“Really? You doubt that costly, losing wars are unpopular?”
I suspect that a costly war involving the US and Mexico, with Mexico inviting in China to set up bases on our border, would not quite as unpopular as you think.
“Institute for the Study of War”
Sorry, no one outside of government reads anything from that operation, and given their track record, it’s easy to understand why.
Even if you do not like the ISW, did it misquote Putin? I think not. And what about the article I linked to about surveys showing declining support for the Ukraine War in Russia? Or the Chatham House analysis?