I know Putin dreams of putting the old Soviet Union back under Russia's control. But Putin can be all of those things and still be insane as he may have less control than he thinks?
All Putin has accomplished so far is to unite Europe and the Nato alliance. If he does an all out invasion, that will be so huge and disruptive it will dramatically change world alliances.
I think if he goes all in, invading Ukraine, it will be a monster blood bath and conflagration that will change the world political stage dramatically with many unforeseen outcomes!
<<What if he is insane?>
Putin is a chess-player, not a gambler. Russia is a status-quo power, and therefore takes measured limited risks. The US is not trying to destroy Russia, but just contain them, exactly like we did during the 70 years of Communist rule.
Putin would like to resurrect the Soviet Empire, but he lacks the power to do so, and he knows it. So he just takes what he can safely get.
Russia has a declining population. They are a nation of alcoholic men, and women who refuse to have babies. Without oil and natgas, they would be bankrupt. If the U.S. wants to permanently cripple Russia, the best and safest way is to wean ourselves from fossil fuels, and help Europe do the same. |
