Thread by @sfrantzman

🧵 I’m seeing some of the same talking points about Ukraine that we saw during the Iran deal lead-up…the false dichotomy of “either a deal or war”…in Ukraine the argument is if the West “escalates” or threatens “nuclear armed” Russia then there could be “war” and “WWIII”…

But this is a false narrative. Russia started the war…just like Iran is the one enriching uranium. Both of them can simply stop and be peaceful. So if you challenge them you’re not the warmonger…THEY ARE the warmongers who began it

Second, it’s false to pretend that any western intervention in Ukraine “risks war with nuclear armed Russia”…the West has every right to be in Ukraine as Russia, it is Russia that is attempting to oppose a no-fly zone NOT the West.

Challenging Russia’s attempt to impose a unilateral no-fly zone is merely giving Ukraine a right to use its own air space. It is Russia they started an illegal and unprovoked war. Helping Ukraine defend itself is not “provoking” or “threatening” Russia

The bad logic that says just because a country has nuclear weapons that it can invade any other country and then play the nuclear blackmail card is part of the same lie about the Iran deal. Nuclear blackmail is not a blank check to invade and impose

It is Russia that should also be afraid of provoking a nuclear armed US and other countries. The fact is that Russia is doing to Ukraine what it already did in Syria and other places. That’s it’s model, not nuclear war.

Russia shouldn’t get the invasion privilege card, a card that says whoever invaded first can then whine that others are escalating by interfering. It is Russia that interfered and escalated.

So remember it is Russia that is trying to impose a no-fly zone…not the West. Letting Ukraine use its own airspace is not provoking Russia. Nuclear weapons are not a blank check to invade every country and then whine about being provoked.

The Iran deal logic of trying to make it seem like you have to do a deal is part of the illogic of discussing Russia’s invasion. You don’t have to do a deal with Iran or let Russia invade. The onus is on them to stop invading and enriching and threatening.