With apologies for voicing an opinion rather than linking an external article.

I am of the strong opinion that Remembrance Day had become at best grandstanding, and at worst, completely meaningless. There are phases tossed around like “Lest we Forget” or “Never Again”. But when Russia invaded Ukraine, we have effectively done the opposite (or very nearly).

Sure, we can send ammo so Ukranians can fight back, or host some of their forces for training. But the reality is, we are only marginally involved. We haven’t mobilized. We aren’t on war footing economically.

The root causes are many. But a combination of NATO’s article 5 protection only kicking in if we are attacked (rather than joining an already existing war), and the threat of nuclear retaliation, means we are paralyzed politically.

At a minimum: I would support direct involvement, whether that’s ramping up our own military, deploying specialists, reservists for minesweeping, stationing our own troops (meagre as they are) in Ukraine to directly support the fight. I would actually support much larger actions, including naval blockades or airspace closures but wholly understand that Canada cannot execute those on their own.

We cannot allow genocidal wars to be pressed in the modern world. And we should be doing everything we can about it. Right now, we’re doing barely more than nothing.

  • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    War is the worst form of diplomacy, but can be the only solution if the other party has wholly unacceptable proposals. Given the ultimate choice Ukraine and others have is capitulation or war, what would you have them do? Keep in mind that the last time Ukraine was under Soviet rule, little things like Holodomor happened, so capitulation may not be the life-saving option you’d think it would be.

    • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Everyone likes to refer to history 70 or 80 years ago … but ignore recent history from 10, 20 years ago when military forces were encroaching on Russian borders

      I don’t like Russia or its authoritarian government … but Ukraine was a preventable conflict but the world chose instead to start and then act surprised that it happened.

      • HikingVet@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Really? What steps could the international community have used? Which ones that they did use do you think were ineffectual? How do we force sovergien countries to be peaceful when they are beating the drums of war?

        • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          So the answer is when someone beats the war drum … to be a bigger war drum?

          I’ll keep repeating it … if the world wants to spend money on war, no one should act surprised when war occurs.

          Wars are also preventable and if conditions are constantly created to force war, war will always occur.

          Everyone can name one or two major corporations or companies that create and build military hardware because billions are spent on them … few can name a company or institution that builds and encourages peace because no one spends money on them … is it any wonder that war is so easily frequent in our world?

            • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              arrow-down
              3
              ·
              1 year ago

              How did you end up in a situation where someone is hitting you?

              We don’t just exist in a world where people will go around hitting each other … we aren’t Neanderthals, this isn’t a thousands years ago.

              If we choose to create and live in a world where hitting each other is the only way to communicate … then you’re right, you just hit back.

              There is money to be made on war and the owners of this world enjoy watching people hit each other.

              • Seasoned_Greetings@lemm.ee
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                1 year ago

                This one was actually quite funny.

                “Incel who can barely contain his rage, just itching to explain his violence-fantasy at the slightest provocation” describes you quite well as a person. Too bad even reality makes terrible troll bait and the person you tried baiting immediately saw through it. Maybe you’re not as good a troll as I thought?

                Anyway, glad I caught this one before I left. Better luck tomorrow, troll friend