That’s the only word to describe polling results of American views on the conflict in Ukraine, and America’s role. The results tend to reflect the typically American view that wars are events that happen far away and don’t affect us in the US. Therefore there’s no point in wasting time getting informed with all the historical, cultural, and economic issues that form the background to what’s going on.
Check this out:
NEW: Americans Opposed to Boots on the Ground in Ukraine, Poll Finds
A first glance at the title suggests good news—and, of course, in a sense it is. But, what a quick read tells us is that Americans are largely out of touch with this supremely important conflict—one which is leading to what appears to be the inevitable economic implosion of Europe. The implications for Americans are enormous, yet clearly few people are paying much attention.
Here are the main points from the poll (conducted by YouGov in connection with Concerned Veterans for America).
Americans remain supportive of efforts to economically and financially punish Russia.
Americans by and large have come to believe that virtue signaling has no real world consequences. How else to explain supporting efforts to “punish” a nuclear power by bringing it to its knees economically, “reducing the ruble to rubble.” What kind of rational calculations could possibly be behind this view?
A plurality of respondents said the United States should not put boots on the ground to assist the Ukrainians.
That’s the good news, but it’s predictable. Americans by and large don’t view themselves as war mongers and don’t want their or their neighbors young to go off and get killed for a country most couldn’t locate on a map. In other words, this is an easy opinion that isn’t based on a helluva lot of thought. It amounts to, Punish Russia, hurt the Russian people, but lets not put our young people at risk. In the real world those positions aren’t readily separable—Russia gets a voice in, a response to, Americans actions that harm its interest.
The American people, when given information about America’s pre-existing commitments to Ukraine, believe the U.S. should rein in its military assistance.
That says it all. Lack of information. Despite the globalization of our economy, our status as an imperial hegemon that wages war constantly on a worldwide scale, Americans by and large pay little attention to such matters.
48 percent opposed “sending US troops to Ukraine
20 percent were in favor
What a bizarrely delusional idea. Do these people have any clue of what that would involve? Not just logistically, but what the consequences of starting a war with a nuclear power could be?
31 percent neither supported nor opposed such a move.
51 percent of respondents claimed the U.S. should continue “increasing economic and diplomatic sanctions on Russia,”
only 14 percent were opposed.
Such a small percentage of people who seem to have given these momentous issues some serious thought. What’s most troubling, of course, is that none of our institutions that should be responsible for informing the public show any interest in doing so—the media, the government, educational institutions. They’re all in the grip of magical ideological thinking.
A friend forwarded me the following very recent assessment (through an American investment adviser) of the situation in Ukraine. It is 180 degrees the opposite of, for example, Alexander Mercouris' take. Who ya gonna believe?
"I was invited to listen to a private webinar by some very top people involved in military matters re: Ukraine. Without going into details from the call which we were asked not to repeat, their assessment is, Ukraine will win and drive out the Russians. Front line Russian units have been destroyed and battalions worth of tanks, artillery and other weapons were abandoned in the retreat. Slow progress is also being made in the south despite reports saying otherwise. The Russians have severe logistics, tactical and leadership problems. The Ukrainians have shown extraordinary skills and training, and their weapons now are first rate, whereas the Russians are out of top line weapons, and have few remaining first line fighting units. Bottom line, the Russians are losing badly, and have no hope of assembling new forces to put into the battle in any effective way quickly, nor the artillery ammunition to support a major new surge. Their tactics are not effective. Their artillery weapons were fired so much, they are likely no longer usable in many cases. They are going to get driven out. Even if Putin tried to use a battlefield nuke, it will not change the outcome, as those are not mass destruction weapons, and such use will cause Putin to be totally ostracized by everyone. The assumption is, he uses it as a threat, but will not pull the trigger."
It's exactly the same in the UK. People are just parroting what they read or hear on the BBC. Zero critical thinking. Most are completely ignorant of the 8 years if civil war in UKR. But is it surprising when you consider that the anti Russia propaganda never really stopped, except for maybe 5 minutes in 1989-90. It's going to take a whole lot of deprogramming to reverse such ingrained brainwashing.