As Hilary Clinton said (“pleaded”) on Rachel Maddow, what if saner people who are close to him will try to stop his criminally destructive behavior—(take away his military and nuclear toys).
Some stories of resistance to Trump, like Col. Alexander Vindman, we know … many we will hear as the history is told; many we will never know… hard to know what horrible things the Trump mafioso wanted to do, which were prevented … Trump, in spite of his thirst for using nukes … didn’t
My thanks Ruth for your background report about Putin. He is without any doubts a multi murderer, with the worst political record in modern times. Very seriously the older he becomes the more mentally unbalanced his judgements cause multiple deaths. After The Ukraine invasion Putin must surely be a prime target for him to be murdered, and thereby save the lives of so many innocent children, men and women. A number of attempts were made on the life of Hitler when it became obvious he was entirely without scruples, just like Putin.
Ruth, this is an extraordinary context for both Russia and the US at this moment in time. I will print it out and try to get people to pay attention to this particular one. My emotions immediately had a brain to hold them. Thank you.
Thank you Ruth for pulling the threads together. Your assessment is grounding and clarifying at this uncertain juncture. Thank you for this forum, it offers me stability as every day is something new.
They say that there is no honor among thieves so perhaps there is some hope. I also hope that we are prepared to take full advantage of that eventual paroxysm, the one where the gangsters turn on one another. Perhaps we are hastening that day with sanctions and other forms of rejection so let's keep tightening the screws we know about and look diligently for new one to torque.
Russia sounds like a Mafia organization, at a state level.
Many of the Russian stocks have fallen badly as investors abandon the fascist leaning Putin and his imperialism. Norilsk Nickel, a major nickel and palladium miner has seen its stock fall 60+% in two days. Most of the world is boycotting Russia, including their vodka.
Recently, I have heard psychologists/psychiatrists suggest that Putin is a primary psychopath. This would fit with so many past authoritarians' behavior. Putin having nuclear weapons is beyond dangerous.
A viral moment on our favorite, small town social media platforms to announce that Russian vodkas were no longer served at a favorite watering home … and a resurgent flurry of cosplay Trump brown-shirters driving their terror-trucks around town with their fascist flags flying (including Trump2024) to intimidate Biden-supporters; they believe “Biden weakness” has allowed Putin to make war on Ukraine. Thankfully, the terror-truck drivers do not insist on their freedom to not follow government mandates to stop at red lights
Once again, thank you for this excellent article. I appreciate the comments, links, and factual narratives. Keeps me from spiraling down a rabbit hole of misinformation.
Excellent post, I agree with all. I will warn about pointing fingers, 1 goes to them, 3 goes to the one pointing. Putin is following a playbook, new Reich, warm water ports, control of markets. Russia has a type of religious fervency as a platform and Putin is a follower of Ivan Illyin, when it suits him. That said, I think it’s important not to lose sight of us, to allow this to become a distraction. Replace Russia in the above post with America and add any unsavory politician. Replace and insert the following: Enron, 465 failed banks, the collapse costing 12.8 trillion dollars to our economy. Iran/Contra, Watergate, suppression of voting and abuse of people depending on race and heritage. White right wing nationalists, klansmen, taking over religion and running dark money for the eventual control of the government. Wasn’t too long ago we were doing CIA assassinations; but without poison or windows. I’d rather be in the States than Russia, but the world needs a shift. If we lose the midterms, I’m afraid we will soon find out our propensity towards a Russian reality, right here.
“Yet it may take years” to remove Putin. In the meantime let’s all watch Ukraine be destroyed. Woo-hoo! War on YouTube! Then who will be next? Slovakia? Hungary? Poland? Will the United States or the EU actually do anything other than send out “thoughts and prayers” and mildly tanking someone’s savings account? Or will we grab the popcorn and watch them be destroyed too?
When the Republican Fascist Party takes over the United States later this year - or 2024 at the latest - will they decide to join in the fun and invade Mexico? Perhaps Canada? Or will it be some smaller country that we can stomp into dust all because we can and those in charge need the adrenaline for their so misplaced egos? Or maybe lets invade for oil again.
Fuck! The world is on fire because of corruption, greed, ego, lack of character, immorality and an astonishing lack of legal accountability for those who corrupt the system for their own gain, gleefully and quite deliberately grinding regular people into despair and loss.
Human beings are going to be the cause of their own extinction - I’m not sure if it will be climate destruction or nuclear war that does it but one of them will get it done. All for greed and power and apathy.
Also, as Jeff Stein said - “brilliant column”. Definitely so.
Millions of Ukrainians showing a willingness to do the Tianamen square tank man resistance in their own Freedom Squares … I find myself hoping that I will have that courage when it’s our turn
Looking at Syria and Venezuela, a regime change now can take long, and the longer it lasts and the more the populations suffers, the anger of the people, initially directed towards the leadership, gets redirected towards the external enemy
Did anyone else see Greg Palast's article about Venezuela? As I recall, he suggests that, if the US hadn't demonized Maduro, Venezuela's oil could challenge Putin.
My question is, what good is Putin to the oligarchs now? These sanctions, this isolation, are permanent as long as Putin holds the reins. If they rid themselves of him, say by "window diplomacy", they can begin to recover their assets and gain access to the world again. Why would they tolerate him? Their wealth no longer depends on Putin, it is threatened by him.
Exactly my question, as well. Putin has destroyed them and it can only get worse the longer he is in power. So what use is he to them now? Except, I'm guessing, to save their own lives if they try to go against him by supporting a coup -- assuming Putin maintains the loyalty of his military / hired assassins.
I wonder how sanctions will have an effect on GOP election or membership funding, especially given midterm election campaigns are progressing. Ukraine is counting on us to do our part and keep our democracy intact this November -
Yachts, luxury real estate, Swiss bank accounts are all being seized or frozen all around the world. The swift unified actions of democracies around the world to gang up on Russia's economy have been amazing. The continued war and occupation of Ukraine could see Putin bogged down in a quagmire. As the costs add up the elites may reevaluate their relationship with Putin over the coming weeks and months. Slowly pressure for change will build (there could even be a coup attempt) and the strongman may find himself boxed in and threatened in a way he has never experienced before. Then it becomes dangerous but also a historic opportunity for regime change in Russia. Now in the world we are seeing an epic battle between freedom and democracy vs. autocracy/authoritarianism.
Thank you Ruth for a wonderful piece. I’ve shared it a lot.
As Hilary Clinton said (“pleaded”) on Rachel Maddow, what if saner people who are close to him will try to stop his criminally destructive behavior—(take away his military and nuclear toys).
Sadly, that did not happen with trump so I doubt it will happen with Putin.
Some stories of resistance to Trump, like Col. Alexander Vindman, we know … many we will hear as the history is told; many we will never know… hard to know what horrible things the Trump mafioso wanted to do, which were prevented … Trump, in spite of his thirst for using nukes … didn’t
My thanks Ruth for your background report about Putin. He is without any doubts a multi murderer, with the worst political record in modern times. Very seriously the older he becomes the more mentally unbalanced his judgements cause multiple deaths. After The Ukraine invasion Putin must surely be a prime target for him to be murdered, and thereby save the lives of so many innocent children, men and women. A number of attempts were made on the life of Hitler when it became obvious he was entirely without scruples, just like Putin.
Ruth, this is an extraordinary context for both Russia and the US at this moment in time. I will print it out and try to get people to pay attention to this particular one. My emotions immediately had a brain to hold them. Thank you.
Thank you Ruth for pulling the threads together. Your assessment is grounding and clarifying at this uncertain juncture. Thank you for this forum, it offers me stability as every day is something new.
They say that there is no honor among thieves so perhaps there is some hope. I also hope that we are prepared to take full advantage of that eventual paroxysm, the one where the gangsters turn on one another. Perhaps we are hastening that day with sanctions and other forms of rejection so let's keep tightening the screws we know about and look diligently for new one to torque.
It will be interesting in the coming days to see how lawmakers and American businesses continue to respond.
Russia sounds like a Mafia organization, at a state level.
Many of the Russian stocks have fallen badly as investors abandon the fascist leaning Putin and his imperialism. Norilsk Nickel, a major nickel and palladium miner has seen its stock fall 60+% in two days. Most of the world is boycotting Russia, including their vodka.
Recently, I have heard psychologists/psychiatrists suggest that Putin is a primary psychopath. This would fit with so many past authoritarians' behavior. Putin having nuclear weapons is beyond dangerous.
A viral moment on our favorite, small town social media platforms to announce that Russian vodkas were no longer served at a favorite watering home … and a resurgent flurry of cosplay Trump brown-shirters driving their terror-trucks around town with their fascist flags flying (including Trump2024) to intimidate Biden-supporters; they believe “Biden weakness” has allowed Putin to make war on Ukraine. Thankfully, the terror-truck drivers do not insist on their freedom to not follow government mandates to stop at red lights
BP just pulled out from their shares in oil.
Once again, thank you for this excellent article. I appreciate the comments, links, and factual narratives. Keeps me from spiraling down a rabbit hole of misinformation.
Excellent post, I agree with all. I will warn about pointing fingers, 1 goes to them, 3 goes to the one pointing. Putin is following a playbook, new Reich, warm water ports, control of markets. Russia has a type of religious fervency as a platform and Putin is a follower of Ivan Illyin, when it suits him. That said, I think it’s important not to lose sight of us, to allow this to become a distraction. Replace Russia in the above post with America and add any unsavory politician. Replace and insert the following: Enron, 465 failed banks, the collapse costing 12.8 trillion dollars to our economy. Iran/Contra, Watergate, suppression of voting and abuse of people depending on race and heritage. White right wing nationalists, klansmen, taking over religion and running dark money for the eventual control of the government. Wasn’t too long ago we were doing CIA assassinations; but without poison or windows. I’d rather be in the States than Russia, but the world needs a shift. If we lose the midterms, I’m afraid we will soon find out our propensity towards a Russian reality, right here.
Agree, midterms critical. No distracting from that.
“Yet it may take years” to remove Putin. In the meantime let’s all watch Ukraine be destroyed. Woo-hoo! War on YouTube! Then who will be next? Slovakia? Hungary? Poland? Will the United States or the EU actually do anything other than send out “thoughts and prayers” and mildly tanking someone’s savings account? Or will we grab the popcorn and watch them be destroyed too?
When the Republican Fascist Party takes over the United States later this year - or 2024 at the latest - will they decide to join in the fun and invade Mexico? Perhaps Canada? Or will it be some smaller country that we can stomp into dust all because we can and those in charge need the adrenaline for their so misplaced egos? Or maybe lets invade for oil again.
Fuck! The world is on fire because of corruption, greed, ego, lack of character, immorality and an astonishing lack of legal accountability for those who corrupt the system for their own gain, gleefully and quite deliberately grinding regular people into despair and loss.
Human beings are going to be the cause of their own extinction - I’m not sure if it will be climate destruction or nuclear war that does it but one of them will get it done. All for greed and power and apathy.
Also, as Jeff Stein said - “brilliant column”. Definitely so.
Millions of Ukrainians showing a willingness to do the Tianamen square tank man resistance in their own Freedom Squares … I find myself hoping that I will have that courage when it’s our turn
Me too Randolph. Me too.
👏👏👏👏👏, let’s hope it doesn’t spill over into a NATO country.
Another brilliant column, Ruth. Wow.
Looking at Syria and Venezuela, a regime change now can take long, and the longer it lasts and the more the populations suffers, the anger of the people, initially directed towards the leadership, gets redirected towards the external enemy
Robert Reich essay on how Putinism has embedded itself in the Republican Party:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/republican-party-trump-putin
Did anyone else see Greg Palast's article about Venezuela? As I recall, he suggests that, if the US hadn't demonized Maduro, Venezuela's oil could challenge Putin.
My question is, what good is Putin to the oligarchs now? These sanctions, this isolation, are permanent as long as Putin holds the reins. If they rid themselves of him, say by "window diplomacy", they can begin to recover their assets and gain access to the world again. Why would they tolerate him? Their wealth no longer depends on Putin, it is threatened by him.
No, not "threatened", it is destroyed by him.
Exactly my question, as well. Putin has destroyed them and it can only get worse the longer he is in power. So what use is he to them now? Except, I'm guessing, to save their own lives if they try to go against him by supporting a coup -- assuming Putin maintains the loyalty of his military / hired assassins.
Crime sure doesn't pay.
I wonder how sanctions will have an effect on GOP election or membership funding, especially given midterm election campaigns are progressing. Ukraine is counting on us to do our part and keep our democracy intact this November -
Yachts, luxury real estate, Swiss bank accounts are all being seized or frozen all around the world. The swift unified actions of democracies around the world to gang up on Russia's economy have been amazing. The continued war and occupation of Ukraine could see Putin bogged down in a quagmire. As the costs add up the elites may reevaluate their relationship with Putin over the coming weeks and months. Slowly pressure for change will build (there could even be a coup attempt) and the strongman may find himself boxed in and threatened in a way he has never experienced before. Then it becomes dangerous but also a historic opportunity for regime change in Russia. Now in the world we are seeing an epic battle between freedom and democracy vs. autocracy/authoritarianism.