Is Putin losing his mind?

[blackbird]

Some politicians in the U.S. are starting to question Putin's sanity.  Former Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice, for instance said he does not seem to be the same Putin he was five years ago.  He has put his nuclear forces on high alert, when there is no rational reason to do so.  After 20 years in power, is he feeling threatened?  Does he feel he may not be able to continue ruling the country as an absolute dictator?  Does he fear the oligarchs around him?  Does he feel that if the Ukraine invasion does not work out as he hoped, his job will be threatened?  Is he panicking?   We will eventually find out.  Hopefully there will be no world war or nuclear war of any kind.

[-TSS-]

As the sanctions will begin to bite in full force and will also affect the circles around him at least he can find out the level of loyalty among his lackies.

Ukraine is some sort of an obsession for Putin. The ordinary Russian doesn't give two fucks about Ukraine but now everybody will suffer in form of economic sanctions because the little man is obsessed with Ukraine.

[suds]

A world power with a history of being invaded, threatens and invades a smaller neighboring country for the purpose of achieving greater security for itself.  Some may claim it's understandable, but in no way is it justifiable. China's threats and sabre rattling against Taiwan is even less understandable or justifiable. If things were done a bit differently perhaps the opportunity would never have presented itself.

[blackbird]

The worst thing about this is if an insane man or a mentally unstable man has his finger on the nuclear button.  If Putin is unstable or has psychological problems, lets hope and pray other saner heads in government or the military have the power to stop anything insane he wants to do such as start a nuclear war.  The fact he would decide to invade the Ukraine is not a good sign of his mental condition.  Does he think military force is the answer to everything?

Edited February 28, 2022 by blackbird

[West]

9 minutes ago, blackbird said:

The worst thing about this is if an insane man or a mentally unstable man has his finger on the nuclear button.  If Putin is unstable or has psychological problems, lets hope and pray other saner heads in government or the military have the power to stop anything insane he wants to do such as start a nuclear war.  The fact he would decide to invade the Ukraine is not a good sign of his mental condition.  Does he think military force is the answer to everything?

Do you actually believe putin is going to nuke a country that borders his? Wouldn't that in effect kill many of his own people?

[Boges]

1 minute ago, West said:

Do you actually believe putin is going to nuke a country that borders his? Wouldn't that in effect kill many of his own people?

Oh because insane person who's let his currency become a penny stock cares. 

I'm sure Putin is eager to nuke a Western Europe city if Nato jumps into the fray. 

[West]

9 minutes ago, Boges said:

Oh because insane person who's let his currency become a penny stock cares. 

I'm sure Putin is eager to nuke a Western Europe city if Nato jumps into the fray. 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a huge Putin fan but I highly doubt he nukes Ukraine

[RedDog]

IMO he’s appearing more and more to be a narcissistic psychopath. I would suggest his due date is up.

[Moonbox]

I think it's trite and easy to dismiss Putin as insane.  I don't think he is.  He's a cold and calculated killer brought up in one of the most murderous and dangerous organizations the world has ever seen.  He views the world differently than most of the rest of us.  He's outmaneuvered and made fools of the West too many times to just dismiss him as insane.  

Don't mistake his brazen thuggery and completely disregard for global norms as stupidity or insanity.  

[Michael Hardner]

2 minutes ago, Moonbox said:

1.  He's a cold and calculated killer brought up in one of the most murderous and dangerous organizations the world has ever seen.   

2. Don't mistake his brazen thuggery and completely disregard for global norms as stupidity or insanity.  

1. Sure but...
2. If he's so cold and calculating how did he make such an error ?

Now I get that we're still in the fog of war, but it doesn't appear that he's succeeding anywhere close to what he had hoped.  

[blackbird]

1 hour ago, West said:

Do you actually believe putin is going to nuke a country that borders his? Wouldn't that in effect kill many of his own people?

I never said his nuclear weapons would be just for the Ukraine.  I guess you haven't figured out the most basic thing;  a dictator who does not believe in democracy and human rights is unpredictable and cannot be trusted in anything.   His threat and putting his nuclear force on high alert means only one thing. The threat is directed to Europe, north America and our allies. 

[Aristides]

His behaviour is consistent with many dictators be they Napoleon or Hitler. Their mistake was invading Russia, Putin's is invading Ukraine. They have had so much success they believe they are infallible and can never make a mistake. They can no longer take advice from anyone. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Aristides

[Moonbox]

27 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

1. Sure but...
2. If he's so cold and calculating how did he make such an error ?

Now I get that we're still in the fog of war, but it doesn't appear that he's succeeding anywhere close to what he had hoped.  

He's almost 70 and seeing everything he hoped to achieve (a revival of Russia as a great-power) slowly crumble to dust.  His neighbors are cozying up with NATO/Europe and back at home, Russia's economy was floundering even before the sanctions.  The country's fertility is was one of the lowest in the world. 

Not only is outside conflict a longstanding recipe for distraction from problems at home, Ukraine embracing the West is anathema to a reborn Russian Empire and a failure Putin probably couldn't accept.  Judging by Crimea and Donbass/Luhansk (among other conflicts) Putin had reason to believe that he'd get away with it too.  I'm sure he calculated that invading Ukraine would prove more troubling to the West, but he may have gauged the risk acceptable. 

This is an aging, egotistical dictator who's running out of time and the status quo meant a dwindling of his power and means to build his legacy.  In his own self-centred way, he probably felt like he's been backed into a corner.  
 

[West]

55 minutes ago, blackbird said:

I never said his nuclear weapons would be just for the Ukraine.  I guess you haven't figured out the most basic thing;  a dictator who does not believe in democracy and human rights is unpredictable and cannot be trusted in anything.   His threat and putting his nuclear force on high alert means only one thing. The threat is directed to Europe, north America and our allies. 

I highly doubt any Russian aircraft makes it out of the area without getting shot down by any NATO members in the area. 

[eyeball]

1 hour ago, Moonbox said:

This is an aging, egotistical dictator who's running out of time and the status quo meant a dwindling of his power and means to build his legacy.  In his own self-centred way, he probably felt like he's been backed into a corner.

Well sure but it's not like he's in imminent danger of facing a non-confidence vote from Poilievre and especially not from Jagmeet Singh. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by eyeball
...oh shit...wrong thread...sorry.

[Army Guy]

3 hours ago, West said:

Do you actually believe Putin is going to nuke a country that borders his? Wouldn't that in effect kill many of his own people?

Back in the cold war ,Russia was willing to nuke Europe and any major NATO formations with Tactical nukes, they might not be big but there is still the problem with radiation. A high ranking Russian general that defected to the west wrote a couple of books that give some incite into the Russian military and their thinking  (General Viktor Suvorov). He could not believe NATO's hesitation regarding the use of Nukes or chemical weapons, which required the highest authorization, while in the Russian army it was the Corp commander that could use them at their discretion. He was quoted as saying any weapon that is not used is a useless weapon, referring to nuclear? chemical  weapons, there attack plans included the extensive use of tactical nuclear and chemical weapons.. Regardless of whom they killed including Russian forces that would mop up NATO forces in the Radiation zones. 

[eyeball]

What are the chances Putin will be assassinated by someone on the inside?  Failing that what about our 1st strike options and chances?

As it is now Putin is effectively attacking NATO with the flood of refugees and humanitarian disaster he's causing during a dangerous pandemic - he's threatening the planet.  At what point does NATO decide it may have no choice, we simply wait until Putin calls the shots?

Seems to me the world is the one in the corner here not Putin. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by eyeball

[Faramir]

For Americans they have a real invasion to contend with, thousands of Wet Backs that swim across the Rio Grande invading their country daily.

Frankly was surprised on this move from Putin.  

[Faramir]

15 minutes ago, eyeball said:

What are the chances Putin will be assassinated by someone on the inside?  Failing that what about our 1st strike options and chances?

As it is now Putin is effectively attacking NATO with the flood of refugees and humanitarian disaster he's causing during a dangerous pandemic - he's threatening the planet.  At what point does NATO decide it may have no choice, we simply wait until Putin calls the shots?

Seems to me the world is the one in the corner here not Putin. 

Zelenskies check to Hunter Biden must have bounced.

[Faramir]

2 hours ago, blackbird said:

I never said his nuclear weapons would be just for the Ukraine.  I guess you haven't figured out the most basic thing;  a dictator who does not believe in democracy and human rights is unpredictable and cannot be trusted in anything.   His threat and putting his nuclear force on high alert means only one thing. The threat is directed to Europe, north America and our allies. 

Yes Biden is scary as hell.

[Army Guy]

23 minutes ago, eyeball said:

What are the chances Putin will be assassinated by someone on the inside?  Failing that what about our 1st strike options and chances?

As it is now Putin is effectively attacking NATO with the flood of refugees and humanitarian disaster he's causing during a dangerous pandemic - he's threatening the planet.  At what point does NATO decide it may have no choice, we simply wait until Putin calls the shots?

Seems to me the world is the one in the corner here not Putin. 

Everything can be tracked, traced back to it's origin, in minutes  a first strike would have to come from the sea, everything else has at minimum 30 mins flight time, by submarine it could be as low as 5 minutes until it explodes over, or under the target...it should be noted that one of these subs could wipe out Russia or the US or atleast do so much damage that Ask BC he served on a US sub... and there is more than a few just waiting for that message to launch...

1st strike just means you get to live 30 to 60 minutes longer... today if one nuke hits anything it will be the end of mankind period...nations will launch what they have and then watch mankind go up in a flash of light...  even if you are in a bunker, you might get a couple more years out of it, but above ground everything will be glowing like the sun, with most life being wiped out in the blast or later by radiation  as it circles the globe...

NATO can only wait, and watch and react later...there is no way NATO could launch a conventional attack and get any where close to Russia, and no way your going to surprise them and wipe them out in a first strike, if Putin launches anything nuclear or chemical it is the end of days, and don't think for a second the US is not going to launch everything it has after it is confirmed Russia or anyone has decided to strike first...No one wins during a nuclear war, not in todays world...for most of us we are not going to know anything is wrong until the missile hits then it's lights out , hope your in the kill zone, dyeing from radiation poisonings is slow and painful and would suck even more... Radiation would travel thousands of miles you don't even have to be in the kill zone, just in the wrong air current...

[West]

I know according to CTV, CBC and Global we are supposed to be anti Russia and pro Ukraine. I'm neutral. Is there a reason why I should like the globalist puppet in Ukraine more than Vladimir Putin?

[blackbird]

4 minutes ago, West said:

I know according to CTV, CBC and Global we are supposed to be anti Russia and pro Ukraine. I'm neutral. Is there a reason why I should like the globalist puppet in Ukraine more than Vladimir Putin?

Sounds like you need to go to school and get an education.  Did you hear Putin the Russian leader has attacked Ukraine?

[blackbird]

46 minutes ago, Faramir said:

Yes Biden is scary as hell.

So are you a Communist Russia supporter?

[West]

5 minutes ago, blackbird said:

Sounds like you need to go to school and get an education.  Did you hear Putin the Russian leader has attacked Ukraine?

Sure but why should I like the globalist puppet more? Is it possible that both countries are el locco and neither should be supported?

Edited March 1, 2022 by West