Stalled and frustrated, Putin will likely double-down in the coming weeks, CIA says

NPR ^ | 08-MAR-2022 | GREG MYRE

[SpeedyInTexas]

...

The CIA director said Putin premised his war on four false assumptions: he thought Ukraine was weak, he believed Europe was distracted and wouldn't mount a strong response, he thought Russia's economy was prepared to withstand sanctions, and that Russia's military had been modernized and would fight effectively.

"He's been proven wrong on every count," said Burns, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2005-8.

[SpeedyInTexas]

["The challenge he faces — and this is the biggest question that's hung over our analysis of his planning for months now — is he has no sustainable political endgame in the face of what is going to continue to be fierce resistance from Ukrainians," Burns said.

U.S. officials and analysts who follow Russia say the Russian military would need a force several times the size of the current one to maintain a sustained occupation of Ukraine.]

[Steely Tom]

Again, no mention of President Trump in the story.

[cranked]

Won’t be long before this idiotic BidenIdiot Administration and its puppet DNC intelligence agencies will be trumpeting that Putin just throws up his hands and says ‘F-it!’ and will just launch nukes everywhere. Bet. /s

[Red Badger]

Stalled and Frustrated Putin Vs Dazed and Confused Biden.............

[RayChuang88]

The fear now: the temptation for the use of weapons of mass destruction. At that point, the escalation level will be nothing short of frightening.

[wardaddy]

Bullshit

He’s reluctant to be the German ala Stalingrad or us ala Dresden

Imagine the howl if civilians start piling up

If he goes in it’ll have to be infantry

Civilians are discouraged ...at a minimum from leaving

It’s Zelensky bargaining chip

[Tallguy]

I think it’s time to consider what Putin might do if things begin to collapse for him. Perhaps a tactical nuke at a target within Ukraine? Or dragging up the heavy field guns and a mountain of artillery shells to turn Kiev into rubble? Or maybe start using fuel air explosives — the bang of a low-yield nuke without the nasty fallout (political or radioactive).

[JoSixChip]

Stalled and Frustrated Putin V

You do realize this is npr, right? speedy is crawling in the gutter looking for anyway to fan the flames of war.

[FlyingEagle]

And, pray tell, what does the US Ambassador to Ukraine have to say?

Crickets.

Because there is not one, not since May, 2019, nearly 3 years.

What kind of message does that send from USA Brandon to Ukraine?

[HighSierra5]

What a mess.

[redgolum]

One reason I do not trust Zelensky.

Michal Savage calls him a stage actor caught in a play of his own making.

Using civilian shields is going to make this worse.

[Born in 1950]

To all with ambitious plans it’s now or never.

[poinq]

The CIA is not American. They are not a force for good.

[delchiante]

C_A and NPR..

Two more wretched hives

[House Atreides]

Wow… you’ve got a TWOFER of your friends. NPR and the CIA.

[NorseViking]

Yep, the civilian bodycount according to the UN is less than 500 so far, and probably mostly killed by the Ukrainian forces.

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

P
R
O
P
A
G
A
N
D
A

[SaxxonWoods]

Makes sense.

[wardaddy]

I agree buddy

Putin despite Grozny doesn’t want or need that in Kiev

Of course Chechen leader is now his best pal..Putin pays him

Muzz respect a hard slap

Ukes are different....almost civilized ...well...ask Uke Jews how they feel about 1938-45

It’s a damn mess

The globalist agit prop of left and right troubles me far more than Pootie being Pootie

[Little Ray]

Zelensky is begging for air defense and this guy thinks the Russians are stalled?