Time for a zero refugee policy? - *Read OP for mod warnings and threadbans - updated 11/5/24*

The Ukraine/Russia war is the result of longstanding US foreign policy aimed at bringing Russia to heel. Russia is enormously rich in natural resources - oil/gas is but one of many Russian jewels.

What rapicious US corporation wouldn't lust after her?

The US has been seeking to overturn the apple cart ever since Putin replaced the malleable alcoholic, Yeltsin. For Putin restored a sovereignty lost at the collapse of the USSR.

Most recently, the US carried out a violent coup in Ukraine in 2014 (a.k.a.Maidan) and installed a puppet government. Victoria Nuland was even recorded discussing the US pick for the Ukrainian presidency. When queried on what Europe might think of that she said "F**k the EU"

Ballsy or what?

The US then spent the next 8 years arming and training a far right (i.e. Nazi ideology, AZOV) controlled military, which has engaged in a relentless attack on ethic Russian areas in the East of Ukraine.

The Minsk accords, supposedly aimed at resolving that conflict, were a sham. Poreshenko, Merkel and Hollande have all stated that the purpose of Minsk wasn't peace but were rather, a decoy to stall Russian action and give Ukraine time to arm).

Russia, who as far back as 2008 warned the US that Ukraine was a redline (on a par with Cuba in the 60's). Indeed, the now-CIA director, William Burns wrote a memo back then entitled 'Nyet means Nyet (No means No)'. It spelled out the fact that Russia would not and could not allow NATO encroachment via Ukraine. It was simply a step to far.

And if you look at a map of the region (with Russia-allied Belarus and the Black Sea as buffer regions between Russia and NATO) you'll understand why Ukraine was a step to far.

Or a bridge too far. For Ukraine is being slaughtered. The gloves aren't fully off, even now, but Russia has geared up and is in the process of totally squashing Ukrainian resistance.

And so you're beginning to hear talk of defeat in the mainstream media. The public is being prepared and shaped for the inevitable Western abandonment of Ukraine. "Insufficient artillery ammo - Ukraine in trouble" shouts The Gourdian. That fact was known 6 months ago when the Ukrainians used up all their Soviet era shells and the West had to start supplying guns that fit Western sized ammo. And scrape around former Soviet bloc countries for whatever they had lying around.

The US is great at starting wars and then losing wars and then abandoning ship. You'll recall the flight from Afghanistan.

[factoid: did you know that Big Bad Vlod Zelensky is, by birth, a Russian speaker? He only recently took a crash course in Ukrainian and isn't particularly fluent)

It is worth underlining the time remove: a 2008 warning from one big/nuclear power to another big/nuclear power to "gtf away from my backyard".

Big power's tend to have a say in such things... "Sovereignty" notwithstanding.

Look at a history book, if you're inclined to wave a flimsy bit of paper called 'international law/ peace in our time'.

Multiple warnings were issued in the interim and "peace treaties" trampled over by the West (Minsk 1 and 2). Until finally Russia decided to act.

And act with a soft glove on.

There was none of the 44 days of the carpet bombing of civilian Infrastructure that the US engaged in - before so much as a single US boot landed on the ground. The US way, as is the way of true war, was to flatten Iraq first. Why would you not??.

Not so the Russians in their Slavic neighbour. A year in and they still haven't flattened Ukraine. When they so easily could have

We, Ireland, ought not partake in supporting US foreign policy by succumbing so willingly to the US driven narrative.

One result of that is the influx of Ukrainian 'refugees'. We ought to be doing as Clare and Mick (for all their faults) are doing in calling out the US/EU on this matter. They don't absolve Russia but they do call out the US and EU connivance.

Some hope, given we allow the US military to fly in and out of the country at will. Some hope given we allow the US to destroy a critical piece of EU infrastructure and send gas prices thro' the roof and industry abroad. Funny that: the radio silence re: the most significant terrorist act since 9/11

Some hope given our sucking on the nipple of US FDI investment and our turning a blind eye to the REAL reason why US corporations invest here (what kind of crackpot banana Republic fights AGAINST their being awarded 10 billion € from a tax dodging rotten Apple operating in their jurisdiction??)

Let's face it folks, it isn't due to our speaking English or the temperature of the Guinness or the Craic(t/m)

As the man said: "they don't get to be big by being nice guys". As anyone who's worked for a US multinational knows well...

Its good to see that a fall can still be so swift and ignominious. Dread the day when it's not so