The persistence by Fester at pushing viewpoints peddled by the western mainstream media and apparently not looking for and checking information from other sources before trying to figure out the latest as to what has really been going on seems an example of the quote. "Illiteracy in the 21st Century is not people who cannot read or write. It is those who resist unlearning lies they have been brainwashed to believe." Also, another related to the US especially: "The difference between what the United States government does in other countries and what the majority of American people THINK it does is one of the greatest propaganda achievements". Regarding the present situation in Ukraine, many obviously not not recognize or acknowledge that the main background cause of the problem has been US meddling in internal affairs of another country

Who is the arrogant prat who thinks he, she or it can change the definition of 'illiteracy', I wonder. Somebody like some of the people here barking about things that they are totally ignorant of, and have no stake in.

Russia/Ukraine has nothing to do with us; none of our business. Our business is with China, and its latest move to get a military base, in the Solomons, 1,700kms from and within missile range, from our east coast - including the ADF base at Townsville - and the same coast our boofhead Prime Minister is talking about having submarine bases. He doesn't say whether the bases are for nuclear submarines, the first of which we might have in 20 years time, or the 6 neglected, not even talked about, Collins we already have and will most likely have to rely on when and if China becomes even more aggressive.

Forget Ukraine, and ponder the fact that if we are attacked, you won't be able to scuttle off, by train, to another country like they can in Ukraine. We live on an island with no chance of getting energy or anything else from neighbours, as per landlocked European countries.

The only people who have posted on this thread if the brown stuff did hit the fan who I would want anywhere near me are Dan and Hasbeen. The rest of the comments reflect a childish naivety about the real world.u

Tanks can defend, given attack is the best form of defense. We are at the risk as the Ukraine and for the same reason, i.e., divide and rule politics. Setting brother against brother, son against father etc.

When what we need is a strong leader able to restore our former unity. Like what was the norm here before post war European migration!

I agree with those who would severely limit migration to at least ensure we import folk who are similar in cultural their norms and easily assimilate.

What doesn't work are ghettos that stand apart and are offended by our cultural mores! And I dare say Ukrainians would be a far better fit, culturally and religiously, than most middle eastern countries.

The Russian attack must be driven back at whatever cost! And a then disgraced Putin removed from power and sent to an asylum where he, like any other incurable madman belongs!
Alan B.

Yuyutsu you wrote

America will end up doing what is good for America

I doubt the odour of appeasement wafting from the White House is "good for America".
It may be "good" for the weak kneed pen pushers in the leftist administration or "good" for those who care little for America's word, which has been broken time and time again.

What would have been "good" for America would be honouring the 1991 understanding with the disintegrating Soviet Union. But just like Reagan's Sec of Defence, Caspar Weinberger lied, so did George W.H. Bush and his team lied. They thought they could rub the Soviets' noses in their defeat and that there would be no consequences.

More fool them.

This conflict will end with Putin consolidating his control of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk and seizing another slice of Ukraine, so as to save face.
As for the appeaser, Biden, it will end with a catastrophe at the mid term elections later this year.

A serious part of the problem is the wests continuing dependance on fossil fuels. And need to find alternatives, like yesterday! And that rational applies equally to us and our insane economic dependance on China! And our equally insane dependance on coal.

We need to become China's worst nightmare if she decides to acquire Australian territory/resources! To that end we need to adopt nuclear power and acquire nuclear weapons. We need a revived manufacturing sector and the self reliance it alone can confer.

To that end we need MSR thorium and power prices as low as 1 cent PKWH. And that means excluding all the paper shuffling, profit demanding private and public middle men and energy barons from any part of the supply chain! Which should be operated by competing for your energy dollar by energy co-ops!

After than we need a completely revised tax system that would be unavoidable. Say like a flat tax set at 15% above a generous tax free threshold that applies to all income earned or garnered here.

With those reforms done and dusted! Allow all investments that come with a local HQ and cooperative capitalism! What we don't need is tax avoidance and current profit repatriation, i.e., current practice!
Alan B.

There is an awful lot of misinformation coming out of this war zone.

Evidently when the Russians set up a withdrawal corridor for civilians to leave contested areas, Ukrainian irregulars have seen this as a target too good to resist. They have mixed with those withdrawing & taken the opportunity to kill the Russians overseeing the withdrawal. When the Russians retaliate they are accused of killing unarmed civilians.

This is pretty much the situation our troops had in Vietnam & Afghanistan, Where peaceful villagers pull out a gun & shoot you in the back as you leave.

Being kind to civilians can get a soldier killed very quickly. It does not take seeing too many mates killed this way for troops to stop being kind.

This little nasty war is pert of the ongoing fight for control of the Balkans that is centuries old, a result of too many ethnicities jammed into too small an area. It will not be the last.

The victors today will be the refugees in a decade or two, & we should have no part in it. The story of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" came from another such nasty little war there, proving how senseless the thing is, & will be repeated many times again.