“Putin said he could take the Ukraine in two weeks, if he wanted to.”Not much of an exaggeration, but if he’s too obvious about it, Putin knows he will be isolated even further. Not good for Russia in the long term. So, he blusters while acting (in his mind) with restraint by bolstering the autonomy of eastern Ukraine. Of course, Kiev doesn’t see it that way.
Cartoon does properly display one of the biggest problems in this conflict. Putin has an enormously swollen head and his ego has convinced him that he and he alone can restore Russia to its formal glory days. He divorced his wife, and the article called it a ‘purge’ of a divorce, and he has two daughters, but he does not seem to believe his actions will have any negative effect on their futures or, he simply doesn’t care about their futures. It will be interesting to see how Europe survives the winter without Russian oil, but if it does, Russia will find itself in a very weak financial position next spring. While that would normally be a good thing, where Putin is concerned, he may decide it will be time to raise the ante. I truly believe that if he saw the US gov’t as united and determined, he would be less likely to do so, but just as Japan and Germany thought the peace loving peoples of the USA were too weak and loving of their easy lives, Putin believes we care more about our American Idols, Bachelors, and sit coms than conflicting with a nuclear power. Is he right?Respectfully,C.
Rootin,Tootin, Putin, come Jim, I’ve seen your stuff. You know you love him. You are from the “Give me an old line commie over a Republican any day” camp.
Putin has made a careful study of Western society. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. A master of Judo principles, he uses our strengths against us. We desire peace, he talks peace – but in Aesopian terms. How ironic that Russian dissidents used that method to evade Soviet censorship and arrest. Putin has appropriated the method by using words to say things that mean something completely different in reality..His followers increasingly take heart with his creeping successes. Russians have been relieved of the cost to support their former satellites for over 25 years; now that they have tapped into huge energy resources and made other countries dependent on them – they are ready to resume their old ways. It is the era of yet another Russian dictator, risen in the old tradition and stoked by national anger to 30 years of Western derision.
Is there a single entire nation in Europe or Eurasia that is still in the hands of its aboriginal population? All the way back to Neanderthals, they have been displaced by others and those others by others still: It’s Musical Chairs with masses of land. Why should it stop now? .Who owns Ukraine and is entitled to decide its future? Apparently it will be decided, through action and inaction, by those who don’t actually live there.
Uncle Joe Premium Member over 9 years ago
“Putin said he could take the Ukraine in two weeks, if he wanted to.”Not much of an exaggeration, but if he’s too obvious about it, Putin knows he will be isolated even further. Not good for Russia in the long term. So, he blusters while acting (in his mind) with restraint by bolstering the autonomy of eastern Ukraine. Of course, Kiev doesn’t see it that way.
chazandru over 9 years ago
Cartoon does properly display one of the biggest problems in this conflict. Putin has an enormously swollen head and his ego has convinced him that he and he alone can restore Russia to its formal glory days. He divorced his wife, and the article called it a ‘purge’ of a divorce, and he has two daughters, but he does not seem to believe his actions will have any negative effect on their futures or, he simply doesn’t care about their futures. It will be interesting to see how Europe survives the winter without Russian oil, but if it does, Russia will find itself in a very weak financial position next spring. While that would normally be a good thing, where Putin is concerned, he may decide it will be time to raise the ante. I truly believe that if he saw the US gov’t as united and determined, he would be less likely to do so, but just as Japan and Germany thought the peace loving peoples of the USA were too weak and loving of their easy lives, Putin believes we care more about our American Idols, Bachelors, and sit coms than conflicting with a nuclear power. Is he right?Respectfully,C.
LOLisgood4U over 9 years ago
Rootin,Tootin, Putin, come Jim, I’ve seen your stuff. You know you love him. You are from the “Give me an old line commie over a Republican any day” camp.
Crimson Crab Premium Member over 9 years ago
I wonder if we could interest him in Syria and Iraq?
emptc12 over 9 years ago
Putin has made a careful study of Western society. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. A master of Judo principles, he uses our strengths against us. We desire peace, he talks peace – but in Aesopian terms. How ironic that Russian dissidents used that method to evade Soviet censorship and arrest. Putin has appropriated the method by using words to say things that mean something completely different in reality..His followers increasingly take heart with his creeping successes. Russians have been relieved of the cost to support their former satellites for over 25 years; now that they have tapped into huge energy resources and made other countries dependent on them – they are ready to resume their old ways. It is the era of yet another Russian dictator, risen in the old tradition and stoked by national anger to 30 years of Western derision.
l-empress68 over 9 years ago
He might get away with that. Most young people never heard the story of Troy.
emptc12 over 9 years ago
Is there a single entire nation in Europe or Eurasia that is still in the hands of its aboriginal population? All the way back to Neanderthals, they have been displaced by others and those others by others still: It’s Musical Chairs with masses of land. Why should it stop now? .Who owns Ukraine and is entitled to decide its future? Apparently it will be decided, through action and inaction, by those who don’t actually live there.