[gocard14]

Reading Mick's post was sobering.  While the ultra-rich may be politically important, and much of the numbers were about businesses, I am bothered by knowing that probably the situation is tough on the general population. (Not as tough as it in Ukraine, to be sure)    That's the kind of suffering that can generate generations of animosity.  I hope the people direct it at the kind of government they have, and not let that government convince them to direct it at the rest of the world.

There are already too many instances of multi-generational conflicts in the world today. I am no expert at world history, but I feel it was wise cooperation that the world was able to recover from WWII such that within a lifetime, the countries (which I distinguish here from the governments) that lost that war once again became significant countries.

The US's 2+ party system with periodic re-grounding in scheduled elections has its downsides, but it does tend to allow questioning (and turnover) of any current governing party.  [I hope this birds-eye view of the US political system doesn't stir posts that we've agreed to keep off the CardBoard.]

Remember, it is the Russian government that started this war, not the Russian people.

The government started it, but people support it and fight in it. The whole point of sanctions is to inflict economic pain instead of fighting a war, from the oligarchs bank accounts to the price of food at the grocery store. This causes the background of popular disquiet that places the pressure on leadership to change or risk new leadership. If everything is honkydory for Your average Russian, why wouldn’t they want to continue the war indefinitely?

[gocard14]

Reading Mick's post was sobering.  While the ultra-rich may be politically important, and much of the numbers were about businesses, I am bothered by knowing that probably the situation is tough on the general population. (Not as tough as it in Ukraine, to be sure)    That's the kind of suffering that can generate generations of animosity.  I hope the people direct it at the kind of government they have, and not let that government convince them to direct it at the rest of the world.

There are already too many instances of multi-generational conflicts in the world today. I am no expert at world history, but I feel it was wise cooperation that the world was able to recover from WWII such that within a lifetime, the countries (which I distinguish here from the governments) that lost that war once again became significant countries.

The US's 2+ party system with periodic re-grounding in scheduled elections has its downsides, but it does tend to allow questioning (and turnover) of any current governing party.  [I hope this birds-eye view of the US political system doesn't stir posts that we've agreed to keep off the CardBoard.]

Remember, it is the Russian government that started this war, not the Russian people.

The government started it, but people support it and fight in it. The whole point of sanctions is to inflict economic pain instead of fighting a war, from the oligarchs bank accounts to the price of food at the grocery store. This causes the background of popular disquiet that places the pressure on leadership to change or risk new leadership. If everything is honkydory for Your average Russian, why wouldn’t they want to continue the war indefinitely?