103 Bad Guy
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103 Bad Guy
Does there always have to be a bad guy?
What is the real situation with Russia and the Ukraine? What does the average person really know about both countries? Do you own any products that were made in each of the countries?
I will answer the last question first. Yes, I have cameras that were made in both countries. My main medium format film camera for years was a Kiev. I bought a new one which later got stolen from my studio. The second one I bought was used. I checked with a Kiev Camera repair center as it being used and I was going to do professional photography with it and was told make sure it was made before the fall of communism. Why, because the ones made after the fall had quality problems as the country as the company had production quotes which did not exist prior to the fall. The product need to be profitable. It was before, but the money designation was different.
I bought a Russian made Holga, a twin lens reflex camera known for it questionable quality which gave interesting special effects by error. Bought used off eBay it did make some interesting pictures.
Both cameras operated as advertised and made some great film pictures. It also gave me a slight connection to the two countries.
Looking at what the average person knows about the two countries is how they are painted by the mainstream media. Russia bad, Ukraine good. Americans can hear from Zelensky and cannot hear from Putin. Tucker Carlson got an interview with Putin. The rest of the media ripped him. Did they try to get said interview? Or were they just going to take the word of the White House.
To understand part of the Ukraine Russia situation is to realize that in part it is a border dispute. Border disputes in Europe go back thousands of years. This is not just these tow countries, but there were France and Germany borders. Empires such as the Roman, Greek and Ottoman empires. Ever wonder why Roman Catholic Clergy are celibate? Kings had a habit of getting their bishops married in order to gain land. The Vatican had enough of that. Celibate!
The modern problems come after World War II. There was the breakup of the Soviet Union. Easier for countries like Latvia, Estonia, Harder for the Ukraine Russia region as there is a mix of territory that had ethnic Russians as a large part of the population. What were the negotiations of borders after WWII and what has evolved since with re-negotiations needs better reporting. Also, how much of the border negotiations were highly influenced by the British. It seems when Great Britain is involved it always seems to set the tone for problems.
The big question after looking at the information, does there have to be a bad guy? Granted, there is evil the world, but many of us had the hope that finally the cold war could be gone. Could this be the chance to finally have the two world powers finally live in peace?
President Eisenhower warned us about the Military Industrial complex. The Senate just passed a $95 billion package (how this works with a $34 trillion deficit I don’t know). From the Des Moines Register dated February 13, 2024:
Phil "Grassley noted that although the funding has been branded as "aid to Ukraine," much of it will be spent in the United States."
"For instance, $20 billion of the so-called Ukraine money is actually for (Department of Defense) to buy weapons here at home to replenish our stockpiles with new, updated weapons," he said. "$8.3 billion is allocated to greatly expand American military production capacity."
Listening to Grassley, one of my two senators, I want to know why he brings out this angle and does not talk about why there are no talks between Ukraine and Russia. Why does he go out of his way to say that money comes back to the Military Industrial Complex of which Eisenhower warned us? Is he trying to save face with those of us who want to see negotiations? While he is at it, why not bring up financial support for the United Nations who many people think is there to hold these negotiations? For that matter, can anyone tell us what the purpose of the United Nations is?
Who is the bad guy? Is Putin the new Muammar Gaddafi or Saddam Hussein? The United States and England are tired of him for being in there too long and they feel it is time for a change?
Is Zelensky the bad guy? What is his tie to the Biden payoffs? Why do they keep saying there will be no elections to affirm or can him?
Has anyone ever won a war with Russia? Does it make any humane sense to perpetuate a situation where there is not positive outcome? Does it make sense that the American economy gets drained for all this money with out negotiations? What did Boris Johnson tell Zelensky back in 2022 to scuttle the cease fire agreement?
Can I ask these questions?
Does there always have to be a bad guy?
