(03-10-2022, 02:28 PM)Oyk Wrote: Not all wars are fought because the laobaixing wish it.
There are Russians - the common/ordinary people - who just want a simple life, going about selling goods, perhaps running a restaurant, or repairing computers, cars and so on. The invasion of Ukraine is not their war; it's Putin's war. Many Russians are not in favour of it, asking...why would I want to shoot down the Ukrainians? They are my brothers!
I can say the same for the many wars fought in the history of China. If you could ask the people who had died in the war, or later through the natural process of aging and death, who lived in the Tang, Song, Ming Dynasties....ask those common folks, did they ask for war or not, and I am quite sure their reply would be "The Emperor ordered it."
War is declared by the victor on the loser, but sometimes, the war is won by the prey. Whoever wins takes over the rule, and the common people become its subjects.
This is why we should not and never hold grudges against the Japanese people, even though unmentionable atrocities were committed by the Japanese army, undoubtedly with the tacit concurrence of the Japanese Emperor. Even if the Japanese PM does not apologise, so be it.
This is why we should not treat the Chinese as enemies just because of Winnie. The CCP and the Chinese people are two different things altogether.
This is why whatever we may think of Trump, Nancy or Biden, we should not have the same views about the ordinary Americans.
The disconnect between those in power and the masses is a given in any society.
...cont'd
I wish to add that Singapore's success story is due, inter alia, to the ability of the government to deal with the "disconnect".
If Singapore comes under the rule of a rogue government...one which is corrupt, incompetent, talks about rape cases or tells people to take lies to the cemetery or do a 成何体统 and a magic hat trick (takes client's money and vanishes), the disconnect would be very cham lor.
It's our blessings that we have had two good PMs, and a current one who is just as good, with another promising one on the way.
