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[Another]

Late Soviet Union (Gorbachev time) was more politically free than previous times (for which people are thankful to Gorbachev) but had chronic food and other simple things shortages. Then in the 90' there suddenly was plenty of food on the shelves but few people had money to buy it so it was even worse for most. When freedom comes with general decrease to the quality of life you can guess how many would assume causation.

Rise of Putin (appointed by Yeltsin by the way) coincided with rise in global oil price from ~20/common unit to ~100/common unit and some money flowing into the country as the result. In some sense he got lucky where his predecessors were unlucky (and both incompetent and thieves/surrounded themselves with thieves as usual).

[Owlbread]

It's a cool country, it's just that politically they haven't had much luck for the last ~1000 years.

Of course, it's their own fault that they haven't had much luck for the last 1000 years because they have an infatuation with strong leaders who put things very simply to them.

This has to do something with the fact that most (if not all) soft and liberal rulers of Russia tend to be giant tools whose rule usually leads to a massive disaster (for example: Tsar Nicholas II, Gorbachev, Yeltsin). All great Russian rulers were ruthless undemocratic tyrants (like Peter the Great, for example)

It also hasn't been cool for the chechens, ingush, tatars and all the other minorities who've been gradually conquered and assimilated over the years.

Generally, Russians like to respond to such statements by pointing at the colonization of the Americas and accusing the Westerners of hypocrisy.

But that's just a cop-out. It's like killing a kid then being accused of being a child murderer by another child murderer. Yes, the child murderer is being hypocritical, but you are still a child murderer. People who justify the wrongdoings of a country with the wrongdoings of their enemies make me quite angry.

[Helgoland]

But what does it matter that Russia conquered most of what's now Russia? The Americans conquered, the English conquered, even the French conquered... Basically the only nation that didn't conquer was Germany, but we later on did some less-than-pleasant stuff.
My point is that judging countries by how they acted some hundred or two hundred years ago doesn't make much sense. These were, to put it simply, different times. We can look to history for explanations, sure, (Why was/is the Eastern Bloc such a dump? Why did Europe conquer the Earth and not, say, Zimbabwe? Why did England take such a leading role in the process of industrialization?) but we cannot use it to pass moral judgements.
That having been said, I hear Russia has had massive improvements over the last few years, mostly because of its resources, although there is still much to be done politically. When they finally do something about the corruption though... I'll know where to put my money.

[Owlbread]

But what does it matter that Russia conquered most of what's now Russia? The Americans conquered, the English conquered, even the French conquered... Basically the only nation that didn't conquer was Germany, but we later on did some less-than-pleasant stuff.
My point is that judging countries by how they acted some hundred or two hundred years ago doesn't make much sense. These were, to put it simply, different times. We can look to history for explanations, sure, (Why was/is the Eastern Bloc such a dump? Why did Europe conquer the Earth and not, say, Zimbabwe? Why did England take such a leading role in the process of industrialization?) but we cannot use it to pass moral judgements.
That having been said, I hear Russia has had massive improvements over the last few years, mostly because of its resources, although there is still much to be done politically. When they finally do something about the corruption though... I'll know where to put my money.

I think when you say England you mean Britain.

The problem is though that people are not getting compensation for getting screwed over in the past in the Russian Federation, and they're still getting screwed over today.

[Guardian G.I.]

But what does it matter that Russia conquered most of what's now Russia? The Americans conquered, the English conquered, even the French conquered... Basically the only nation that didn't conquer was Germany, but we later on did some less-than-pleasant stuff.
My point is that judging countries by how they acted some hundred or two hundred years ago doesn't make much sense. These were, to put it simply, different times. We can look to history for explanations, sure, (Why was/is the Eastern Bloc such a dump? Why did Europe conquer the Earth and not, say, Zimbabwe? Why did England take such a leading role in the process of industrialization?) but we cannot use it to pass moral judgements.
That having been said, I hear Russia has had massive improvements over the last few years, mostly because of its resources, although there is still much to be done politically. When they finally do something about the corruption though... I'll know where to put my money.

I think when you say England you mean Britain.

The problem is though that people are not getting compensation for getting screwed over in the past in the Russian Federation, and they're still getting screwed over today.

I wonder, have Britain, France or the United States ever compensated anyone for screwing them in the past?

Back on topic: Israeli Cabinet approves mobilization of 75,000 reserve soldiers — RT

[Owlbread]

I think when you say England you mean Britain.

The problem is though that people are not getting compensation for getting screwed over in the past in the Russian Federation, and they're still getting screwed over today.

I wonder, have Britain, France or the United States ever compensated anyone for screwing them in the past?

Back on topic: Israeli Cabinet approves mobilization of 75,000 reserve soldiers — RT

You have ignored my previous comment about people who try to justify the barbaric actions of a country or person with the barbaric actions of their enemies; I really don't like them. Two wrongs don't make a right. You can do the same shit where you try and dillute the rawness of what the army and government of the Russian Federation have done by referring to the Americans and the British or the French or whoever, but that doesn't change anything. The bad shit still happened, and it's the fault of people who have gone unpunished.

[Moghjubar]

President Carter commenting on Israel over latest actions: "Israelis' Policy Is to Confiscate Palestinian Territory"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisabeth-braw/jimmy-carter-israelis-pol_b_2144182.html

[Sonlirain]

People point that out not because they think the fact someone else did "IT" gives them the moral right to do the same thing.
They just point out the hypocrisy and "holier than you" attitude of some co called "defenders of human rights" who automatically stop giving two flying bucks about human rights if the benefits them in the slightest.

As for Israel and the Middle East

The tropical Jews will turn the middle east into a glowing crater sooner or later so civilized countries should find ways of becoming independant from middle eastern oil sooner than later.

Plainly said... it's a clusterfuck almost noone really understands anymore.
At least i don't understand what the hell is happening.

Last things i knew was Palestine picking fights with Israel and always meeting with inapropriate levels of retribution and Iran fooling around with atomic bombs (and Israel assuring everyone that it's in the worlds best interests to make them blow up in their faces).

Oh well guess it's time for another major war in the ME... anything new?

[Owlbread]

People point that out not because they think the fact someone else did "IT" gives them the moral right to do the same thing.
They just point out the hypocrisy and "holier than you" attitude of some co called "defenders of human rights" who automatically stop giving two flying bucks about human rights if the benefits them in the slightest.

Hypocrisy doesn't change the fact that the bad shit still happened. Furthermore, we can judge countries without representing our own.

[Sonlirain]

People point that out not because they think the fact someone else did "IT" gives them the moral right to do the same thing.
They just point out the hypocrisy and "holier than you" attitude of some co called "defenders of human rights" who automatically stop giving two flying bucks about human rights if the benefits them in the slightest.

Hypocrisy doesn't change the fact that the bad shit still happened. Furthermore, we can judge countries without representing our own.

Yeah but noone is going to take criticism to heart from someone who did the same darn thing and suffered no lasting consequences as a result.

Sure it's bad but... hey let's launch those white phosphor bombs at this nursery and see what happens.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 This pic is nasty so open it at your own freaking risk.
http://www.rupeenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/the-fate-of-muslims-in-india.jpg

[Owlbread]

People point that out not because they think the fact someone else did "IT" gives them the moral right to do the same thing.
They just point out the hypocrisy and "holier than you" attitude of some co called "defenders of human rights" who automatically stop giving two flying bucks about human rights if the benefits them in the slightest.

Hypocrisy doesn't change the fact that the bad shit still happened. Furthermore, we can judge countries without representing our own.

Yeah but noone is going to take criticism to heart from someone who did the same darn thing and suffered no lasting consequences as a result.

Sure it's bad but... hey let's launch those white phosphor bombs at this nursery and see what happens.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 This pic is nasty so open it at your own freaking risk.
http://www.rupeenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/the-fate-of-muslims-in-india.jpg

I didn't do the same darn thing, nor did you. We are at liberty to criticise these states for what they have done.

[Sonlirain]

The said states are often elected so in theory it's the faulf of it's citzens for electing tjhose politicians and not others
(of course this is bull because they do whatever they want once they win).

Without any strong source of multinational law those things will just happen because the person who put the "evil deed(s)" in motion is usually left untouched.
Stalin did a ton of things that would be widely accepted as evil  but suprise he died without taking retribution for any of it.
It's not the countries fault but a certain person fulfiling a certain position in its goverment.

[Sheb]

Sonlirain, you assume we don't criticise our own countries. Belgium is pretty fine nowadays, human-right wise, except for immigrants' right. And I've been to several protests about this already. So I have the right to criticise Russia. This may not be the case of the US government for exemple.

Also, Russia love To criticize Western countries as well ( do you remember their support for "British rebels" during the riots?

[Owlbread]

Sonlirain, you assume we don't criticise our own countries. Belgium is pretty fine nowadays, human-right wise, except for immigrants' right. And I've been to several protests about this already. So I have the right to criticise Russia. This may not be the case of the US government for exemple.

Also, Russia love To criticize Western countries as well ( do you remember their support for "British rebels" during the riots?

Russia Today is also one of the only news broadcasters (besides Al Jazeera possibly) that I have seen to look semi-favourably on Scottish Independence. Or at least, neutral in the way that the BBC is in its portrayal of the rebel fighters in Syria and formerly Libya.

[Sheb]

Did it? Most news coverage I've seen here has been pretty neutral.