Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think it's paranoia about being whacked that has driven Putin crazy. I don't remember where I read this, it was a while ago, but it was an article about how Putin lives in a cage of his own making. He couldn't step down without being assassinated, and he had (literally) poisoned so many people on his way to the top that now he is paranoid about being poisoned himself.
So if you live isolated in fear of betrayal, constantly suspecting that your own countrymen are out to get you, and that isolation & paranoia continues for years, I think it would mess you up.
This is the trap that every autocrat creates for himself.
Yes, all of this. He also literally forced himself into this war by posturing with his troops at the border and being a douche to Ukraine for years, hoping people would just abandon Ukraine...but the U.S. called his bluff. It armed Ukraine and conceded nothing. So either had to humiliate himself by conceding defeat - not something an egomanaic can do easily - or put his money where his dead mouth is and invade Ukraine.
Only a very, very insecure, vampiric "man" would have responded this way to the West calling his bluff. Putin is a loser under his evil bluster and tyranny and now we all have to watch Ukraine suffer because he only has 3 inches under those pants.
Anonymous wrote:I think it's paranoia about being whacked that has driven Putin crazy. I don't remember where I read this, it was a while ago, but it was an article about how Putin lives in a cage of his own making. He couldn't step down without being assassinated, and he had (literally) poisoned so many people on his way to the top that now he is paranoid about being poisoned himself.
So if you live isolated in fear of betrayal, constantly suspecting that your own countrymen are out to get you, and that isolation & paranoia continues for years, I think it would mess you up.
Anonymous wrote:I don't get it. His people don't want what he's doing. His oligarchs can't possibly think this is a good idea. Why is he doing this-is he just an aging man trying to recreate the glory days of the past before it's all too late for him?
Anonymous wrote:Definitely a very stable genius to host a meeting with your cabinet like this
Anonymous wrote:Trump gave Putin everything? Like the 200 Russian soldiers who died at the hands of the best military ever in Syria? Meanwhile the "newspapers" PP is referring to spent 4 years on the lie of RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA, a perfect phone call and INSURRECTION!
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think it's paranoia about being whacked that has driven Putin crazy. I don't remember where I read this, it was a while ago, but it was an article about how Putin lives in a cage of his own making. He couldn't step down without being assassinated, and he had (literally) poisoned so many people on his way to the top that now he is paranoid about being poisoned himself.
So if you live isolated in fear of betrayal, constantly suspecting that your own countrymen are out to get you, and that isolation & paranoia continues for years, I think it would mess you up.
This is the trap that every autocrat creates for himself.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don't get it. His people don't want what he's doing. His oligarchs can't possibly think this is a good idea. Why is he doing this-is he just an aging man trying to recreate the glory days of the past before it's all too late for him?
Russian oligarchs just saw the equivalent of a quarter trillion dollars of their wealth just go up in smoke as Russia's stock market collapsed, even with emergency trading bans put in place. If I were a Russian oligarch I would be furious with him and definitely wondering if there was something wrong with him. I'd be looking to remove him.
Wait, you think the oligarchs control Putin?
NP. They don't control him, but as a group they are essential to his ability to continue to hold power.
Except they just lost a ton of their money and so influence, right?
Anonymous wrote:Trump was Putin's lap dog. He tried to eliminate funding to help Ukraine.
It's like conservatives who think *Trump* would be bombing Russia are living out some Reagan imaginary scenario in their head back in 1982 or something.
Trump would be congratulating Putin on a job well done at this point. Probably on Fox news. Just like he did earlier this week.
