The students asked their teacher about the meaning of the term ‘mixed feelings’, and he responded with the following example: ‘A man came home with his new car and found his mother-in-law – whom he does not like – at the door and she saw the car and asked to test drive it. Later Police called to inform him of a traffic accident and he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he wished for the death of the mother-in-law, and on the other hand he wished that his new car had not been scratched.
It seems that all those interested in the Russian-Ukrainian issue have mixed feelings of one kind or another. They sympathize with the Russian demands regarding its national security, and sympathize with the same amount or more with Ukraine, the weaker country, which is under aggression from its powerful neighbor.
This is different from some standing with Russia only to detest America, and the other team standing with America only to defy Russia.
Fragmentation is increasing, and feelings are mixed with small countries, especially those that have already been subjected to what Ukraine is going through. Part of their people support Ukraine recalling that the whole world stood with it when their homeland was occupied while another party believes that the comparison is out of the question, and that they should stand with their interest, and not be reckless and lay all eggs in one box to whoever the box may belong.
In the midst of all this, fear fills the hearts of everyone from the consequences of the war due to the sharp increase in prices of food and fuel, the difficulty of transportation and the increase in the number of immigrants, in addition to the danger of a nuclear confrontation between the two superpowers.
Some believe that this war has plunged Russia into the quagmire of Ukraine, and it will not come out of it unscathed, even if it is militarily victorious. Others believe that Western sanctions will tire the West and their allies to the same extent, and will eventually retreat from them when things calm down and the world recognizes Ukraine’s new situation.
Observers believe that peoples’ problems, as history has proven, are not often resolved by wars which usually end with imposing unfair conditions on the defeated party but the latter will resist them, and turn against them when their thorns become stronger, as Germany and others did after World War I.
A group also tends to give the conflict a moral aspect, as Ukraine is not only an interim tool in Russia’s strategy to repel the progress of the West and create bipolarity for the world in the future but perhaps it will be an excuse in the future for China to invade Taiwan, Turkey to invade Mosul and Cyprus, and any big country to invade its smaller neighbor because the demands have a historic tinge.
This will prompt some to question the feasibility of the existence of the United Nations and the Security Council if we are going to act like jungle monsters?
Some also feel that Kuwait’s position is marked by clear sensitivity. Thirty years ago, it was exposed to the same situation that Ukraine finds itself in now, and it is supposed to stand with it clearly, as it was invaded by its largest and most powerful neighbor, and it was very confused by the stances of the brothers, even those who stopped on the neutrality, and today there is someone who is asking Kuwait to stand on the sidelines between the two giants because its interests require that especially since we, as a rich and small country, will always be at risk of invasion and we will need someone to guarantee our security.
Is it possible to remain neutral and at the same time have the satisfaction, acceptance and understanding of the conflicting parties, especially since we are bound by security agreements with them and we may need one or both of them in the future?
Last point: The difference between the two teams is that the Western opponents of Putin will be out of power, democratically, sooner or later whereas President Putin will have many years in power, exceeding his current twenty years.
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By Ahmad alsarraf
