Time to dismantle some Russian delusions: People apologizing for Putin up the ante. Here are a number of reasons why they're wrong.

American Thinker ^ | 03/06/2022 | Russ McSwain

[SeekAndFind]

With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, everyone breathed easier. Russian communists tacitly, and in some cases openly, acknowledged that Reagan was right about the "evil empire." Religious extreme Marxism followed dinosaurs into extinction. Over a dozen countries emerged from behind the Iron Curtain.

With his attack on Ukraine, Putin shows himself as a species of dinosaur. He believes that Russia, with a GDP smaller than those of California and Texas, is a world power that deserves special spheres of influence. He believes that Russia's nuclear arsenal allows him to claim a more aggressive role than that of a normal European country. Virtually the entire world rejects that claim. We will not be safe from WWIII until Putin, or his successor, accepts that rejection. If not, everyone will be open to Russian bullying, which could easily lead to nuclear war.

Normal European countries neither need nor desire to invade one another. Putin claims to fear that NATO poses an invasion threat to Russia. To be clear, there is no reason to invade Russia. We can dismiss the notion that Estonia wants its troops patrolling the streets of St. Petersburg. Those commodities, including oil, that Russia might choose to withhold can be acquired in quantity elsewhere. The one exception is its pool of superb hockey players. That's important, but it's not worth a war.

That Putin fears the armies on his border means they are doing their job. A deterrent force that isn't feared doesn't serve its purpose. That deterrence is necessary is demonstrated by Russia's multiple attacks on Ukraine and its attacks on Georgia, Chechnya, and others. Putin wants to eliminate this deterrence in order to attack his neighbors. There is no other plausible reason.

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[G Larry]

Are there any GOP candidates or office holders who are making excuses for Putin/Russia?

I don't much care what "pundits" think.

[riri]

with a GDP smaller than those of California and Texas

And none of the extra, ah, we'll call it weight that bogs down California and, increasingly, Texas.

[dfwgator]

That’s pretty dangerous rhetoric to spew, Hitler was able to use that effectively to gain power.

Then he basically talked about how The Versailles Treaty, and the way the Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up was a tragedy, and that states like Czechoslovakia shouldn’t even exist.

This basically echoes Putin’s sentiment about how the breakup of The Soviet Union was bungled, and that Ukraine shouldn’t even exist.

History may not repeat, but it sure does rhyme.

[jdsteel]

“ with a GDP smaller than those of California and Texas
I don’t believe this.

Siberia has tons of undeveloped natural resources and rare earth minerals. ”

Both things can be, and in fact ARE, true.

[Who is John Galt?]

BOTTOM LINE There are no excuses or justifications for the vicious Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is clear that Ukraine, along with Poland, Czechia, and a score of other European countries, has no interest in being ruled by Russia and equally clear that they have no interest in ruling or incentive to rule Russia.

Ukraine is NOT a member of NATO; Poland, the Czech Republic, and "other European countries" ARE members of NATO, but ARE NOT being attacked. Therefore, the real bottom line may be - who in h@ll thinks the US is obligated to serve as the world's 'policeman'?

Oh, yeah, that's right - the same people who pushed BLM riots and "defund the police", AND the 'Great Reset', AND the "Trump/Russia collusion" hoax, AND mass fraud in the 2020 election, with more scheduled this year if we just happen to be in the middle of another 'emergency'...

[bobbo666]

Interesting that this TWOT confidently imposes his notions on what others want.

Wow. What hubris. Must live in NYC.

[dfwgator]

Europe should be handling it, then if they can’t then the US should get into it.

Now the US are the ones leading while Europe stays behind. That is wrong!

[moehoward]

No kidding.

“He (Putin) believes that Russia’s nuclear arsenal allows him to claim a more aggressive role than that of a normal European country. Virtually the entire world rejects that claim.”

Huh? They ENFORCE that claim! It’s his nukes that are preventing dropping NATO (U.S.) troops in the Ukraine according to dimwit Biden.

[Born in 1950]

Insistent un-smarties advocate passionately on the side of the deep state.

[PeterPrinciple]

Russia may be the last stand against one world govt?

---

Look at the big picture. Don’t get caught in the details and emotions that media wants you to focus on.

Keep your eye on the ball.

[jdsteel]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[Just mythoughts]

Godfather Joey has no moral high ground. And neither do the hands behind his curtain.. Putin is what he has always been.. poke the bear and suffer the consequences.

[ronnie raygun]

I make it a point now to look behind the curtain.

[DannyTN]

Putin told us why and it wasn’t about NATO. It’s that he doesn’t believe these countries have a right to exist as separate states.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Another reason. The Biden family depends on Ukraine for Hunter’s survival.

[The Pack Knight]

Yes. All he has done is demonstrate that NATO’s continued existence is necessary and that the former Warsaw Pact and Soviet states have been right to join.

[DouglasKC]

Here’s the reason: The deep state/global cabal wants Putin gone because, like Trump, he is against the deep state/global cabal.

[Steve_Seattle]

I think the claim that a lot of conservatives are defending Putin is false. Long before this invasion, some Christians were pleasantly surprised when Putin stood up against the LGBTQ movement, something most of our own politicians were not doing. So, they gave him credit for that.

But that is not the same as defending this war, and criticizing many of the hypocrisies that we've seen, and questioning the official story line, and pointing out the false propaganda, is not the same as supporting Putin.

[Who is John Galt?]

'Hey, everybody: Ukraine is actively goading the US into war, and two of its most effective weapons in accomplishing this task are 1) the fevered hive-mind mentality of journalists acting out a moral crusade fantasy, and 2) the fertile terrain of social media, which is systematically amplifying Ukrainian “voices” while systematically purging Russian ones. Whatever the wisdom of this algorithmic manipulation initiative — even if you’re in full support of it — how can you not also grasp that it’s necessarily going to create a massively distorted information environment? Why do you think we see constant media reports declaring with such confidence that Putin’s war plans are “unraveling,” while other analyses suggesting Russian forces have made “solid progress” are largely ignored? Do you think it might have anything to do with the fact that the entire US media/corporate/military/political apparatus is following this war with an explicit rooting interest in Ukraine, and a vehement cross-ideological animus for Russia? Again, however justified it may be to have a rooting interest in Ukraine, or to have animus for Russia, it’s stupendously unjustified to let those passions so skew reality that we’re being taken to the precipice of WWIII, a once-unthinkable notion.'

;>)

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

That deterrence is necessary is demonstrated by Russia's multiple attacks on Ukraine and its attacks on Georgia, Chechnya, and others. Putin wants to eliminate this deterrence in order to attack his neighbors. There is no other plausible reason.

Bingo. Russia doesn't want NATO membership for countries to its west because it wants the freedom to retake them. Simple as that.

Alternatively, maybe Putin's just worried that democratic, free, and prosperous neighbors on Russia's border might give some of his own people ideas. But that is 't any more justified.