McFaul: When Dictators Hold On For Too Long, They Overreach

[L. Coyote]

[peppertree]

1. And they lose their grip on reality

Especially when stretched-out tenures coincide with stretched-out Swiss bank accounts.

[panfluteman]

7. Definitely. I Think That Paranoia Has Gotten the Better of Putin.

That, and what Romanian journalists once criticized Gheorghe Zamfir, the King of the Panflute, for: "o mesianismul sclerozat", or a "sclerosed messianism". He's clearly sliding into that as the strives to fulfill his life's dream of resurrecting the old Soviet Union.

[peppertree]

8. True. The mind is a delicate thing - and the ego doesn't help.

I didn't know that about Zamfir, btw. That's sad.

Growing up, there'd sometimes be a Zamfir record playing as my mom is a fan of his (or was in the '80s).

So soothing. If and when a peace treaty is ever signed (and soon, knock wood), I wouldn't mind seeing him play in a concert commemorating the event.

[Mme. Defarge]

2. China,

Are you listening?

[L. Coyote]

3. China has an ability to change leadership, and has done so before when needed.

[Baked Potato]

4. When Authoritarians make errors, they can't admit them,

or fix them. Russian people deserve a working democracy to survive the future.

[L. Coyote]

5. They pay a high price for that.

Link to tweet

[Stuart G]

6. Thank You for posting...K and R...Outstanding Interview with an Expert on Putin/Russia.

10 Minutes & 19 Seconds. Yes, this is worth watching...All of It.

[panfluteman]

9. When a Dictator With Absolute Power Starts to Go Bonkers,

There's no one around to contradict him, set him right, or point out to him the difference between reality and delusion. Heck - nobody wants to be poisoned or assassinated. That's undoubtedly the biggest weakness or drawback of dictatorships.