What exactly is Ukraine trying to defend?

[Doctor Steuss]

A more apt analogy might be “Give me your car, your home, all personal belongings that you can’t carry on you, your culture, your ability to return to any form of previous normalcy, your occupation, your income, your national identity, a myriad of freedoms, and a bunch of other stuff... or I will kill you.

Ooh, and while you’re leaving, with only the belongings that you can carry on you, I might go ahead and kill you anyway.”

[doubtingthomas]

needs to lay down their arms in the face of mass murder and mass imprisonment is absolutely insane.

The Russians are killing civilians because Ukrainians are resisting. Here is another analogy, when cops try to arrest someone it is best for him or her not to resist.

The Ukrainian resistance should have happened at (or near) the border.

And the Nato expansion is a security concern for Russia. I still don't understand why Ukraine was not banned from joining Nato.

[doubtingthomas]

What the heck are you talking about? The U.S. has all kinds of security concerns. Does that justify militarily taking over Canada?

No, I don't agree with the Russian invasion. The US did invade other countries for "security concerns". Russia is basically doing the same thing.

And you have to remember that many US leaders are fundamentalist who believe in the Second Coming and Armageddon.

[Jersey Girl]

DT do you donate to any humanitarian relief efforts in situations such as this? I understand that not all of us are able to donate but I am just wondering if you were able to donate, would you do that?

As we and our family have watched these events they have become surprisingly personal to us in a way that is hard to describe. My husband is half Ukrainian and so therefore are all our relatives including our children part Ukrainian. I thank God every day that we were born here in the U.S. and not there. I knew that his relatives dispersed out of Eastern Europe (Ukraine and Hungary) through Western Europe (Germany) and then to the U.S. as I was trying to do family research which--good luck deciphering the names and name changes!!--but I found a great many of them and tracked their movements.

But I never fully understood their hardship as I think I do right now.

We have felt strongly compelled to donate and have done so. It's easily understood that our very own blood could be under siege over there and if not technically our blood, other human beings who need support and we are in a position to lend it through contributions.

Just a reminder that I think we can all relate to these events on some level and support relief efforts, I guess. Not intending to derail, I promise.

[doubtingthomas]

What the heck are you talking about? The U.S. has all kinds of security concerns. Does that justify militarily taking over Canada?

What would happen if Iran makes nuclear weapons for self-defense?

[Kukulkan]

The Russians are killing civilians because Ukrainians are resisting. Here is another analogy, when cops try to arrest someone it is best for him or her not to resist.

When you are arrested by a cop, your language, culture, and way of life are not wiped off the face of the earth. That is what Ukraine faces if it stops resisting. Ukrainians have clearly shown by their resistance that they value preserving all of those things MORE than their own lives.

The Ukrainian resistance should have happened at (or near) the border.

It initially did but the Ukrainians were pushed back by the Russians. I don't understand what you are suggesting here?

And the Nato expansion is a security concern for Russia. I still don't understand why Ukraine was not banned from joining Nato.

How is NATO expansion a security threat for Russia? Do you not acknowledge that NATO only exists to act as a barrier against Russian expansionism?

Ukraine is not going to get barred from joining because Ukraine itself has been asking to join NATO. For NATO to cave and start publicly declaring it wont let certain states to join will only give Russia a further green light to invade other countries.

[doubtingthomas]

Just a reminder that I think we can all relate to these events on some level and support relief efforts, I guess. Not intending to derail, I promise.

It is a good thing. Thank you for sharing that Jersey Girl.

[Jersey Girl]

Trying to tread lightly here because I have more to learn than I already know.

No, I don't agree with the Russian invasion. The US did invade other countries for "security concerns". Russia is basically doing the same thing.

What is Russia's security terms with regard to Ukraine?

And you have to remember that many US leaders are fundamentalist who believe in the Second Coming and Armageddon.

Are you implying that those folks would intentionally try to bring on both the Second Coming and Armageddon?

[doubtingthomas]

Are you implying that those folks would intentionally try to bring on both the Second Coming and Armageddon?

The US didn't hesitate to invade other countries.

What is Russia's security terms with regard to Ukraine?

I don't know. In the 1960s the US wanted to invade Cuba.

[doubtingthomas]

It initially did but the Ukrainians were pushed back by the Russians.

Exactly. So when the Ukrainian military backed away the war should've been over. Civilians shouldn't be paying the price.

For NATO to cave and start publicly declaring it wont let certain states to join will only give Russia a further green light to invade other countries.

But Russia wouldn't be able to use the Nato expansion as an excuse.

When you are arrested by a cop, your language, culture, and way of life are not wiped off the face of the earth. That is what Ukraine faces if it stops resisting. Ukrainians have clearly shown by their resistance that they value preserving all of those things MORE than their own lives.

We don't know. Initially Russia was only attacking military bases. If Russia really wanted to destroy Ukraine, we both know what it would do. There is no evidence that Russia really wants to take everything away from Ukraine.