3152541
Don't beat up yourself over personalities. He's just one man, not even a particularly remarkable one. If it wasn't him it would be someone else. Our predicament transcends personalities. We have been in this position for nearly 500 years. This is simply how it always was, even the methods were exactly the same. They never really change, as Ivan the Fourth destroyed Novgorod 3 times, so do they now destroy everyone who resists them. As communists took away everything that could fetch a price including food, so do they now by looting empty houses and by taking grain to sell later. It always was this way and it will always be like this until either of us disappears. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose and come back after 30-50 years. Weapons are useful but if you really want to help, you would have to do something much more fundamental.

3152520
The convict soldiers thing was short-lived, that was done only during the last years of the Vietnam war. The draft was also suspended soon after that, we've been using a purely all volunteer military for the last few decades.
I'm more or less frustrated by the political mishandling and co-opting of the last few wars, which also resulted in my country's lackluster support to those that needed it after them. And cynically, I can blame some private elements here for making things worse for your homeland and others after the Union's collapsed, our government should have at the very least prevented a great deal of that. The man directly responsible for what you're going through wouldn't have gotten to were he is without the initial boost from external corruption-- some of which I'm fairly certain is rooted in my country.
Well, at least the incompetent goon who would have actively enabled the Russian Federation's invasion was ousted from office, and the "under the table" type of support for your country has been pretty forth coming; it's reaching levels closer to what we did during WW2 against the fascists.

3152510
Ah, I understand. In my country, it doesn't really work like this. In more peaceful times you can volunteer for service but you most likely will never fight even during a war. Here fighting for your nation is not a forced obligation, despite the draft still existing. To serve on the front is an honor reserved only for the best and most experienced. There are long queues at draft offices now and the majority get turned away. The day before I was going to go to the volunteer myself, my neighbour came back and said that he was told to pass on that everyone who doesn't have combat experience or specialized training should stay home until called for, so I wait. There is absolutely no discouragement for forming guerilla teams though, not that it could've been realistically discouraged. That would be perhaps the only place where you could find a convict, the army is far too prestigious for them.
If I understand your references correctly, you shouldn't be so resentful over your nation's last wars. For once, the politicians did what must be done. Evil must be purged or it spreads. Although perhaps spending there 20 years after the deed was done was rather unnecessary.
On this last sentiment, we are in agreement. You should be here, not at home debating over oil and gas with Germans and Hungarians of all people. Especially so we are only in this situation due to your inaction after the Union collapsed. Evil must be purged, it doesn't disappear on its own. History rarely presents second chances, I suppose we shall see if you all learned anything since the last time.

3152394
I was going more along the lines of fans who are in implicit agreement or are explicitly excusing the character's actions. As for that, there were a small number of Chrysalis fans that did so, but it was rather short lived (by the end of Chrysalis's second appearance in the show it had stopped completely).

P.S.: Yes, for nearly every generation; but my father and my uncle were the exceptions, around the time they had considered joining the military things were...questionable. They opted not to because at that point in time, well, there were a lot of convict soldiers used to fill the ranks. Neither one of them wanted to fight in a loosing and unpopular war alongside penal troops and resentful draftees.
I ended up resuming the tradition of military service after that, although my period of service wasn't really noteworthy-- realistically that's lucky in a sense. I didn't extend my service time, at that point I had no wish to support private interests hijacking national interests in thinly veiled imperialistic conflicts. I did my service for the people back home and for the ideals my country espouses.
Personally I wish my time in military service was spent helping people like you and yours, and right now I wish my country would provide far more direct support for yours.

3152335
Well, being a fan is not exactly the same as agreeing with her and that was what you were speaking about if I recall. I am a fan of Tempest Shadow, but I don't agree with her at all.

P.S. Is that so? Were your ancestors soldiers as well? My father used to be an officer, he fought in two wars before he hurt his back while unloading a truck.