I said:
You missed one of the variables. X="compatriot welfare". Y="workable relationship". Z="profits".President Putin...His 2 concerns are the welfare of the compatriots and a workable relationship with Ukraine....
I realize my statement wasn't Extremely User-Friendly but most people would assume Z to be the most likely outcome for Y.
Y and Z are vital to support X without W (warfare). Imo, anyone who doesn't understand that equation should seriously consider enrolling in a military academy - or at least take a course in military history.
The same equation was used during the colonization of America. In that case, the compatriots were fellow pilgrims and the workable relationship was with the Native Americans. W was frequently substituted for Y in the equation but the results were the same - the strategic military creation of the wealthiest nation on Earth - emphasis on "wealthiest".
In a perfect world, the Native Americans would have been allowed to resolve their own International issues involving the new settlers.
In the real world, they live on reservations. And like I've said before, I'm not an idealist.
/Lecture.
There are variables in the Western equation that force me to side with Russia over the West (W=gay propaganda, X=racial chaos, Y=Anti-Christian ideals, Z=Harmful environment to raise kids in). When I have kids, they won't have to grow up with W, X, or Y. Imo, one of the most brilliant military strategies in history was depriving the victor of his spoils (ie. Napolean finding Moscow in ruins). So no, I've never believed that fortunes weren't a very important variable in military/political equations.
If President Putin wins this conflict, it will save a lot of Russian compatriots and create new options for enriching the economy in the long term. If he succeeds in bringing back Novorossiya, he could be one of the greatest Russian patriots in history. So yeah, self-interest is a strong motivation in any campaign.
Don't forget, more safe and healthy workers = more profits. So if you believe compatriots aren't valuable, try building a nation without them. I read that the USSR respected the workers and created one of the most powerful nations on Earth...
I learned how to speak English before I ever took a course in English grammar. How? By sitting in a classroom? No. I learned English by talking to other people and mimicking what they said.
Btw, I've learned more of the Russian language by posting in these threads than I've learned by studying the language. The active debate gives me a strong incentive to learn.
I didn't notice. I've seen her give positive and negative opinions for both sides of the issues. I think it's more likely that she just has strong objections to a lot of Western policies but hey, a lot of people do. It doesn't mean they hate their side and love the other side.
Sometimes it's only a matter of logic and/or preference.
Btw, I've met some anti-*insert country* people online and my conclusion is this: Anybody that's really anti-*insert country* will probably be anti-*insert country* no matter what country they live in. I think it goes way beyond preference for them.
I bookmarked that article. It was titled "Behind the masks in Ukraine":
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/wo...etType=nyt_now
Jill Abramson made a fatal mistake. She allowed facts to be published that didn't support the Western political narrative. I wasn't surprised that they fired her and she's probably at the top of the NSA watch list now.
I read about the 1990's in Russia. What a nightmare! But Putin paid off the foreign debts and saved the country. It's one of the reasons I have so much respect for President Putin. Very few (if any) modern leaders have done as much to rebuild a nation as he has.
Btw, I believe it was because of the 1990/s that the Russians took the position they took. The best lessons are from experience. People here can't even get a decent job without it.