""Putin is banking on a failure of political will"" Topic

Democratic leaders need to prepare their citizens for a long struggle over Ukraine – and a hard winter

The Guardian: link

Yep. The Ukrainian flags are being replace by the Next New Thing. Though the "West" was able to maintain a coherent long-term effort to contest Soviet global domination for 45 years, so the "democracies" are more capable than the article credits us for. So if the policy is set, there's a good chance this becomes a matter of daily reality as part of the new Cold War we're entering.

Putin made a crack at Obama years ago to the effect, that just because we (the west) think that Russians look like us, we (the west) think we know them. I guess he had that backwards.

I think the Russians need to prepare for third world status. Every day they get weaker, while we do not.

Yes, they are only one of the Big 3 because they have Nukes. They may be on their way to becoming a failing or failed state. But they ain't the only ones …

Nicaragua, Sudan, N. Korea, Nigeria, Iraq. These are my guesses for actual failing states. None of them are major powers committed to supporting Ukraine.

All the big powers have economic issues arising from the post pandemic era economic fallout. Europe is okay. Australia also. US is well positioned to get through it, better off than almost anyone.

There is not much sign of hope for a clear win for Putin. If the war ended today, he has lost major foreign investments that may never be replaced. China is not going to help anytime soon, major economic issues. Nor will 100,000 hungry North Koreans be of much actual use.

Erm… Russians tend to be tenacious.. especially if Fed Belief. Even if Russia is hammered economically… they can lose McDonalds.

Putin is probably right, since our "leaders" have the attention span of a gnat, and when the going gets tough, they cave.

It's a miracle we won WWII, but as you've seen, we haven't won a real war or even a major conflict since then of any importance (Iraq Wars notwithstanding – though of course we won the battles but really lost in the long run), over and above the minor skirmishes and raids we occasionally have to conduct against our enemies.

The USA is following those "failed states" rather quickly from an economics point of view, given rampant inflation and the exploding national debt, which is around $30 USD TRILLION and growing last time I checked, not including the almost $1 USD TRILLION more being floated in the last action.

The US economy will be gutted with numerous anti-business provisions in the legislation, not to mention the huge tax increases which even Dems used to agree shouldn't be increased during a recession (which is no doubt why they're denying we're in one, even though 2 Quarters of negative "growth" is a recession).

China WILL be the real winner with this new legislation, by design, in many ways.

China is in big trouble, more than us. They are not winning anything, will be dealing with internal issues and a bad economy into next year. We are not remotely in any way approaching actually being a failed state. Just too much here to go into for TMP. And I respect your right to state your opinions, no need to go into things we will not resolve.

Seems like they are "winning" on the Taiwan front, with even direct overflights by their aircraft over the islands now, which was never done before.

China is behaving as Japan did at the start of WW2.
Russia is behaving as Germany did, only without a military trained, supplied, or led well enough to pull off anything Germany pulled off.
In both historical cases, the aggressors had the appearance of being economic and political power houses in their regions and the world. But they weren't in the long term; instead their power was waning and their economic might was built on a thin layer that couldn't be sustained if they went to war; or for that matter, even if they didn't. The leaders of Japan couldn't give up power or make the changes necessary to move away from Imperialist and militaristic attitudes to being an economic success instead (a position they would acquire in less than half a century once their militaristic attitude was forcibly changed). China is lost in the same thinking; Xi is too close minded to see any other course, and his generals are too proud of their shiny new stuff to realize that their moral strength, like the Russian military, is thinner than rice paper. Putin is thinking in exactly the same way. Both are actually reacting from a status of fear— fear that they are destined to lose power and control, fear that they are not as great as they think they are, fear of their own countrymen and even their own supporters! Ambition is there, but fear is even more there. And no one involved is a student of history; they look at it with blinders on.

China is headed for a collapse, as is Russia. The problem is, what damage will they inflict as they flail around in their death throes? Will they take the rest of the world with them? And what are we doing to stop this? They certainly do not fear us, and they are currently too blinded to see that damage to the West only rebounds on them a hundredfold— even if we did nothing to retaliate. They are biting the hand which feeds them, and think they will continue to be fed when the hand comes off.

Well said Parz.

China is headed for a collapse, as is Russia.

That would appear so. But that may be a way off … Putin has to continue to attack to save face. Xi has to use his saber rattling to cover his failing economy. Plus Xi has a CCP "election" coming up.

The US economy will be gutted with numerous anti-business provisions in the legislation, not to mention the huge tax increases

No … you don't get it … this legislation will fix everything and save not only the "USSA", but the World Comrade … 🌎😁😆🤣

We are not going to be gutted or pay huge tax increases. Unless you already pay no taxes because you suffer from extreme wealth. Anti business provisions include actually paying taxes. Ouch!

If you say so… 😎 FWIW I don't pay taxes, I'm on Social Security …

Like me you are enjoying the fabulous wealth this brings! But it's not enough to pay taxes, which I'm sure I recall paying earlier in life.

Of course none of us know for sure what will happen down the road, but I spent enough time with the government to know not to call the Doom Squad.. Keep calm and carry on was a saying long ago in my line of work. Things work out.

Well at least I'm not missing any meals …

UK 'News' coverage has been dwindling in recent months… apart from Grain Shipments and Fuel stoppages… because, of course, those issues 'strain' pockets.

Many 'public' are now 'Bored' with images of burnt buildings or AFVs. Back to Sport or celebs!

It is only the relatively few who have 'some' concept of warfare… who care about fate of combatants… and, Yes…I mean on Both sides… who look up News items.

I am not military… but, watching 'battlefield archaeology' is rather illuminating. A Skull with a hole in it… is just that. Only the helmet identifies. The Dead are Dead. Sad for the fallen, with lives lost.

It is the 'living' who annoy Me.. but 'The Dead' would have been quite happy just living… and watching sport or celebs…

The Chinese have lent the US way too much money, to the point that the US owns them hence something goes south in the US economy and they go down the tubes with us. At the same time as some one posted their economy is in trouble all by itself. If they need to make a move in some ways it would be much easier and profitable to go north.

FWIW I don't pay taxes, I'm on Social Security …

jstor.org/stable/2152487

:)

I guess I shouldn't have said that the IRS is getting thousands of new agents. The MIBs knocking at my door will be from there. 🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♂️ Not looking for ETs, 👽

On Putin's Vacant Moral Imagination

link

Armand