As of this morning, Colonel Vindman stated that Prigozhin's troops are halfway to Moscow, but that his biggest worry is that there are "strategic" bases on the way, which, if captured, raise the stakes dramatically. Putin may be on the way out, but if Prigozhin succeeds, the world will be less safe.
As of this morning, Colonel Vindman stated that Prigozhin's troops are halfway to Moscow, but that his biggest worry is that there are "strategic" bases on the way, which, if captured, raise the stakes dramatically. Putin may be on the way out, but if Prigozhin succeeds, the world will be less safe.
'less safe' than under Putin? Is that your point, Jerry? I did not read any positive comments about Prigozhin, did you? How can you tell one is worse than the other?
I am relaying Vindman's live analysis. He was asked by Smercornish on CNN what he would advise the president in this situation, and he said that loss of control of strategic weapons is a nightmare scenario that's been monitored for years. If nuclear weapons get into the hands of an oligarch that's angling for personal survival, then existing controls on their use by Russia, and our ability to monitor them, will be compromised. I have no idea who is worse and didn't intend to imply that I know the answer to that.
My pie-in-sky hope is that Putin is removed, and the experienced soldier, who saw just a fraction of what a capable foe can do to Russian military using just some of NATO's weapons, tactics and intelligence, simply tells his fellow Russians that Russia can't win, and sets up a 5 year plan to get back to democratic elections. Navalny could have the time to heal and then run in a fair election.) A boy can dream, too.
Thank you for your clarification, Jerry. This likely instability in Russia cannot be reassuring. I'm sure that our country's intelligence is doing everything it can.
Prigozhin is basically a ruthless thug and a criminal, AND don't forget (as HCR reminds above) he was at the center of the 2016 Russian disinformation campaigns that worked for T***p's candidacy. T***p would more than likely love nothing more than for Prigozhin to remove Putin from the picture so T***p would no longer be beholden to Putin for whatever "goods" he has on him. You have 3 pretty disgusting people, T***p, Putin, and Progozhin in the limelight right now.
Do I seem to have forgotten anything, Bruce? We may be heading to a most dangerous situation, perhaps, Russia becoming a rogue state. I need not tell you about the consequences of nuclear, cyber, chemical...weaponry out of control.
I was responding more to Jerry above. I totally agree with your comment. NEITHER Putin nor Prigozhin are good outcomes. I think we all agree on that. One isn't any better than the other, though Prigozhin is pretty disgusting lest anyone think him unseating Putin would be a "win". Plus, as HCR mentioned, I was reminding about Prigozhin's T***p connection. Amazing how all these disreputable people seem to stick together.
Bruce, I read an Opinion in the NYTimes about Prigozhin by Mikhail Zygar, a Russian journalist and the author of тАЬAll the KremlinтАЩs Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir PutinтАЭ that was my teacher. If you have not read it, 'The Man Challenging Putin for Power', I would like to email it to you. I'll do it now, Bruce. Written in January of this year, I feel as though it prepared me for this moment. The Opinion also fed into my idea that Putin is the architect of this frightening time for Russia and, perhaps, much of the word. The gifted link of the Opinion is below.
I think that you are correct - Putin has been blackmailing TFG for years with photographs of hotels trysts and other things. In front of Putin, TFG is an obsequious pile of dog dung (apology to my canine fellow travelers.)
Less safe because Russia will be destabilized and under the rule perhaps of a military dictator, which has never boded well for anyone. A military dictator that was both willing to give information to the Ukrainian Secret service about Russian troop positions if the Discord leak is to be believed, or to have a better funded, trained, and equipped military which hopefully will redirect their energies to something more useful, he is certainly doing a lot to keep African countries destabilized, or he might use full might against Ukraine and then who knows who else. Making new predictions on the nuclear threat with someone that we don't have a history on in that position. That is scary either way.
As of this morning, Colonel Vindman stated that Prigozhin's troops are halfway to Moscow, but that his biggest worry is that there are "strategic" bases on the way, which, if captured, raise the stakes dramatically. Putin may be on the way out, but if Prigozhin succeeds, the world will be less safe.
'less safe' than under Putin? Is that your point, Jerry? I did not read any positive comments about Prigozhin, did you? How can you tell one is worse than the other?
I am relaying Vindman's live analysis. He was asked by Smercornish on CNN what he would advise the president in this situation, and he said that loss of control of strategic weapons is a nightmare scenario that's been monitored for years. If nuclear weapons get into the hands of an oligarch that's angling for personal survival, then existing controls on their use by Russia, and our ability to monitor them, will be compromised. I have no idea who is worse and didn't intend to imply that I know the answer to that.
I hope they blow each other up and Alexei Navalny takes power! Hey, a girl can dream, right?
Gayle, so happy to have happened upon a brilliant solution. Thank you.
Thanks for saying. It means a lot to me coming from you Fern!
My pie-in-sky hope is that Putin is removed, and the experienced soldier, who saw just a fraction of what a capable foe can do to Russian military using just some of NATO's weapons, tactics and intelligence, simply tells his fellow Russians that Russia can't win, and sets up a 5 year plan to get back to democratic elections. Navalny could have the time to heal and then run in a fair election.) A boy can dream, too.
Thank you for your clarification, Jerry. This likely instability in Russia cannot be reassuring. I'm sure that our country's intelligence is doing everything it can.
Prigozhin is basically a ruthless thug and a criminal, AND don't forget (as HCR reminds above) he was at the center of the 2016 Russian disinformation campaigns that worked for T***p's candidacy. T***p would more than likely love nothing more than for Prigozhin to remove Putin from the picture so T***p would no longer be beholden to Putin for whatever "goods" he has on him. You have 3 pretty disgusting people, T***p, Putin, and Progozhin in the limelight right now.
Do I seem to have forgotten anything, Bruce? We may be heading to a most dangerous situation, perhaps, Russia becoming a rogue state. I need not tell you about the consequences of nuclear, cyber, chemical...weaponry out of control.
I was responding more to Jerry above. I totally agree with your comment. NEITHER Putin nor Prigozhin are good outcomes. I think we all agree on that. One isn't any better than the other, though Prigozhin is pretty disgusting lest anyone think him unseating Putin would be a "win". Plus, as HCR mentioned, I was reminding about Prigozhin's T***p connection. Amazing how all these disreputable people seem to stick together.
Bruce, I read an Opinion in the NYTimes about Prigozhin by Mikhail Zygar, a Russian journalist and the author of тАЬAll the KremlinтАЩs Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir PutinтАЭ that was my teacher. If you have not read it, 'The Man Challenging Putin for Power', I would like to email it to you. I'll do it now, Bruce. Written in January of this year, I feel as though it prepared me for this moment. The Opinion also fed into my idea that Putin is the architect of this frightening time for Russia and, perhaps, much of the word. The gifted link of the Opinion is below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/opinion/russia-putin-ukraine-wagner.html?unlocked_article_code=9u4oySWJtc5gk7NEhg6iV1u0wbQN3Hywwes8XgSQt4OGLdzAGLaE1NVQhyEeNIXeVYDCqiLDqjcCoqQOethAv47ieqb542RgKry-K7lo7wUKIjWZ7g4JvXkeaL1WPHOdMIbzzUQwJeV1myO7jvqkspjxvf-_0CPd2wUQ-9Hc_2v0i9pl4QCjVfAkQYnaNZsajBshnMlr1GKs2x9EXvuuJQT18Z1fKxKmz9AHWCWO2BYvkoMecDwnfxSbgTtU9j7hAOpfN4NN0GV0szv1VA2MEDLwhSWDmZhewwWnZY8_j_BHAOI2h21emLg5yfTnVrMLU4NxKIduUqc6Gl9VC0vY16BW6pcj&smid=url-share
Thanks, Fern, for letting us all benefit from your informative and thought-provoking gift to Bruce!!
It's a good piece, Joanne, but we don't know the course of Prigozhin's future.
I think that you are correct - Putin has been blackmailing TFG for years with photographs of hotels trysts and other things. In front of Putin, TFG is an obsequious pile of dog dung (apology to my canine fellow travelers.)
Less safe because Russia will be destabilized and under the rule perhaps of a military dictator, which has never boded well for anyone. A military dictator that was both willing to give information to the Ukrainian Secret service about Russian troop positions if the Discord leak is to be believed, or to have a better funded, trained, and equipped military which hopefully will redirect their energies to something more useful, he is certainly doing a lot to keep African countries destabilized, or he might use full might against Ukraine and then who knows who else. Making new predictions on the nuclear threat with someone that we don't have a history on in that position. That is scary either way.