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ysabetwordsmithThe Mine Ban Convention (the 1997 Landmine Convention) ban is one of the greatest humanitarian achievements of our time. Yet now, this legacy is under threat.
Poland, Finland, and Estonia are now discussing quitting the global landmine ban. Latvia and Lithuania have already voted to leave but could still reconsider their decision. If we stay silent, more may follow—and Europe could unravel 25 years of progress in protecting civilian life. More lives and limbs will be lost.
Well, look at the context. Finland, Estonia, and Latvia all border Russia. Lithuania borders Latvia and Poland, while Poland borders Ukraine. These are all places that Russia could overrun in the foreseeable future. So it looks like area denial to me. Landmines would make the territory much less attractive to Russia. And given that Europe hasn't done enough to keep Russia out of Ukraine, i can't really blame other countries for wanting to find cheap, accessible, effective methods to protect themselves. Landmines may be heinous but they do a damn good job of defending boundaries.
If Europe wanted to keep the landmine ban, and for that matter other bans along the lines of "this is hideous, let's not do it anymore because we're more civilized now," then they should've put boots on the ground immediately rather than letting Russia fuck Ukraine over a bench. Sure I'd like to have a world with less war and less gruesome weapons. But I don't feel that it's ethical to demand other countries give up weapons they might need to defend themselves. Like Ukraine gave up the nukes it inherited from the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Poland, Finland, and Estonia are now discussing quitting the global landmine ban. Latvia and Lithuania have already voted to leave but could still reconsider their decision. If we stay silent, more may follow—and Europe could unravel 25 years of progress in protecting civilian life. More lives and limbs will be lost.
Well, look at the context. Finland, Estonia, and Latvia all border Russia. Lithuania borders Latvia and Poland, while Poland borders Ukraine. These are all places that Russia could overrun in the foreseeable future. So it looks like area denial to me. Landmines would make the territory much less attractive to Russia. And given that Europe hasn't done enough to keep Russia out of Ukraine, i can't really blame other countries for wanting to find cheap, accessible, effective methods to protect themselves. Landmines may be heinous but they do a damn good job of defending boundaries.
If Europe wanted to keep the landmine ban, and for that matter other bans along the lines of "this is hideous, let's not do it anymore because we're more civilized now," then they should've put boots on the ground immediately rather than letting Russia fuck Ukraine over a bench. Sure I'd like to have a world with less war and less gruesome weapons. But I don't feel that it's ethical to demand other countries give up weapons they might need to defend themselves. Like Ukraine gave up the nukes it inherited from the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2025-05-31 06:30 am (UTC)Which the larger and more brutal Russia can win, just because they've got more bodies to shove in the meat grinder.
>> The aggressors are unable to meaningfully advance, but can still strike devastatingly with missiles against civilian populations, <<
For now. But Ukraine can't hold out forever. Unless other countries are willing to put boots on the ground, eventually Ukraine will run out of soldiers and materials. Just sending weapons isn't enough.
>> grossly against the laws of war. For which Putin should be tried as a war criminal. <<
Nobody seems interested in holding him accountable. The whole thing is a war crime, because he started it as a war of aggression and is trying to steal territory, neither of which is supposedly legal; plus murdering lots of people and destroying lots of property.
Europe is going to wind up regretting it when they find a bigger Russia on their own doorstep.
>> Germany is giving Ukraine cruise missiles that can theoretically strike Moscow. <<
That's a particularly dumb chickenshit move. It's not likely to get troops out of Ukraine, but is likely to escalate. Because Ukraine has no reason NOT to push that button; if you're dying you might as well take the other bastard with you.
>> That, and if President TACO tightens tariffs on Russian oil, it could force a change in their attitude towards an actual negotiated withdrawal. <<
I'm dubious. Especially in terms of holding Russia accountable for damages and war crimes.
>> So much needless destruction.<<
Yep. People are stupid. We don't have enough problems with climate change and environmental collapse, let's make more from scratch!