Russia is at fault for Venezuela seeking closer ties with it.

First of all, the title of this post is wrong. The US is at fault for Venezuela seeking closer ties with Russia. There are many in Russia and on the left in the UK who are blaming NATO expansion for the war in Ukraine, or at least stating that this provoked Russia and made the situation unstable. They ignore the right of nations to seek to join NATO and also ignore why these nations feel that they need to join it to protect them from Russia.

The USSR broke up in the early 1990’s with the Warsaw Pact becoming democratic before hand. After Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Armenia had declared independence, the August coup was attempted.  Since then, other nations became independent. 

However, since then some nations that have declared independence have had issues with Russian speaking  areas of their countries. Moldova has had issues with Transnistria, Ukraine with Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk, Azerbaijan has issues with Artsakh and Georgia with both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Not all the areas have a Russian majority population, but the support Russia has given to these areas has made nation’s that have a Russian minority in them nervous.

The issues in some of these areas are complicated but some are simple. Personally I feel that areas have the right to seek independence and should be allowed to do so in a democratic manner, this being a truly democratic manner, not held after a two week referendum process with Russian troops ensuring the outcome.  I also think that violently suppressing independence requests is wrong.

Recently, the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting which appeared to show plans for the invasion of Transnistria, or it’s involvement in the special military operation of Russia in Ukraine. 

Considering what has happened, it is understandable that Finland and Sweden are considering joining NATO.  

I think that it is fair to debate matters and while there have been those in the Stop The War group who have backed Putin over Crimea, Blair did as well, though with him, it was to focus on a common enemy.

Cyrano

My wife and I went out for a date last night. I had wanted to watch Cyrano because I loved the Gérard Depardieu version of Cyrano de Bergerac. We were surprised to find out that this is a muscial, but despite that, I think that it was a good film. Sadly though, it did not match up to my memories of what to me is the original version (I have not watched the other versions though). I am glad that I watched it, I loved the adaptation, but I do not think that I would watch it again. It has made me hunger to watch the version that I had watched second (I had watched Roxanne before).

Watching it while Ukraine is being invaded was made more poignant in a scene before a battle.  Watching fiction when in reality people are dying and thinking the same thoughts before heading into battle was surreal.  Also there is the link to it with Gérard Depardieu now being a Russian citizen.  

I do need to try and improve by vocabulary, I am not as eloquent as my wife and watching it with her reminded me how lucky I am to have her in my life.

Well that was an interesting PMQ's. Keir Starmer asked questions about Roman Abramovich which Boris Johnson did not answer and the same happened when Starmer queried why a new register of property ownership would not apply to existing owners for eighteen months. I know that there are many within and outside Labour who do not like Keir Starmer, but one party leader acted like the statesman our nation needs, and it was not Boris Johnson.

Dobble champion

I am the dobble champion of the house! My daughter, to be fair is normally the best at it and I agreed to play a game before I went to work. She caught be dealing her more cards than I had so we dealt everything fairly and my son joined us to play. I was playing for second place and all three of us were suprised when I won! Needless to say, I have no plans to play this again!

The Hunt

I had seen a few seconds of this film, and it intrigued me. So I watched it. It is a fun filled gore fest that does look at the idiocy that has become cancel culture and the Twitter wars between the left and the right. It is not a film for those who like a complicated plot or intelligent dialogue. It is a very well made gore fest which I would gladly watch again. I would have been happy to pay to watch it in a cinema, but I do not think that there would be anyone in the house who would be willing to watch it with me!

It is not the fault of Putin that he is invading Ukraine

As predicted, Ukraine, when surrounded by the Russian army, has "started" a war. Despite facing overwhelming odds, they have attacked and Russia has had "no choice" but to respond. As in 1939 when "Poland attacked Germany" in similar circumstances, the response has been swift and overwhelming. Officially, I understand that Ukraine provoked this by attacking the Donbass republics that Putin had recently recognised. At the time of typing this Chernobyl may fall to the Russians who appear have attacked from neutral Belarus.  This of course in addition to being attacked from its borders with Russia and the Donbass region itself. 

When it comes to the expressed intent of Russia which is denazification, that will mean that regime change is required.  And that means the end of Ukraine being a democracy as I doubt any leader imposed by Putin would have the support of a population that has been attacked by Russia.  

I do wonder if Ukraine would be facing this invasion, if it had kept its nuclear weapons as it had disarmed in the past, just as I do wonder if it would have kept Crimea and the Donbass if it had retained its deterrent.  If Ukraine had kept its nuclear weapons, may be it would be safe from being part (or bits of it being part) of a greater Russia. 

The Pacific

First of all, my wife and I went out for a meal. I was busy working from home today and Leia found this annoying as she wanted to get into the garden and attack the birds that she felt were destroying the garden. Needless to day, I was working so could not attend to her desires as often as she needed. She has got her mojo back and if anything, has more energy than she had before she had her operation. Normally, this settles dogs down, but it has had the opposite effect with her. When it came to dinner, we got a takeaway for the children and as my daughter did not want the smell of curry in the house, my wife and I went out for a meal. It was nice to get away again and while not as posh a place as it had been before, Curry Leaves served us great food. My wife was grateful that I had booked out the whole restaurant for her! 

 

When it comes to The Pacific, I have now finished watching the series, though I have to decide which of the bonus features I am to watch. It was a good series to watch, not as good as Band of Brothers, but more educational. I was aware of aspects of the war against Japan in World War II, but this taught me a lot, including a portrayal of how horrific war is. Hopefully this will not be an issue in Ukraine. Anyway, it was a great series to watch and I am glad my mother got it as a box set for me.