Off Topic Politics Thread

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Le Tissier's Laces said:
It will be protracted, but remember what I said before all of this, that a lot of very wise military strategists have been saying that this would be a fool's errand for Putin. He's arrogantly assumed that the Ukrainians would be cowed by numbers. It's already not quite working out how he thought it would, and the tide of Russian feeling toward him will turn the longer this goes on. It could well spell the end for him.

He's not going to encroach on any more countries because he just doesn't have the manpower to do so. This is going to be about boots on the ground, not special bombs and computer controlled drones. He doesn't have that resource (or actually the backing) to do so. A conscripted army, that has already got questions about what the heck they're doing here, isn't going to win any wars quickly, and there's only so much the Spetznaz can do. I disagree with Ian, in that NATO and the west should absolutely be chucking in as much fire and forget weaponry as they can to support the Ukrainian resistance. This is a golden opportunity to see Putin fall flat on his face.
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Putin has clearly underestimated the anger of the Ukrainian people and their courage and determination to defend their territory. The absolute worst of humanity (Putin and his cronies) has brought out the best of humanity with those citizens of Ukraine who are standing up to him.
 
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This invasion is the natural conclusion to decades of failed fiscal, military and geopolitical policies from both sides (west & east).

I have never been so disgusted. Governments on both sides have ignored the population and prioritised profits over people again and again.

Everything politically is different now. This whole thing is cataclysmic. It feels like when 9/11 happened, except it’s worse because at least then we (the west) were still in a position of strength.

We are currently a stray bullet or missile away from Nuclear Armageddon.

And the poor Ukrainians (and Russian soldiers) lives being lost is just a total waste.
 
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davecg69 said:
There’s another video with English subtitles. I feel for the soldiers as it doesn’t seem that they want to be there but they’re cannon fodder for that **** Putin
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They don’t. Which is why this won’t work.

My three main concerns at the moment are:

- Putin recruiting in the Chechen thugs, who won’t pussyfoot around.
- Putin realising it’s not quite going to plan and getting a lot more loose with the idea of just hitting military instalments.
- Putin being cornered by this and thinking “if I’m going down, you are all coming with me”.
 
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Le Tissier's Laces said:
They don’t. Which is why this won’t work.

My three main concerns at the moment are:

- Putin recruiting in the Chechen thugs, who won’t pussyfoot around.
- Putin realising it’s not quite going to plan and getting a lot more loose with the idea of just hitting military instalments.
- Putin being cornered by this and thinking “if I’m going down, you are all coming with me”.
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I’m most worried about your final point.
 
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thereisonlyoneno7 said:
I’m most worried about your final point.
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On the last point - I guess it depends on what you mean by “going down”. Forced into a humiliating climb down is not worth him lashing out

And if the west is stupid enough to try and push into Russia and march on Moscow then of course that response is on the cards. It is why they won’t do it

Now if it is more complicated and he feels he is at risk of being “Mussolini’d” by his own people then … maybe? But lashing out to destroy everything doesn’t seem like the response to that either
 
Gregm1988 said:
On the last point - I guess it depends on what you mean by “going down”. Forced into a humiliating climb down is not worth him lashing out

And if the west is stupid enough to try and push into Russia and march on Moscow then of course that response is on the cards. It is why they won’t do it

Now if it is more complicated and he feels he is at risk of being “Mussolini’d” by his own people then … maybe? But lashing out to destroy everything doesn’t seem like the response to that either
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Yes, but you're taking the mind of a rational man.

Putin is obsessed with watching the video of Gaddafi, when he was found in the spider-hole, being dragged through the streets and killed. I mean, he's OBSESSED with that video. It's what he fears more than anything, and we're talking about a very, very, very paranoid man here.

Now I don't think he sees an end coming and presses the button for the LOLZ, but it's a lot more possible than it would be were we dealing with a normal human.
 
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Archers Road said:
Iraq and Afghanistan; consult a map and see how close they are to Russia.
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Oh so I see you chose to ignore my “soviet sphere of influence” comment. Not a surprise I guess. Fact is you clearly have a very different definition of “doorstep” than what most would. They are not on their doorstep. Because I don’t know about you but my doorstep doesn’t have another house/door in-between it and the next one
 
Le Tissier's Laces said:
Yes, but you're taking the mind of a rational man.

Putin is obsessed with watching the video of Gaddafi, when he was found in the spider-hole, being dragged through the streets and killed. I mean, he's OBSESSED with that video. It's what he fears more than anything, and we're talking about a very, very, very paranoid man here.

Now I don't think he sees an end coming and presses the button for the LOLZ, but it's a lot more possible than it would be were we dealing with a normal human.
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Where did you find out that he is obsessed with that video? Is that a leak somewhere?

I think it is incorrect to claim he is irrational. He just doesn’t have a western based world view. To him his actions are completely rational
 
Le Tissier's Laces said:
It will be protracted, but remember what I said before all of this, that a lot of very wise military strategists have been saying that this would be a fool's errand for Putin. He's arrogantly assumed that the Ukrainians would be cowed by numbers. It's already not quite working out how he thought it would, and the tide of Russian feeling toward him will turn the longer this goes on. It could well spell the end for him.

He's not going to encroach on any more countries because he just doesn't have the manpower to do so. This is going to be about boots on the ground, not special bombs and computer controlled drones. He doesn't have that resource (or actually the backing) to do so. A conscripted army, that has already got questions about what the heck they're doing here, isn't going to win any wars quickly, and there's only so much the Spetznaz can do. I disagree with Ian, in that NATO and the west should absolutely be chucking in as much fire and forget weaponry as they can to support the Ukrainian resistance. This is a golden opportunity to see Putin fall flat on his face.
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Out of interest - which strategists said things like this?
 
Gregm1988 said:
Out of interest - which strategists said things like this?
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Various ones I've read, ranging from UK army generals, through to people like Max Hastings (and even a friend of mine, who is a military analyst for the US and previously UK etc). There's even one along those lines in The Times today by a professor of war studies at Kings College.
 
It baffles me that the suggestion seems to be that Putin didn’t think the people of Ukraine would fight back. If that is true then I might have to slightly reassess my assertion that he is more rational than people assume
 
While I think it's a pretty vague - and over-egged statement (a lot of British media getting overly excited and heralding it as huge) - I do think it is perhaps indicative of a genuine fear, or knowledge, of an Abramovich asset freeze coming into force shortly in the UK.
 
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Isn't Abrahamovich an Israeli citizen now? If he's smart he'll be staying in Israel and keeping his head down.

He's actually right when he says he's always acted in the best interests of Chelsea. He's been a good owner for them, if I was a Chelsea fan (I feel sick even thinking that, but hey), I'd be inclined to think he's doing the right thing here in stepping away.
 
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