US lifts weapons ban on Ukraine's Azov brigade. Do you think this decision is correct?

[buritobr]

On one hand "the enemy of the enemy is my friend". On the other hand, Azov Brigade members are linked to ideologies against the civilized world the United Nations wanted to build since 1945

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/12/us-lifts-ban-on-sending-weapons-to-ukraines-controversial-azov-brigade


"The United States has lifted a ban on providing weapons and training to the Azov brigade, a controversial Ukrainian military unit that played a central role in the 2022 defence of the southeastern city of Mariupol.

The US State Department said in a statement on Tuesday that there had been a “thorough review” of the current Azov brigade and “no evidence” of human rights violations had been found.

Washington stressed the current unit was different from the volunteer militia that was set up in 2014, drawing fighters from far-right circles and criticism for some of its tactics. The US had banned the regiment from using its weapons, citing the neo-Nazi ideology of some of its founders."

[TheReckoning]

Anyone who supports this cannot cry about how the U.S. supported right wing paramilitaries in Central America during the 1980s. Especially since the ideology of Azov is much worse than the ideology of those paramilitaries.

[Sumner 1868]

No, it's both immoral and self-defeating.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

No, because it gives too much room for Russians to mischaracterize American aid for Ukraine.

[bagelman]

No, and it's worrying. It shows desperation.

[dead0man]

if they are currently clean of out and proud bigots, I don't see the problem...other than the PR one, but I doubt it's an issue that will change anyone's mind at this point on the broader story.  Russian stooges like TheRec, Woody and the various attention craving socks and trolls will cry about it, routinely, and that's a good thing.  Their song was getting really repetitive, this will change up the melody.

[Pericles]

The last time Ukraine was invaded by fascists, the US supported some pretty odious people. It was the right call then.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Anyone who supports this cannot cry about how the U.S. supported right wing paramilitaries in Central America during the 1980s. Especially since the ideology of Azov is much worse than the ideology of those paramilitaries.

No because Azov isn't far-right anymore. And they fight Russian military, not kill civilians.

[James Monroe]

Anyone who supports this cannot cry about how the U.S. supported right wing paramilitaries in Central America during the 1980s. Especially since the ideology of Azov is much worse than the ideology of those paramilitaries.

There has not been much critical assessment in the West about the Azov brigade especially among the  Ukraine flag waving liberals. Those are the people they are backing who would be derided if they were living in America and would be hardcore Trump supporters.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yes, of course. It's ridiculous to nitpick the political allegiances of Ukrainians when they're facing an openly genocidal threat

[TheReckoning]

if they are currently clean of out and proud bigots, I don't see the problem...other than the PR one, but I doubt it's an issue that will change anyone's mind at this point on the broader story.  Russian stooges like TheRec, Woody and the various attention craving socks and trolls will cry about it, routinely, and that's a good thing.  Their song was getting really repetitive, this will change up the melody.

I’m pro Ukraine.

[buritobr]

On December 12th 2016, 5 years before the Russian invasion to Ukraine, a G1 article clealy considered the Azov Brigade a "neonazi paramilitary group". This article was about an attempt of the group to recruit neonazis in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil. G1 is a news website which belongs to Globo, the biggest media conglomerate in Brazil. Nobody can accuse Globo of being pro-Putin. Globo is very pro-USA.
https://g1.globo.com/rs/rio-grande-do-sul/noticia/2016/12/operacao-combate-recrutamento-de-neonazistas-do-rs-para-ucrania.html

Nowadays, the media talks about "controversy over alleged links to far-right groups". Only "alleged"! Funny shift of coverage.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1vv6p9k1z1o


There is something I don't understand: what are the pros for the US in sending weapons to the Azov Brigade? This group is no more than 2% of the Ukraine National Guard. So, there is no much relevance for the battlefield. But this decision can harm the image of the US.
Until recent times, there are history classes, movies, documentaries about the US aid to mujahideens in Afghanistan in the 1980s. These militia became the Taleban and the Al-Qaeda. In 2030, 2040, 2050, there will be history teachers showing pictures of the Azov Brigade waving controversial flags. They will say that the "US found no problem in sending weapons to these guys".

[Alben Barkley]

Guess we shouldn’t have been providing Stalin with weapons in 1942 right? Since he was a bad guy?

You might say “Oh but this time THESE are the Nazis.” But they’re still not the bigger threat right now, by all accounts most of the genuine Nazi/far right element was purged, and they’ve even had Jewish leaders. They aren’t the same as the old Nazis, seems like it was more of a LARP than anything.

[Alben Barkley]

Anyone who supports this cannot cry about how the U.S. supported right wing paramilitaries in Central America during the 1980s. Especially since the ideology of Azov is much worse than the ideology of those paramilitaries.

What they were actually doing was far worse, regardless of who you want to argue has the worse ideology in the abstract sense. Going around assassinating and murdering their political opponents and executing and massacring civilians, selling cocaine and other drugs. They were essentially organized crime gangs suppressing the left in their countries. Not defending their nation from an imminent existential threat.

[Christian Man]

I oppose it, although I admit that I don't have the facts. The Azov brigade are full of unsavory characters and at least at first glance it seemed like the US would've been better off by staying its original course. That being said it wouldn't be the first time that the US has supported a worse group to tackle a common enemy so I'll have to see how it goes.

[Freshly-touched grass]

Provided that they're thoroughly de-Nazified - and it seems like they've been properly vetted at this point - then sure. I want Ukraine to win and the best way to do that is not feed into Russian propaganda points.

I'm just not sure why they can't disband, reorganize, change their name, and deny Russia the slightest hint of a PR win.