Quote:
The Statesman who, knowing his instrument to be ready, and seeing War inevitable, hesitates to strike first is guilty of a crime against his country (this is from one of the most cited authors these days, Mr Clausewitz).
Not that Putin is a candidate for Saint. Not that is not totalitarian. Not that Russian is not corrupt and not that he did not try to poison his political opponents. But he is an statesman. And he did was he was supposed to do.
Ukraine (with the support of the West) pushed Russia into a position where war was inevitable. They were amassing forces for an invasion of the east separatist territories, and perhaps Crimea making paper toilet from the previous agreements in Minks. War was inevitable.
I guess someone told Zelenskyy: "Imagine yourself as the man that reconquered Ukraine from Imperial Russia, go ahead, we have your back and a very well rehearsed and professionally developed plan". I am sure he dreamed of himself parading in Kyiv in a quadriga with a laurel crown.
He was willing to send Ukrainians soldiers against a very effective and ruthless army in exchange for good dealings with the West and for an opportunity to be a member of "the club". He must have enjoyed being solemn, wearing a "working" T-shirt, a permanent 3 day beard, and a hand on his heart while speaking on every western forum.
And now he wants to send mostly untrained women against the Chechens....
He may soon learn that "Roma traditoribus non praemiat" and join the fate of others that believed they were allies of the west, like those horse riding freedom fighters that joined Rambo against the Soviets....
Victoria Nuland and Blinken, at worst, will still be living in a nice and well heated home somewhere in the US cashing on US Gov retirement.