Arabia). Strong man rule is probably all that Russia can know and cope with – alas!
All that fully acknowledged, I still feel that the Occidental democracies behaved in a mean cheap way to Russia’s people post-1991.
The Russians gave up their large empire almost wholly pacifically. They even committed the huge self-sacrifice of letting Ukraine go and with it their only warm water ports and balmy seaside resorts, and (above all) what to them is the holy city of Kiev, one of the main founts and origins of Russian culture.
How did we respond? By sending dignitaries of highest rank to stand shoulder to shoulder with their chiefs at various commemorations of their country’s huge losses in WWII? No.
By talking about them politely? No. They were (absurdly) cast in the role of Election-Fixer when our elites were scandalised by the success of our Leave vote and Donald Trump’s ascent to the US Presidency in 2016.
By organising a sort of mini-Marshall Aid programme designed, as much as might be, to evade all the skimming that it would be subject to in such a land? No.
Very probably everything which has happened in Russia since 1991 would have occurred anyway, regardless of grace and courtesy from the Occident.
Nevertheless I cannot rejoice in the meanness our politicians and journalism all but constantly displayed. And I would certainly feel that Ukraine might still not be invaded if both NATO and the EU had not intimated a willingness to let the Ukrainians join those bodies – much too provocative after all the banquet of humble pie the Russians had already tried to digest.
Terry M
1 year ago
“Our two countries had important interests and global concerns in common, he said. But there was mutual distrust to overcome. Perhaps one could organize some youth programs, he suggested. These could bring Russian young people together with their American counterparts, to start building mutual understanding and forge relationships. What he had in mind was organic, gradual and positive.”
Putin’s War Corps has put this on the ash-heap of history.
N T
1 year ago
It is possible to further isolate Moscow by being overtly friendly with those not in Moscow. I would love to break bread with the man and learn things that he has to share, if only because I believe that by showing him and others friendship, we remind them that there is another way.
Jim R
1 year ago
Maybe as a Russian, he’s actually on Russia’s side? Maybe as diplomats, these people ought to be talking to each other – you know, diplomacy. Maybe there was just a teensy-weensy bit of provocation – the kind Obama warned about. The kind the Pope just intimated – i think he called it barking at the gates of Russia or something. Maybe an off ramp for the Russians that recognized this provocation could end a war and save a few hundred thousand lives and a few trillions of dollars. Maybe lots of people don’t want the war to end. Radical thoughts, I know.
Last edited 1 year ago by Jim R
Nicholas Rynn
1 year ago
Putin’s appointee – accept the consequences.
Dustshoe Richinrut
1 year ago
“Ambassadors tend to be well educated, well-traveled and self-possessed.”
The hyphen in “well-traveled” is unnecessary. In fact, it’s … incorrect spelling-wise. (Or should I say punctuation-wise?).
And for that matter, “self-possessed” has an unnecessary hyphen, too.
According to my dictionary, “well” is used for making many compound adjectives (formed from two or more words: such as “well-brought-up” or “well-thought-of”). These adjectives should appear with a hyphen or hyphens when they are used BEFORE a noun: a well-known musician, for example.
When these compound adjectives are used AFTER a noun, they should be written without a hyphen: a person who is well travelled has been to many different countries and is familiar with their culture, for example.
This business is independently owned.
An independently-owned business.
They are working class.
They are working-class heroes.
I just saw the discrepancy between one unhyphenated adjective (well educated), and then in the next breath a hyphenated one (well-traveled) and I thought why should there be any difference.
Well, let’s get well educated! Then!
If I am not mistaken, Lennon’s “working class hero” song is spelt just so: without a hyphen. If the record company had printed the lyric (back in the day) with a hyphen, Lennon might have grumbled: “Don’t be snooty!”
And I’m sorry for being so snooty about an otherwise very interesting piece here. The story of the ambassador might make for a very interesting one- or two-person play, in a few wee years. Don’t you think?
Anyway, it’s early, a cuppa is due, and it’s spring-time, and I’m trying to ward off this stupid, stupid conflict. Never mind all those pictures of fancy mega-yachts that mock us all!
I really am not that worried. The content of the article is more important. I wonder, nevertheless, is this a Russian sponsored diversion piece. Have – a – wonderful – day!
Russia did not “reveal a different face” overnight. The face of the murderous beast was there long before and it was clearly visible. But most of the West opened its eyes overnight.
“…no one will forget that Russia wrecked its neighbour without anything even distantly approaching a proportionate provocation.”
Seriously?
Yes, seriously as you would have known if you been following or researched the chronology and development of the Donbass conflict as well as its statistics and perhaps then compared it to the damage done only in two months of this war.
I thought Cheryl Benard’s sentence was particularly well put. Spot on, in fact.
seriously.
“An ambassador is an honest gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.”*
(* Sir Henry Wotton, 1604.)
“What do his morals say about that?”
The same could be asked about the Washington correspondents for just about every media outlet, who lie beyond belief about just about everything today.
Stuck to the subject would you. There are plenty of articles critical of America on UnHerd, and I don’t see you complaining about the behaviour of Putin & co on those, so why try and deflect when the articles are critical of Russia?
What a ridiculously irrelevant contribution – so Russian in its deflective whataboutery, and complete refusal to address the matter at hand. Pathetic.
I am asked every time I log on if I am a member. If the content of your articles and the responses continue to be bland without any controversy, I can’t see the point of being a member. Have you been hacked? Or have I been hacked and that is why I am asked for my details every time I log on?
Groupthink by definition is anti-liberal and a harbinger of further descent into censorship and tyranny.
Another one who has lost his moral compass. Where’s the nuance in the unprovoked invasion and trashing of another country?
So you’d rather they parrot nonsense from Russia State television? Just because there are two sides to every story, that doesn’t mean both sides are correct or equally valid. Ukraine has done nothing to cause the slaughter and destruction Russia has put upon its people, the blame for this falls entirely on Putins shoulders
In my view the first thing to say is, that Putin is a tyrant with blood-soaked hands.
The second thing is that anyone who hopes/expects Russia to become a peaceful civilized democracy, as understood by Thomas Jefferson, is living in the same dreamland that produced the invasion of Iraq (with the sincere but deluded wish that that country would be a beacon example to the rest of Middle Eastern Arabia). Strong man rule is probably all that Russia can know and cope with – alas!
All that fully acknowledged, I still feel that the Occidental democracies behaved in a mean cheap way to Russia’s people post-1991.
The Russians gave up their large empire almost wholly pacifically. They even committed the huge self-sacrifice of letting Ukraine go and with it their only warm water ports and balmy seaside resorts, and (above all) what to them is the holy city of Kiev, one of the main founts and origins of Russian culture.
How did we respond? By sending dignitaries of highest rank to stand shoulder to shoulder with their chiefs at various commemorations of their country’s huge losses in WWII? No.
By talking about them politely? No. They were (absurdly) cast in the role of Election-Fixer when our elites were scandalised by the success of our Leave vote and Donald Trump’s ascent to the US Presidency in 2016.
By organising a sort of mini-Marshall Aid programme designed, as much as might be, to evade all the skimming that it would be subject to in such a land? No.
Very probably everything which has happened in Russia since 1991 would have occurred anyway, regardless of grace and courtesy from the Occident.
Nevertheless I cannot rejoice in the meanness our politicians and journalism all but constantly displayed. And I would certainly feel that Ukraine might still not be invaded if both NATO and the EU had not intimated a willingness to let the Ukrainians join those bodies – much too provocative after all the banquet of humble pie the Russians had already tried to digest.
“Our two countries had important interests and global concerns in common, he said. But there was mutual distrust to overcome. Perhaps one could organize some youth programs, he suggested. These could bring Russian young people together with their American counterparts, to start building mutual understanding and forge relationships. What he had in mind was organic, gradual and positive.”
Putin’s War Corps has put this on the ash-heap of history.
It is possible to further isolate Moscow by being overtly friendly with those not in Moscow. I would love to break bread with the man and learn things that he has to share, if only because I believe that by showing him and others friendship, we remind them that there is another way.
Maybe as a Russian, he’s actually on Russia’s side? Maybe as diplomats, these people ought to be talking to each other – you know, diplomacy. Maybe there was just a teensy-weensy bit of provocation – the kind Obama warned about. The kind the Pope just intimated – i think he called it barking at the gates of Russia or something. Maybe an off ramp for the Russians that recognized this provocation could end a war and save a few hundred thousand lives and a few trillions of dollars. Maybe lots of people don’t want the war to end. Radical thoughts, I know.
Putin’s appointee – accept the consequences.
“Ambassadors tend to be well educated, well-traveled and self-possessed.”
The hyphen in “well-traveled” is unnecessary. In fact, it’s … incorrect spelling-wise. (Or should I say punctuation-wise?).
And for that matter, “self-possessed” has an unnecessary hyphen, too.
According to my dictionary, “well” is used for making many compound adjectives (formed from two or more words: such as “well-brought-up” or “well-thought-of”). These adjectives should appear with a hyphen or hyphens when they are used BEFORE a noun: a well-known musician, for example.
When these compound adjectives are used AFTER a noun, they should be written without a hyphen: a person who is well travelled has been to many different countries and is familiar with their culture, for example.
This business is independently owned.
An independently-owned business.
They are working class.
They are working-class heroes.
I just saw the discrepancy between one unhyphenated adjective (well educated), and then in the next breath a hyphenated one (well-traveled) and I thought why should there be any difference.
Well, let’s get well educated! Then!
If I am not mistaken, Lennon’s “working class hero” song is spelt just so: without a hyphen. If the record company had printed the lyric (back in the day) with a hyphen, Lennon might have grumbled: “Don’t be snooty!”
And I’m sorry for being so snooty about an otherwise very interesting piece here. The story of the ambassador might make for a very interesting one- or two-person play, in a few wee years. Don’t you think?
Anyway, it’s early, a cuppa is due, and it’s spring-time, and I’m trying to ward off this stupid, stupid conflict. Never mind all those pictures of fancy mega-yachts that mock us all!
I really am not that worried. The content of the article is more important. I wonder, nevertheless, is this a Russian sponsored diversion piece. Have – a – wonderful – day!