Putin appears to have put himself in a suicidal or self-defeating position with his war of aggression in Ukraine.
1. His war on Ukraine is so barbaric that it is likely to render Russia a rogue & terrorist state sooner or later.
1. His war on Ukraine is so barbaric that it is likely to render Russia a rogue & terrorist state sooner or later.
2. Putin has completely isolated Russia politically with only North Korea, Belarus, Syria & Eritrea, all rogue states.
3. Putin's outrageous behavior in every regard makes it impossible for even half-decent actors to trade with Russia, causing complete economic isolation.
3. Putin's outrageous behavior in every regard makes it impossible for even half-decent actors to trade with Russia, causing complete economic isolation.
4. Not only is Putin's war in Ukraine barbaric, it is also unwinnable.
5. There is plenty of guilt to go around. Putin appears to blame the military & the FSB, but the FSB is his only strong support. It is not likely to take this well.
5. There is plenty of guilt to go around. Putin appears to blame the military & the FSB, but the FSB is his only strong support. It is not likely to take this well.
6. The main cannon fodder in Ukraine has been ethnic minorities in faraway places, such as Buryatiya & Chechnya. Why would they want to stay in a Russia that offers them nothing but slaughter? Putin appears to be driving Russia to the disintegration Yegor Gaidar warned of...
...in his 2006 book "The Collapse of the Empire." If Russia turned to imperialism once again, he warned, Russia itself would be likely to fall apart.
7. A barbaric but militarily impotent Russia without other values than medieval violence & without any other economic assets than devaluing raw materials is not likely to persist.
8. Truth, good institutions, the rule of law, democracy & freedom are likely to eventually prevail.
8. Truth, good institutions, the rule of law, democracy & freedom are likely to eventually prevail.
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