Kasparov did warn us: Winter is Coming

[JHan]

From October 25, 2016

"Putin not only needs permanent confrontation with Europe and America, he needs to demonstrate constantly his own superiority to everyone," Kasparov said.

He said that in the case of Syria, Putin's moves were aimed at demonstrating that Western leaders' repeated calls for Assad to step down over his brutal treatment of Syrians since unrest began nearly six years ago "mean nothing."

On Ukraine, Kasparov said Crimea's annexation was a "crime" that was committed in violation of the Russian Constitution, Russian laws, and international treaties at a time when Russia's internal political opposition was "practically fully destroyed."

"Crimea for Putin was part of a large-scale aggression against Ukraine, a violation of its sovereignty," Kasparov said, adding that Kremlin-guided actions in Ukraine constituted "bandit activities."

Putin eventually admitted to sending covert troops into Crimea, but Moscow continues to deny direct involvement in the fighting in other parts of eastern Ukraine despite what Western leaders say is overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Kasparov also described as a "crime" Russia's "de facto annexation" of Georgia's separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after a lightning war in August 2008, while Putin was prime minister in between presidential terms. Georgia and Russia broke off diplomatic relations over the conflict, and Moscow maintains troops in both regions under what Tbilisi and Western allies regard as an occupation.

More recently, Kasparov said, alleged cyberattacks on U.S. political institutions look like "an attempt [by the Kremlin] to create some sort of chaos" ahead of the November 8 elections in the United States.

Putin and other Russian officials have dismissed the U.S. allegations and suggested that more attention be paid to the substance of the leaks and hacks.

Kasparov warned that nothing restricts Putin from expanding his power beyond Russia because the West "has always stepped back" in order to avoid a potentially large confrontation.

Kasparov called on Western leaders to show "political will" and oppose Putin's foreign policies, including through maintained financial and other sanctions imposed over Moscow's actions in Ukraine.

"We see many politicians and businesspeople in Europe who say that the sanctions against Russia should be lifted and Crimea's illegal annexation from Ukraine should be ignored for the sake of doing business with Russia," Kasparov said. "But I think that this situation is gradually changing."

http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kasparovconfrontation-with-west-putin-no1-goal/28074509.html

Winter is Coming Garry Kasparov talked about his book Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped, in which he argues the West has mismanaged Vladimir Putin and warns the Russian leader’s actions will become more aggressive.

[orwell]

1. And now he has his sock puppet in the White House...

...and the traitorous GOP acting as his lapdogs.

I'd say 2016 has been bery bery good for him...

[guillaumeb]

2. How much of this maneuvering and power projection is being done

in response to the US actions that are effectively surrounding Russia and China with NATO bases? Perhaps if the US was not so insistent on making the entire globe a vital US interest, Putin might not be doing some of what he is doing.

[JHan]

4. I'm sympathetic to that view but I'm not so sure anymore..

I don't think Putin respects the sovereignty of his neighbors, with or without the presence of NATO.

[guillaumeb]

6. And the same can be said of the US.

The US treats the entire globe as within its purview, and interferes constantly in the internal affairs of other countries, including, but not limited to, regime change. The ultimate in internal interference.

SO when the US criticizes Putin, that criticism is seen by other countries as pot calling kettle black.

[JHan]

7. regime change isn't necessarily a bad thing on face value:

We've intervened before: WW2 for example, when there was a moral good.

We have committed great sins, but Russia and the U.S.A are distinctly different - I enjoy great freedoms here I wouldn't enjoy in Russia. (Personally I didn't always take this view but I think arguing otherwise makes me a hypocrite)

I think a blanket view of intervention-as-bad invalidates U.S intervention ( or any kind of intervention) across the board. Every powerful country in the world has done something evil and rotten, and deserving of retribution and revenge, so a case by case examination of reasons for action is a more fruitful exercise.

[ymetca]

3. Putin's Rasputin

A fascinating article on the ideology behind Putin...

http://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/the-dangerous-philosopher-behind-putins-strategy-to-grow-russian-power-at-americas-expense

[JHan]

5. crazy stuff.

From what I've read on him he isn't popular in Russia, not many people know him. The best he can hope for is someone to amplify his philosophy. I guess he found that someone in Putin.