Twitter thread by Gary Kasparov

[femmedem]

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1499088993736138754.html

Putin's war on Ukraine has entered its next phase, one of destruction and slaughter of civilians. It is also a part of Putin's World War, a war on the civilized world of international law, democracy, and any threat to his power, which he declared long ago. 1/13

The free world's denial of this war and decades of appeasement allowed Putin to threaten and conquer abroad while turning Russia into a police state. The price to stop him has gone up every time he has advanced unchallenged. Ukrainians are paying that price in blood. 2/13

If Putin is not stopped now, not prevented from destroying Ukraine and committing genocide against its people, there will be a next time and it will be in NATO, with an unprecedented nuclear threat. Do not let Putin escalate again in a time and place of his choosing. 3/13

Everyone is quoting my 2015 book Winter Is Coming and saying I was right & "listen to Kasparov". But will you still listen when I say this will take sacrifice and risk? Not just wheat and gas prices, not just empty chalets and unemployed lobbyists. Easy is over. 4/13

Or will you say that I am irrational, blinded by hate, as I heard in 2015? I hope not. Putin must be stopped because the unthinkable is now the possible. The world has awoken, at long last, and many steps I recommended last week are happening. It's not enough. 5/13

My recommendations:

1 I cannot demand NATO attack Russian forces directly, but I can speak from history & knowledge of Putin. A dictator who has already crossed every line cannot be prevented from escalating with restraint. If he destroys Ukraine, he won't stop. 6/13

2 We are not trying to appeal to the murderer in his bunker in the Urals. The message is to those who carry out his orders. Will they? Do they all wish to die? Putin will escalate anyway if he is not stopped now. He will, as he always has before, & the price will be higher. 7/13

3 Send Russia to the technological stone age. No support, no parts, no services. Oil boycotts aren't necessary if oil tech is unavailable. The industry will grind to a halt. This means a war footing in sacrificing, retooling & increasing production to substitute. It's war. 8/13

4 It's always tragic that ordinary people suffer, but they are not being bombed in their homes like Ukrainians. Every element of Russian society that can pressure Putin must know they have to choose between him & everything else. Some will cling to him, but for how long? 9/13

5 Clear message to Russian generals that they will suffer annihilation if one inch of NATO is touched. Send UKR every weapon, including the jets that have been blocked, as if Putin cares about the difference. Stop guessing about his thoughts and do what is needed. 10/13

6 Every day Ukraine endures gives opportunity to communicate this catastrophe to the only people who can really stop Putin, the Russian people, from oligarchs to commanders to protestors. Let all in the power vertical know they will be treated as war criminals. They are. 11/13

7 Leave nothing in reserve. Speed is of the essence to stop payments and catch them and their assets before they hide. Threats like "he doesn't know what's coming" don't work if Putin doesn't believe you. Show him. And show Russians there is no way back with Putin. Never. 12/13

8 Root out the corrupt politicians, businessmen & dark money that corrupted a generation to turn a blind eye or serve authoritarian regimes. Follow the donations, payments, gifts, influence. Hold them accountable. Down with Putin & his appeasers, glory to Ukraine. 13/13

PS To all officials and media: STOP CALLING PUTIN 'PRESIDENT'! He's a dictator. Words have power. He does not deserve a democratic title. Fuck your style guide. "Russian dictator Vladimir Putin".

[ My first set of recommendations from Feb 24. Most were already made in 2014.]

Edited to fix typo in Kasparov's name.

[doc03]

1. I heard him in an interview a couple days ago. According to him Biden has done everything wrong.

The USA should have sent them more weapons, the sanctions should have been done before Putin moved in. The USA
should be fighting in Ukraine. He seemed more pissed at the USA and Biden than with Putin.

[Cha]

3. There's all kinds of Differences

of Opinions on What Pres Biden should have done.

I hope the very Best for the Ukrainians and for Vlad Putin to be so Sorry he ever thought of taking over a country that doesn't belong to his crazy ass evil Fucked UP self.

[Cha]

2. TY

[femmedem]

8. You're welcome, Cha. n/t

[world wide wally]

4. All we are really doing is delaying our war with Russia.

There is no way to avoid it other than by killing Putin

[femmedem]

5. It's the first time in my life I've been more hawkish than an American president.

I hope that the next week proves me wrong.

[world wide wally]

6. Me too, unfortunately

[Lonestarblue]

12. I'm sad to agree.

Putin is a bully, and only when the bully is prevented by someone bigger and stronger will he stop beating the hell out of the little guy. So far, the world is saying we’ll punish you financially, which Putin doesn’t care about because he has many billions most likely in offshore accounts that can’t be touched.

I appreciate what Biden and EU leaders have done to this point, but they have thrown almost everything they have at him yet he has refused to stop his senseless war. Ukraine tried to negotiate a ceasefire. In response, Russia turned up the heat and started bombing the hell out of civilian locations. If Putin succeeds in taking Ukraine, who will be next? Moldova? The Baltic countries? Some pundits and media reporters have claimed that Putin will be satisfied with Ukraine. Why would they think that when that unhinged speech Putin gave a week or so ago was all about rewriting history and reclaiming the glory and the land of the Soviet Union.

Putin has succeeded in invading and claiming other small countries or parts of countries, like Crimea, that were part of the Soviet Union. He got away with it because the West levied a few weak sanctions on Russia, which most likely led him to believe that the West would do nothing more than that if he attacked and annexed Ukraine.

Putin will likely only be stopped with the military power of NATO. I think it’s truly a matter of how long the West is willing to watch Ukraine be ripped apart and its citizens murdered. I’m not saying the are ineffective, but when the house is on fire every delay in getting the fire department there means greater destruction—and perhaps complete destruction.

[radius777]

7. Agree completely with Kasparov

and others like Col. Vindmann who have come to similar conclusions.

The West for 20 years appeased Putin, especially Europe that is dependent on his oil and corrupted by his oligarchs, who blocked Ukraine and Georgia a long time ago from joining EU and NATO to appease Putin.

And I agree - stop calling him 'president', which is a democratic title. Stop treating him like some 'normal' leader. This is the biggest issue with our establishment intellectuals and media which also enabled Trump... they created a false equivalency between good and evil.

Putin is a thug and a tyrant and must be dealt with accordingly. Whether we take him out slowly, via sanctions and external pressure - or quickly via warfare should he attack a NATO country or commit genocide in Ukraine. Putin is the modern day version of Hitler and cannot be allowed to exist, it's a zero sum game.

[PortTack]

9. I've had such terrible angst today ...we have to save Ukraine. Pootie will not stop, that has

Become quite obvious

[NonPC]

10. This is Putin's 2022 Goal -- What is 2024?

Unless Putin is taught a lesson here, then all the arm waving and sanctions are meaningless. He doesn't listen, and you're a fool if you think he is. This is not going to stop. He's like Trump with grifting -- its part of his DNA. Too bad we're going to sacrifice Ukraine because people don't want to face the reality of what is happening. Let's all stand around and sing sum-by-ya for another couple of years, when he is emboldened enough to take on the US directly -- as he is willing to flaunt Nuclear weapons and everyone wants to appease him in the mistaken belief that he can be reasoned with. Wake up.

[femmedem]

14. I fear we are willing to allow Ukraine to be a glorious martyr.

Build them up, talk about their bravery, weep at the horrific casualties, offer them support so long as we don't feel the pinch, and then slowly crush Russia economically in memory of the brave people who fought to the death while we said, "Never again ... well, maybe just one more time."

I'm not normally an angry or cynical person. I can't tell if I'm seeing things clearly or if this is a mood that will pass.

You might like this article in the Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/02/volodymyr-zelensky-courage-ukraine-russia/622948/?utm_medium=cr&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=ukraine_actives&utm_term=Active%20Subscribers

[ms liberty]

11. I am increasingly of the opinion that he has to be taken out or removed

Asap. I am a bit surprised that it hasn't happened yet; this is an epic disaster for Russia no matter which way you look at it, and it will only get worse.

[Kablooie]

13. I was thinking this morning about what Putin does after he controls Ukraine.

The capitalist corporations that do business with Russia will only hold off for a short time.
Once Russia controls Ukraine, and I expect this to happen in time, they will all want their piece of the pie again and will open up to Russia.
Politicians also won't risk the consequences of being responsible for difficulties to their voters so they will encourage opening up to Russia again.
So Putin will be free, and have the finances, to start all over again and he knows this.

A physical war might stop him but it also might be the destruction of all modern society so Russia probably will never be attacked. Nuclear weapons are essentially useless to us unless Russia uses them first.

Really the only solution is the elimination of Putin. Ideally it would be Russians turning on him or alternately it could be an assassination.
I hope someone finds a chink in his armor and exploits it to eliminate this threat to the world.

[Mr. Ected]

15. I have a dear friend in Russia, a young lady studying law

I do not disagree with Kasparov in the least with respect to the sanctions and penalties we will have to place against Russia. But the Russian people will suffer terribly because of this madman, perhaps with their lives. My compassion is with Emilia who never asked for this and may pay a bitter price anyway.

A cautionary tale regarding the return of Donald Trump. I have no doubt we would join with Putin in spirit if not in battle.

[mjvpi]

16. I can only hope that Putin moved from a point of weakness.

Russia has had to send troops into a couple of neighboring counties in the last year as well as come down harder on pro democracy movements at home. I wish that there were a military solution that wouldn’t start world war III. Putin needs to be stopped internally. Isolation is the only way to encourage that.

[irisblue]

17. Local news source- @KyivIndependent past 3 am Kyiv time as I post this

Link to tweet

If you do shortwave- BBC is setting up a Ukraine Shortwave service

Link to tweet

[spanone]

18. It's maddening.

[58Sunliner]

19. I think he is right. Putin is mad dog who needs to be put down. Now or later.

Later will be filled with regrets and that much more destruction and blood shed. All the talk about weapons is Putin trying to frighten people into doing nothing. We have seen the people he has conscripted and they are not prepared. I think he is compensating with threats.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

20. Fuck your style guide. "Russian dictator Vladimir Putin"

Words have power. He does not deserve a democratic title. Fuck your style guide. "Russian dictator Vladimir Putin".

Word.