patrick.net

This is much needed for ppl on PatNet Who continue to call Russia the 'Soviet Union'.

A significant amount of current antipathy towards Russia is a function of the Cold War and the USA’s relationship (and conflicts) with the Soviet Union during that time. I think it is important to note what has changed since the collapse of the Soviet Union, as too many strategists act like the Soviet Union still exists.

(Yes, I know this post will cause me to be inundated with NAFO nitwits accusing me of being a PutinPuppet™, but I encourage those who would do this to first state what parts of what I am about to say below are factually incorrect.)

Here goes:

1. From 1946 to 1991, the Soviet Union was an existential threat to the USA. This was because the Soviet Union was at the forefront of a global movement to make every nation on Planet Earth a Communist satellite. Communism is antithetical to the American concept of liberty. Further, the Soviet Union’s possession of thermonuclear weapons made that “existential” concept a stark reality.

2. Because of point #1, Americans—particularly those who stood on the front lines of the Cold War—rightly feared and loathed the Soviet Union. That sentiment has in many ways carried over to today in the form of fear and loathing of Russia.

3. The modern fear and loathing of Russia in the USA was amplified greatly by the “Trump/Russia Collusion” hoax and the many, many reprises of that hoax by Democrats and the American media.

4. Russia in 2025 is a mere shadow of the former Soviet Union. It has lost most of the former Soviet states, the Warsaw Pact no longer exists, and the military, economic, informational and diplomatic might of Russia is exponentially less than that of the Soviet Union.

5. However, Russia still possesses the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, which means America should be circumspect about fomenting war with Russia.

6. Russia today is an oligarchy led by an objectively evil man in Vladimir Putin. There is very little about Russia’s government that Americans should accept or admire. However, in 2025 Russia is just one of MANY oligarchies ruled by objectively evil men, and as such its current government is commonplace and not at all unusual.

7. Russia and Ukraine have an exceptionally complex historical relationship of conflict and acquiescence that literally goes back thousands of years.

8. Russia’s historical memory is colored primarily by the specters of Napoleon and Hitler, and it has long believed a buffer zone on its western border is vitally important to its national survival, in much the same way the USA has always viewed the Monroe Doctrine as being essential for its national survival. Thus, the West’s overtures to Ukraine and the suggestion that it could join NATO are enormously threatening to Russia, for meaningful historical reasons I already mentioned.

So, based on the above facts, I offer the following conclusions:

-Russia in 2025 is nowhere near the threat to the West that the Soviet Union was, and it is a mistake to view Russia the same way the USA viewed the Soviet Union.

-The Russian government is indistinguishable from many other nations possessing despotic governments with whom the USA has normalized relations.

-Russia lacks the power to engage in military operations beyond its own borders.

-Russia’s primary goal in Ukraine is to establish a buffer zone on its western border. There is no indication whatsoever that Russia possesses the ability or intent to conquer Europe.

-Despite the above, provoking Russia militarily is unwise given its nuclear arsenal.

This is what I believe to be an objective analysis of the current geopolitical state of play involving Russia, I believe that all decisions and policies regarding Russia must be made in the above context, and I believe that is EXACTLY what the Trump Administration is doing.

Realpolitik, people--not wishes and virtue signaling.

Realpolitik--that's the world in which rational humans live.

https://x.com/CynicalPublius/status/1896022527517847839

OkDOGEisAmountingToSomething says

7. Russia and Ukraine have an exceptionally complex historical relationship of conflict and acquiescence that literally goes back thousands of years.

Sending in the Bolseviks into Ukraine followed later by the Holomodor are some recent histories of why Ukrainian speaking citizens loath the Kremlin more than Bill Clinton "loathed the military".

Also Ukraine is only about 65% similar in language to Russia so its somewhat of a different language.

Costa Rica is a lot more similar to Nicaragua but you don't see Nicaragua trying to invade and take over it.

I see where Putin now does not want a successful Ukraine unless it is under the control of the Kremlin.

.

.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/33640028/putin-hypersonic-missile-blitz-cargo-ship-brit/

Vladimir Putin launched a hypersonic missile in a reported bid to sink a foreign cargo ship said to be carrying weapons for Ukraine.

Russia claimed it unleashed an Iskander-M missile that hit a Panama-flagged container ship called MSC Levante soon after it arrived in Odesa.

.

OkDOGEisAmountingToSomething says

This is much needed for ppl on PatNet Who continue to call Russia the 'Soviet Union'.

Well, they are tuned into history plus or minus fifty years or so. Close enough.

“The veil often placed over US power to sooth European pride is being removed, but the core European demand in the horror at this exposure is for the US to maintain overstretch and exercise power it does not have.” - Professor Helen Thompson

VP Vance was more direct: “The bitter irony of America’s present predicament is that the very people who cheer for permanent arms shipments to Ukraine also supported the de-industrialization of America. The very things you want us to send are things we don’t make enough of.”;

President Trump was, of course, far more provocative: “We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country - So that we don’t end up like Europe!”;

OkDOGEisAmountingToSomething says

Ukie pussy is on sale! Get your mail order brides while you can!

I'm serious. This is the best deal in 30 years!

They're gagging for a shagging! Look at those biscuits and bootay!

These are the kind of refugees that any red-blooded American can "get behind." Simps just get the 2-year Green card lease.

stereotomy says

These are the kind of refugees that any red-blooded American can "get behind." Simps just get the 2-year Green card lease.

Guaranteed 90% of even the hot ones can make a sandwich and trained to make sweet tea, and know how to kiss the flagpole each night. Good deal, so long as marrying refugees has a equity limit for divorces.

Europe when Putin took over Crimea: zzzzzz... keep G-7 Western Euro military spending at all-time lows... buy tens of billions in Russia gas with cash
Europe when Putin aided the Donbass Rebels: zzzzzz... keep G-7 Western Euro military spending at all-time lows... buy tens of billions in Russia gas with cash
Europe when Putin invaded Ukraine: zzzzzz... keep G-7 Western Euro military spending at all-time lows... buy tens of billions in Russia gas with cash
Europe when Biden helped Ukraine: zzzzzz... keep G-7 Western Euro military spending at all-time lows... buy tens of billions in Russia gas with cash... cancel LNG from US import plans
Europe when Trump wanted Ukraine peace: OMG! We should get nukes! 800B Euros in new military spending! But buy tens of billions in Russian gas

More Ukey Nazi Fluffer crap that hasn't aged well:

For the Ukey Nazi Fluffers who insisted that the war wasn't caused by the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO...you just got kicked in the balls: