It seems to me that if NATO wanted a direct war with Russia, they had over two years to do it. Why would they need to fabricate an excuse? But now, after two years of giving away their weapons and losing personnel, why would NATO want to directly confront Russia? That ship has passed, and all NATO can do is drag out the war hoping it ill wear Russia down. It won't, but you can't fix magical group think.
You're right, they're reluctant because they fear the escalation risks, but desperation or a change in calculations (ex: more hawkish decisionmakers come to power or the Democrats decide to "escalate to de-escalate" in ways that sabotage Trump's vague peace plans) could lead to them seriously considering it.
For what it's worth, I'm not so sure that they'll conventionally intervene, but this latest narrative is concerning since it's trying to manipulate the public into supporting that on the completely false pretext that Russia might deliberately or accidentally strike NPPs. Some warmongering faction clearly wants to advance this scenario, but it's unclear whether they'll succeed.
Because they needed a majority to believe they could justify their desire to dominate. They couldn’t believe they would never be able to secure the fallacious majority they needed to justify themselves to themselves. They needed others to tell them they are right, when they are not right, so not enough others couldn’t tell them the lie was true for them to believe in their lying selves. They couldn't believe this was so, although they knew it was, so they carried on in the hope it might somehow not be.
"...he was speaking in a personal capacity..." "...subsequently clarified..." "...one of his intentions might have been to present himself as the public face of much more powerful forces..."
Where do they find these people: first, Blinken publicly declares he can't be unbiased because he's a Jew; now, this guy's thumping his chest about his inability to control himself in presenting a 'public face'?! Jeez, why can't we have proper, grown-up adults for politicians? They never cease to amaze me with their inability to perceive how conclusively they prove their old-fashioned form of democracy, effectively emanating from 1776, like brewer's yeast drowning itself in it's own excrement, has no idea how its killing itself as it struggles to consume itself to the depths of the dustbin (That's a 'garbage pile' for the Truly Exceptional Hegemons, or any container for brewing beer in a less-poetically-inclined description.) of history.
"...“It’s my personal view”..."
Do the man, and the world, and particularly his electorate a big favour, someone: quietly take him aside somewhere to explain that his personal opinion isn't supposed to have any bearing whatsoever on decisions made on behalf of the people he's supposed to represent.
While you're at it, it might be worth pointing out that adults don't fart in public, either. (May as well kill two birds with one stone. (Probably won't do any bloody good, anyway.)) He is toilet-trained, I presume?
"...in order to avoid a repeat of last week’s scandal."
Don't tell me: he couldn't stop himself pooing in public?
"...located in Rivne, Khmelnitsky, and Mikolaev Regions..."
Sounds like a damn good reason to take control of Odessa to me.
But that's a childish reaction, which I'm afraid is probably the biggest part of the problem: it's really hard resist the urge to fight fire with fire and hit a stupid kid for shitting on the floor.
Oh, for a world of adults!
Few and far between though they may be, we should be grateful there are some Putins in this world to save us from ourselves; just SO few of them...
Pray we may have some more!
"...preventing a Chernobyl-like disaster that could affect all of Europe."
Surely, the more logical approach would be to ask the Ukrainians (Americans) to stop shelling the NPP in Zaporozhia and trying to do the same to Kurchatov? Or is that just too much like an adults' approach? Ultimately, generally, kids playing with matches does not end well.
"Zelensky also proposed..."
Well, yeah, but when they get bigger, particularly if they're given unlimited access to funding, they do tend to do even sillier things, like snorting coke to their hearts' delight. A pinch of salt here: I don't think we need to know much more than that about any such 'proposals'.
"...neither of which understands the other’s true intentions..."
Oh, I think everyone knows EXACTLY what everyone's true intentions are: if America can't defeat Russia, it can't contain China. However cleverly words are twisted into narratives to present anything else, there really isn't any more to it than that.
"NATO and the US are well aware of these risks..."
And you think the Russians, or anyone else, isn't?
"...panic in the West..."
I think this is where you can really see the adult in Putin: when a child does something it shouldn't do, like shitting its pants, it's far more effective and helpful in the long term to exercise a little patience and restraint. Inciting panic and fear, or using them to try and control a child, is far less likely to create positive results, and may be dangerous.
"...desperation and panic."
Slowly, slowly catchey monkey.
"...Sikorski’s lobbying shows that some powerful forces are working very hard..."
The harder they huff and the harder they puff, hopefully, the more quickly they should realise they couldn't blow the house down.
Andrew I read every one of your articles. They must be put on the desk of every member of Congress. America has been lied to by the neocon cabal that dictates our foreign policies.
Polish Patriots or tanks, controlled by Polish forces or Ukrainians, fighting inside Ukraine, I think it would be OK for the Russians. It does cost some extra millions to send in the hypersonic missiles. But I think it is probably better to squash another 4 battalions of Patriots and 200 tanks from Poland. Russian cost would be high, but the subsequent peace would last longer.
It seems to me that if NATO wanted a direct war with Russia, they had over two years to do it. Why would they need to fabricate an excuse? But now, after two years of giving away their weapons and losing personnel, why would NATO want to directly confront Russia? That ship has passed, and all NATO can do is drag out the war hoping it ill wear Russia down. It won't, but you can't fix magical group think.
You're right, they're reluctant because they fear the escalation risks, but desperation or a change in calculations (ex: more hawkish decisionmakers come to power or the Democrats decide to "escalate to de-escalate" in ways that sabotage Trump's vague peace plans) could lead to them seriously considering it.
For what it's worth, I'm not so sure that they'll conventionally intervene, but this latest narrative is concerning since it's trying to manipulate the public into supporting that on the completely false pretext that Russia might deliberately or accidentally strike NPPs. Some warmongering faction clearly wants to advance this scenario, but it's unclear whether they'll succeed.
They will intervene, after the US elections.
Russian dithering has proven foolish.
Because they needed a majority to believe they could justify their desire to dominate. They couldn’t believe they would never be able to secure the fallacious majority they needed to justify themselves to themselves. They needed others to tell them they are right, when they are not right, so not enough others couldn’t tell them the lie was true for them to believe in their lying selves. They couldn't believe this was so, although they knew it was, so they carried on in the hope it might somehow not be.
Simple, really.
"...he was speaking in a personal capacity..." "...subsequently clarified..." "...one of his intentions might have been to present himself as the public face of much more powerful forces..."
Where do they find these people: first, Blinken publicly declares he can't be unbiased because he's a Jew; now, this guy's thumping his chest about his inability to control himself in presenting a 'public face'?! Jeez, why can't we have proper, grown-up adults for politicians? They never cease to amaze me with their inability to perceive how conclusively they prove their old-fashioned form of democracy, effectively emanating from 1776, like brewer's yeast drowning itself in it's own excrement, has no idea how its killing itself as it struggles to consume itself to the depths of the dustbin (That's a 'garbage pile' for the Truly Exceptional Hegemons, or any container for brewing beer in a less-poetically-inclined description.) of history.
"...“It’s my personal view”..."
Do the man, and the world, and particularly his electorate a big favour, someone: quietly take him aside somewhere to explain that his personal opinion isn't supposed to have any bearing whatsoever on decisions made on behalf of the people he's supposed to represent.
While you're at it, it might be worth pointing out that adults don't fart in public, either. (May as well kill two birds with one stone. (Probably won't do any bloody good, anyway.)) He is toilet-trained, I presume?
"...in order to avoid a repeat of last week’s scandal."
Don't tell me: he couldn't stop himself pooing in public?
"...located in Rivne, Khmelnitsky, and Mikolaev Regions..."
Sounds like a damn good reason to take control of Odessa to me.
But that's a childish reaction, which I'm afraid is probably the biggest part of the problem: it's really hard resist the urge to fight fire with fire and hit a stupid kid for shitting on the floor.
Oh, for a world of adults!
Few and far between though they may be, we should be grateful there are some Putins in this world to save us from ourselves; just SO few of them...
Pray we may have some more!
"...preventing a Chernobyl-like disaster that could affect all of Europe."
Surely, the more logical approach would be to ask the Ukrainians (Americans) to stop shelling the NPP in Zaporozhia and trying to do the same to Kurchatov? Or is that just too much like an adults' approach? Ultimately, generally, kids playing with matches does not end well.
"Zelensky also proposed..."
Well, yeah, but when they get bigger, particularly if they're given unlimited access to funding, they do tend to do even sillier things, like snorting coke to their hearts' delight. A pinch of salt here: I don't think we need to know much more than that about any such 'proposals'.
"...neither of which understands the other’s true intentions..."
Oh, I think everyone knows EXACTLY what everyone's true intentions are: if America can't defeat Russia, it can't contain China. However cleverly words are twisted into narratives to present anything else, there really isn't any more to it than that.
"NATO and the US are well aware of these risks..."
And you think the Russians, or anyone else, isn't?
"...panic in the West..."
I think this is where you can really see the adult in Putin: when a child does something it shouldn't do, like shitting its pants, it's far more effective and helpful in the long term to exercise a little patience and restraint. Inciting panic and fear, or using them to try and control a child, is far less likely to create positive results, and may be dangerous.
"...desperation and panic."
Slowly, slowly catchey monkey.
"...Sikorski’s lobbying shows that some powerful forces are working very hard..."
The harder they huff and the harder they puff, hopefully, the more quickly they should realise they couldn't blow the house down.
It’s nonsensical and idiotic. Why would Russia destroy Ukraines nuclear power plants, and risk fallout themselves, when they’re winning the war?!
Andrew I read every one of your articles. They must be put on the desk of every member of Congress. America has been lied to by the neocon cabal that dictates our foreign policies.
Polish Patriots or tanks, controlled by Polish forces or Ukrainians, fighting inside Ukraine, I think it would be OK for the Russians. It does cost some extra millions to send in the hypersonic missiles. But I think it is probably better to squash another 4 battalions of Patriots and 200 tanks from Poland. Russian cost would be high, but the subsequent peace would last longer.
"This is nothing but a false pretext for justifying the open deployment of Western troops in Ukraine."
Duh. So what does Russia propose to do about it?