Some Sense From A British Politician At Last

[jon1959]

I agree with Corbyn about the need to talk peace, about the historic imperialist role of NATO, and some of the dangers of pouring arms into Ukraine.

The Ukraine war has been a political 'get out of gaol' card for a lot of western leaders (especially Johnson until the cumulative effect of his lies became too much) and a cash machine for the arms industry.

But the key fact remains that Putin chose to invade. Ukraine is not and was not a model liberal democracy and there were abuses and some atrocities in the Donbas after 2014, but the war was Putin's decision. Putin is a right-wing authoritarian gangster, backed by the Russian mafia and a corrupted military, and reading from the Russian nationalist playbook. For all the finger pointing at Ukranian ultra nationalists and neo-Nazis like the Azov Battalion, Putin has promoted and used Russian groupings with similar politics. Russia must be stopped one way or another.

It looks as if the Ukraine war is settling into a stalemate - with both sides toying at times with the idea that they can win. Neither side will win. Short term sanctions have failed, but long term pressure on Putin might be effective. It is time for diplomacy and negotiations not military fantacists.

But the characterisation of Corbyn as Putin's mouthpiece is laughable. I think he is sometimes naive but he is consistent. He has called out Putin from day one. He has no sympathy with or connection to the Putin regime. Unlike Blair, Johnson and dozens of other western leaders who cozied up to Putin, Corbyn was always on the other side of the fence.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I agree with Corbyn about the need to talk peace, about the historic imperialist role of NATO, and some of the dangers of pouring arms into Ukraine.

The Ukraine war has been a political 'get out of gaol' card for a lot of western leaders (especially Johnson until the cumulative effect of his lies became too much) and a cash machine for the arms industry.

But the key fact remains that Putin chose to invade. Ukraine is not and was not a model liberal democracy and there were abuses and some atrocities in the Donbas after 2014, but the war was Putin's decision. Putin is a right-wing authoritarian gangster, backed by the Russian mafia and a corrupted military, and reading from the Russian nationalist playbook. For all the finger pointing at Ukranian ultra nationalists and neo-Nazis like the Azov Battalion, Putin has promoted and used Russian groupings with similar politics. Russia must be stopped one way or another.

It looks as if the Ukraine war is settling into a stalemate - with both sides toying at times with the idea that they can win. Neither side will win. Short term sanctions have failed, but long term pressure on Putin might be effective. It is time for diplomacy and negotiations not military fantacists.

But the characterisation of Corbyn as Putin's mouthpiece is laughable. I think he is sometimes naive but he is consistent. He has called out Putin from day one. He has no sympathy with or connection to the Putin regime. Unlike Blair, Johnson and dozens of other western leaders who cozied up to Putin, Corbyn was always on the other side of the fence.

Thanks for that post Jon. Eloquently written and well argued. The line that makes me twitchy is

Russia must be stopped one way or another.

There are many interpretations of what that means of course and what it entails.