VICE being the #1 news organization in the World


Nobody seems to care though-

Threads just drop...

Maybe it's me

it is a provocative header though, i almost didn't click..

that said, I think you have it in a nutshell. I just hope the drama and the rhetoric around this issue de-escalates quickly..

I admit, I have not been here much in the past several days but I am curious why.

The man is still a KGB agent. A dictator, a self absorbed narcissist. Why would anyone be pro Putin? Don't tell me DUers don't have problems with, at least, his anti-gay attitude.

Has no one watched the way he ruined the lives of Sochiis by building that Olympic village, forcing them from their land, forcing them to take large detour to get to a destination?

sources being used. I even saw one the other day from a communist website and yesterday from a socialist website. Not your everyday fare for DU.

So...let's just say there are varying opinions on DU by well read people who can agree to disagree.

That the Ukraine has hundreds of miles of shared border with Russia? That is a fact!

That Russia has a Naval port in the Crimea? That is a fact!

That Putin is an Ass hole. Well, you got me their friend. That is opinion.

That sooner or later we will have to deal with Russia if the Ukraine is going to have a chance? I frankly don't see any other way around that and is self evident. If you call that propaganda, tell me how so rather than just accusing someone of being a propagandist. Make your case rather than just spurting out the first thing that comes to your mind.

far worse, you see, and any criticism of the oligarch Putin is 'red baiting'. I have been attacked simply for opposing the anti gay laws there, I was told I 'hate the Russian people in their entirety' for defending LGBT Russian people. Ya know?

EVEN IF the anti-gay laws here are worse, that does not mean that the "lenient" laws in Russia should be accepted.

I suppose boycotting the games by most western leaders, and "loading" our delegation with openly gay people was for naught?

Sometimes it is sad when people put themselves in a tunnel vision.

And, again, I have to wonder why. EVEN IF LGBT people are not persecuted in Russia - a big IF -is blockading the port of a sovereign country acceptable?

Do the pro-Putin here really think that he is a "benevolent dictator?" Do they align themselves with Bush who "looked" into Putin eyes and found... what, exactly?

Sad that you are attacked here for expressing what really is a known fact.

Because the Crimeans "asked for help" and are ethnically Russian. I pointed out that Syrians had also asked, in fact pleaded for help, and the same person didn't support intervention there. She got testy.

Then a couple of people have insisted opposition to the invasion is expressing fear or hatred toward the big, bad communist. I guess they missed the newsflash that Russia hasn't been communist for over twenty years.

of any kind?

No doubt, if we sent troops on the ground to Syria or to Ukraine, they will holler..

Which is why the person got personally insulting when I pointed out the inconsistencies between that position and opposing intervention in Syria. Only thing I could figure is that it's okay because Russia is doing it.

It's almost as if they rehearse what to say in the media.

That is if anyone dare express an opinion other than your own.

And yes you are damned right I think it's a conspiracy.

Fox News is rightwing trash propaganda - do you REALLY think they'd have same opinion of Putin now if a repuke was president? HYPOCRITES.

They would oppose the position of the President no matter what his plan of action was.

Our base in Cuba.

That doesn't change the fact that Putin is indeed an asshole.

And yet we have to deal with these ass holes in life.

the West wants more ties with the EU and the rest of the West. That said, Putin has no phucking right to do anything militarily, none whatsoever...they need to be forced to back down so talks can begin before this turns into a bloody, bloody mess.

There is not a lot of praise for Putin here on DU. That's a straw man being thrown out there by some. Why they're doing that? It's pretty clear to me...... but judge their motivation for yourself.

Having said that.......I agree with the rest of your post above.

I only seem to come here and vent when fit is hitting the shan. World events like this puts me in the mode of trying to reach out and figure out what is going on. DU is a good place to do that.

The last time I was here was when Obama was talking about going into Syria. God I am glad we missed that bullet there.

For the last couple of days I have been coming here for my news. I see and read all types of strange and different points of view.

It seems that there are some people here that have posted articles that are definitely pro Putin. In my view, one is too many. The price of freedom for sure.

On the other side of that coin however, I have read posts that are moralistic in nature and act like the West can solve this situation without Russia. I just don't see a way forward in the real world of how that can be done.

Sometimes in life, we just have to deal with people like Putin, whether we like it or not.

...... and installed (employing the "muscle" of the far right and fascists) in order to put the oligarchs in charge.

is to be open and skeptical at the same time. I learned that lesson when GWB invaded Iraq and our wonderful news media was telling us that Saddam had nuclear missiles that could reach Washington state and was somehow responsible for 9/11.

I'll give you a clue...... do a search on Igor Kolomoisky and Serhiy Taruta.

One can acknowledge Putin has played his cards well, and still not be "Pro-Putin."