Mid-Week Reads: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Putin?

Posted by Maggie on March 23, 2022 in From the editors

Putin rationalized to the world that the his reason for invading Ukraine was to stop a Nazi threat inside that country. Look, I don’t know enough about the Ukraine government situation to have an opinion on what their ideology is or isn’t. I’ve read things, and Ukraine’s government has been shown to have its own corruption issues. Anyhow, I am wise enough to know that in WWII the U.S. allied with the alleged ‘lesser of the two evils’, the USSR, and I believe knowing fully that Stalin intended to usurp a large swath of (at least) Eastern Europe at war’s end for his spoils. And we let him. I also believe this is Putin’s plan as well.

Early on, Pres. Donald Trump was criticized for stating how “genius” Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was, and hasn’t walked that view back. And why should he? He’s not wrong. When you look at the complexity of the political tactic this invasion has been, even if his own invading military is reportedly beginning to flounder under the Ukrainian resistance, Putin knew he held all the aces in his hand. His military on the ground may be in a growing quagmire, but the U.S. and the Western world has been in a quagmire, at many levels, from the start. And Putin knew that. He knew anything the U.S. and the West would think of doing would be deemed ‘an escalation’ and thereby would have Putin assuming his justification of escalating this into WWIII. And he is smugly and defiantly playing to that and waiting out the rest of the cornered world. The condition of his military on the ground does not trouble him. That makes him very dangerous and extremely diabolically mad. Pretty much an … If Hitler and Stalin had a baby … level insane. Desperation is his doomsday weapon in his back pocket.

Meanwhile …

The United Nations says that 3.6 million refugees have already fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and and war in that country.

The Wall Street Journal has some interesting observations on Russia and its war in Ukraine …

WSJ: Putin Uses Refugees as a Weapon: As the burden on Europe grows from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Biden can act boldly to help.

David C. Gompert @ WSJ: How Putin Exploits America’s Fear of Nuclear War: The U.S. has better global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities than Russia.

WSJ: Putin Makes Ukraine Pay the Price for Western Weakness: Had NATO and the U.S. responded immediately, Russia would not have invaded.

Douglas London @ WSJ: Spies Will Doom Putin: After invading Ukraine, he’s tightening the screws the way the Soviets did—and that will help the CIA recruit Russians.

Other thoughts…

The Federalist Staff: John Daniel Davidson: Ratcheting Up Military Aid To Ukraine Runs A Risk Of Escalation

John Daniel Davidson @ The Federalist: The U.S. Should Have No Part In Fomenting A War Of Attrition In Ukraine: The idea that a prolonged conflict in Ukraine will break the Russian war machine and topple Putin is a dangerous fantasy.

Brian Robertson @ American Greatness: Ukraine and the RINO Delusion: Thanks largely to corporate media and GOP saber-rattling that make him look prudent by contrast, Joe Biden has arrested his freefall in the polls which cite his Ukraine policy.

Francis P. Sempa @ The American Spectator: Biden’s Colossal Misreading of Putin’s Motivations in Ukraine: Putin is following the Russian “grand narrative” of war.