Can it get more silly? Russia, after disintegration of the Soviet Union, has not moved an inch to the west. NATO, on the other hand, is nearer on Russia than ever. And does military exercises near the Russian border. And builds launching pads for nuclear and anti missile rockets in Poland and Romania. And has invaded country after country (Republic of Yugoslavia 1999, Afghanistan 2001, Iraq 2003, Libya 2011...) while breaking international laws in the process. Yet, "Russia’s Military Buildup in the Baltic Stokes Invasion Fears"!<p>This insults intelligence of every critically thinking person.
I am so disappointed with our Western media and their complicity in shadowy anti-Russia propaganda. I know that Russia has many faults, but over the last few years we have been drip fed so many negative stories about Russia it is crazy. It really feels like we are being mentally prepared for a war that Russia (and most of our own public!) obviously does not want. I find this terrifying.<p>Look at the actions of the US and NATO in regard to military drills, troop reinforcement and the number of bases and missiles they have pointed at Russia. What is going on? In the UK every month or so we are given stories about Russian aggression and the existential threat they pose to the West. When you start digging into these stories, this stance is not justified in facts.
This is getting scary. So far, Russia has bitten off a piece of Georgia, wiped out Georgia's navy, taken Crimea, wiped out Ukraine's navy, and has an ongoing war with Ukraine. And they got away with all of it.<p>Ukraine thought it had a security guarantee from the US and the UK.[1] That's why they gave up the nuclear weapons they had left over from their USSR days. When the crunch came, they weren't defended by the US and the UK.<p>So far, Russia hasn't attacked a NATO member country. So far.<p>This could lead to WWIII.<p>[1] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum_on_Security_Assurances" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum_on_Securit...</a>
So it's propaganda that Russia just took land Ukraine, is it? Russia has built little trust with the western world and unfortunately you reap what you sow.
Just to clarify my comments here. I'm not in any way suggesting that Putin is an angel. He (personally) is a thug, a thieve, a liar and a murderer. His government reflects all of this.<p>Yet I have FAR more respect for him than for ANY western politician. Putin is transparent. He goes after what he wants in an unapologetic way. It is very easy to see right through everything that he does and is also quite predictable.<p>Western politicians, on the other hand, seem UTTERLY clueless, impotent and chaotic. They are weak in a way that is repulsive.<p>And no, lining up untold billions of dollars of military equipment alongside Russia's border is NOT a show of strength. It is the opposite.
Cue invasion of the Putin-sponsored posters or raging Russian patriots in 3 2 1 ... Russians are fed, and very often believe, a state-sponsored reality that blames the West for internal problems.
I don't think discussion is turning out constructive. For one thing no one is actually discussing the contents of the article.<p>It should really be nuked from the orbit. dang?
Russia has annexed Crimea. ANNEXED!<p>Russian tanks, grads and soldiers are killing people in Ukraine every day This cannot have any excuses.<p>Your logic makes me feel disgust.