3 ms·

Because "almost every night" I assume he is not mobilized. Why would that be so?

by sorokod 4y ago

Luc 4y ago
300k mobilized in a population of 143 million, so about 2 per thousand.
- sorokod 4y ago
  A person with moral backbone should not be swayed by mere statistics. The official military along with the PMCs welcome volunteers.
- lnsru 4y ago
  That’s official numbers. There is no chance to check really how many were mobilized. Add Wagner prisoners and one can’t tell anymore anything.
watwut 4y ago
He might simply live in region that mobilized less. Of live abroad. Most of mobilization happen in poor peripheral regions. Moscow and surrounding mobilizes much less.
- sorokod 4y ago
  For sure, but a person with principles should act on them, otherwise they are just words.
  - watwut 4y ago
    But none of his principles implies he should go fight to war. He wants Russia win, but wanting particular outcome does not imply joining army. There is nothing special about that either. I wanted ISIS to loose, I never joined any legions. I want Ukraine to win, but I am not going there to fight either. If he claimed that not going is wrong, then he would be hypocrite. But it sounds more of "I want Russia to win and I accept human sacrifices along the way. That sux for them, but it is what it is" sort of attitude. Not exactly admirable, but also does not imply he should be volunteering.
    - sorokod 4y ago
      I think that there is some grey area around what a hypocrite is but not that much.
- Redoubts 4y ago
  Good news is Wagner just opened up recruiting centers in Russian 42 cities.
  - sorokod 4y ago
    Interestingly, announcement is on the VK (Russian analog of Facebook) page of Concord - a media company owned by Prigozhin. This how "siloviki" (power players) communicate with the masses.
noduerme 4y ago
Because he lives in America, and drinks at the same bar as me, and we have mostly amicable arguments. He tells me what he sees on Russian telegram. I believe he sincerely believes this propaganda. And I think he doesn't feel comfortable telling most other people here his opinions (although as I often point out, he will not be arrested or punished here for having a dissenting view, as he would be in his home country). I'm not someone who's into "canceling" people, so I listen and respond to his topics. I hear him out and give him my views and we argue. A lot of it comes back to his view that the West is not as good as Russia, even though when we talk about the details (like not getting arrested for free speech) he admits that it's better in some ways, but says that without strong central leadership the West is morally falling apart, (even though he chooses to live here)... I think he partly wants to convince an American, but partly he just wants to understand our point of view. [edit] based on your other posts down the chain, I think you're implying he's what we'd call a "chickenhawk". I won't confirm or deny that I think the same thing. To me it would be unhelpful to attack his personal lack of bodily commitment when I'm trying to argue historical reality and I'm one of the few Americans in his orbit who probably can. He can, of course, go to anyone else and be told to put his ass on the line if he believes X, Y and Z, so it wouldn't help the conversation.

Because "almost every night" I assume he is not mobilized. Why would that be so?

Luc 4y ago

300k mobilized in a population of 143 million, so about 2 per thousand.

sorokod 4y ago
A person with moral backbone should not be swayed by mere statistics. The official military along with the PMCs welcome volunteers.
lnsru 4y ago
That’s official numbers. There is no chance to check really how many were mobilized. Add Wagner prisoners and one can’t tell anymore anything.

watwut 4y ago

He might simply live in region that mobilized less. Of live abroad. Most of mobilization happen in poor peripheral regions. Moscow and surrounding mobilizes much less.

sorokod 4y ago
For sure, but a person with principles should act on them, otherwise they are just words.
- watwut 4y ago
  But none of his principles implies he should go fight to war. He wants Russia win, but wanting particular outcome does not imply joining army. There is nothing special about that either. I wanted ISIS to loose, I never joined any legions. I want Ukraine to win, but I am not going there to fight either. If he claimed that not going is wrong, then he would be hypocrite. But it sounds more of "I want Russia to win and I accept human sacrifices along the way. That sux for them, but it is what it is" sort of attitude. Not exactly admirable, but also does not imply he should be volunteering.
  - sorokod 4y ago
    I think that there is some grey area around what a hypocrite is but not that much.
Redoubts 4y ago
Good news is Wagner just opened up recruiting centers in Russian 42 cities.
- sorokod 4y ago
  Interestingly, announcement is on the VK (Russian analog of Facebook) page of Concord - a media company owned by Prigozhin. This how "siloviki" (power players) communicate with the masses.

noduerme 4y ago

Because he lives in America, and drinks at the same bar as me, and we have mostly amicable arguments. He tells me what he sees on Russian telegram. I believe he sincerely believes this propaganda. And I think he doesn't feel comfortable telling most other people here his opinions (although as I often point out, he will not be arrested or punished here for having a dissenting view, as he would be in his home country). I'm not someone who's into "canceling" people, so I listen and respond to his topics. I hear him out and give him my views and we argue. A lot of it comes back to his view that the West is not as good as Russia, even though when we talk about the details (like not getting arrested for free speech) he admits that it's better in some ways, but says that without strong central leadership the West is morally falling apart, (even though he chooses to live here)... I think he partly wants to convince an American, but partly he just wants to understand our point of view. [edit] based on your other posts down the chain, I think you're implying he's what we'd call a "chickenhawk". I won't confirm or deny that I think the same thing. To me it would be unhelpful to attack his personal lack of bodily commitment when I'm trying to argue historical reality and I'm one of the few Americans in his orbit who probably can. He can, of course, go to anyone else and be told to put his ass on the line if he believes X, Y and Z, so it wouldn't help the conversation.