nah man, that hawkish noise isn't for regular europeans - it's performative fearmongering for arms dealers, defense contractors, and the euro-military brass who need ever-expanding budgets. they're not talking to some factory worker in naples or a barista in berlin, they're talking to the Raytheon lobbyists and think-tank war-pigs who profit from chaos. think about it - if they actually wanted to win hearts and minds, they'd be running "peace in our time" campaigns and talking about diplomacy. instead it's "we're all gonna die unless we stockpile 500% more tanks, check out these juicy contracts..." also love how they always invoke "your grandparents" - homie, my grandparents got conscripted at 18 to die in someone's muddy trench because politicians like this couldn't stop escalating. nobody wants round 3 of that 🤦‍♂️

Distraction tactic maybe? Focusing European attention on a fictitious enemy “beyond the wall” - meanwhile their civilizations continue to be invaded and destroyed by migrants.

Yeah, that would make sense. Wife’s friends and family have talked more about Russia as a threat than those outside forces working against them. At face value though, that speech seems so insane that it should just get laughed at.

Are they European? I also wonder if there’s a difference between how western/Eastern Europeans see Russia Absolutely to your second point. Rutte and WHAT army are gonna go up against the Russians?

Yes, Scandinavians. These were delivered to their door, so I guess it isn’t hard to get caught up in it.

BBC News

Sweden, Finland and Norway release new advice on surviving war - BBC News

Sweden said the new advice follows a worsening security situation, by which it means the war in Ukraine.

wow! pamphlets are old-school. funny, i just finished reading "demons/devils" by ol Dostoevsky and pamphlets are a part of that story. i don't know why EU is trying so hard to keep this thing going.

Yeah it's nuts. Somehow they have Swedes convinced that if Putin goes through Ukraine, they are next. Is that your first venture into Dostoevsky? Always had The Brothers Karamazov on the to read list, but haven't gotten around.

very much the "putler" thing eh? i had never read his stuff until this year. i've read Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and just finished Devils last night. i have a copy of The Idiot, might just keep my streak rolling. have you read any of his?

Haven’t dove in. Gotta make the time to get more reading in, which is tough these days.

Yup. I hear you. I'm on planes for work every week which is the main reason why I have time