On the one hand, President Erdogan did indeed do what he sincerely thought was good for his country, but only as part of a zero-sum choice that he was “forced” to make under pressure. The Russian leader hadn’t expected his proud counterpart to discredit himself and was sure that he’d never worsen ties with one partner just for the vague promise of improving them with another. President Putin was wrong, but so too were President Erdogan’s own supporters who thought that he had more self-respect than this.
'Wishfully' isn't really the right word. It implies that Putin was aware of the dangers involved with those he was projecting his view upon. I'm sure he was aware, just as one is aware of characteristics and predispositions that make up his own character, but, as every child learns, you have to relate to people in good faith, e.g. you may be aware that they would like to spit in your eye and punch you in the face no less than you would like to do the same to them (First, before they do it to you!) but, like children in kindergarten learn, it's better to poo in the pot than on the floor; you refrain for the sake of civility, for the sake of the relationship which you need in order to get done what you need to get done.
It's not quite right to think of kids sitting on the poo-pot in kindergarten as wishfully projecting their perceptions onto their brethren, nor is it accurate to think of Putin and others who are assumed to be as grown-up as him in a similar light. Some kids just get it quicker than others — on the pot and of again in a minute or two — while others sit there trying to figure it out for a long time. You can't blame the Putins of this world for the seemingly endless line of Bidens, Brezhnevs, Bushes, Clintons, Blairs (and on and on and on) etc. for them not being able to catch on and get it. It's not Putin's fault: it never occurred to him "...reach[ing] a deal with the US over Ukraine..." could possibly be anything other than the outcome as inevitable as reaching it was obvious.
Think of it like this: when was the last time you met an adult who wouldn't surprise you if they never used a toilet — just pooed where they stood and let someone clean it up for them? You'd be surprised, wouldn't you? Now you know how Putin felt, when the Americans and their big gang of friends decided he needed to be taught how to behave. 'Wishful' really isn't the right word here.
"...in exchange for vague promises..."
Does anyone really need yet another picture painted for them to show how vampires sink their teeth into their friends' necks? File this one away for future reference.
"Such a tradeoff wasn’t expected from someone as rational as President Erdogan."
Yeah, but he's under intense pressure now. They've weaselled their people into his inner circle of economic advisors to get him into really treacherous waters over rapids of really dangerous economic rocks. Where once he had a choice, he now has highest-flying entrepreneurial leaders of Western banks guiding him through the waters and over the rocks. True, more the fool him... But what else could he have done?
Yes, he could have turned to China. But how much better would that have been than, for example, India doing the same? It's all about balance, isn't it: 'He who turns and walks away lives to fight another day.'? He'll be back. Putin knows that. You might be surprised if someone were to have a poo where they stood while you were talking to them, but you can let the odd little fart go unnoticed now and then.
"...taking into account the current situation..."
Yes, one must take care not to let seemingly innocent little slips — the odd little fart — turn into serious indiscretions. 'Flattering no-one' is one thing, making someone get the flannel and sponge out for a fast clean up is quite another. Peskov, it would seem, has learnt how to behave in the School of Putin.
"...posited in a well-intended attempt..."
Fair, adult.
"...partially correct but also partially wrong."
Go back to the kids on the pot: the one who's got it knows the slower ones will eventually get it, too. (Some are just more bloody pig-headed than others.)
"President Putin was wrong..."
Yeah, that's true, but you know what? I'm glad. I'm glad because there will come a time soon when he has to make the most difficult decision anyone could ever make: he'll need to decide when and how to use nuclear weapons. If he hadn't been fooled by and wrong about so many apparent adults so many times in the past, when that time comes, he might be more inclined to repeat past failings and fail to recognise the moment when it arrives. Thank God it's such a wise man who has his finger on the button! If it were anyone else, I'm sure we'd all be dead long ago; and, when the time comes, I know he'll do the right thing.
President Erdogan is old and his back is against the wall. Turkje's economy is performing almost as abysmally as Ukraine's counter offensive. So he decided to hold his nose and make the best economic deal he could get with untrustworthy partners, same as him. Hope it works out for the tired man. It makes little difference to Russian interests either way.
'Wishfully' isn't really the right word. It implies that Putin was aware of the dangers involved with those he was projecting his view upon. I'm sure he was aware, just as one is aware of characteristics and predispositions that make up his own character, but, as every child learns, you have to relate to people in good faith, e.g. you may be aware that they would like to spit in your eye and punch you in the face no less than you would like to do the same to them (First, before they do it to you!) but, like children in kindergarten learn, it's better to poo in the pot than on the floor; you refrain for the sake of civility, for the sake of the relationship which you need in order to get done what you need to get done.
It's not quite right to think of kids sitting on the poo-pot in kindergarten as wishfully projecting their perceptions onto their brethren, nor is it accurate to think of Putin and others who are assumed to be as grown-up as him in a similar light. Some kids just get it quicker than others — on the pot and of again in a minute or two — while others sit there trying to figure it out for a long time. You can't blame the Putins of this world for the seemingly endless line of Bidens, Brezhnevs, Bushes, Clintons, Blairs (and on and on and on) etc. for them not being able to catch on and get it. It's not Putin's fault: it never occurred to him "...reach[ing] a deal with the US over Ukraine..." could possibly be anything other than the outcome as inevitable as reaching it was obvious.
Think of it like this: when was the last time you met an adult who wouldn't surprise you if they never used a toilet — just pooed where they stood and let someone clean it up for them? You'd be surprised, wouldn't you? Now you know how Putin felt, when the Americans and their big gang of friends decided he needed to be taught how to behave. 'Wishful' really isn't the right word here.
"...in exchange for vague promises..."
Does anyone really need yet another picture painted for them to show how vampires sink their teeth into their friends' necks? File this one away for future reference.
"Such a tradeoff wasn’t expected from someone as rational as President Erdogan."
Yeah, but he's under intense pressure now. They've weaselled their people into his inner circle of economic advisors to get him into really treacherous waters over rapids of really dangerous economic rocks. Where once he had a choice, he now has highest-flying entrepreneurial leaders of Western banks guiding him through the waters and over the rocks. True, more the fool him... But what else could he have done?
Yes, he could have turned to China. But how much better would that have been than, for example, India doing the same? It's all about balance, isn't it: 'He who turns and walks away lives to fight another day.'? He'll be back. Putin knows that. You might be surprised if someone were to have a poo where they stood while you were talking to them, but you can let the odd little fart go unnoticed now and then.
"...taking into account the current situation..."
Yes, one must take care not to let seemingly innocent little slips — the odd little fart — turn into serious indiscretions. 'Flattering no-one' is one thing, making someone get the flannel and sponge out for a fast clean up is quite another. Peskov, it would seem, has learnt how to behave in the School of Putin.
"...posited in a well-intended attempt..."
Fair, adult.
"...partially correct but also partially wrong."
Go back to the kids on the pot: the one who's got it knows the slower ones will eventually get it, too. (Some are just more bloody pig-headed than others.)
"President Putin was wrong..."
Yeah, that's true, but you know what? I'm glad. I'm glad because there will come a time soon when he has to make the most difficult decision anyone could ever make: he'll need to decide when and how to use nuclear weapons. If he hadn't been fooled by and wrong about so many apparent adults so many times in the past, when that time comes, he might be more inclined to repeat past failings and fail to recognise the moment when it arrives. Thank God it's such a wise man who has his finger on the button! If it were anyone else, I'm sure we'd all be dead long ago; and, when the time comes, I know he'll do the right thing.
President Erdogan is old and his back is against the wall. Turkje's economy is performing almost as abysmally as Ukraine's counter offensive. So he decided to hold his nose and make the best economic deal he could get with untrustworthy partners, same as him. Hope it works out for the tired man. It makes little difference to Russian interests either way.