https://youtu.be/iJIwLM0wwO0
Poor Putin, even Russian celebrities and oligarchs don't want war. Wonder if they'll revolt and topple him soon.
I don't normally watch TV news, but it's a best way to see protests and mayhem. I'll see what's on BBC News site, better than our public broadcaster.
Putin is KGB not military, so he understands propaganda and control not war. Russian military is most likely to remove him from power.
That is the hope with cutting Russian banks and oligarchs out of SWIFT international banking. That it will ultimately pressure the military to topple Putin and save the country from financial ruin.
shareWithout the backing of the oligarchs, hopefully that happens. Oligarchs have a lot to lose with this. I don't know all that much about Russia, but I hear the oligarchs have a lot of power there.
shareAmerican oligarchs have a lot of power too, they are the reason of Nord Stream 2 being blocked before the war. After that Putin had no reason to hold back. I think that is the real reason behind the current tragedy in Ukraine.
I am not saying Putin is the good guy, he is not. But the greed and corporate interests from American oligarchs have a huge part in this too.
Yeah, but at least here in the US we can speak out about it. It's far from perfect here and we don't always live up to our ideals, but our oligarchs don't dominate quite to the extent they do over there.
shareSpeak about it? Other than me, who else you see talking about it. Any, I mean, any American media speaking about it?
But we all know it is true, even you know it. But entire media landscape, somehow nobody talks about it.
What does that say?
Whatever happened to our "free & independent" billionaire owned media?
Books! I read at least four books about American oligarchy and there are plenty more including about Russian ones.
I posted a Time article about a corrupt Ukrainian oligarch a few days ago. He's a close friend of Putin whose bank accounts were frozen by Zelensky. A few days later, Putin sent troops to the region.
The information is there if you want it:
https://time.com/6144109/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-viktor-medvedchuk/
Sadly, the ignorant masses don't really read books, at least not these kinds.
I think the Russian invasion media circus was created to stop Nord Stream 2. Before Nord Stream 2 was stopped Russia wasn't going to invade, there was too much to lose. After that, there is no problem anymore, they are not going to stop the existing pipelines which supply 40% of Europe gas no matter what. I think that is why they would not cut off the entire Russian financial system out of SWIFT, because if there were no payment, Russia would stop the gas themselves.
I think blocking Nord Stream 2 directly caused this war.
Anyway, I say all these to say, think how much lies there were before the war on all the "credible" and "reputable" mainstream media? So I have zero confidence in the "truth" of these media reports.
Putin is a typical authoritarian leader. They tend to want power, wealth, control and legacy which lead to invasion, tyranny and atrocities.
I just read "The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America" by Timothy Snyder. I strongly recommend this one. It explains what's happening right now in Russia and Ukraine. Putin's information war within Russia for many years point to his hatred of democracy and desire for a Russian Empire.
Ukraine invasion isn't anything new. He already annexed parts of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova as well as helped squelch pro-democracy demonstrations in several countries and in parts of Russia.
The West is trying to stop Putin's invasion by hurting Russia financially without hurting the West at the same time. Its tricky.
I still don't understand what Russia was trying to accomplish in this war, the strategic objectives of Putin.
Hopefully it will become clear in the coming months.
I think it's ego and fear. He wants an empire. You can't have it with only one country. A regret of many Russians, including Putin, was the breakup of the Soviet Union countries.
He has also attacked democracy and wants to spread his autocratic form of government. He fears that Russians will overthrow him for democracy so he needs to tear democracy down or make it look worst than his own government.
Putin's main political opponent Navalny said the latter as did the book I read. Good interview:
https://time.com/6140102/alexei-navalny-russia-profile/
Putin was a lot of things, but none ever accused him being stupid.
Also since he was so popular in Russia we can't even be sure if he was not democratically elected. He is still elected you know.
If he wanted to attack liberal democracy, which I maintain is not a real democracy, but a form of plutocracy, why didn't he start at home? Abolishing elections?
For someone supposed to be well read, that is not very smart line of thinking, more like something from one of the media brainwashed masses.
Also I already told you, I have no confidence in the "truth" from billionaire owned media, that includes times magazine as well.
our oligarchs don't dominate quite to the extent they do over there
You say no one is talking about it but then link to one of the biggest websites in the world where it's being talked about. Write a book like that in Russia and you might end up in jail. Yes, it's bad here but it's not the same.
shareWrite a book like that in Russia and you might end up in jail.
Yes, it's bad here but it's not the same.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/02/26/russia-bans-media-outlets-from-using-words-war-invasion-a76605
Only Russia and China (maybe a few more) does this kind of shtick.
Did you read anything I wrote? Our media are owned by our oligarchs and you believe what they say? Especially a paper designed to smear Russia?
shareAmerican oligarchs have political power which dwarfs common people now because of the Citizens United case which allows rich people to give hundreds of millions to political campaigns aka: bribery.
The best book I read about the subject is:
Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Geniuses:_The_Unmaking_of_America
Thanks, that seems to be an interesting book. The rise of financial sector was also pointed out by another book "Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business": https://www.amazon.com/Makers-Takers-Finance-American-Business/dp/0553447238
I think US currency became reserve currency gave US financial sector a big advantage, but it also boosted demand of US currency, which caused US dollar to be stronger than it should be, caused the decline of American manufacturing sector.
In economic terms, trade deficit is a way to provide US dollars overseas, fiscal deficit is to create enough US dollars overall.
So as long as US dollar is the dominant reserve currency neither is going to stop. Trump did not seem to understand that.
But because of the oversized financial sector is also controlling the government that is not going to change in the foreseeable future at least in terms of government policies.
According to media reports that in the hindsight Trump lost the election mainly due to financial sector given up on him and given most of their support to Biden.
These are very interesting things when you study and understand them.
I would say those are the politicians. Oligarchs are those in the billions, not millionaires (at least from what I have seen). Even with NS2 on pause there was still NS1 that was still functioning so you're wrong on Putin for that thought.
shareToo the contrary ... after years of NATO expansion and Western harassment the oligarchs and the party bigshots would relieve Putin if he did not finally take decisive action.
You and the other trolls here trying to wave the American flag over this are either manipulated, or manipulating.
Meanwhile, in the real world:
Putin’s public approval is soaring during the Russia-Ukraine crisis
https://theconversation.com/putins-public-approval-is-soaring-during-the-russia-ukraine-crisis-but-its-unlikely-to-last-177302
Biden’s Approval Sinks Further As Russia-Ukraine Crisis Heightens
https://thefederalist.com/2022/02/25/bidens-approval-sinks-further-as-russia-ukraine-crisis-heightens/
Lol, that's a hilarious link. So much doublespeak. Says he's popular yet most don't want war or want peace with Ukraine or favor it.
Approximately 83% of Russians report positive views on Ukrainians. And 51% of Russians say that Russia and Ukraine should be independent, yet friendly, countries.
Crimea was bloodless as it says, full on Ukraine is not. Lots of dead Russian troops and mounting. SWIFT and sanctions going to have a big effect on the Russian populace in time, just you watch. Things take time to simmer. His population will drop after this for sure is my prediction.
Of course Russians don't want war. Neither Putin does. He has been trying to negotiate a neutral status for Ukraine countless times.
But they don't want the NATO at the doors of Moscow. That's why Putin has so much support.
This does not belong here. Join politichat.net or something.
shareStop clicking on Putin`s face!
share