I have a friend who's a actually becoming more and more leftist and lately even communist but not yet fully Marxist. I'm trying to help him shed lib ideas. He specifically asked me if we could have a talk at some point on war. He's confused about the war propaganda. Like just a vague "Haven't things changed maybe because of Russia? Maybe we in Europe need to boost defense now etc."
I want to introduce him to Lenins Idea of revolutionary defeatism, because I think it applies to our historical moment. A revolutionary can not but desire the defeat of his imperialist government. Also Liebknechts line:"the main enemy is at home". The main task for leftists in imperial core countries is to fight the imperialists we can actually effect: the ones right here. You can be happy about any success of comrades in Russia fighting their oligarchy, but don't get roped into supporting western oligarchs' NATO wars.
We both care about trans and queer issues a lot, so he will bring up fears of evil Russia conquering part of Europe and rolling back queer rights. I can contextualize by bringing up the moral track record of western countries (like the ongoing genocide). But is there a more direct answer? Also just in general, I'm not sure if I'm missing an obvious angle or argument. Anything you would definitely mention on war? Suggested reading?
I might have to get into the specifics, of how the war developed historically, but there will be a lot of propaganda to unravel, so ideally, I'm looking for a concise argument, that can pierce the propaganda and illuminate the truth. Hope that's not too much to ask ;)
I am struggling with this problem too. My main strategy is to start by questioning the basic belief that Russia aims to go to war and conquer Europe. There is no material basis to believe that this is something Russia wants to do, plans to do, or can do. To achieve this you also need to persuade the person that in the war in Ukraine Russia is acting in response to American/atlanticist provocation. This means distinguishing between the military aggression of Russia with its defensive strategy. If you persuade the person of this, then they need to find a new explanation why the EU wants to increase arm productions. If a defensive war with Russia is not imminent then why do they want to spend money for war?
I think the main problem in addressing this issue and answering this question is acknowledging the content of actually existing imperialism as it is shaped today. This is the biggest hurdle that western leftists have to go through in developing as leftists and Marxists. The person/friend needs to acknowledge that the present state of things is that the "west" has set up a concrete world order such that it (primarily its capitalist class) exploits the rest of humanity, but right now this capitalist class is worried this arrangement is weakening. Imperialism is not an abstraction (that the west but also China and Russia engage in) but a concrete reality. When western leaders (be it Europeans, or Americans) talk about "beating" or "defeating" China or Russia, this should not be understood as winning a competition among equals (whether in the battlefield or in the markets) but as beating back to submission subordinate people who dare to raise their head. This is very difficult to convince people in the west, because the real content of western propaganda is to convince them exactly of the opposite, that Putin/Xi are aggressive, dangerous, dictators and not politicians who simply try to improve the position of concrete classes in their societies (and this is where the discussions on free speech, citizens rights, LGBTQ+/minority rights are used as instruments of imperialism). Just so happens today I saw this article from Jason Hickel that is on this theme especially about China. If they are convinced of this, then you need to persuade them that China/Russia not only never claim that they wants to take the role the west has today, but they simply cannot for concrete material reasons.
This is my experience with your problem. Many of the readings suggested in this thread are excellent and useful and engage in the things my answer is summarizing.
I find it helpful to point out that the intentions of the west regarding Russia aren't a matter of conjecture. In living memory of many of this site's users, virtually the entirety of the US and western European political class absolutely pillaged the former USSR as soon as they had the opportunity. They were so rapacious that life expectancy collapsed in what were otherwise modern, industrial societies. The only thing Putin did that isn't completely normal throughout the west is cut them off.
The west had access to highly educated Russian workers and Russian material wealth for a brief moment, and they desperately want Putin out of the way so they can have it back. If they didn't want Russia to be ruled by ruthless capitalists (but one of their own) they wouldn't have compromised the lives of their own citizens to wage the Cold War against the USSR. Again, this isn't conjecture, this is what they did, and it's an ongoing project that explains everything you see happening around you.
Edit: Of course, it generally goes in one ear and out the other, even with boomers that watched the entirety of the Cold War on the daily evening news.
I'd say it's especially bad with boomers and gen Xers who were raised in a toxic soup of Cold War propaganda
They either believe all the most deranged conspiratorial Russiagate shit or they believe the exact same bullshit about China depending on whether they're more lib or more chud
That's true, this asymmetry should not be ignored.