I cannot for the life of me see how Russia’s war in Ukraine bears even a passing resemblance to Iraq save for the subtextual argument Ukraine’s critics seem to have internalized that America is the bad guy. https://t.co/K5APb7UTAB
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) September 26, 2023
1) The same idiots who push the most aggressive posture in Ukraine (you) did the same in Iraq (also you).
2) the bizarre and reflexive WW2 analogies. “If we don’t stop him here….” “Neville Chamberlain also said….”
3) The defense of the policy in terms of generic institutional deference and international norms rather than concrete American interest.
4) The belief that tough talk and suicidal depletion of resources is an effective deterrent rather than, say, not wasting thousands of lives, billions of dollars, and much of our modern weapons of war.
5) The mission creep. From eliminating weapons of mass destruction to building a liberal democracy in Iraq. From stopping the Russian advance to reclaiming every inch of territory to toppling Putin in Eastern Europe.
6) The moralistic defense of our policies (freedom! democracy!) despite the fact that our client states are neither free nor democratic.
7) The failure of our elites to acknowledge that our policies are enabling the persecution of historic Christian communities.
8) The fact that our policies unite our adversaries together—Iraq and Iran then, Russia and China now.
9) Both led (or will lead) to massive refugee crises that destabilize European allies and threaten our security. (I’m sure you and others will try to distance yourselves from the consequences of driving up food prices and migration pressures for the entire continent of Africa.)
10) Both empower China.
Other than that, yeah, totally different.
Rothman, however, embraces banana republic style treatment of American dissidents. He recently defended excessive prison sentences for Trump supporters convicted by Democratic juries on nonexistent evidence. Maybe he’s more of a Putin sympathizer than he thinks… pic.twitter.com/ZgEvjcom9y
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) September 26, 2023
He can’t see even a resemblance? Sounds exactly like the left’s treatment of election fraud; OF COURSE it is there and irrefutable so don’t even LOOK at it. Just take my word for it that it ain’t there.
09/28/23 – ‘Massive cyberattack’ disrupts Russian airports; Moscow’s economy struggles –
Whatever the cost to whom? They’d still be eating caviar at Putin’s $1.4 Billion private palace as the peasants starve.