Moscow Metro Bombed

[CountDeMoney]

I am amused at this concept of evil nations.  I thought this kind of thinking went out with the collapse of the USSR, but clearly it lingers in some benighted places like Poland and Mississippi.

That there are evil deeds goes without saying.  That there are evil people is arguable.  That there are evil nations is risible.

The Pipple's Republic of China is an evil nation.

[Admiral Yi]

Speaking of Russians, did anyone catch the 60 Minutes story on the Russian oligarch who is trying to buy the New Jersey Nets and move them to Brooklyn?  The man has very nice taste in bimbos.

[grumbler]

But to call a regime/system of government evil?  I could go along with that.  North Korea's government would seem to fit that title.

You can call anything you like evil.  Generally, I will laugh at you for it.  "Evil" is too simplistic a concept to fit any but the simplest actions at all snugly.

Even the North Korean government has done some good.  People in it have committed many evil actions, for sure.  But believe in "evil" governments (and even in the North Korean government as "evil") if that makes you feel better.  I will only object if you try to argue that your "evil government" idea is at all an intellectual concept.

[grumbler]

I am amused at this concept of evil nations.  I thought this kind of thinking went out with the collapse of the USSR, but clearly it lingers in some benighted places like Poland and Mississippi.

That there are evil deeds goes without saying.  That there are evil people is arguable.  That there are evil nations is risible.

Calling an entire nation 'evil' - don't think that's fair.

But to call a regime/system of government evil?  I could go along with that.  North Korea's government would seem to fit that title.

Indeed.

Why does this agreement not surprise me in the slightest?

Calling Timmay!  Hans, you too!

[garbon]

Even the North Korean government has done some good.

How does that have anything to do with whether a government is evil or not?

[DGuller]

I'm not big into conspiracy theories.  While Russia (and the Soviet union have done many unscrupulous things they tend to be very ham handed about it.

If FSB did plant the bombs, then they did stumble.  They got caught red-handed by an unusually competent police.  I don't know whether it really was the bomb in Ryazan, but it's really dangerous to discount the Russian secret police.  They were always by far the most competent state organ for more than a century, and they're utterly ruthless.  In 1999, with Yeltzin about to be out of power, the stakes were very high.

[Barrister]

But to call a regime/system of government evil?  I could go along with that.  North Korea's government would seem to fit that title.

You can call anything you like evil.  Generally, I will laugh at you for it.  "Evil" is too simplistic a concept to fit any but the simplest actions at all snugly.

Even the North Korean government has done some good.  People in it have committed many evil actions, for sure.  But believe in "evil" governments (and even in the North Korean government as "evil") if that makes you feel better.  I will only object if you try to argue that your "evil government" idea is at all an intellectual concept.

You may object all you like if it pleases you.

I will remind you that I have one of the 50 best presidents in US history agreeing with me that North Korea has an evil regime.

[Neil]

You can call anything you like evil.  Generally, I will laugh at you for it.  "Evil" is too simplistic a concept to fit any but the simplest actions at all snugly.

Unfortunately for you, things MUST be labeled, and 'evil' is a perfectly adequate label for those whose actions and motivations oppose our own.

[derspiess]

I think one of the problems in the US perception of Russia is that while both the US and Russia are superpowers that tend to be perceived by various Rest of the World countries as evil, Russia actually *is* evil but some Americans tend to have a sort of unwarranted sympathy (or at least, a grudging respect) for it.

Not sure what you're referring to in terms of sympathy.  A lot of Americans still view the Russians in the same light as they viewed the Soviets.  A lot of other don't give two shits about the Russians, either way.

Personally, I've been of the opinion that it falls within our national interests to have a somewhat-strong Russia (though preferably a less anti-American Russia from what we've seen).  A weak Russia would mean a power vacuum in certain regions that could have all sorts of nasty, unpredictable consequences.  It was for that reason that I supported Russia in the Chechnya conflict.

Having said that, I think we need to be a little more cautious and a little less gracious when dealing with Putinvedev & Russia than we have been in the past decade.  I don't think the Bush administration was as naive as they appeared, but I think Russia mistook its gentle approach for naivite & weakness.

The Obama administration has no policy with Russia, so hopefully they have a supply of mis-translated reset buttons for the times things go wrong.

[jimmy olsen]

But to call a regime/system of government evil?  I could go along with that.  North Korea's government would seem to fit that title.

You can call anything you like evil.  Generally, I will laugh at you for it.  "Evil" is too simplistic a concept to fit any but the simplest actions at all snugly.

Even the North Korean government has done some good.  People in it have committed many evil actions, for sure.  But believe in "evil" governments (and even in the North Korean government as "evil") if that makes you feel better.  I will only object if you try to argue that your "evil government" idea is at all an intellectual concept.

You may object all you like if it pleases you.

I will remind you that I have one of the 50 best presidents in US history agreeing with me that North Korea has an evil regime.

Not hard to be one of the 50 best presidents in US history when there's only been 44.

[DGuller]

Putinvedev

  That has to be one of the worst mergers of names yet.  Besides, this is a highly misleading merger.  Given their share of power, their combined name should be Putin.  Medvedev is a very nice and enlightened guy, but he is unfortunately a complete joke, and has no real power.

[DGuller]

Not hard to be one of the 50 best presidents in US history when there's only been 44.

Good catch.

[derspiess]

  That has to be one of the worst mergers of names yet.  Besides, this is a highly misleading merger.  Given their share of power, their combined name should be Putin.  Medvedev is a very nice and enlightened guy, but he is unfortunately a complete joke, and has no real power.

Why didn't you bite on my 'reset button' remark

[DGuller]

Why didn't you bite on my 'reset button' remark

What's the point?  People who want to believe that the reset button was stupidly mis-translated want to believe it because it makes them feel better.  I'm sure anyone interested on my own take of the translation difficulties involved are already aware of my opinion on the matter.

[Lettow77]

  Lectures poles for thinking russia is evil from the safety of northern canada is awful convenient.

Russia is culturally inclined to displays of force, and totalitarianism; they put insufficient value on russian lives, much less the lives of those nationalities unlucky enough to border them.

Russia is an evil nation. There is no shame in recognizing evil when it exists in the world; a smug relativism that thinks everything is negotiable and there are no absolutes is the greater shame.