Patriotism is something I feel in sport regularly, while patriotic duty is something I've never had to consider, specifically defending my country from attack. In this scenario Russians, your wife's friend's husband included, have been sold a story that they are under attack and their patriotic duty is invoked. Nazism lives next door - root out Nazism. Similarly in 1991 Americans were also sold a story over Iraq and their patriotic duty was invoked. The story was equally fantastic. The result was not.
This is what I can't grasp with the Russian population..you could forgive those that live out in the sticks..with no indoor loo or central heating, they don't have much choice. But those middle class citizens that have travelled outside of Russia for work or whatever, they have access to better education, Internet etc. They must see that having one man control their entire way of life is not normal or healthy and that most similar civilised nations are horrified by what he is doing. I just don't get it...
So sad.
No father, regardless of his Nationality, needs to die in battle to keep a brutal dictator in power.
If you get a chance, send my condolences to his wife.
Patriotism is something I feel in sport regularly, while patriotic duty is something I've never had to consider, specifically defending my country from attack. In this scenario Russians, your wife's friend's husband included, have been sold a story that they are under attack and their patriotic duty is invoked. Nazism lives next door - root out Nazism. Similarly in 1991 Americans were also sold a story over Iraq and their patriotic duty was invoked. The story was equally fantastic. The result was not.
I think the 1991 Iraq war was more digestible than the 2002 one.
This is what I can't grasp with the Russian population..you could forgive those that live out in the sticks..with no indoor loo or central heating, they don't have much choice. But those middle class citizens that have travelled outside of Russia for work or whatever, they have access to better education, Internet etc. They must see that having one man control their entire way of life is not normal or healthy and that most similar civilised nations are horrified by what he is doing. I just don't get it...
Didn't I see this story last year?
Oh, yes, I am bringing stories over here from Medium. I need to make that clear at the top, sorry.
I will soon start doing original writing here.