"We will not tolerate the suppression of 10 million ethnically the same as us across our borders"

[stevenleser]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anschluss

:large

[aquart]

1. Photoshop a shirt on that man. Hawaiian, maybe.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Is your point that we should take military action?

Or that Putin is Hitler?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

27. I doubt Putin will invade nations where Russia has not had historical interests but

he is a dangerous person and he is ambitious.

We can do many things to hurt Russia that will never enter the realm of open conflict or military support for Ukraine.

[jakeXT]

3. The Nazis are the good guys now

[stevenleser]

6. There are neo-Nazis in every country including the US. You can post photos of them here too.

They arent in charge here and they aren't in charge in Ukraine.

[jakeXT]

7. Not in charge ? Nt

[stevenleser]

4. Looks like Leonid Bershidsky agrees

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-02/in-ukraine-echoes-of-the-anschluss

A corollary to Godwin’s Law of Nazi Analogies states that once a comparison to Hitler or the Nazis is made in an online discussion, the thread ends and the person who mentioned Hitler automatically loses the argument. In some cases, however, the rule doesn't apply -– such as when the behavior of other totalitarian regimes is discussed.

I never thought the day would come that I would say this, but it no longer applies to discussing my country, Russia. Here’s a Nazi analogy.

“It is not only the same people but above all a long communal history and culture which bind together the Reich and Austria,” Adolf Hitler said in February, 1938.

On March 11, Austrian Nazis seized power in Vienna, and the following day, Josef Goebbels read this statement from Adolf Hitler on German and Austrian radio: “The German Reich will not tolerate persecution of Germans in this region because they belong to our country or because they hold certain opinions. There must be peace and order. I have therefore decided to help the millions of Germans in Austria with the resources of the Reich. Since this morning, soldiers of the German Wehrmacht have marched over the German-Austrian borders. The new National Socialist government in Vienna has itself summoned panzer troops, infantry divisions, and SS legions on the ground and the German Luftwaffe in the blue sky. Our soldiers guarantee that the Austrian people will shortly be given the opportunity to determine their future themselves and thereby their fate with a plebiscite."

[MannyGoldstein]

5. So you think that war is the answer?

Really bad idea.

[reformist2]

8. All the comparisons to Hitler (and so soon!), means the pro-war crowd is losing the audience.

[stevenleser]

11. Who is pro-war? Not me. I am not only against a military response, I am against Russia's military

invasion. Can you say the same?

[reformist2]

13. If Russia wants to keep the Crimea, that's fine with me.

[stevenleser]

14. As I said, I am the anti-war person here and you are the war cheerleader. nt

[MannyGoldstein]

17. LOL. So Putin is Hitler, but we should do nothing.

to confront his military.

Heck of a plan.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

23. I'm sure it is.

I'm sure it is.

[okaawhatever]

25. Of course it is. You've made it very clear you back Russia and putin. nt

[pampango]

15. Well said. I think most liberals are against military agression and a military response to such

aggression unless it is absolutely necessary for self-defense. I recognize Russia's use of its military in Crimea for what it is. I hope and expect that the EU/US will respond non-militarily to this aggression. Allowing it to go unpunished will not bring us "peace in our time".

[bemildred]

9. Can't have too many Nazi analogies in the runup to a new war, eh?

And Putin on a bear, that's really convincing.

[L0oniX]

20. Same reason that "My Pet Goat" is mostly pictures.

[cali]

10. wow. some people are really losing it. By that logic we damn

well should be massing our troops in Ukraine.

Nazi Nazi Nazi.

Fuck.

[stevenleser]

12. Nope, not losing it. A lot of folks are making that comparison now. Because it fits. nt

[Ohio4theWin]

16. *Chechnya need not apply to the above statement. We will suppress the fk out of you. /nm

...../nm

[tkmorris]

18. Right?

[stevenleser]

21. Well said. nt

[L0oniX]

19. Hilter op = automatic epic fail. Membership drive for the warmonger club.

[okaawhatever]

26. when the comparison comes from a former Russian President then it's not a warmonger

club drive, it's an honest analysis from someone who knows. He's not going to shill for Putin the way you have. He sees the oppression within Russia and the violent agression Russia has shown to it's neighbors and recognizes the signs. It's a pity you don't.

[L0oniX]

30. "He's not going to shill for Putin the way you have." Really? LMFAO fail!

[FarCenter]

22. Putin probably applied the Powell Doctrine

The Powell Doctrine states that a list of questions all have to be answered affirmatively before military action is taken by the United States:
1.Is a vital national security interest threatened?
2.Do we have a clear attainable objective?
3.Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?
4.Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?
5.Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?
6.Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?
7.Is the action supported by the American people?
8.Do we have genuine broad international support?

Except in that in the case of Russia, 8 does not apply, since Russia never has broad international support.

Putin has therefore applied overwhelming force to attain a limited objective.

[riderinthestorm]

24. Jeez, was just thinking this. Russia's doing its action overtly while we just do it economically

and overtly through the IMF and World Bank.

Regardless the US doesn't shy away from taking action if they/we think a "vital national security interest is threatened".

Its pretty astonishing that people think Putin is going to let Russia's access to its only warm water port be jeopardized. Sure the "protection" of ethnic Russians is a sorry excuse for his actions but has the US been any less of a liar when its tried to justify some of its military actions?

The US has done as much when it thinks any of its "assets" are in trouble (like the United Fruit Company in Central and South America for example, or even our war in Iraq for their oil - "assets" of far less geopolitical value that Sevastopol is to Russia).

[Scootaloo]

28. And now, Putin is Hitler.

Also possibly a bear rapist.

[stevenleser]

29. A lot of people are now comparing invasion of Ukraine to the Anschluss of Austria, because it fits

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-02/in-ukraine-echoes-of-the-anschluss

and more:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&authuser=0&q=ukraine+anschluss&oq=ukraine+anschluss&gs_l=news-cc.3..43j43i53.3207.6100.0.6204.17.6.0.11.11.0.67.382.6.6.0...0.0...1ac.1.1A1OuKHP7Q8

11,300 hits and climbing

[Scootaloo]

31. A lot of people are sensationalist idiots, too

[stevenleser]

32. Yes, a lot are. But the similarities here are so strong, that can easily be ruled out. nt

[Scootaloo]

35. Your argument is based on "a lot of people think"

Which on the face of it is an inherently untrue statement. But it's not a good argument for this specific instance, either.

If I had a nickel for every time I've seen something or someone compared to the Nazis and Hitler, I would be a rich man, Steve.

However I have to say your attempt to deform a Hitler quote enough to fit it into Putin's mouth is somewhat uncommon.

[stevenleser]

37. No, it's not. It's based on the nearly identical statements and actions of Hitler and Putin in these

circumstances.

[L0oniX]

33. " A lot of people" sounds like a Fox talking point tactic. "some people say..."

[Marr]

34. It's always incredible to me, how easily some slip into pro-war rhetoric.

And before you say it-- yes, I know you aren't openly arguing for war. But this is pro-war rhetoric. You don't compare a foreign leader to Hitler because you want to broker peace, and if you do, you're a sucker. The people who want war live on this kind of talk. It's the bullshit in which they thrive and grow.

[stevenleser]

36. I am openly arguing AGAINST war. That doesnt change the similarity of these events.

Putin is engaging in the anschluss of Crimea.

That has nothing to do with our response.

[Marr]

38. You're making comparisons to Hitler.

GW Bush was publicly "against invading Iraq", you know. Just saying that doesn't change the fact that the rhetoric is undeniably war-enabling.

[stevenleser]

39. I'm making comparisons between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Anschluss of Austria

And the similarities are uncanny.

I've noticed that you have not attempted to address this comparison.

Why not?

[Marr]

40. I haven't attempted to address a lot of things.

Bigfoot prints, Edward Snowden as Russian super-spy, Banghazi-gate...

Just because "people are talking about it" doesn't mean it's reasonable. But you go right ahead. I'm sure Fox will love this angle.