MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2022
For example, Belarus: "Back out of all this now too much for us?"
Maybe it's time to walk away from the invention of novelized tales—to return to the acquisition of information and basic facts.
With that in mind, we found ourselves wondering the other day. Just how big is Mother Russia? Also, how big is Ukraine?
To tell you the truth, we didn't know—and so we looked it up. Here are the approximate populations of three players on the current world stage:
Approximate population, circa 2021
United States: 331.9 million
Russia: 143.1 million
Ukraine: 41.2 million
In terms of population, Russia is roughly three and a half times the size of Ukraine. And now, Russia may be getting military help from mighty Belarus!
That said, how big is Belarus? We'll add it to our list:
Approximate population, circa 2021
United States: 331.9 million
Russia: 143.1 million
Ukraine: 41.2 million
Belarus: 9.3 million
How much help could Belarus be? Full disclosure—we don't know!
For today, we'll report the size of three additional nations which are getting mentioned these days.
We refer to the tiny Baltics. All three are NATO members—and two of them border Russia to the east:
Approximate population, circa 2021
Estonia: 1.3 million
Latvia: 1.9 million
Lithuania: 2.8 million
Helpful fact—the Baltics appear on the map in alphabetical border running from north to south. The northernmost pair border Russia to the east, in a straightforward, unfortunate way.
Lithuania borders Belarus on the east. That said, it borders the Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest. That's the tiny part of Russia—population, just under a million—which is completely cut off from the rest of the country. Welcome to old Europe!
Our liberal world has been deeply invested in the invention of stories and tales. Maybe it's time we returned to the memorization of facts—agreed to know even a tiny bit of whatever we're talking about!
Facts! Remember them?
Hmm. While at it, why don't you, dear Bob, also measure DPR and LPR, the two independent states, now recognized by the RF as such?
ReplyDeleteThese two provinces of former Ukraine rejected the unconstitutional power transition deal brokered by Demigod Barry in 2014, and have been under a military attack, by that 40-million-people entity, ever since.
Don't you think it's relevant?
Your Daily ritual of insulting with foolish condescension liberals while offering zip in the way of your own take save the occasional link to Qanon level fruitcakes raises an interesting question. Since others are blocked from the comments section while your hapless partisan drivel is not, one wonders: are you a finical patron of Bob, or keeping an eye on the blog for someone who is? Perhaps to make sure his take only significantly challenges left wingish outlets?
DeleteCrickets huh? I guess I can take that as a "yes."
DeleteIt is certainly interesting to watch the media try to cover a big story when they aren't following some kind of script and messaging.
ReplyDeleteIt's also interesting to watch political extremists on both sides try to figure out their talking points and who they support.
You could say peoples' logic and analysis skills have become a little atrophied.
I'm sure the scripts and talking points will be decided on soon, then we can go back to politics as usual.
"It's also interesting to watch political extremists on both sides try to figure out their talking points and who they support."
DeleteWhat are the talking points of the moderates?
Rationalist, who are the extremists on the left? Name sone prominent influential one. There aren’t any in the news media, that’s for certain.
DeleteMeanwhile, the GOP has become a party of extremists following a psychopath and its unhinged media.
Since I cannot remove a comment, I will correct my statement: name some prominent influential ones.
DeleteAlso, while you are busy trying to decide how the extremists are going to coalesce around their respective “narratives”, the facts on the ground are that Russia invaded Ukraine and is trying to take over. I think the Ukrainians could give a rat’s ass what the political extremists in the United States are coalescing around—they need help. Thanks in large part to Biden (the non-extremist) they are getting that help from all around the world.
I said "It's *also* interesting..."
DeleteWasn't trying to imply the media contains political extremists. They are motivated by profit not ideology.
More "interesting" than moderates/ centrists waiting for their talking points and who they support?
DeleteNot sure on your point, Berto.
DeleteApparently you are trying to ask me if I'm interested in moderate/centrist talking points.
Centrists tend to want to avoid talking points and focus on the facts, an evidentiary-based model instead of ideological.
Rationalist,
DeleteI'm with you. What moderates/ centrists think, isn't interesting to me, either.
"What moderates/ centrists think, isn't interesting to me, either."
DeleteTell me you don't work for corporate media, without using the words "I don't work for corporate media."
Got to gatekeep those centrists... wouldn't want to disturb the Coke vs. Diet Coke facade.
Delete"gatekeep"?
DeleteIgnore them.
It's both, smarter and easier.
"How much help could Belarus be?"
ReplyDeleteYou don't answer this question by comparing the populations of the countries. You might figure it out by looking at the size of the standing army in Belarus. You might look at a map and see whether it has a strategic location or is important as a supply source. Somerby's chosen statistic tells us nothing.
This is like asking why anyone cared about Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis, because it was so small compared to the US population.
The subtext of the Daily Howler here is closer to how Poland was included in the coalition to invade Iraq, and loudly advertised as an important ally when it was just hot air.
DeleteHe may be right or wrong to apply that here, but he didn't invent this complaint from nothing. He's using his past experience to interpret the present.
Russia first used Belarus as a staging area and sent troops in from that direction, as well as others. It is now using Belarus as a border location to hold cease-fire talks.
DeleteSomerby's discussion of the relative population sizes is meaningless in the context of Belarus's usefulness in this invasion.
The armed forces of Belarus are 120,000 people. Russia deployed around 150,000 for this invasion. Clearly, Belarus has the ability to be helpful to Russia in terms of troops. Ukraine's total army is 190,000.
Somerby's argument that Belarus is insignificant, whether based on Poland or not, is foolish. What is actually happening now is more important than Somerby's speculation or Poland's role in WWII.
I guess when there is no setback in the Trump investigations to gloat about, Bob is running out places to go.
ReplyDeleteAd hominem. Doesn't address the substance of the post.
DeleteWhat, are you pissed I got passed the road blocks to the comment section you set up? O.K. let's say I'm using the "Somerby on Maddow" approach to Ad hominem.
DeleteFor as steady as the drumbeat of "Trump Trump Trump" Bob finds so troubling, his own utter disinterest in the "facts" surrounding Trump's attempt to overthrow the Country is ghastly.
ReplyDeleteYou should note that when he writes something like "these left journalists seem to be only interested in getting to bottom of what Trump did, and maybe they should be...." he has stopped claiming membership in "our tribe." He now seems only loyal to whoever is paying him off.
Ad hominem. Doesn't address the substance of the post.
DeleteSuch as it is, the substance of the post is "facts are good, we could use more facts in our reporting."
DeleteI would address this by saying Bob is retreating to a pious obviousness rather than addressing anything OF substance.
The truism that I'm going with here is "all governments lie."
ReplyDeleteThe Ukrainian president told his county there would be no war, there was.
The Russian president says he's not targeting civilians, but reporting on the ground says they were.
America says it has strict laws about giving money to terror groups, but a Ukrainian battalion locked people in a burning building.
Lie. Lie. Lie.
Each of these governments will have flunkies telling you this isn't what it looks like. They will talk about lofty goals for our freedom and humanity, but nothing is as tempting as fighting each other while climbing up the greasy pole of power.
It makes no difference what men think of war. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.
DeleteFatalism signals to me a lack of seriousness, and inside movements, these people are a risk if they burn out in despair.
DeleteIf you find yourself going there, take some self care. It's easy to strike a pose as a misanthrope but doesn't accomplish much.
One more thing...
DeleteI think Ukraine's president was afraid of people giving up on diplomacy, maybe even provoking one. America's reputation as trigger happy goons is not going away soon. That is my explanation for his saying there won't be war. Quite a rational untruth.
In contrast, the national values that Putin is expressing is that of dick swinging.
But I live in the USA and so my concern should be keeping the hope for more democracy here.
It's encouraging to see so many oppose aggressive war and see the victims as human.
Aw 2:47 - It’s our country's primary trade we honor here. Why not rather take a small bow. Let each acknowledge each.
DeleteKeeping democracy here? Democracy left the station a long long time ago. You would have to bring it back before you could keep it here.
Delete6:54,
DeleteIt's like keeping socialism from coming to the USA.
Best way to do it is build a time machine. We've been subsidizing fossil fuel companies billions of dollars annually for decades.
Absolutely!
DeleteHopefully the people of Ukraine know the difference between a hopeful promise and a lie. Assuming this was actually said. Many in Russia are no doubt shocking this is happening. Your cynicism is, at best, juvenile.
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