Thanks for drawing our attention to this very imporant point,FYI it's pronounced GANGSTER!
Is Putin Mad?
Re: Is Putin Mad?
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
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- Posts: 243
- Joined: 5 Jul 2020, 11:12am
Re: Is Putin Mad?
I'm not qualified to diagnose anything. What I can pass on are the comments of a friend in Russia (via fully encrypted app):
"What's going on is pure madness. I'm extremely stressed, and my savings are vanishing. I'm hoping to get out before it's too late". A professional with several languages.
"What's going on is pure madness. I'm extremely stressed, and my savings are vanishing. I'm hoping to get out before it's too late". A professional with several languages.
- NATURAL ANKLING
- Posts: 13780
- Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
- Location: English Riviera
Re: Is Putin Mad?
Hi,
Who will crack first?
Putin or His subjects.
Who will crack first?
Putin or His subjects.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Re: Is Putin Mad?
His subjects.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Is Putin Mad?
Re: Is Putin Mad?
No they can't,let's hope enough of the Russian public turn against Putin.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Is Putin Mad?
I think we need to grow a set, close the skies and send Putin back. -- he's obviously scared of NATO escalating the war so I think we should call his bluff. He knows if he starts a nuclear war Moscow will be no more and we would dismantle the Russian state completely.
Also Ukraine will have to be part of NATO now to stop this scenario from ever happening again.
Also Ukraine will have to be part of NATO now to stop this scenario from ever happening again.
I am here. Where are you?
Re: Is Putin Mad?
Though reluctantly,I think you could be right.Cowsham wrote: ↑9 Mar 2022, 9:06am I think we need to grow a set, close the skies and send Putin back. -- he's obviously scared of NATO escalating the war so I think we should call his bluff. He knows if he starts a nuclear war Moscow will be no more and we would dismantle the Russian state completely.
Also Ukraine will have to be part of NATO now to stop this scenario from ever happening again.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Is Putin Mad?
"He knows if he starts a nuclear war Moscow will be no more and we would dismantle the Russian state completely."
Does he and does he care? Does he "know" anything that could be considered rational and objective? "No me, no Russia, no rest of world."
Not that I disagree with your conclusion, but I wouldn't bet that his threat of total destruction is a bluff.
Does he and does he care? Does he "know" anything that could be considered rational and objective? "No me, no Russia, no rest of world."
Not that I disagree with your conclusion, but I wouldn't bet that his threat of total destruction is a bluff.
Re: Is Putin Mad?
So where do you stop in appeasing him? Give him all our tanks? Maybe all the states East of (and including) Switzerland?
How about your first-born child? Or maybe just a 5% salary tithe?
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Re: Is Putin Mad?
If there were to be a nuclear war, nobody can predict its outcome. It seems clear that if all the nuclear powers or even a few of them launched lots of their weapons then the world might perish - Armageddon. But there's no certainty that such a general bombardment would occur and it might be more limited in extent. Still a grim prospect for any survivors but I could imagine Russia being better placed to cope than more densely populated countries like ours. Russia is a vast place and probably better able to cope at a subsistence level than we would be. Re Moscow specifically, I've heard it said somewhere - probably on a war duties course - that much of the city is designed to try to withstand bombing eg with very deep underground trains which would serve as shelters. I'm not saying that I know, just that I know that I don't know. Unlike some pundits
Re: Is Putin Mad?
I can't see anything in my post that suggests that I favour appeasement. On the contrary I think that NATO should act decisively now. Despite the fact that he might not be bluffing.
Re: Is Putin Mad?
Ah OK, fair enough!djnotts wrote: ↑9 Mar 2022, 10:58amI can't see anything in my post that suggests that I favour appeasement. On the contrary I think that NATO should act decisively now. Despite the fact that he might not be bluffing.
Re: Is Putin Mad?
I'm no analyst so personal opinion is that Putin has dug himself such a deep hole he's lost anyway. By all accounts he does not have enough troops even to hold Ukraine (should be win his war) so if NATO also joined it he'd have no choice other than back down or go nuclear. And my impression is he's so macho "strength is all" mentality means things like "backing down" are not an option he'd ever consider.djnotts wrote: ↑9 Mar 2022, 9:36am "He knows if he starts a nuclear war Moscow will be no more and we would dismantle the Russian state completely."
Does he and does he care? Does he "know" anything that could be considered rational and objective? "No me, no Russia, no rest of world."
Not that I disagree with your conclusion, but I wouldn't bet that his threat of total destruction is a bluff.
So whilst no certainties and vast numbers of variables I agree that it is a big risk.
Of course, if be gave the order one then wonders if saner heads might block that order from being enacted.
Ian
Re: Is Putin Mad?
Quite!thirdcrank wrote: ↑9 Mar 2022, 9:59am ......... I'm not saying that I know, just that I know that I don't know. Unlike some pundits
Ordinary people and most military people only know what they know and there is a great deal that they don't know to claimmthey do is only speculation on their part war itself is an unkown.
War does the people involved in it no good in the long run even the victors.
Nuclear war destroys everything for everyone including the planet itself!
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden