Opinion: Putin's attack on Ukraine is about more than his own delusions of grandeur

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Vladimir Putin’s brutal and tragic attack on Ukraine is about more than his own delusions of grandeur. It is also a lesson for the Russian people about what happens to those who insist on seeking Western-style democracy.

Putin has indeed looked like a madman this week, dressing down his national security team like Captain Queeg in search of his strawberries and addressing the world in a rambling, hour-long soliloquy full of made-up history and self-pitying paranoia. He falsely and absurdly accused Ukraine’s democratically elected government of “genocide,” using that canard as justification for the most massive military assault in Europe since World War II.

From Putin’s warped perspective, the attack is not unprovoked. Twice since the turn of this century, the Ukrainian people have had the temerity to rise up and oust leadership that wanted post-Soviet Ukraine to be a permanent vassal of Putin’s Russia. The last thing Putin wants is for Russians to get the idea that such heresy — which could threaten his own hold on power — can go unpunished.

So Putin has both rational and irrational motives for the unspeakable crime he is committing. In the short term, he is almost sure to “win” his war. In the long run, though, his Ukraine adventure might prove neither “smart” nor “savvy,” despite what former president Donald Trump might think.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/24/putin-attack-ukraine-restore-russian-empire/

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. This is his Waterloo. Finally, the Kleptocrat is cornered.

His ego pushed this suicidal plan to retake Ukraine. He cripples himself and his country in this vanity play.

[PortTack]

2. +1000

[BigmanPigman]

3. Rational people can see how this is going to go in the long term

but Putin doesn't see this outcome. His personality won't allow him to even consider defeat. This is an "all or nothing" situation with Putin's sociopathic vision.

He and tRump are too similar for words. Crazy, greedy, narcissistic, etc describes both of them.

[Chainfire]

4. He badly want to be remembered as Vlad the Great

When his is more likely to be remembered as something akin to Vlad the Impaler.

[Chainfire]

5. Putin needs to remember

Any two-bit tinhorn dictator can start a war, finishing it is the hard part. When bombs start going off in Moscow supermarkets, the Russians may rethink the advantages of land grabs. It is going to happen and nothing that Putin can do will be able to stop it. Think IRA...

[Igel]

6. Putin issued a call for Ukr soldiers to take control and/or go home.

He was described as "angry" during this speech.

I watched the danged thing. He didn't seem angry to me. More like defiant, resolute. Determined. Certain and confident.

He really seemed to believe that the utter idiocy he was saying was true. And his resolve and confidence is the kind of thing that makes those subject to Jedi mind-tricks done by paduans fall into line.

Now, I've watched snippets of Trump utterances and thought he was hyperbolic, but he never oozed that kind of resolution, at least to my slightly impaired judgment. Hyperbolic, boastful, over-the-top, absolutely.

Stroke? Psych problems? Delusions? Sheer out-of-touch-icity? Dunno.

Not happy.

[Skittles]

7. love Mr. Robinson

he is a gem