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> Most Russians don't seem to want to invade other countries. This is true for basically every people every time in history. People care about food, family, a
by pmontra 5y ago
> Most Russians don't seem to want to invade other countries.
This is true for basically every people every time in history. People care about food, family, a house, medical care. All is well until some government starts pushing them into a warring state of mind.
Examples from the previous generation of European wars, when Italy invented fascism, Germany followed suit ten years later and both countries started to think about land grabs in Europe and Africa. We got WW2 first but only 12 years after the end of it France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux started the process [1] that led to the current EU. All friends again.
My bet: without the current leadership and their propaganda very few Russians would think about invading other countries so be ready to reach out to them when it will be all over. What we don't have to do is to start a process like the one that led Germany from the defeat in WW1 to desires of revenge and WW2, or Russia from the defeat in the Cold War to the current attempt to create its empire again.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Community https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Community
- T-zex 5y agoItalian and German fascism lasted relatively short period of time. Generation that "invented" it had a chance to change their mind. Russian fascism runs for multiple generations. Russia never was democratic. Russian mentality is to have an aggressive leader ("бьёт - значит любит"). Navalny is perceived as an alternative to Putin, but he supported Crimean annexation and Georgian war. There is no evidence the remedies that worked for Nazi Germany will work for Russia.
- CRConrad 5y agoThe de-totalitarianization of the people will have to be all the more thorough.
- pbourke 5y ago> What we don't have to do is to start a process like the one that led Germany from the defeat in WW1 to desires of revenge and WW2, or Russia from the defeat in the Cold War to the current attempt to create its empire again. I note, grimly, that your positive example (Germany and Italy post-WW2) was precipitated by the total defeat, occupation and renovation of those two states by the victors of the war. That is not possible in the current situation, where the best case outcome is that Russia retreats to pre-2014 borders with Ukraine.
- pmontra 5y agoInvasions end governments sometimes. There are many processes that can result into a change of leadership. Ultimately it will be up to the Russians because nobody will ever invade them (the nuclear deterrent), no matter their fears. Actually I wonder if the Kremlin really fears an invasion. We were happy to pay for anything we wanted from Russia.