• SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        7 months ago

        I think this and Trump pulling out of the Iran Deal were the two greatest (relatively non-violent) fuckups on the planet of the last two decades, period. The world where Russia is in NATO and has China sandwiched between Russia, a likely US-friendly Central Asia, Japan and South Korea, and other US-friendly countries like the Philippines - that world is god fucking awful. Thank god we aren’t in that one, as bad as this one is. Not necessarily hopeless because it might have prompted China to take more urgent action on anti-imperialism, and the descent into the neoliberal rot would still be weakening the empire from the inside, but good god. Two capitalist nuclear superpowers contesting a single socialist one is not a great time.

    • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆@lemmy.mlOP
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      7 months ago

      Indeed, it was pure hubris and this monumental mistake on the part of the west. Prior to the conflict, few questioned the power of NATO, but now it is clear that this alliance lacks the resilience necessary for a serious war effort and that the west’s economy is not as self-sufficient or pivotal as once thought. The economic front of this conflict has created an entirely separate economy outside of western influence, further highlighting the importance of Russian resources. This realization is particularly unsettling from a Western perspective because European countries are now forced to purchase these resources at inflated prices through third parties rather than directly from Russia. As such, there’s no turning back from this point and it will undoubtedly be remembered as a significant catalyst for the decline of the western empire in history books.

      • Tunnelvision [they/them]@hexbear.net
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        7 months ago

        Yup, the west has screwed itself over in a multitude of ways in this situation. Really even if they had engaged Russia in Ukraine but told Ukraine to concede the Donbas it would still have been fine, but at this point so many mistakes have been made that as you said there’s no turning back. Really the biggest one was freezing and then taking the Russian reserves that were in the US.

      • Tunnelvision [they/them]@hexbear.net
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        7 months ago

        Yes, but Ukraine has been the biggest blow to American empire in literally its entire history. Before the war the rot was visible if you knew where to look, but now it’s everywhere.

            • Rx_Hawk [he/him]@hexbear.net
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              7 months ago

              The US fucking around in the Middle East for decades then pulling out and changing nothing. Failures in Vietnam and Korea. I think all three of these overshadow Ukraine in terms of demonstrating western failure.

              Sure, Ukraine is important but the situation isn’t even close to being resolved, and we won’t know its full implications for years.

              • Tunnelvision [they/them]@hexbear.net
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                7 months ago

                Then you don’t know much about history from a Marxist context because none of those conflicts had any real negative impact on the American empire, they only expanded the American economy by pumping money into MIC and expanding the security state. Ukraine on the other hand in just two years has de armed nato to an astonishingly high degree, allowed Americas enemies to stand up and fight, led to the largest military raid on Israeli soil in generations, pushed nato troops out of Africa, bolstered an entire economic block of emerging powers, and has given incentive for those powers to break off from the USD which is the lifeblood of modern capitalism and imperialism. There’s a mega on the front page that’s been going on for years now talking about it I would really recommend you read it some time.