24 February 2022

Well, I Called it Wrong

It appears that there is Russian bombing going on throughout the Ukraine, as well as what appears to be either an amphibious landing, or a deployment from Muldova (Transnistria) in Odessa.

I figured that Putin would stop at a frozen conflict in the Dunbas.  It appears that I was wrong.

No clue as to what the end game is here.

This is not going to end well for anyone.

8 comments :

Stephen Montsaroff said...

But it was all Biden's fault for suggesting it. I mean if he hadn't put the idea into Putin's mind it would never have happened. And it just made those former Soviet subject states unnecessarily paranoid, and force Russia into forward defense.

The Red Alias said...

So, Biden is the Hypno-Toad?

He controls Putin's mind? I toadily believe that!

Matthew Saroff said...

The US approach to Russia for the past 20+ years is, "Your surrender must be unconditional and immediate."

It is frequently cast as a reset, but it's basically, "We will say nice things about you if you act in our best interest instead of yours."

It works with the British, not not many other people.

This has been show to be a suboptimal strategy.

My take is very similar to that of Atrios, "I was skeptical it would happen like this because the extended Blob universe was out there not just warning about war but demanding one, as they do, along with Zelenskyy asking them to STFU. Rather wary of the people who never stop advocating for glorious humanitarian missions that require only the generous application of bombs and Defense budget allocations, especially when they are offering no other solutions."

Stephen Montsaroff said...

Why not, they lost the cold war. The problem is we didn't have tanks in Red Square.

Oh wait, they were the good guys.

Matthew Saroff said...

Red Alias, Stephen Montsaroff, is my brother and you are misunderstanding the subtext.

He is being sarcastic (SDNWOTN) and making fun of me, not making a statement of fact, this, and saying, "Fuck You," in gorilla, are family traditions.

He is implying, honestly a bit accurately, that I am a bit of a Tankie.

On this issue, my basic point is not that Putin is good, but rather that Putin and the current conflict have as its origins US policy decisions to continue to wage war on Russia, whether through the US led looting of the 1990s, facilitating election theft by Yeltsin in 1996, or NATO expansion.

I agree with George Kennan's assessment of NATO expansion, that it "Would be the most fateful error of American policy in the entire post-cold-war era."

The Red Alias said...

Yeh, I was kinda suspecting Stephen might be snarking, that's why I kept my snark light.

But since our aiding Yeltsin's election theft basically MADE Putin the kleptocrat he is today, he should be grateful. I guess Putin's attitude is a case of 'what have you done for me lately?' Since no nuclear power has ever been invaded, because the consequence would be annihilation, and few people like being annihilated. Even crazy world leaders.

So Putin's 'irrationale' for seizing Ukraine to protect his borders is an insultingly stupid Trumpian lie. Likewise, the Viking baptism 1,000 years ago. He kills because he thinks he can get away with it. Because good people are either spineless, or wait too damn long to respond to tyrants imperialism.

FYI, once attended a Jane Goodall lecture on gorillas in 1980. This is how gorillas say 'fuck you'.

They face you, and fix you with a beetle-browed stare. When they are sure they have your attention, they jut their jaw and lower lip, and issue a deep, single breathy grunt or two.

"UNH...UNGH!"

It is VERY intimidating.

It was delightful to hear this thin, blonde, proper British lady issue gutteral ape talk, and something I will never forget.

Sorry if if I snarked out of place. I deeply appreciate your insights and scholarship, and don't want to interfere with tweaking a Tankie.

Cthulhu said...

Your family is deeply weird, Badhair.

Matthew Saroff said...

Weird, and proud of it, Cthulhu.

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