Day 502

Conflict shaping

We left off yesterday pointing out that Ukraine is an electoral democracy — not a functioning or “liberal democracy,” like Finland and Sweden, where individual freedoms are protected by constitutional rights and liberties along with collective rights and liberties all enforced by the rules of law.

This is not a distinction without a difference. It is the reason Ukraine can’t join NATO now.

This doesn’t mean, however, that Team USA and NATO can’t do enough (however much that is) to help Ukraine to annihilate all Russian invaders before NATO celebrates its 75th anniversary next year in Washington, D.C.

If you take seriously that it’s important to first correct inaccurate reports about the start of the war nine years ago, there’s every reason to believe today’s diplobabble could be less wishywashy.

Unfortunately, instead of taking concrete steps now to end fascistic Russia’s genocidal campaign — read: shape the conflict — we are distracted by bullshit arguments about whether or not i…