Things continued to heat up in Ukraine for weeks. And now we are at the tenth day of war. Please understand: we here at TPOL condemn Russian aggression. And we were wrong thinking that Putin was putting pressure on Ukraine by preparing for an invasion. But this war is NOT anything that is harming legitimate American interests – unless we make it so by getting more involved. Stay out of it. Let those at war now continue to fight their war. Or wars.

War is bad – even worse when it is not essential. The lies, the fog of war make it worse. Especially when all the moaning and screaming and crying fogs up matters more. When there are questions. For example…

War between whom? According to the media (both mainstream and alternative) it is the evil monster Russia (led by Satan’s righthand man Putin) against poor, innocent, freedom-loving Ukraine (led by the Jewish democrat comedian).

But it seems to me to be more complex. A lot more complex. Ukraine is not some innocent, democratic, free country. Consider the “ethnic” Russian people who live in those two breakaway republics, Donetsk and Luhansk. And the Russians in other portions of Ukraine. Who have voted over and over – with ballots and their feet – to leave Ukraine.

Think about Belarus, clearly the ally of Moscow, supposedly under Russia’s thumb. And the springboard for part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And Moldova, to the southwest of Ukraine. There are Russians in both of these nations: breakaway regions from the collapse of the Soviet Union, but a part of Russia for a long time before the Soviets overthrew the Czarist Empire. In fact, Belarus, like most of Ukraine, was a part of Russia since the 1790s. ALMOST as long as the United States has existed! What role are these nations and their people playing?

You can’t understand the game if you don’t have a roster. And we don’t. We don’t know enough, on the other side of the world, to support one side or the other. And we shouldn’t want to: it is just throwing gasoline on a fire. When there was more than enough kindling and firewood, going back a lot longer than a mere 30 years or even 80 years, in Eastern Europe.

But the people lighting the fires and fanning to flames seem to be mostly located in DC, far, far away from Kiev, the separatist areas of Ukraine, or the frontier between Russia and Ukraine. Or Belarus or Moldova. Or all these other places.

The incredibly stupid American “intelligence community” and the politically-correct military leadership and “national security establishment” inside the Beltway were beating the wardrums. Apparently for the Russians. Even while the Ukrainian leadership was supposedly trying to calm things down, apparently, and even now (fighting in progress) holding a diplomatic discussion.

Uncle Joe and his minions seemed to actually reject the idea that everyone should get together and talk BEFORE people started shooting at each other (more). (Remember, DC was willing to talk but only “after Russia doesn’t invade.” Really? How did THAT go over?) It was clear that Uncle Joe’s advisors (controllers) were claiming that ANYthing that Russia did is just more proof that Putin had decided on war. I wonder, rather, if it was DC’s stupid behavior that actually WAS a deciding factor on Putin going to war.

Certainly seems that the fear, paranoia, and bad decisions were not all on Russia’s side.

As we’ve pointed out before, the FedGov, NATO, and EU response to Donetsk and Luhansk was hypocritical. Given their response to the breakup of the Soviet Union, the collapse of Yugoslavia, the secession of South Sudan, and more. To say nothing of the secession of the Thirteen Colonies way back in 1776.

It was “evil” that Donetsk and Luhansk would secede from a nation that was clearly not their choice for a home, that in fact was being actively persecuted by Kiev. Especially since the West supported Ukraine’s own secession from the Soviet Union back in 1991.

But of course, that was the same attitude as DC had in 1861, wasn’t it? Never mind: after all, we were constantly told that ANY violence in Ukraine (an admittedly violent and badly-frayed nation) was all being invented by Russia. DC’s vision is very selective. (Exactly how is Honest Abe’s response to Southron independence any different than Putin’s response to Ukraine? Except that Lincoln responded within days and Russia took years?)

So now we are being told that every death, every bombed house, every fire and explosion in the warzone is an evil deed of the Russians. That the Ukrainians are brave democratic and patriotic people who are pure as the driven snow. No one seems concerned about what has happened to the ethnic Russians who lived in Ukraine. How many have been killed or imprisoned by loyal Ukrainians or the Ukrainian military? How many are actively fighting alongside the Russian forces?

Again, we are mostly hearing one side of the story.

We don’t know where most of the lines are. BUT… the lines between warmongers and everyone else are clearer than ever. Look at the lies and propaganda before 24 February. And the lies and propaganda spread since then. The tales from DC, from Kiev, and from Moscow. And a dozen other capitals.

And ask, who benefits from the war? Obviously (assuming they win) Russia does. Even with the punishments heaped upon Russia by the West. But others DO benefit – whomever wins the war. These are the warmongers, including politicians and bureaucrats in DC, London, and Brussels. And the arms merchants of the world. Whether the EU gains another 40 million “citizens” or a boogey man even closer to the European heartland. Whether NATO gains a new member and American bases even closer to Moscow or a new cold war (or both).

Think about it.