Quote:
Originally Posted by PilotMan
Couple videos in case anyone is struggling to understand the larger Russian strategy. The second video is from 6 years ago and is 100% accurate still.
Would Putin have invaded with trump in office? Probably not. The trump policies were pushing the Russian position on the world, devaluing NATO and working to put Ukraine in a vice via tit for tat world comments and political commentary. Why attack when the President of the United States will help you do it? The Lavrov who is saying WW3 will be nuclear is the same Lavrov that trump gave classified information to that had been withheld from allies ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...69_story.html). He was basically working as a Russian agent in terms of furthering Russian policy. So no, they wouldn't have needed to attack.
In addition:
1. Said it was Ukraine who interfered in the 2016 election
2. Kicked out the US Ambassador to the Ukraine and smeared her.
3. Froze military assets
4. Denied a WH meeting with Zelensky
5. Turned over all policy to Guiliani, and made him the point person for all things Ukraine. Not Sec State.
( https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ukraine-putin/)
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I have wondered if this would have played out more in Putin's favor if he had started this while Trump was in office. It's clear why he didn't, but I don't think there's any chance the US uses it's intel as effectively and I seriously doubt Trump would have been willing to work with NATO.
On a side note, Newsmax had Bolton on as they were trying to squash the narrative that Trump wasn't tough enough on Russia. I thought Bolton played the interview pretty well. He didn't push back too hard on what they were wanting to strongly push other than point out a lot of what they were listing off as things Trump did to hurt Russia were actually Congressional decisions. Instead he pointed out that Trump had no understanding of history and therefore went into these situations ignorant and blind. He also said every decision Trump made was based on how it would benefit him personally and listed off the issues surrounding the first impeachment and withholding of aid. It seemed to catch the interviewer off guard and he wasn't prepared to defend Trump in that manner and largely ended up looking like he agreed or deferred to Bolton on those points. Yes Bolton is a piece of shit, ect but it was interesting to see how he handled that interview.