shakahislop

Well-known member
find the BBC coverage of this russian solider hard to watch. i feel like i'm being propaganda-d, like they want me to be happy or at least not upset about the prospect of this terrified looking kid being sent to prison for life as a kind of symbol. i can't imagine he's going to have a great time in a prison in ukraine, to say the least. it feels a long way from justice to me. i don't want to get all up in biscuit's territory but i find the uk media too uncritical of the ukranian side for my taste.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Met a Russian guy yesterday who runs a bar/record shop in Moscow. He was in Greece buying records for the shop when the war started and, afraid of being recalled to the army (he was in it before) he thought "fuck that" and came to Lisbon - left his job, possessions, his life just like that. Crazy. Probably better than getting your legs blown off fighting in a war you don't believe in.
 
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Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
find the BBC coverage of this russian solider hard to watch. i feel like i'm being propaganda-d, like they want me to be happy or at least not upset about the prospect of this terrified looking kid being sent to prison for life as a kind of symbol. i can't imagine he's going to have a great time in a prison in ukraine, to say the least. it feels a long way from justice to me. i don't want to get all up in biscuit's territory but i find the uk media too uncritical of the ukranian side for my taste.
Out of interest, how did you feel about the soldiers involved in the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal?

In both cases, I think, the guilty parties were "only following orders" (or claimed to be, at any rate).
 

shakahislop

Well-known member
Out of interest, how did you feel about the soldiers involved in the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal?

In both cases, I think, the guilty parties were "only following orders" (or claimed to be, at any rate).
I think you're right that there's a level of which is about your (well, my) emotional reaction, which isn't necessarily the colder way that you probably need to think if you're thinking about it seriously. I was still at school when that happened at abu gharib so didn't really get it and wasn't engaged. I think with that one there is something horrific about it, partly because pictures exist, partly because of the creativity of the abuse, partly because it feels like all the violence and pathologies of america at that time being unleashed on the word, but obviously most importantly because of the cruelty of it. i'm not up on the details but i think the people involved more or less got away with it didn't they? although it can't have been easy dealing with the hatred of a section of the american public. and i think some of them went to prison for a bit.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
I think you're right that there's a level of which is about your (well, my) emotional reaction, which isn't necessarily the colder way that you probably need to think if you're thinking about it seriously. I was still at school when that happened at abu gharib so didn't really get it and wasn't engaged. I think with that one there is something horrific about it, partly because pictures exist, partly because of the creativity of the abuse, partly because it feels like all the violence and pathologies of america at that time being unleashed on the word, but obviously most importantly because of the cruelty of it. i'm not up on the details but i think the people involved more or less got away with it didn't they? although it can't have been easy dealing with the hatred of a section of the american public. and i think some of them went to prison for a bit.
Looks like a bunch of people got demoted or discharged, and a few went to prison, although only for a few years at most, and nobody was charged with any of the murders:


So no doubt plenty of people who did terrible things, or who ordered, encouraged or permitted those below them in the command chain to do terrible things, got away with it completely. Conversely, I wouldn't be surprised if some people who weren't involved, or were only tangentially involved, got fitted up to protect their superiors.

It's the old thing, though, whereby this young Russian sergeant, or Lynndie England - who, to be clear, are obviously not inculpable for their actions - get made an example of, while their superiors, who create the culture that allows these crimes to happen, get away with it.
 
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Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
One obvious difference between Iraq in 2003 and Ukraine in 2022 is that this Russian guy has been captured, tried and convicted by the enemy. I'd say the chances of any Russian troops being disciplined *by Russian authorities* for violence against Ukrainians is non-existent.
 

luka

Well-known member
find the BBC coverage of this russian solider hard to watch. i feel like i'm being propaganda-d, like they want me to be happy or at least not upset about the prospect of this terrified looking kid being sent to prison for life as a kind of symbol. i can't imagine he's going to have a great time in a prison in ukraine, to say the least. it feels a long way from justice to me. i don't want to get all up in biscuit's territory but i find the uk media too uncritical of the ukranian side for my taste.
I can't remember any event engendering such a nakedly propagandistic reaction ever in my whole existence it's frightening and grotesque
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
I can't remember any event engendering such a nakedly propagandistic reaction ever in my whole existence it's frightening and grotesque
There must be an anti-luka somewhere on the internet with a whole shtick based around "DEATH TO RUSSIA!".
 

luka

Well-known member
i like the nepalese. they have a religious festival every week and every one of them just involves drinking johnny walker and playing cards. they still call me 'guru', i love it
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Can't say I know much about the Nepalese. There are a lot of Nepalese restaurants in Lisbon though and although they are mainly pretty similar to Indian or Bangladeshi restaurants but they do have the momo dumplings which are not a revelation or anything if you've ever had gyoza or pelmeni or a million other similar variations on the theme which exist in different cuisines around the world - but they are tasty and make a welcome addition to the menu. And also some of them offer sukuti which is a bit like the dry meat that they do in Tayyabs and could arguably count as a revelation. So they alright by me.

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Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
There's a Nepalese place here in Exeter which is one of our go-to choices for a meal out or takeaway. The momos are fantastic but they also do an amazing dish with chicken that's kind of battered, almost like a curry-flavoured version of KFC in a rich sauce, only much better than that sounds.
 

luka

Well-known member
they absoltely love getting on the piss. they never go anywhere without taking a bottle of johnny walker. the biggest population in england is situated in plumstead.
 
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