Rayrena, you have to understand. It's sad but this happens among these otherwise smart people every time somebody sticks a finger in America's eye. I often find myself cheering for my countries tormentors, but then I grow up.
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Good morning everybody!
I think that for this debate's duration, I'm going to think of you and rayrena as the 'I'm Not Listening Brothers'.
Your playbook, so far, consists of:
* Not listening to what your debating opponents are actually saying
but instead
* Using whatever they write as a launch pad for your pet ideas
So, in this case boddhi, no one's been cheerleading for Putin. We've only said that given the circumstances, Moscow's actions were understandable. You interpret this to be the cry of people who're "...badly frustrated, maintaining hope in a world that seems hopeless."
Which is sweet, in a totally wrong sort of way. Because, embedded in that surface kindness is the condescending idea that we're all a bunch of jabrones who -- like a group of kids reading their first Chomsky essay -- are running around, declaring 'the enemy of our enemy' to be our friend.
Well, I've got news for you superhombre, we moved past that point long ago. Even Chris Doss, who you often J'accuse of being some sort of Putin fanboy, has only stated what should be obvious: people's lives improved, that means something. Very simple and direct and not at all like Yoshie's, er, enthusiasm for Tehran.
I'm calling shenanigans on your surface equanimity which is very much like the 'bless yo heart' Southern style of insult shag has explained.
In closing, I still note the curious fact that you seem more concerned about pipelines and what have you than with the hard-ass facts on the ground.
I'm picturing you in the middle of a firefight, reaching for whatever book will determine the ethical thing to do.
.d.