Vladimir Putin: The 21st century Hitler

[Stormy Daniels]

Once again you prove yourself uninformed. The borders of Ukraine have always moved around. In fact, Ukraine has rarely ever exited as a sovereign nation.

Did I blow your mind?

The borders of Israel have always moved around. In fact, Israel has rarely ever existed as a sovereign nation.

 

[gipper]

No. You repeated Kremlin bullshit.

I wasn't sure if you were a sock or not.

Pretty sure now

Yes! The truth is lies and lies are truth.

Orwell lives!

 

[gipper]

The borders of Israel have always moved around. In fact, Israel has rarely ever existed as a sovereign nation.

Very true. Now you go fight the Russians over the Ukrainian borders that haven’t existed for more than a few decades.

 

[frigidweirdo]

I know people like to make Nazi comparisons for anything they don't like, and most of the time it's just laziness. But in this instance, there is a real case for Putin to be viewed as the second Hitler. Not because "evil man bad no likey." But both men are similarly motivated, similarly uninhibited, similarly empowered, and similarly resolved. I'll explain.

Similar motivations
Hitler was a young private in the German army during World War I, who was furious about Germany's defeat. The goals that drove him were a restoration of pre-war Germany territory, a final resolution to the German question by finally unifying all German peoples into a single nation-state, the resulting dominance that such a Greater Germany would enjoy, and generally a redress for what he perceived to be historical wrongs against Germany.

Putin was a young KGB agent in the Soviet Union, and eventually a protege of Yeltsin, who was enraged by the loss of the Cold War and Russia's reduced stature that resulted from the dissolution of the Soviet Union (though not necessarily the dissolution itself, which Boris Yeltsin hoped might become a spring board to increase Russian influence and standing). He has spent his life since then bent on the restoration of Russia and what he believes Russia is historically entitled to. He seeks the unification of all historical "Russian" peoples into a single nation-state, and the resulting dominance that such a macro-Russia would enjoy.

Similar inhibitions
Yes, Hitler was evil, but that's just too lazy. It's a simple conclusion to a broad question, which obscures everything it entails. It's like white-washing an old barn so you don't have to bother looking at the wood underneath. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that moral limitations generally preclude individuals from certain behaviors, and that their absence will generally open up the possible behaviors such an individual is liable to undertake. Suffice it to say, Hitler had few qualms about using extreme tactics to rise to power and stay there in Germany. Rigged elections, murder of political adversaries, and suppression of personal freedoms were bread and butter for Hitler's domestic policy. Internationally, he did not hesitate to take any bit of land he wanted at the point of a soldier's rifle.

While Russia is somewhat more predisposed to oppressive government already, Putin has routinely had dissident journalists and political adversaries killed. He attempted to murder Alexei Navalny, and then imprisoned him when the attempt failed. He invaded Georgia and the Crimean peninsula as mere land grabs, and is now invading the rest of Ukraine. It is safe to say that Putin's behavior has never gone to the full extent of what we might have expected to see from Hitler in Putin's shoes, but Putin also has to deal with a powerful NATO alliance and a more unified international community than Hitler had to deal with in his time. Regardless, Putin clearly has few moral inhibitions in pursuit of his objectives, and has shown little hesitation to commit terrible acts to pursue his ambitions.

Similar power
It should be plain to see that both Hitler and Putin are authoritarian dictators and tyrants who have shred democracy in their countries.

Similar Resolve
While it is often said that power corrupts, Hitler sought power as a means to orchestrate objectives that he had chosen many years prior. He clawed his way into prominence, used that to give himself a platform in national politics, and then stole his way to the top, all so he could pursue an agenda long set.

Early in his political career Putin managed to endear himself to Boris Yeltsin. Yeltsin would eventually identify the largely unknown Putin as his hand picked successor. Having learned in the 1998 Russian financial crisis how destabilizing economic problems can be, he spent many of his early years in power focused on ensuring economic stability (even if not prosperity), along with military dominance. Putin has played a long game that necessitated the so called tandemocracy with Medvedev in order to circumvent term limits to remain in power. But he did not waiver from his overarching expansionist objectives, which he finally began bringing into full fruition upon his return to the Russian presidency.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine is little different than Hitler's invasion of Austria, and the world is now on a similar path to war.

"The German Reich is no longer willing to tolerate the suppression of ten million Germans across its borders." -Adolf Hitler, in preparation for the Anschluss.

Well, there are plenty of others who could fit that role, like Bush, like other people who lead large countries that are aggressive and want to bully others.

 

[xyz]

Crimea is 80% ethnic Russian and has been part of Russia since FUCKING Catherine the Great and they voted to return to Russia…but we know this is news to you.

"Voted". Shows how much you care about democracy and free elections.

 

[xyz]

Well, there are plenty of others who could fit that role, like Bush, like other people who lead large countries that are aggressive and want to bully others.

Yes, but Bush wasn't born poor and wasn't interested in annexing countries and getting close to a world war. Also not interested in becoming POTUS for life.

 

[gipper]

"Voted". Shows how much you care about democracy and free elections.

Lol. So you just admitted not knowing anything about Crimea, but you’re too uninformed to know it.

 

[xyz]

Lol. So you just admitted not knowing anything about Crimea, but you’re too uninformed to know it.

Where in my post does it say that?

And anyway, you claim to be libertarian but are obviously a sucker for dictators, Putin especially.

 

[DarthTrader]

No. You repeated Kremlin bullshit.

I wasn't sure if you were a sock or not.

Pretty sure now

So you don't understand that Ukraine wasn't a country until 1917? And that most of its current oblasts were given it in the 1930s and 1950s?

 

[DarthTrader]

Where in my post does it say that?

And anyway, you claim to be libertarian but are obviously a sucker for dictators, Putin especially.

Crimea is primarily Russian and did vote to join Russia.

 

[Lesh]

So you don't understand that Ukraine wasn't a country until 1917? And that most of its current oblasts were given it in the 1930s and 1950s?

Who gives a shit. It's a country now and has been for decades

Crimea is primarily Russian and did vote to join Russia.

Texas is primarily Mexican speakers...does that mean it should be part of Mexico?

That was the excuse Hitler used in taking the Sudetenland. You're in strange company Boris

 

[frigidweirdo]

Yes, but Bush wasn't born poor and wasn't interested in annexing countries and getting close to a world war. Also not interested in becoming POTUS for life.

Well, Bush knew the US could do whatever it wanted. Putin knows that too.

Bush knows the order of things, knows there are others who have more power than the president, who do have power for life because they control the system. And the US was more interesting in puppet governments keeping the US rich.

Doesn't make any of it "better".

 

[gipper]

Where in my post does it say that?

And anyway, you claim to be libertarian but are obviously a sucker for dictators, Putin especially.

It says so much about how propagandized people are and how insulated their ideological echo chambers have become that their first thought when encountering someone with a foreign policy opinion they disagree with is "I bet this person is a secret agent from a hostile government."

 

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

Yep, and ole Sleepy Joe Biden's just the man to deal w/that devil.

If by "deal" you mean shit his pants, then yes. Just the man indeed.

 

[Mac1958]

 

[xyz]

It says so much about how propagandized people are and how insulated their ideological echo chambers have become that their first thought when encountering someone with a foreign policy opinion they disagree with is "I bet this person is a secret agent from a hostile government."

No, I just said you're a fake libertarian, but if you insist you're working for someone...

And there's isn't much to being a "secret agent" on the internet, an agent of influence or useful idiot, yes.

 

[gipper]

No, I just said you're a fake libertarian, but if you insist you're working for someone...

And there's isn't much to being a "secret agent" on the internet, an agent of influence or useful idiot, yes.

Oh brother!