General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCha
(297,323 posts)for him.l
TY!
TheBlackAdder
(28,209 posts)Wicked Blue
(5,834 posts)not because they want to invade Russia
dalton99a
(81,516 posts)SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Qutzupalotl
(14,317 posts)I wish Putin would see it that way, but he is paranoid, or pretends to be.
He is definitely projecting, accusing the opposition of what he is doing.
I love that Biden is announcing Putin's troop movements and giving away his plans. He's taking away the element of surprise and uniting countries against Russia's actions.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)The whole "fear of a NATO invasion thing" is just an excuse for him to pursue his colonizing fantasies. He's an evil bastard, but he's not a complete moron. He knows how to play this to his advantage. I really wish he would just drop dead.
I am beginning to think he is more dangerous to the world than Trump, which wasn't always the case. Trump because he is stupid, ego-maniacal and reckless, Putin because he is evil, unhinged and power-mad. Of course, both have all those qualities to some extent and then some, none of which bode well for the rest of us. At least Trump is currently out of power.
Lonestarblue
(10,013 posts)None of these small countries is even remotely interested in invading Russia. But some, perhaps many, Russian citizens have family in countries next to Russia, especially Ukraine, and Putin does not want then to hear anything about democratic government providing a better life. That could jeopardize his cushy job as president for life, though technically he could be voted out but he rigs the elections.
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)Ray Bruns
(4,098 posts)dalton99a
(81,516 posts)BlueIdaho
(13,582 posts)Thats two things that arent coming back
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)relayerbob
(6,544 posts)You will be able to include Finland in that list for sure, and possibly Sweden, maybe Austria.
With luck, Belarus will collapse, and they'll need to occupy them also
roamer65
(36,745 posts)That section of the country is heavily Ukrainian and would be a quagmire.
There eventually will be a smaller Ukraine thats in NATO.
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)StClone
(11,684 posts)I suspect his goal is to take the eastern pro-Russian area of Ukraine, Donbas. The target is to fully occupy Donbas as they have had a lot of influences there already. It would be a strategic hit, smaller in scale, more easily taken. I think that is why Putin is evacuating women and children from that region. He will take it, the way he took Crimea, and occupy it.
The long-range plan is to use all these little bases of occupation to manipulate the rest of Ukraine, and the world. The big thing is I do not think Putin's reign of Oligarchs will survive to see the end play of this strategy.
Bucky
(54,027 posts)It's likely he'll leave Western Ukraine untouched. It's a really big country and he doesn't really need an additional hostile border that far away from his center.
But we can't forget what a humiliation it was when the Baltic states joined NATO. I thought that was a mistake, too provocative. Maybe I was wrong. But stable & free buffer states between Russia and NATO always seemed like a good idea to me, as far as the global balance of power goes.
msongs
(67,420 posts)paleotn
(17,931 posts)The Molotov Ribbentrop Pact. That is until Hitler wanted Stalin's "sphere of influence" for himself as lebensraum (living space).
11 Bravo
(23,926 posts)to be established after Germany's inevitable surrender. FDR and Stalin basically ignored him during the negotiations, but he made no secret of his disapproval post-Yalta.
Churchill was right.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)or Poland or Lithuania.
IronLionZion
(45,457 posts)Germany renounced their claim to it and most German people repatriated to Germany. Russia has filled it with Russians and it is their only ice-free port in the Baltic.
Poland and Lithuania also don't want it.
Bucky
(54,027 posts)Hav
(5,969 posts)run away from you, you may have to consider that you are the problem. These countries didn't join by force from the West.
The irony is, Putin's actions prove those countries right. In fact, Ukraine would be in a safer position now if they were already a Nato member.
stopdiggin
(11,317 posts)with the Russians. It adds a certain 'clarity' to perceptions.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,035 posts)He's like the stalking abusive boyfriend/husband. "Why don't you love me?"
Wicked Blue
(5,834 posts)Both situations stem from someone's low self-esteem.
I wonder if Putin's dick is 1 inch or 2 inch?
bucolic_frolic
(43,190 posts)msfiddlestix
(7,282 posts)Hattip for the map that tells the whole story, really.
Editing to Add: My entire perspective on the matter is a complete 180 from how things looked to me in 2014.
I was just flat out wrong about Russian invasion on Crimea.
totally.
Good Luck NATO, President Bide. This ain't gonna be a walk in the park, but I know you know that.
Deuxcents
(16,248 posts)Love that I get educated on issues here.
paleotn
(17,931 posts)Most were part of the Warsaw Pact in the bad ole days. Can't say as I blame them.
erronis
(15,303 posts)llmart
(15,540 posts)Putin is a power hungry megalomaniac who needs to be put in his place. He surely has miscalculated about President Biden's resolve.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)It really does put things in perspective, doesn't it?
GoCubsGo
(32,086 posts)Oil and gas, farmlands, iron , uranium, and other valuable minerals...
If you think Pootie Poot's shorts are in a wad now, just wait until Sweden and Finland join NATO. Sounds like his antics in Ukraine are driving them right into NATO's arms.
AdamGG
(1,292 posts)scoring points with Vlad
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I can't even tell you how much it infuriates me. It is just SO HIM!
3catwoman3
(24,007 posts)Crass, common, crude, coarse, and cruel.
He has no redeeming qualities. Not a single one.
FakeNoose
(32,645 posts)They're surrounded by NATO on all sides, but they're remaining "neutral." Well of course we know they aren't really neutral, they just haven't joined NATO for some reason.
usaf-vet
(6,189 posts)TexasTowelie
(112,252 posts)they essentially receive all of the benefits of being in NATO while contributing nothing to pay for that protection. Free stuff!
AdamGG
(1,292 posts)It's been a long term survival strategy for them.
Justice matters.
(6,933 posts)Oh... too many crimes in your past 30 years I see...
Too bad. If all countries joined in, we could end stupid wars for greed.
dalton99a
(81,516 posts)electric_blue68
(14,912 posts)UTUSN
(70,711 posts)CloudWatcher
(1,850 posts)Not much "North Atlantic" about it.
That said, how quickly can we get Ukraine as a member? If we're lucky, tomorrow might be soon enough.
Gore1FL
(21,132 posts)ananda
(28,866 posts)Good idea!
SouthernDem4ever
(6,617 posts)Maru Kitteh
(28,341 posts)Really?
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)... to get in that crew.
Come on Putin, sup ?!
Bucky
(54,027 posts)I dunno, maybe Syria is a member too
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)... right now except people who don't know any better.
Schmice3
(294 posts)the USSR pulled out its missiles from Cuba BUT the US had to agree to pull its missile bases out of Turkey. Geo-politically speaking, Putin is just protecting Russia's borders as its power wanes.
Hav
(5,969 posts)Bucky
(54,027 posts)I wonder if, in the long run, Putin settles for just taking half or 1/3 of Ukraine and then see if he can wait out the sanctions. Being the primary exporter of oil and natural gas to Central Europe gives him a shutload of bargaining power.
Joinfortmill
(14,432 posts)DFW
(54,409 posts)Especially when it was the Soviet Empire (dba "the Warsaw Pact" ) who was on OUR borders with East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)But I had a class in Russian history many years ago. And ever since Napoleon, Russia has worried about control of its western borders. This is the latest manifestation. They are worried about nothing unless they want to return to the Soviet domination of eastern Europe.