Month: February 2018

Why does Putin support the murder of children?


Vladimir Putin

A person may wonder why the Russian Federation under Putin’s leadership would not only support but actively assist Assad’s murderous Syrian regime in its disgustingly vile and brutal attacks on children and other civilians under the guise of attacking rebels/terrorists. It is becoming increasingly obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that Mr. Putin will stop at nothing in his cherished attempt to recreate a Russian (Soviet style) empire in Europe. Evidence for this includes the annexation of the Crimea and support for rebels attacking the forces of the Ukraine.

His, all but absolutely proven, interference in the US presidential election and the Brexit referendum are additional evidence that he desires nothing short of a massive weakening of Europe, starting with the EU, and of the United States. Who can tell what his ambitions will result in after a sufficient weakening of the West? It is almost certain that he will position Russia as close as possible to China (remember, the Chinese president has much closer to dictatorial powers than any of his predecessors) and do all he can to promote subtle forms of conflict between the USA and Chinese. This would be largely economic (both Russia and China are hoarding gold and trying to reduce any dependence on the US dollar) but may well include promoting some degree of military confrontation. I am not suggesting, however, that Putin wants to start any kind of nuclear war.

Returning to the horrors occurring in Syria and the myriad images of severely injured children on our TVs we again ask ourselves why does Putin support this horror? Only a day or so ago the Russian ambassador to the UN vetoed a proposal to establish a ceasefire in that heavily bombarded rebel enclave near Damascus. The answer, although horrifying, is relatively simple. The lives of all those children and others mean nothing to Putin compared with his aim of massively weakening the West.

Without Russia’s intervention in Syria it is probable that the civil war in Syria would be largely over by now. Putin wants to keep it going so that the flow of refugees to the West is ever increasing. This flood of refugees certainly weakens the strength and economies of Western Europe (regardless of cultural questions such as the possible Islamisation of those countries). When you think about it, without the flood of refugees into Europe the British Brexit referendum is likely to have gone the other way. The “Leave” campaign dishonestly distributed leaflets showing unnamed maps of Syria and Iraq. This fear of a refugee horde undoubtedly influenced many British voters to support the Brexit idea. It is becoming increasingly clear how much of a disaster, both for the UK and the EU, Brexit will be. Only today the President of the EU made a public statement that Theresa May is living in a fantasy land as regards her wish list for Brexit.

One thing is certain. Vladimir Putin will be smiling. Many historians argue that both Stalin and Mao were even worse than Hitler as regards crimes against humanity and the number of deaths of innocents that they caused. Perhaps in the future Vladimir Putin will be added to that vile list.

 

 

Humanity’s Folly – a visual metaphor


Humanity’s progress through the ages could be described as a very powerful automobile with very poor steering. Technologically, humankind has become somewhat advanced. Science and medicine are progressing at a pace. Yet with each technological advance Man has employed it to produce more sophisticated capacity for killing, albeit at a huge economic cost.

Likewise, although we are grateful for advances in medicine there has been insufficient consideration given to the problems of ever increasing overpopulation and an ever increasing proportion of elderly people in those populations as life expectancy increases.

Following the dollar trail gives a great insight into what our species as a whole considers really important. Financial investment and incentives are thrown at science and technology while almost no resources are directed towards philosophy and the humanities. Philosophy can be considered as the steering of our metaphorical vehicle whereas science and technology equate to the power of the engine.

What is the value or point of ever increasing speed and power without adequate thought being given to the direction of travel? The questions of the environment, society and ultimately even the economy have been subjugated to the pursuit of power. While science and technology certainly increase the scope and depth of our knowledge, without accompanying philosophical considerations they do little to add to our wisdom.