Putin

[JBR]

As far as I know in the last few years Putin dealt a lot with Russian history and wrote a number of essays. He never approved the decay of the former Soviet Union and it is said that he dreams of a "Russian Empire" . In his speeches to his people at the beginning of the Ukrainian war he formulated precisely his ideas. So, in broad strokes we know what he thinks.                                                             

Yes, I can understand his hopes and intentions.  After all, isn't that what Britain did from the 18th century onward.  In many ways, I think that the British Empire benefited us, but it also benefited the people of the countries we conquered.  We mustn't relate this to slavery: Britain was the first, or one of the first, to abolish it.  In fact, slavery still continues in parts of the Third World.

Having said that, I am sure that Putin is attempting the impossible for two reasons:
- he is being clearly unsuccessful in taking Ukraine, as the Ukrainians are showing their serious determination not to give in to his expansion;
- although Ukraine is not a NATO member, it is being supported financially and with the provision of weapons by NATO members.

[klondike]

I think what it boils down to when comparing empires is that those in the British empire gained as well as giving. That was so with the Roman empire close to two millennia ago too. It is not the case with the Soviet empire.

[JBR]

I think what it boils down to when comparing empires is that those in the British empire gained as well as giving. That was so with the Roman empire close to two millennia ago too. It is not the case with the Soviet empire.

Exactly.

[Raven]

He (putin) was in a temper on the News threatening to use his weapons against us and the US because we gave Ukraine some long range weapons that were fired into Russia. 

[Scrumpy]

It's all hot air...
We shouldn't be wasting billions on other countries arguments..
Let them all get on with it..

[Raven]

It's all hot air...
We shouldn't be wasting billions on other countries arguments..
Let them all get on with it..

My thoughts exactly. 

[klondike]

If he takes Ukraine he won't stop there. There are many NATO countries nearby and he'd be emboldened if nobody did anything. If he started on one of those NATO countries we are bound by treaty to assist. That would be far more likely to assist with soldiers and airmen than sending arms. Better to send weapons to Ukraine and let them do the dying than our soldiers and airmen.

[Mups]

That man frightens me.   He's not right in the head, and that makes him unpredictable.

[Alex]

" If he takes Ukraine he won't stop there. "

I don't believe this, I don't think he'd invade a NATO country.  Not sure which countries are not in NATO, Finland & Sweden were last to join (I think). 

[ansu]

Alex, I think you are wrong. He won't stop - there are the Baltic States, Poland etc. If our experts are right in some years he will be able to start a new special operation somewhere. He is dreaming of a new "world order" and some other countries have the same idea. 
Someone said that China and North Vietnam watch the Ukrainian war very carefully, because it could be an "example" to follow for them. 
However, as I already said, I am no expert.

[klondike]

The problem isn't allowing Ukraine to fire supplied arms into Russia. The problem was not letting them right from the outset forcing the ammunition dumps and airbases they use to launch missiles into civilian targets further away. Had that been done the war would be over already.

Letting Putin win is more likely to lead to WW3 further down the line than stopping him now IMO.

[JBR]

If he takes Ukraine he won't stop there. There are many NATO countries nearby and he'd be emboldened if nobody did anything. If he started on one of those NATO countries we are bound by treaty to assist. That would be far more likely to assist with soldiers and airmen than sending arms. Better to send weapons to Ukraine and let them do the dying than our soldiers and airmen.

I agree.
If he takes the Ukraine, I believe it would embolden him to keep going.  I think that the Baltic states would be next.  Perhaps he thinks that NATO wouldn't stick their necks out for the sake of those relatively small countries.  I sincerely hope we would support them.
Ukraine should have joined NATO before.  They should have known that Putin wouldn't dare to invade if they were a NATO member, Ukraine being a large and productive country.

Putin's latest veiled threats of using nuclear weapons is, I think, hot air.  He surely knows that once he does that he will have reaped the whirlwind, city for city, and NATO has more cities than Putin.

[klondike]

Ukraine should have joined NATO before. 

They had a guarantee of sovereignty when they relinquished their huge stockpile of nukes from the Soviet days. US Russia us and others were all signatories. That didn't work out too well for the when Russia decided that they rather liked Crimea and announced it was henceforth Russian territory. Nobody lifted a finger to stop them.

Then of course with a territorial dispute they couldn't join NATO.