If I may add, for those who'd say NATO is just a defensive alliance, Russian experience throughout their histories being invaded, Mongols (13th century), Poles (17th century), Napoleonic France (1812), and Nazi Germany (1941), with the last war costing the Soviet Union 27 million deaths (recorded) caused paranoia in the Soviet/Russian psyche. No one would want a 'rival' alliance with a history of regime changes (Yugoslavia 1998, Iraq 2003, Libya 2011) and headed by a country championing regime changes (Cuba 1961, Chile 1973, South Vietnam 1963, Grenada 1983, Iraq 2003, Syria 2011, Libya 2011, Venezuela 2020) getting near their 'spheres of influence' and backyards.
Do take note, I'm also aware of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Czechoslovak Spring of 1968 and the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. These are also regime change operations, but I'm highlighting the 'democratic' US ones because they speak like they're global saviors, yet every country is only motivated to move by only one thing: self-interest. Please remember that the consequence of 'democratizing' Iraq led to the formation of the Islamic State. The 'democratizing' of Afghanistan led to the corrupt regime of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, which led to an even stronger Taliban taking over Afghanistan once again. The 'democratizing' of Syria led to the Syrian Civil War, Rise of IS and millions of Syrian deaths and increase in Syrian diaspora (and also the European immigrant crisis). The 'democratizing' of Libya led to a fractured nation, also with Islamic State elements.
My country, the Philippines, suffered 20 years of dictatorship under the older Marcos (and still suffering for it) because the US used us (their bases, Marcos is a staunch anti-communist) as 'stationary aircraft carriers' in Southeast Asia against the onslaught of Communism during the Cold War.
The Russo-Ukraine War of 2022, while is tragic for both sides, showed the hypocrisy and the dangers of 'American'--and on a lesser extent--'Western' exceptionalism. And the fact that the 'unbiased' media like CNN, BBC, WaPo and NYTimes are just overrated bootlickers of policy-makers in Washington.
No one has abled to maintain an empire for too long. The British, Soviet/Russian and Mongol Empires have been perfect examples.
So yeah, I think I hijacked this thread, but my bottom point is: No war is noble, and just. It is a political tool, for when all the available means to reach a compromise fails.
And war...war never changes. (God, I been wanting to drop that Fallout line ever since I got to know the game
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