Posted on 02/21/2022 3:32:30 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
“If the elite didn’t do it to Stalin, who most certainly was “unhinged”, why would they do it now to Putin?”
Well, Stalin had a history of purges, which usually ended in executions. So far, Putin has limited his attentions to a couple journalists, and maybe a political foe. He has not — yet — gone Stalin on his military officers. If he shows such inclination, I feel pretty confident he will get a visit from the military.
I think your scenario is quite likely.
“They are a real country like the Republic of Texas is a real country.”
Well, the Republic of Texas WAS a real country until it joined the United States.
Unfortunately, that light may be generated by Lithium Fusion ...
From what I am reading in the Russian media I think they may be waiting until they get more evacuees out of LPR/DPR.
The refugees are being distributed all over Russia, not just Rostov.
Not many people evacuated at first, but with Putin’s actions I’m sure more are leaving now.
At this point it looks like Putin is going to rain death and destruction on the Ukrainian military and they may fight back, so this area may become hell on earth. Putin wants to get his civilians out first.
I don’t think Putin cares about sanctions, I think what they are doing in the Kremlin right now is trying to evaluate Russian public opinion after that speech.
Putin could do various things from just holding on to DPR/LPR to all of Donbass to all of Eastern Ukraine to all of Ukraine, and I think it comes down to whatever he thinks he has sufficient public support in Russia for.
“I don’t think Putin cares about sanctions, I think what they are doing in the Kremlin right now is trying to evaluate Russian public opinion after that speech. Putin could do various things from just holding on to DPR/LPR to all of Donbass to all of Eastern Ukraine to all of Ukraine, and I think it comes down to whatever he thinks he has sufficient public support in Russia for.”
I think you are spot on.
https://youtu.be/b4ngtFIt4uA
This watch dude shows him wearing a watch worth half a million dollars.
I’m not expecting any “serious protest marches” in Moscow.
As long as they stick to these provinces, I don’t suspect they’ll get to worked up about it. But if Russian tanks enter Kiev, that’s a whole other bowl of Borscht.
He invaded another country.
He is a foolish tyrant.
He will be popular among Russian nationalist.
Fact is, Donbass is gone, and has been gone for years. You would have to have a full-blown war with Russia to get them out of there now. And nobody wants that. Best you can do is shore up the current NATO members, and that means, as Trump correctly said, the members ponying up more for their defense.
As far as Ukraine. I might allow the Western part to join NATO, as it gives Poland a buffer, and allow the bulk of Ukraine to be a neutral state, with neither Russian nor NATO forces.
He is a foolish tyrant.
He will be popular among Russian nationalist.
And FR's usual Putin Puffers.
The first quote on your profile is stunningly accurate. And it was written in the early 1980’s!
no doubt he is quite wealthy. I think it is incidental to his larger goals. if he just wanted to get rich and retire he would have done so many years ago.
I suspect it is a combination of not having anyone he trusts and considers competent to take over fully (he did the prime minister thing a while back) and not actually wanting to stop ruling the country.
Have you ever been there?
I think not.
To use your example, Ukraine is not part of Russia like Texas is not part of Mexico.
It’s possible to oppose Putin without creating stupid, unbelievable scenarios like this one. Whenever you find yourself predicting “This is the end of so-and-so” just stop for a minute before you publish it. The reality may not have much in common with your imagination.
If Putin does not grab all of Ukraine (which would cause much greater response) it may be this will turn into a long campaign to bleed the Russian military. IF sanctions with real bite are additionally put into place, will the population wear down after a few years?
Granted, the Euro’s will have to bear temporary discomfort too, but, theirs can be addressed if:
A) They restart all their nuclear plants.
B) They realize sourcing energy from the WEST, Israel, etc. (tell the freaking Turks to go to Hell and enforce it if need be) is only minimally less green than sourcing it from Russia.
C) Biden & Co. realize the last half of “B”, and promote a massive effort to double US energy production.
An argument is that Russia will be driven into China’s arms. That’s fine with me: Russia will find in the long run that the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact was a better deal.
Nice shot in the foot there.
I should further add that the sanctions announced so far are laughable.
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