Here is a video where Chris Hedges analyzes the volatile situation in eastern Europe, with Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine. As soon as I saw this one, it felt like a necessity to watch. Hedges tends to not just be insightful in a way that most others so-called experts are not, but he is brutally honest to an extent that is rare among high profile individuals, to boot. He is able to diagnose the situation in Ukraine, both how it developed and what it likely means, in a way that most people on both sides of the war simply cannot, or will not.
The truth about this war in Ukraine to me has always seemed to be far more two-sided than either side will acknowledge. No, Ukraine is not simply Russian, as Putin and many Russians will contend. And yes, the invasion was an unprovoked act of aggression. However, the West is far more responsible than it lets on, in my view. NATO was outright an organization meant to keep the Soviet Union in check. After the end of the Cold War, including in the decades which have followed, some people have questioned the use of NATO. And let's face it: this was a real, legitimate question. Why pour money and effort into a military alliance that was meant to keep one particular threat in check, when that threat no longer exists in a literal manner? After all, the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991.
However, instead of disbanding, or reforming, NATO expanded. And it seems like instead of embracing Russia into the family of nations, Western nations - especially the United States - continued to view the Russians with skepticism. NATO expanded to the east, ever closer to Russia's borders, even though there were promises by western nations - and again, particularly the United States - not to bring NATO closer to Russia. But those were promises that were ultimately broken. Indeed, the whole Ukrainian conflict seems to center on Ukraine siding increasingly more closely with the West than with Russia, and Ukraine's entry into the EU and especially NATO felt like a threat to Putin and Russia. Hence, the apparent sense of urgency on the part of Putin for this invasion.
But it does feel like they were kind of urged on, indirectly, by the West, or by the United States, most especially. After all, this not only would prove that NATO was still necessary, but also, that the greatly inflated military budget for the United States is indeed justified. Also, the selling of weapons to European nations suddenly paranoid about the prospect of real Russian aggression surely will pay dividends. My cynical side would tend to feel that someone in the military industrial complex was profiting so greatly from this, that this whole thing indeed was orchestrated by some evil genius playing war games.
Please understand that this is not some kind of show of support for Russia. I completely sympathize with the Ukrainian cause, and wish the war would end tomorrow, although that seems unlikely. My suspicion is that Hedges is right, that Putin walked into a trap. I think that, secretly, he senses this, that he knows he bit off more than he could chew. My Polish girlfriend is very worried right now about the possibility of Putin invading Poland. But Putin always seemed to me to be more coldly calculating than simply crazy. The invasion of neighboring Ukraine, which is neither in NATO or even in the EU, felt like a very calculated risk. But given the difficulties that Russian invading forces have faced, as well as the vehement opposition and seeming worldwide condemnation of the Russian invasion, it seems to me now that Putin miscalculated, underestimating just how much the world would object, and how dearly Russia would pay.
Maybe now, Putin is desperate. He may very well feel cornered ad increasingly desperate. After all, the sanctions imposed on his country are quite dramatic, and again, I suspect that he was taken a bit by surprise by them. He can deny how much they will have an impact all he wants, but my guess is that he is very nervous, perhaps already even desperate. And a desperate man is likely a lot more dangerous and unpredictable than a coldly calculating man, which makes this situation more dangerous.
Take a look at this video. Listen to what Hedges is saying, and understand that he is giving a more honest and, frankly, informed point of view than you are likely to get from CNN, or FOX, or even the BBC or Al Jazeera. It might help make Putin's move a little easier to understand, although not to condone. Remember, Russia has a history of being invaded, and we are not talking ancient history. There is a reason why they feel that both an economic and especially a military alliance closing in on their borders poses a serious threat to their national security.
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