Putin

[Stylo]

Clinically Mentally unwell? No idea and no Strategy?!?

Like, there are plenty of bad things to say about Putin. But the man is like a Grand chess master. He's neither mentally unwell nor lacking in a strategy.

This is not to say he's good and I agree the invasion is Criminal, but in order to beat an adversary, you have to understand your adversary and dismissing Putin as Mentally unwell or thinking that he hasn't thought every single aspect of this operation out is extremely silly.

Ok, you're the clever guy. Comrade TheDemonLord.

Why is Ukraine the adversary ?

[husaberg]

How is this any different from any of the USA foreign interventions that created a mess....
Iraq
Syria
Yugoslavia
Libya
Vietnam
Korea
.......

All of those played the same storyline a foreign power claimed the leader of those countries was doing something they didn’t like

isnt it odd that trump supporters refuse to condemn Putin?



Would you burst into flames if you criticised Putin for invading another peaceful country

---

brilliant piece of satire
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/boro...alls-him-smart

[Berries]

It was indeed a great read.

Get a room.

[TheDemonLord]

Ok, you're the clever guy. Comrade TheDemonLord.

Why is Ukraine the adversary ?

So far, from what I've read (which admitedly was translated from Russian Speeches - so I've got no way of verifying it) - is that Putin doesn't consider the Ukraine to be a real country, he considers it to be part Russian/Polish and the other one. He points to Shipyards that were laid down by Catherine the Great and that Ukraine is a product of the fall of the Soviet Union. He considers that the part(s) of Ukraine that used to belong to Russia should be Russian once more.

He's also concerned about NATO - and I read this best articulated as this:

'In the Cold War, we had NATO vs the Warsaw Pact, we dissolved our Military Alliance, why do you still have yours?'.

Now, none of this is to say I agree with Putin, nor do I think he's right.

It is to say that calling Putin Stupid, when he's managed to outmaneuver the entire West and make the biggest super-power on earth look like a bunch of limp-dicked Mugs, is just not factually true.

He's Ruthless, Dictatorial, Happy to assassinate people he doesn't like on Foreign soil - he's not a good guy. He is, however, very smart, very sane and has an end-game in mind.

[pete376403]

'In the Cold War, we had NATO vs the Warsaw Pact, we dissolved our Military Alliance, why do you still have yours?'.

Did Russia dissolve the Warsaw Pact, or did they all just get up and leave as soon as they could? Has any country left NATO? On the other hand since the cold war, several countries have joined, or want to join NATO. Says a bit about how they perceived, and continue to perceive Russia and it's intentions towards other countries

[TheDemonLord]

isnt it odd that trump supporters refuse to condemn Putin?

Except we've been quite vocal about condemning him....

We've also been quite vocal as to how this didn't happen when Trump was in power. And that if Trump was indeed Putin's puppet, then Putin would have invaded the Ukraine under Trump.

[Viking01]

So far, from what I've read (which admitedly was translated from Russian Speeches - so I've got no way of verifying it) - is that Putin doesn't consider the Ukraine to be a real country, he considers it to be part Russian/Polish and the other one. He points to Shipyards that were laid down by Catherine the Great and that Ukraine is a product of the fall of the Soviet Union. He considers that the part(s) of Ukraine that used to belong to Russia should be Russian once more.

He's also concerned about NATO - and I read this best articulated as this:

'In the Cold War, we had NATO vs the Warsaw Pact, we dissolved our Military Alliance, why do you still have yours?'.

Now, none of this is to say I agree with Putin, nor do I think he's right.

It is to say that calling Putin Stupid, when he's managed to outmaneuver the entire West and make the biggest super-power on earth look like a bunch of limp-dicked Mugs, is just not factually true.

He's Ruthless, Dictatorial, Happy to assassinate people he doesn't like on Foreign soil - he's not a good guy. He is, however, very smart, very sane and has an end-game in mind.

Morning.

Asking politely, but did you actually answer the question that he asked ?

Think that you gave plenty on what you think of Putin (an earlier question), but maybe not on "why is Ukraine an adversary?".

Cheers, Viking

[pritch]

He's Ruthless, Dictatorial, Happy to assassinate people he doesn't like on Foreign soil - he's not a good guy. He is, however, very smart, very sane and has an end-game in mind.

Two people who have studied him a long time, Fiona Hill and Michael McFaul, consider he has changed. It must be a very long time since anybody told him, "no." He may now be affected by mental health problems. If he is, he'll be the last to know. Since he usually does what he says he'll do, nothing he says should be disregarded.

[TheDemonLord]

Morning.

Asking politely, but did you actually answer the question that he asked ?

Think that you gave plenty on what you think of Putin (an earlier question), but maybe not on "why is Ukraine an adversary?".

Cheers, Viking

It's more an explanation of 'Why Russia feels it has a right to invade Ukraine', which I think is the more accurate question.

[TheDemonLord]

Two people who have studied him a long time, Fiona Hill and Michael McFaul, consider he has changed. It must be a very long time since anybody told him, "no." He may now be affected by mental health problems. If he is, he'll be the last to know. Since he usually does what he says he'll do, nothing he says should be disregarded.

My consensus is that it isn't Mental Health that's declining, it's the West. He sees weakness and is exploiting it.

All he has to worry about is a bunch of Actors changing their Twitter profile pictures - and does anyone think he gives two shits about that?

[mashman]

Get a room.

I've told you before, no. I don't care how much bacon you put on your sausage, I ain't smokin' it... and certainly ain't Putin it anywhere else.

[Viking01]

It's more an explanation of 'Why Russia feels it has a right to invade Ukraine', which I think is the more accurate question.

Righty-o.

As you wish.

[pritch]

My consensus is that it isn't Mental Health that's declining, it's the West. He sees weakness and is exploiting it.

Your consensus? You've decided to agree with yourself? Interesting.

Putin has previously been aloof and calculating. His recent speeches have been emotional, that's new. It's likely that he saw what he interpreted as weakness, but he got that wrong. He has united Europe.

It's hard to say how this will end and it's difficult to get good info, but so far Putin has got it wrong at every level. A new experience for him. He may get very nasty.

Currently the two biggest weaknesses are the UK and to a lesser extent the USA. The current British government is owned by oligarchs, they are doing their best not to do anything that will upset their Russian donors. Similarly some Repunblican senators have been beneficiaries of Russian largesse, at least they are not the party in power. Now.

[mashman]

He's changed.

v's

He's making good on what he has said to the world openly for the last decade or so as to what would happen if NATO (the U.S.) didn't stop breaking international law and keep moving closer and closer.

He's changed .........

[pzkpfw]

When the Soviet Union fell apart and the Warsaw pact dissolved, detailed first-strike plans were revealed by more than one country. The same has never been found from NATO.

NATO moving closer to Russia (what international law?) can easily be seen instead as more nations wanting protection from Russia.

Many (not all) people in Sweden and Finland must now be thinking that's a good idea.