Capital punishment.

[Wolf]

This conspicuous lack of Western urgency is not mirrored by the People of Ukraine. Sear
I think that statement in many ways "sums up the situation.
IMHO what is happening, and again happened back in the late 30's is simple the populations of countries like Germany and France and their Leaders, think if your "nice and friendly" to countries like Russia or China, it will "rub off", what they have failed to realise is that both countries are not lead by a Democrat Democracy, but are lead by single identity's, who by terror or coercion, "make their own rules". IMHO what could happen in both countries a new "order" could emerge and that could again change the world.
But again IMHO with both countries now "equipped with Nuclear weapons" the last "throw of the Dice" could turn off the lights in this World.

 

[sear]

W #81
It's a familiar if not hackneyed expression: those that don't study history are destined to repeat it. Well ?! We studied it. BUT ! What they neglected to tell us is, studying history won't protect us from history repeating anyway.

Regarding rolling the dice: initial predictions were that Russia would vanquish Ukraine in a few days. It's been several months. It's tragic to see how Ukraine's forces are battling back against superior arms. And depressing the rest of the world sits back and watches.

Yesterday I saw video of Ukrainians stumbling through flaming rubble, reportedly what shortly before the vid was taken was a shopping mall. For whatever reason Russia found it a viable military target. - yikes -

 

[Wolf]

And depressing the rest of the world sits back and watches. Sear
But, this is more or less what happened in the late 30's. When our then Prime Minster went to Belin to "negotiated" with Hitler he did so with "openness and the knowledge of the U.S." and came back with a signed Paper which he waved excitedly crying "Peace in our time" we all know the following result. However as we now see that when the French President held similar talks with Putin (before Russia invaded the Ukraine) again the result was "War" and invasion. So we must look at History and try to understand that when people like Putin and Hitler "hold the Raines" nothing will stop what have already planned.
I have quote this saying before, but while 95% of the world is inept or Leaderless, and 1% are Saints with a further !% being total "rear-end people" the remaining 3% are what we could describe as Leaders, however they come in a number of shapes and sizes.
IMHO what will happen with regards the present conflict is one of two things. The first Russia will either" dismiss" it's present leader and return a Country with a more "peaceful intent " or Putin will start to panic either because of a growing disillusionment or the losses he is experiencing and then we could see the use of a so called "Tactical Nuclear weapon" which will open up a whole new ball game. Todays news is that Finland and Sweden have both been invited to join NATO, this will I have no doubt make Putin very angry, the result will be seen shortly.

 

[sear]

W #83
Neville Chamberlain has been criticized for his "Peace for our time" remark in 1938. I'd have faulted him if he hadn't tried. BUT !! If he fully believed he'd prevented a War, that triggers the naïveté alarm.

Nuke weapons surely an issue for concern.
But Russia has been hideously casual about conventional weapons around Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

The most recent word I got on it, seems Russia may be going "sour grapes" on NATO expansion, merely asserting consequences.

 

[Borg Refinery]

In circumstances of war, this kind of punishment is used on deserters etc. I'm not sure it should be used on common criminals though, the miscarriages of jsuticve for those on death row in the USA have been something to behold.

 

[sear]

the miscarriages of jsuticve for those on death row in the USA have been something to behold.

It seems to me to invoke Orwell merely to call it "justice".

The example that comes to mind, Illinois Governor Ryan pardoned the death sentence of every death row prisoner in his State, and shortly thereafter went to prison himself on unrelated charges.

I've lost count, but iirc The Innocence Project prisoner released list has now reached triple digits. The inequities are an open secret, resulting in gallows humor like:
On death row, beware the White guys, they're the ones that are truly guilty.