"Marching A Mile In Your Enemy's Boots...." Topic

Having an some knowledge--if not always "understanding"--the mindset of an enemy can be crucial when trying to get a grip on his motives and how he might react.

That said, here are two links I strongly encourage readers to visit in order to get a glimpse of historical (?) and cultural influences that are at the heart of the Putin's Russia, what has been taught to his soldiers, and indeed, what the Russian people have have been nourished with at the same time as time as their mother's milk.

And it's all scary….

YouTube link

And not least this: YouTube link

Ooooooh – kay!
That's not exactly the way I learned Russian history back in the day.
I'm not sure just how this would mesh with Tolstoy's War and Peace or with Pasternak's Dr. Zhivago or Solzhenitsyn's August 1914.

Grelber
Shaking his head

If any of that is true, they are going to struggle when reality smacks 'em.

We should know about the impact of propaganda for years. Some years ago I watched a documentary with Tom Hanks telling about the Pacific War. There was a scene of a Philipine woman to commit suicide because she believed the Americans would torture and kill all civilians after they had chased away the Japanese Army. Nothing has changed. Of course Russian civilians will not receive satisfying information (except of course in case it defends Putin's situation). We have seen enough news items showing how even people who show a blank piece of paper are arrested within seconds.

That's 'Russia's' view of history via a Ukrainian propaganda channel. I for one believe every word they say.

Propaganda and Russia should be next to each other in the dictionary. This nothing new … Regardless of what they believe, feel, etc.

The priority has to be to attrite Putin's forces so they will never be able invade another nation. By continuing to support the Ukrainians in every way they need.

Plus not start WWIII & use of WMDs including Nukes …

Could you walk a mile in Russian military issue footwear before they fall apart?

Well early on they were leaks of what Russian schools were supposed to tell the kids about the 'special military operation'. I think they were well enough attested to show just how far through the looking glass Russia has gone. Which seems to be a country of old people sending their youth to die because that what the TV is telling them…

But then one of the dissident journalists who fled to West, when asked why Russian's believed this stuff, responded 'well look what you believe'. And she has one heck of a point.

No doubt once this all over they will remain a bunch of Russian denialists who will believe its all a big plot by Pope to destroy the Orthodox church or Putin was a NATO plant etc ad nauseum.

I read Putin's rational for "liberating" Ukrainian (Nazi aside), it's kind of like the US deciding that we would "liberate" the UK and teach them to speak English correctly.

I think you will find its Great Britain conspiring with the UN to take our American colonies back in order to teach Americans how to spell and make tea!

LOL!

Actually, the two links I posted are only the tip of the current iceberg.

So total--it truly appears--is this satanic worldview, that nightly on Russian TV their most visible talking heads are literally saying that nuking the world is better than an "end to Russia." They are being told--and have been since Putin came to power--that any Russian dying in war, including a nuclear holocaust, will go straight to heaven, while all the rest of fried humanity goes straight to hell.

They go on and on about because the entire world (Bolivia?) is against them, and wants all Russians and their culture, history destroyed, the world itself deserves death.

This sort of rhetoric, constantly repeated and lately in growing shrillness approaching hysteria, must be taken seriously. Like the most spoiled children imaginable, if they can't have their way, then no one should even live, themselves included.

This increasing madness, approaching psychosis--at least among the current "intelligentsia" of Russians--is clearly as dangerous as a lake of gasoline with a boatload of cigar smokers on it. The situation is, if possible, more fraught with risk if we are to believe the evidence that Putin is seriously ill with thyroid cancer and may indeed have launched his war now because he knows he has little time left to achieve his completely evil aims of restoring and enlarging the former empire.

That the Russian Army has nearly destroyed itself, and will soon be the recipient of Ukraine's counter-offensives intended both to break the remainder of the army and recover all their lost territory, only means the realization of personal defeat is getting closer every day.

I'm not sure that Putin, unlike Hitler, is inherently suicidal. He's never been all that big a risk taker, preferring whenever possible to increase his power and security by murder, most commonly by poison. He still doesn't pose as a soldier, rarely seen in a uniform like Hitler and his idol, Stalin. I'm not sure that personal suicide is his ultimate solution, though clearly the lives of tens of thousands, if not millions yet, mean nothing to him. And yet….

Frankly, I don't think the world REALLY understands the extreme danger its facing. I don't even know if I do.

I've said too much….

TVAG

Could you walk a mile in Russian military issue footwear before they fall apart?

Do any of them live long enough for that to happen ?☠

I think you will find its Great Britain conspiring with the UN to take our American colonies back in order to teach Americans how to spell and make tea!

You going to burn the WH down again like in 1814 ? 😎

Frankly, I don't think the world REALLY understands the extreme danger its facing. I don't even know if I do.

Well based on what I have experienced with many of my fellow Americans. If this "clear & present danger" is really so ? And it certainly may be … They are blissfully ignorant as many have no clue. And a minority of the others want to make other things happen. That have little to nothing to do with the danger …

Open border

The Green New Deal

CRT, 1619, BLM, Anifa

Paying off collage loans

Etc., etc., etc.

Case in point
link

It is rather nuts. I for one perhaps incorrectly assumed that much of how Putin positioned himself was prolfeed and he was just another cynical dictator doing whatever was necessary to stay in power. And then he goes an invades Ukraine giving every indication he's been at his own KoolAid.

This is why I think talking up our deterrent would be stupid it since it has us dancing to Putin's tune about the West. The casual discussion of nuclear weapon use by Russian politicians is disturbing and long predates the current mess. Frankly we don't want to be in the position that we're relying on someone in the Russian state putting a bullet in Putin's head to prevent him ordering a nuclear war!

You going to burn the WH down again like in 1814 ? 😎

No we're British we'd give to the National Trust! (Okay that's probably going to be lost on all but the most Anglophile and UK members.)

he's been at his own KoolAid.

Clearly that is a likely theory.

Frankly we don't want to be in the position that we're relying on someone in the Russian state putting a bullet in Putin's head to prevent him ordering a nuclear war!

We could only hope … some or someone could use their/his AKs or pistol and end this madness. Before the becomes MAD …

No we're British we'd give to the National Trust! (Okay that's probably going to be lost on all but the most Anglophile and UK members.)

It still surprises me when there is a royal wedding, birth, etc., etc. many in the US follow those events intently, etc. And the our media has reporters & cameras everywhere.

However, I do very much admire the many Royals including the Queen, join the military, go into harm's way at times, etc. Back in the old days … AFAIK leaders were expected to do that.

"…how to spell and make tea!"

By Jove, yeah! Er, yes.

You going to burn the WH down again like in 1814?

Well, if we are to do the job properly. The first lesson is use boiling water straight from the kettle (having warmed the teapot first).

Good points …

Yes that makes a proper cuppa but it still taste terrible after it's been dumped in a harbor. Or should we leave out that step?

Yes.

Slightly back OT its clear the UK intelligence services think there is a likelihood of Putin using May Day to announce a general mobilisation in Russia. The danger being what anti-Western fantasy he wraps around that political pill to make the Russian people swallow it.