Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(115,324 posts)
Mon Jun 10, 2024, 01:24 PM Jun 2024

Why Vladimir Putin Is Threatening Wider War with the West

By Carol J Williams

As Russian President Vladimir Putin defiantly grinds through a third year of his unprovoked war in Ukraine, two perplexing questions increasingly come to mind:

How is the Russian economy surviving international sanctions, high inflation, labor shortages caused by hundreds of thousands of men at war or abroad evading conscription and soaring military spending of $122 billion this year alone?

And, given the rising cost and toll of dead and seriously injured, estimated by British military intelligence to be 500,000, why is Putin trying to provoke a wider conflict with provocations against NATO-allied neighbors and the United States?

The economic question can be answered by the fact that war has been unifying for Putin’s country. Russians have been nurtured by 20 years of state propaganda to see the Ukraine war as an existential battle to defeat Western encroachment into former Soviet territory that Putin insists should now be part of Russia.

https://www.postalley.org/2024/06/09/why-vladimir-putin-is-threatening-wider-war-with-the-west/

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Why Vladimir Putin Is Threatening Wider War with the West (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jun 2024 OP
70 years of misery under the Soviets Turbineguy Jun 2024 #1
Who does he think he's going to get to fight this expanded war? Aristus Jun 2024 #2
Plus, Russia, meaning Putin, damn well knows he can't afford or defeat the west and or NATO in a MarineCombatEngineer Jun 2024 #3
Forget NATO, China can launch 500,000 Soldiers at The Eastern Part of Russia and Putin can do nothing. Traurigkeit Jun 2024 #4

Aristus

(68,357 posts)
2. Who does he think he's going to get to fight this expanded war?
Tue Jun 11, 2024, 06:28 PM
Jun 2024

The Russians don't want to fight the war they've already got.

MarineCombatEngineer

(14,322 posts)
3. Plus, Russia, meaning Putin, damn well knows he can't afford or defeat the west and or NATO in a
Tue Jun 11, 2024, 09:32 PM
Jun 2024

conventional war, they can't even defeat Ukraine.

 

Traurigkeit

(1,290 posts)
4. Forget NATO, China can launch 500,000 Soldiers at The Eastern Part of Russia and Putin can do nothing.
Tue Jun 11, 2024, 11:25 PM
Jun 2024

Cut Russia in half at The Urals.

Latest Discussions»Editorials & Other Articles»Why Vladimir Putin Is Thr...