Refuting Misconceptions: World War II Legacies and Modern Defense Strategies

Since approximately 30% of the world's Jews and 15% of Russians perished in WWII, it's natural that Israel and Russia today would defend themselves against what they perceive as a continuation of the original German Nazi goals - subjugation of Russia and the Jews, right?

Wrong. Nobody with the intellect of more than a goldfish would think that this is a continuation of WWII.

Anyone claiming such a continuation is clearly just a Russian troll or bot. This assertion is baseless and counterproductive.

Historical Context and Ethical Considerations

Science fiction writer Kurt Vonnegut had something to say about this. He imagined a religion called Bakononism which promotes the concept of a "granfalloon" - a group of people who imagine they have a connection that does not really exist. An example would be the Nazis of 80 years ago. Their ideologically-backed program of mass murder aimed to eliminate all Jews and various other groups, and to decimate many Slavs (including Russians) to reduce their numbers and create a slave population. This is not the reality of today.

There are individuals and small groups that still share antisemitic beliefs, and there are nations and groups like Hamas that want to kill Jews for other political or religious reasons. The Jews need to defend themselves from this collection of enemies. Thankfully, unlike during WWII, the Jews have a nation that is quite capable of defending itself. They have the resources and the necessity to do so in a way that adheres to ethical norms and manages and reduces future threats. In my opinion, this means moving toward a two-state solution. Netanyahu's approach, pushing for absolute security, might bring to mind Kissinger's slogan that the pursuit of absolute security leads to absolute insecurity.

The Case of Putin and Russia

Putin’s aggressive policies of using military force to reestablish a Russian empire, as seen in Ukraine, are entirely unrelated to the defense against Nazi legacies. These actions are strategic conquests rather than defensive measures. Putin's policies may be partly animated by paranoia, but they are certainly employing bullshit about Nazis as justification. This is a form of propaganda aimed at consolidating domestic support and masking the reality of his kleptocracy.

The threat faced by Israel and Russia today is not from a continuation of WWII but from a variety of geopolitical, ideological, and personal actions that do not align with historical and modern realities. True security lies in ethical and diplomatic solutions rather than in the pursuit of an illusory 'absolute security'. It is essential to understand these nuances to form a more informed and constructive approach to global peace and security.

In conclusion, while the historical trauma of WWII remains a critical aspect of the collective memory of many nations, equating current geopolitical tensions with the atrocities of WWII is a misinterpretation of history and a dismissal of present realities. A nuanced understanding and ethical approach to security will lead to more effective and just resolutions for the future.