A complicated war.

 I saw a friend from social media make a public statement about wanting to join as a volunteer to fight alongside ukrainians against Russia. He mentioned human rights and how the Ukrainians are our fellow European citizens. He mentioned his family lineage  which included both maternal and paternal grandfather's fighting against Hitler. His passion was admirable, I related to it in more that a few ways. 

I thought to myself this is what it was like for those british and irish young men who felt so moved by the Spanish civil war, that they left their families and sacrificed their lives to help defeat fascism. That was a complicated war as well.  Some poor unfortunates from over here actually got the story arseways then too. Some poor feckers went to fight alongside Franco, against communism. They were quickly disabused of the anti-communist romanticism they held. My friend the would-be volunteer isn't someone who I'd consider foolish. On the contrary, he is a passionate, intelligent and well informed man. But he posted this tweet with his comments about volunteering. 

I just couldn't stomach it. It's not even that I disagree  but I feel the reframing of history like a shot across the bows of reality. I wanted to reply and tell him that he's better than that. That usually he would see when the tail is wagging the dog. I would've said:

"It's only fair to point out that the Russians are estimated to be responsible for 80% of the casualties against Nazi troops during the war so technically the Russians were more responsible for defeating Hitler that any other people. Ironically quite a few of the current leaders in Ukraine are direct descendants of Nazi collaborators. In fact a couple of these historical Ukrainian Nazi collaborators like Stepan Bandera are still held up by the current regime as heroes. So technically you'd be joining in with Nazi sympathisers to fight against those who who beat the Nazis but putting the details aside, I feel your passion." 

But I didn't say that because everyone is very emotional and people aren't hearing each other at the moment. Because he thinks that his analysis is correct and that the big bad in his narrative is Putin, who must be taken out at all costs. A little historical reflection isn't going to change his mind. It'll take a few 100,000 dead and a few million displaced before people are prepared to drop the narrative and take a second look.