BlueOak

Ukraine had nukes, Ditto Belarus now having them. That was the purpose of the treaty to get them back. You can word it any way you like Bobby. The nukes were in Ukraine and the USA, Russia and the UK guaranteed Ukraine to get them out. A Russia proxy government in Ukraine is not a non-aligned state. Nor is Putin pushing his influence further and futher outward to establish a Russian Empire. The Russian ruble continues to collapse. They've wrecked their established trading relationships. They've killed off population they don't have to spare. China owns more and more of their industries. Many of their best have left the country for somewhere safe, and their actions to destroy the arts and liberal part of their population will lead to stagnation long term, as it always does, in their development. They've hastened their descent out of being a major power or even significant regional power. The only way forward is Ukraine in NATO, or Ukraine with Nukes, or Ukraine in an Eastern Europe or EU Military Alliance. Ukranian surrender is a fantasy. Everyone loves to prop up a boogeyman to justify attacks and invasions. You do it in every post you make. Endless support. Not really no. The western economies have barely altered production, whereas Russia is almost in a total war scenario (they are not yet but a large % of their GDP is in support of the war). That's a bit like saying China or Iran is giving endless support, they are not. This is again your and Russian hyperbole. Actually, if North Korea stupidly keep sending foreign fighters, lots of countries can solve the manpower issue. The door is open now. Ukraine have done very well against Russia. But as you repeatedly fail to understand, and I have repeatedly told you, its about holding Russia in the east, nothing more.

@zazen The first six minutes is a morality argument: How many people do Russia have to kill before they get a video of a man in a chair saying how bad their foreign policy is? How many arms do they have to sell, they are 2nd to America currently; do they need to be at the top? How many dictators do they need to finance, arm, train, and deploy in support of? Because they'd need a second chair right now. Is this really still they are bad, we are good reasoning? Is there a scorecard being kept for people's grudges? Because these people one side of the world have done harm, then we can just condone whatever anyone does around the globe because it makes us feel better in our own convictions. I am supposed to now tell you how bad Putin is, list several reasons, and use that to condone someone dropping bombs on Moscow or Beijing. What is the point of any of this? Do I need again to tell you how psychopathic the pursuit of profit is when set against even a single human life and American oil or the black blood of the earth? Or the pursuit of land and empire for that matter when Russia does it? None of this is okay. I wish people would stop lying to themselves it was. I could then look them in the eye and have a wider discussion. Instead, I need to argue morality with you, which will bring nobody closer to a solution, but it can remove the fog surrounding finding one. Or we can go on pretending one group of apes armed with machine guns acts better than the other I suppose. Trying to pretend most of the globe isn't clawing for everything it can get its hands on.

Ukraine has been trained for years now. They've been fighting a war for years. Their army is one of the best in Europe. Its not addressed in western media because it is a figment of Russian imagination, used as a way to encourage their people to throw themselves into a slaughter so an old man can feel like an emperor. Ukraine was guaranteed to be protected by the US and the UK in return for giving up its nukes. You really like to twist things its amazing. Putin invades, Putin continues to threaten and push everyone, terrorises countries in multiple wars, kills civilians on mass, and threatens energy, fuel, leadership, the people of our countries, then supposedly if they attack our countries, we are to blame in Europe. Incredible logic, how people will jump through hoops to avoid responsibility for their own positions. Sorry it's not happening. If he really wants a war with us he'll get one. We are not backing down from a fascist tyrant on either side of the atlantic. Hint, he doesn't. He has no hope in a conventional war, he has two options to keep throwing his people away or not. Yeah i'm sure. I'm sure old Boris went in there and was supposedly told Ukraine, the US, France and the entirety of NATO and all the negotiators how things were going to go. Doesn't that run counter to your narrative that everything west of Ukraine = the USA? Or is that an inconvenient detail in the narrative? China sends materials to the war effort. Iran sends missiles and munitions. North Korea are now sending personnel. BRICS as a whole do their best to keep the Russian war economy going. Nobody in NATO is trying to keep the Russian war economy going by choice. By necessity at times, but anything economic they do, BRICS counters. So there is only war, they've largely given up on the economic angle. That's what two powerblocks leads to, they can't settle things by economic means as we have done in the past, so when leaders decide to fight they fight just with force and a larger amount of casualties is required to decide the outcome. You trying to paint every country west of Ukraine as the US is comical to me also. When most of have them have neither the temperament or capability to fight offensive wars on the other side of the world against regional powers. Your hatred for the US weakens every post you make as a result. If you could for once remove the bias to say NATO is more than the US and Ukraine itself is fighting for Ukraine, you'd have stronger more balanced perspectives all around. I can see that in Russia, I can see in Eastern Europe, I can see it in US interests, Chinese Interests, BRICS interest and in Ukraine itself. For some reason, though you have divided the world up into Good and Bad, and you've decided you are on the good side so it's all okay, and one sort of violence is somehow more correct than the other. Rather than being able to see through the perspectives of others, you shut them down. Russia believes it needs to fight this war, so it is doing. Right now I believe we need to fight back to stop them.

Putin knows Ukraine was guaranteed by the US and the UK. He invaded anyway. He's lucky their armies aren't already there. And by the way, the war had almost reached parity held in the east, until Russia started attacking Kherson again, so the Russian border area was invaded, and now that isn't happening anymore. As I have said many many times, right from the start. NATO will do all it can to hold the war in Ukraine, preferably in the east, it will do everything it can to create the conditions for this to occur, including letting Ukraine shoot missiles into forces hopping back and forth over the northern Ukrainian border. I am over-dramatizing when I say WW3 is assured; it isn't if the fight stays in the east.

1, Ukraine offered neutrality very early on. Here are 3 links again: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60901024 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/ukraines-zelensky-to-offer-neutrality-declaration-to-russia-for-peace-without-delay https://www.ft.com/content/7b341e46-d375-4817-be67-802b7fa77ef1 2, The US, as a country (remember Trump, the Republicans, and the supposed anti-war 'far left' is also part of the US), seems the most reluctant for Ukraine to join NATO and somewhat reluctant to give aid. Its Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the UK and a few others in Europe that are driving aid to Ukraine. Mostly because Eastern Europe perceives itself to be the most under threat by the current pattern of Russian expansion, and the UK, France etc, don't tolerate expansionist powers in Europe without resistance. 3, BRICS is acting as a military alliance. Iran, Russia, and China share military resources, while economically the Russian war effort is supported by BRICS members. NATO is a defensive military alliance. If it reflects poorly on me mirroring you, you should reflect on that. Because until I started copying you it was driving me nuts in our conversations. Now i've just accepted that's the dialogue rather than argue it: NATO vs BRICS. (It isn't, its Russia vs Ukraine with support for each from other interested parties) 4, No evidence of that at all. Possible but I'd like to see your source. I watched the events; students were abducted, people protested, people were shot etc. If it was a coup, the dumb Russian government running Ukraine at the time did everything it could to play its own part. Consider why the conditions for a coup existed in the first place, and why for example Russia can't just flip Mexico, Canada, or wherever they like. They existed because Ukraine isn't Russia, and it resisted Russification from the new fascist regime which was causing internal tensions. Other countries can't create these tensions out of thin air. 5, No they are not. No American is firing missiles at Russia, yet. The conspiracies Russia puts out is part of what may make this WW3. They will create the reality they so desperately want to be true. That somehow they are fighting the entire collective west with a fraction of their military strength. This is a Russian fantasy to send young men to their death.

Yes. That is one way that doesn't involve them joining NATO.

1 and 2) I repeatedly link to you where neutrality was offered. I won't again unless you need it. Either you don't read the sources or forget. Putin chose violence and terror. 3) Again same old conversation. Authoritarian states invade neighbors, spread fear, interfere in surrounding states, people join NATO. They seek NATO out. People associate America with violence, so they blame all their allies, most of which have about 0.001% of the capacity or will to do what America does. 4) By Russia and its proxies used to cause civil war and chaos, because its proxy government in Ukraine was overthrown, due to them shooting people in the streets and trying to suppress the growing democratic sentiment there. 5) That will not end the war. States expanding in Europe are never allowed to just sit on the territory they take. BRICS have an idea that people will just sit back and take it, we are not too far from WW3 as a result. China, Russia and Iran are all the same, your view of the situation is the same. I think WW3 is unavoidable at this point. 6) Ukraine is not spelled USA. BRICS is incredibly violent, China and Russia are constantly expanding and threatening neighbors. (BTW I am doing what you do intentionally, and saying BRICS, when its actually China and Russia)

If I can be very blunt, and qualify this with its a very disturbing sick way of thinking but some people do: Population demographics are not on their side. In their mindset, they would need population to replace that population. I understand certain people consider certain races of humans lesser, and the overall goal of some in Russia is to Russify as much of the world as possible. That's why it values white Ukrainans more than some of the colored minorities in Russia, and certainly values those in the western areas of Russia itself. But they are losing a lot of people they don't have to achieve it. I know Putin wants to go out in a blaze of glory at this point, and fix some of the population demographic issues by shortening his European border, meaning he needs less of an army to guard it, but he's leaving a greater population problem for future generations. I actually think Russia will need many more Asians in it to carry on in the future, but then again some in central and eastern Asian countries are happy to move there, so perhaps the inherent problem of racism in Russia's policymaking will eventually correct itself by birthrate and immigration/emigration.

I usually accelerate healing with meditation yes. Direct your body awareness there and the body responds. It's naturally relaxing, and you can put yourself in a sleep-like state, which is where healing happens the most. *Also with meditation, you can just let the larger mind run the show directly, as you do when you sleep and become/surrender directly sink into it. As people indicate each disease is telling you something. Its not a direct 1 to 1 as the logical mind would like often, though it can be. Usually life is a sphere of different things going on which all influence each other.

That's the only way to ensure there will be no more war. Russia cannot take NATO, or even a small part of it on. If Russia take eastern Ukraine without sufficient damage, they will continue their pattern of invading former soviet states and invade for a 3rd time, the 9th war in total in its expansion.

This was the response to the latest political theater by Russia by the UK. The only reason to use a larger missile on a city than Russian's usual terror attacks, is to try and intimidate everyone else. The missile attack was supposedly communicated ahead of time, so no counter-launches happened from NATO's side.

Russia. They repeatedly state there will be no negotiation on anything taken. They refused neutrality. Frankly i'm fed up with the authoritarian states thinking they can take whatever they want with no consequence, so if its war, its war. It has to stop here. They think that by firing larger missiles, killing more civilians we'll all just let them take over whatever they like. Well it's not happening. With or without Trumps support. Most of BRICS members thinks violence will get them what they want, well it won't.

Very understandable. Life is experienced through connections and relations. I wish you sympathy and healing when experiencing them.

Same. Maybe its different for everyone. I've been in really badly off states before in my past and hit despair and I could have done something rash then, but the right person, the right song, or the right word could have and did stave it off. But this was different I was okay with it and resolved like the OP's friend sounded, like he'd made the choice in his head and it was logically formed. Almost scheduled logically is the only way I can put it to you. I've heard of people making their last day memorable or peaceful, that sort of thing and that's what I planned. I was at peace. Anyway good luck OP. Don't rule anything out, different states of mind/body at different times might produce different results.

You can. If he's at the logical choice point, which I did a few months ago again. You could actually appeal to the logical part of his mind. In the end though I had to choose myself to give life another go. Its almost like a choice point after the depression or the events that have plagued you and you reach a calm eye of the storm choice moment. That's the best way I could describe it to you. Someone doing it in a state of despair is much more likely to need someone there, or a hug, or some relief, but what the OP is describing is a conscious choice moment. Your friend needs to see for himself that there is more to life than what he's experienced till this date, specifically a path or two to freedom.

Day to day. That's all you can do. Freedom from abuse and control. Sounds familiar. He'll get freedom gradually as he moves away from them, but it'll still be with him even then. You can show him how he can find freedom now, and show him the path he'll get it if he keeps going. You can't give him the feeling but you can supply the conditions for the contrast. His own decisions, his own place, his own job, his own his own his own. Empower the very center of him, and help him keep it stable. He's got the reasons. Now he needs the goals, and the support to make it happen. Maybe start something as a pair, a hobby, a business, a website, a project, a holiday, whatever.

Because I am experiencing a life, and he's making my life, my country, and my planet worse with every day he is in office. That's why I dislike Trump. I barely pay attention any more as things continue to get worse. Now he's pushing for the EU to dissolve. I only saw that in the headlines as I was walking by the shop. What it will matter now we are set for a larger war, its the direction we've picked. Authoritarism, Border Wars, Resource Wars. Misery, suffering and civil unrest in deportations and Rising Nationalism. Those and of course burning up the planet. So I don't know about you @cistanche_enjoyer but things like America's healthcare system is garbage, and America has been trying to privatize the UK's healthcare system for decades to ruin ours for example. You guys are trying to ruin your education system; we copied you like fools with universities and will try and import some more of America's nonsense or get sold it. There is absolutely nothing I find redeeming, loving or even practical about the man or the direction your country has picked. If we had nothing to do with America and were not influenced by it at all, i'd be happier I guess. If you were a smaller country and did your own thing, I'd not care one bit. Wish the EU would grow more guts and develop a larger army themselves so they could kick back at Russia and China without needing to be babysat by what is turning into an authoritarian state.

You can go this route: You don't exist. There are no personal views because there is no person. You can go the self route: There is a pattern everyone runs and it is observed. There are a predictable set of responses to this post I've made (less so now I've pointed it out to deflect them but that's predictable too). Unless you were to sit down and start typing out random letters or attempting to do something unexpected, what you do can be largely anticipated. That's just life, its gradual refinement of something through generations of individuals, nothing wrong with it, its how society and we evolve to see and experience more of infinity.

I understand the earth is in a contraction still, so people are shedding, removing or downsizing. Economic winter, spiritual winter, etc. However, who do you think brings spring if not conscious people on the earth? When its hardest now is when you grow the most by pushing against it. When its easy, it'll take a lot more effort to gain the growth you get right now. I'm not saying any other meaning to that statement above. If your growth is somewhere else, its there, but don't let the fact it is a winter and difficult right now stop you. All the best with your journey. Wholeness.

You can boil it down to: Do they think this lie will bring more love. You may not understand it, especially if there are a lot of distortions in the way, but that's what everything reduces to.

I appreciate all this, guys, and have been reading up today in a rare moment of concentration and free time. I feel like I am dreaming my life at times. That and having a heavier, larger head than my body are two sensations I've had that I'll remember. Also, I don't feel like I fit anywhere as a result of moving three times and having a fourth to come. That plus some depressing family drama, same old same old. I've come back off the doctor's meds for light drowsiness, weed, alcohol, valerian, and some passflower chewy gums. The first three gave me about two days each, but I did a four-hour clean sleep with no aids last night, which was nice, the day before I had zero hours when I tried to make it clean without aid. Also the lady renting me the room has done what she can with one of the cats, the other still scratches but not as badly. Also, I spray the hell out of my own door with an orange/citrus peel spray so none try to get in. I am moving on Monday to my own flat finally, I didn't know if I would get it due to having to compete with others, but as my sleep got worse in the middle of all this I meditated for longer, until meditation lost its effectiveness. At one point, I was at 3 or 4 hours of meditation until it couldn't carry me either. Tell you what though I'll never have a pet again or kids, this has decided that

Maybe its time to help someone else? And in doing so realise you are helping yourself? That this is a wakeup call to go collective minded rather than individual? In doing so you'll attain the next level of consciousness you are seeking through the interaction with others? Just a different perspective to give you, everything has multiple dimensions to it.

Its flawed in a few ways but no model is perfect. Show me a better one, and I'll reference it. Flaws: 1, It doesn't show the emotional scale people are on, it shows the logical progression of society. 2, I sometimes feel it is slightly collectively biased 3, It is absolute in its view of a topic. Many things can transcend the scale if the person engaging in it is capable of doing so or taking it there. It's harder with certain things obviously. It's harder to make a consciously aware business for example that benefits people and the planet, but its not impossible. Same with Religion. 4, We've all discussed the difficulties with Turquoise and Higher, because collectively we are not yet there, it isn't as well defined or accessible as a result. The only problem with most religions is that they decide the concept of god is somewhere else but in your head. The counter I suppose, to that is, everything, including wherever you believe God is, is also in your head.

Fascism requires the suppression of protests because it cannot operate with secondary dissenting voices; the leadership of these countries is usually too fragile and top-heavy to allow it. It fosters demagogues, tyrants, or partly criminal personalities to rise to power who will take that power the second they can. People's voice is their own and their ability to protest and voice it, whether it's 1 person, a 100, or a million is a fundamental difference between democracy and the fascism people are jumping toward with open arms. A democracy is enriched by dissenting voices as it can constantly reform itself to suit the population, whereas an autocracy is one or a few voices deciding the way.

It'll be a long fight to stop some of what's coming. Might as well get started now.