When your political and/or​ religious beliefs

When your political and/or​ religious beliefs lead to oppression and slaughter of your neighbours there is something fundamentally wrong with them.

​Isn't this exactly what always goes on​? Everyone in power, from the Judeo-Christian world of Great Powers to the BRIC nations, all use oppression, domination, violence and warfare to maintain and entrench their position. ​ Hence, our triumphalist behaviour in making the most of Russia's discomfiture in losing their former satellite states and even the Warsaw Pact being disbanded.  We took advantage and swept eastwards in glorious victory at our good fortune in picking up more members for NATO and the EU.  Thus:

Provoking Putin, no 1

We boast that we won the Cold War, when it was Russia who decided that it was no longer going to play the little boys' game of who can acquire the most weaponry and compliant satellite states. 

Provoking Putin, no 2

The Warsaw Pact disbanded and we acquired three or four of their members into NATO.​  After all, there's was an offensive pact of Communist nations, anyway, set up after we had formed NATO to ensure the Soviets would never attack us.  Remember, the wicked Communists had only helped us to win two world wars that were all the fault of Germany, anyway.  Germany, the nation which arms little ol' 'David' Israel against the 'Goliath' hordes of Palestinians and antisemites like me!  Germany, the Christian nation which taught the Jews how to do holocaust/genocide/eternal wars.

Provoking Putin, no 3

Overthrowing his man in Kyiv​, properly and fairly elected, to put in our Western backed ​pro EU Zelensky.

​Provoking Putin no 4

Crowing/boasting/rejoicing and taking full advantage as the USSR collapsed.  Unable to show empathy over the loss of the Russian 'empire' but simply incorporating the old enemy's friends into our sphere of influence/empire/war chest.

Provoking Putin, no 5

Being in a hurry to unite Germany before they changed their mind.  What did the West say to Moscow in the 90s about reunification and NATO?  Nothing was written down, apparently.

Provoking Putin no 6

Germany too friendly with Russia?  What was all that about, Paddy when you were speaking to me about Angela Merkel and Gerhard Schroeder?  I think you were not impressed with them building Nord Stream.  The understatement of the year?!

These jaundiced views of mine were influenced by reading the sobering 2024 book by Martin Sixsmith with Daniel Sixsmith - 'The Return of History: how the Kremlin rekindled the Cold War'.  Martin was BBC Moscow correspondent in the 90s.