Ukraine / Russia

Here is an interesting segment from an article:

'There has been much discussion about Putin’s policies in Syria. Many judge that Russia has tried to emerge as a power on a parity with the US, even outmaneuvering it. And there’s a rationale to that. For by rekindling a US-Russia duality reminiscent of the cold war – or at least the pretense of it – Putin calculates that the ultimate geopolitical prize will come not in the Middle East but in Europe. That is where Russia’s historical obsessions truly lie. Reacting to that reality may well be the next struggle for the continent.'

The scary part? That article is from an issue of the Guardian from 2016....talk about foreshadowing...
The insular nature of Putin's "world" creates challenges for both he and the rest of the planet. He is a revisionist historian, and routinely places Russia in the victim's corner from the "encroachment of the West". I fear Ukraine could be a stepping stone of many (in his view) to carve up the Baltic countries and beyond for an even larger Russia. But, even if Russian forces land an initial victory, Putin could face a long and bloody insurgency. The United States and every EU country should arm Ukrainians to the teeth willing to fight for their freedom.

What Putin really fears is that post-Soviet countries bordering Russia will look to Europe and a different way of life and start demanding things like civil liberty and a voice in how they are governed — and that mindset will spread to Russia, thereby undercutting his heavy-handed rule. The best guarantee of U.S. and European security now is a strong commitment to deterring Russian aggression.
 
What Putin really fears is that post-Soviet countries bordering Russia will look to Europe and a different way of life and start demanding things like civil liberty and a voice in how they are governed — and that mindset will spread to Russia, thereby undercutting his heavy-handed rule. The best guarantee of U.S. and European security now is a strong commitment to deterring Russian aggression.
They already have. The Baltic countries are part of NATO and the EU. Its only Belarus and Ukraine left, and Ukraine is/was moving that way.

I wish this all had a happy ending.
 
Why would you think any of that was on his to-do list?
A genius would actually fix his country - a crackpot sociopath instead lines his own pockets and uses brinksmanship to try to distract from it. No genius needed to do the latter - lots and lots of cruel but average hacks have done it throughout history.
 
I’m sure there are a lot of Russians going “WTF” right now and wondering what they are going to do as their guiding business just went down the toilet.

The average Russian has little to gain from this escapade.
I think covid put the Russian hunt operators in the toilet. This put them in the drain field. Most aren't Russian by the way. The guy I was supposed to hunt with for winning a snow sheep raffle that I ended up giving back.
They had a 1/2 price cancelation bear hunt for this spring before everything blew up. Might get an even better deal now.😉
 
A genius would actually fix his country - a crackpot sociopath instead lines his own pockets and uses brinksmanship to try to distract from it. No genius needed to do the latter - lots and lots of cruel but average hacks have done it throughout history.
you're applying your own bias to a word that doesn't involve right or wrong, good or bad.
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