opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
Why did you leave the rooster alone?
Should the millions of displaced Ukrainians have stayed in their homeland, resisting the invaders, or else they do not deserve this homeland, which mourns the danger of losing its freedom? I think that the future Ukrainian patriotic poet, now five years old, holding her father's hand at the Polish border, will write in half a century, a poem with implicit blame: Why did you take the dog and leave the rooster alone, Dad?
By Zernouh.abdo4 years ago in The Swamp
Turkey and Qatar... towards a new alliance
Last weekend Turkey witnessed very important international meetings, and leaders from many parts of the world participated in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, which took place from 11-13 March. The international media focused in particular on covering the meeting of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, headed by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The Antalya Diplomatic Forum made it clear that the world needs a new diplomatic language. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "The most important indicator of Turkey's growing power in the region and the world is the diplomatic forum that was held in Antalya and attended by 17 heads of state from all over the world."
By Zernouh.abdo4 years ago in The Swamp
Cancelled Energy
The last major hydrocarbon energy shock occurred because Arab suppliers rug pulled the West. The Gulf States “lived their values” regarding the political situation in Israel at the time. This time the West decided to “live their values” and cancel the world’s largest energy producer. Don’t allow your opinion on the righteousness (or not) of the military action between Russia and Ukraine detract from the fact that this time around the Western energy consumer decided to go on strike.
By Saad Djazairy4 years ago in The Swamp
These "Useful Idiots" Probably Aren't Compromised by Russia.
"Useful idiot" is a term apocryphally coined by Vladimir Lenin to describe Americans who would support communist causes without really understanding them. There seems to be a few useful idiots running around America today, siding with Russia over Ukraine in the current war. It's spurned chatter that maybe Russia is paying some of them off or has blackmail material on them, classic Soviet style kompromat. I don't have proof this is untrue, and I wouldn't be entirely shocked if one of the people below is compromised, but I doubt that's the core issue here. The thing is, when they see an authoritarian launch a war of choice on an peaceful democracy, they side with the authoritarian because that's where their sympathies lie. They are anti-democratic authoritarians.
By Buck Hardcastle4 years ago in The Swamp
Freedom is not a simple issue
Freedom is a double edged weapon. Is anyone “Free”? Freedom is such a simple sounding idea yet it is actually rare to find anyone who can be said to be 100% free. Once we have children we have responsibilities and so a curtailment of freedom. Even earlier in our lives, once we enter a meaningful relationship the same thing applies, we become responsible for another persons happiness and well-begin and so we choose to curtain our own freedom. Yet freedom is still a desirable condition, a condition rather than a life style. In a democratic nation we assume freedom to choose our leaders, we also choose to accept the idea that if the majority choose differently from ourselves then we have to accept it. We are limiting our freedom. Freedom of thought is taken for granted in most democratized nations, the freedom to disagree and the freedom to protest are assumed. Yet these are fragile freedoms, the modern trend to curtail other peoples freedom to offend anyone, is a step towards removing freedom. The double standards that seem to have been adopted in many universities, which seeks to “cancel” the expression of some opinions, yet promotes others. Universities have for centuries been places where debate was unlimited, where ideas could be explored and expressed. Places where political ideals could be constructed by the exploration of all alternatives; yet now only “acceptable” views may be heard.
By Peter Rose4 years ago in The Swamp
Hitler, Trump, Putin
In the past few years, leaders ranging from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin have been compared to Adolf Hitler. I think the comparisons are valid. But Hitler had more than a decade-long career as the authoritarian leader of Germany, and it might be useful to sharpen the comparisons by specifying where and when in Hitler's career the comparisons most accurately apply.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in The Swamp
"Freedom"
History is being made today. We're living in a future child's history book... What an odd concept to think about. I can't say I ever expected to go through a pandemic and the possible start of a 3rd world war before I even turn 20. I'm not really a political person, but I've never felt so in the dark. There's so much going on and I have no idea what's going to happen next. Gas prices are rising daily, the economy is crashing, we're on the verge of World War 3, and inflation is striking us fast.
By The Grim Weeper4 years ago in The Swamp
War Can’t Make Discrimination Okay
Statistically, you’re never more safe from a violent attack than you are right after a violent attack. The nuance that is often loss is this is only really true for those attacked. Survivors of a terrorist attack are safer, but hate-crimes skyrocket after these events, as though attacking someone is ever justifiable because they had the same skin colour or beliefs of the terrorists in question.
By Conor Matthews4 years ago in The Swamp
