I randomly stumbled on this article[1] by Scott Alexander and it seemed to explore some of the things I've been trying to contend with recently around the war in Ukraine.
The primary question it addresses is around who can declare themselves a independent nation. It's something that's come up[2] for me before, without a satisfying answer. This article does not have a satisfying answer either. It's likely there is no satisfying answer.
He's got some good quotes in there from the Russian perspective. There is indeed a good amount of hypocrisy[3] here given the policies of the U.S. and the response to a hypothetical Chinese military base in Bermuda, or Mexico. What if Ukraine is to Russia as Mexico is to us? An interesting thought... would we allow Mexico to join a Chinese military alliance? They're a free country right?
Something tells me the future is being set right now, and the U.S. is not looking nearly as powerful as it once was.
Last updated Tue Mar 29 2022 in Berkeley, CA
1: https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/who-gets-self-determination
2: /thought/dont-be-allergic-to-ideas.gmi
3: /thought/hypocrisy-and-contradiction.gmi