They’re also putting out there that it could last “10 to 20 years”.
I think they’re trying to feed the comparison to Iraq and Afghanistan, probably to remind everyone of the Soviet war in Afghanistan and that whole fall of the USSR thing.
Thing is Russia clearly doesn’t have our military. Definitely doesn’t have our economy. Isn’t exactly getting a “coalition” going here.
I don’t really see how they have the stability to keep going for years.
Okay. thanks for clarifying!
I can see now how it was phrased ambivalently. I should have said “distrust in the Russian intelligence community”
Just… fyi, I just think in general, it’s important to push back against the narrative of fascists being incredibly smart and able to outwit everyone else, because I don’t think that’s ever been the case. But you still have this narrative that’s a common strain across the political media spectrum (maybe not in the left wing? Except maybe with tankies) about how the right wing is able to “outwit” the rest of us, when the reality is that they are really just bullies, who employ force and abuse to get their way. The narrative about Putin, from outlets across the spectrum, was that he’s some intellectual who has outsmarted the rest of the world. The reality is that he just brutally cracked down on all forms of opposition and put out some propaganda into the world to get support from western fascists by making himself into a champion of white supremacists ideology. I think part of what we’re doing to push back against the invasion is also pushing back against this narrative, not just around Putin, but around fascism and white supremacy in general. These ideologies do not rest in any sort of firm, complicated intellectual foundations, but on force and violence. That’s what they have, making force and violence into intellectual endeavors.
TL:DR: Make Putin Dumb Again…
Several of the neighboring countries have.
But given that Ukraine is reported to have denied exit to men with Ukranian passports (because of conscription), I was wondering if they were being denied exit by Ukraine rather than being denied entry by the bordering countries.
ETA: I see this was well covered above. Mea culpa 
That’s me!
Her comments:
Happens to the best of us! 
The Ukrainian ambassador goes full Godwin.
I mean, seriously, how could they not? If they have the ability to destroy the foremost vehicles, they would have to do so.
I think this assessment is certainly correct and there is clearly racism at work if one compares coverage and policy in this situation with previous refugee crises.
On the other hand I want to highlight something that might not be obvious if you are not European. There is no denying that this is a lot closer to us than e.g. Syria or Iraq. Both geographically and emotionally. Not only is Ukraine physically close to us, it is also perceived as a part of Europe, especially after Euromaidan. This feels like an attack on the continent from without (the discussion whether Russia is a part of Europe is irrelevant here, as I am trying to describe the emotional aspect). By contrast the Balkan war, horrible as it was, felt like an intra-european conflict.
But much more important than these old-fashioned ideas about continents and peoples is the human element.
This is the first war in my lifetime where I personally know anyone on any side of the conflict.
Not only that, it is also the first one where I personally know people on both sides of the conflict. Not combatants, mind you, but civilians in Kyiv and Moscow. It is also the first time I have ever exchanged messages with someone sheltering in an open warzone. This is personal to me like no other war has ever been before.
This is what makes this so immediate, and what drives at least some of the feeling towards Ukrainian refugees.
Again, I am not saying that there isn’t racism in the handling of refugees both from the middle East and right now for POC trying to leave Ukraine, I just want to point out that the general perception, especially in Central and Eastern Europe is about family in need, rather than neighbours.
