Disproportional use of force
I am in Russia and, to be honest, it’s refreshing to be in a country that is not afraid to stand up to the US and other Western ideologies. These are my personal observations as a well-traveled Russian with equal experience of living in Russia and overseas (Australia).
It is indeed refreshing to be in a country that is not afraid to tell our friends in america what it thinks about their foreign policies and to continue reminding them to mind their own business.
Since the war in Georgia, every western media outlet talks about Russian aggression and the “disproportional use of force”. Somehow they avoid the fact that it was Georgia that started the war and that Russia had no choice but to respond in order to protect innocent civilians. I guess the west would be happier to see Russian soldiers responding to bombs with slingshots. It seems that the west can’t wait to see Russia loose and become bobmable, not able to respond. Who knows, then maybe the US will do Russia a favour and invade to install a democracy, like they do in Iraq. Somehow the world assumed that the western ideology is the only one that every nation should have. “Believe in the US and it will be credited to you as righteousness”. This is probably already a part of the US bible.
Now, back to the “disproportional use of force”. I saw a couple of places in Afghanistan that were previously bombed by the “coalition of the willing”. Innocent people were injured, lives lost. Many left without places to live and work. Many lost close family members, friends. Or how about a family of Iraqis waiting for a flight back to Baghdad in Dubai airport. A father, mother and three young kids. All with hearing aids. Total loss of hearing. They were probably next to one of those “democracy-installing” bombs that exploded. Damaged for life. “Disproportional use of force”. No one seems to suggest sunctions againts the country that caused that suffering.
Here is a joke that I read in one of the central newspapers here in Russia. “When God wants to punish Americans, He sends them floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. But when God wants to punish other nations, He sends them Americans”.
I often get asked (by my Australian friends) what I think about the “Russians” etc. and they expect me to automatically condemn whatever the “Russians” are currently up to. Don’t believe everything you hear from TV. People like you and me, wherever they are, want peace. They want their mum and dads, their sons and daughters to be safe. They don’t want to fight. Ok. I’ve said enough.
