I'm still unclear as to why Putin started their idiotic war with Ukraine. Can you explain it to me?

[K9Buck]

I know the war is hugely unpopular in Russia. I've seen young men in the street saying that they don't want to die for Putin. The war has been an obvious FAILURE for Russia on many levels. My greatest fear is that, in an act of despair and vengeance, Putin uses nukes against Kyiv or even American cities. I'm no expert on the military details of the conflict but it's apparent to me from afar that the Russian soldiers don't believe in the war and that might explain why their military has struggled so mightily. So, again, why is Putin doing this?

 

[ESay]

It is a fight for spheres of influence. As simple as that.

 

[lg325]

To regain what is considered by him to be Russian land. Sevastapol was the scene of the beginning of the communist revolution.

 

[1srelluc]

Long story short Putin said "don't go there" as far as NATO expansion in Ukraine, the west said FU we will if we want and Putin said hold my beer.

 

[AMart]

I know the war is hugely unpopular in Russia. I've seen young men in the street saying that they don't want to die for Putin. The war has been an obvious FAILURE for Russia on many levels. My greatest fear is that, in an act of despair and vengeance, Putin uses nukes against Kyiv or even American cities. I'm no expert on the military details of the conflict but it's apparent to me from afar that the Russian soldiers don't believe in the war and that might explain why their military has struggled so mightily. So, again, why is Putin doing this?

Follow the money

 

[Winco]

Long story short Putin said "don't go there" as far as NATO expansion in Ukraine, the west said FU we will if we want and Putin said hold my beer.

And, just to clarify, in your own words........

Do you support Putin?

Simple Yes or No.

 

[Litwin]

why is Putin doing this?

 

[AMart]

And, just to clarify, in your own words........

Do you support Putin?

Simple Yes or No.

Do you support the corrupt American government? Do you support the corrupt Ukraine government?

 

[johngaltshrugged]

Putin is in Ukraine because we wanted a conflict with Russia.
We promised Russia that NATO wouldn't expand into former Warsaw Pact nations & we did anyway.
We instigated it from the get go because it's what we do now

 

[ESay]

Follow the money

Pfff, 5 billions since 1991? It is just pocket money considering how much was buried in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

[toomuchtime_]

I know the war is hugely unpopular in Russia. I've seen young men in the street saying that they don't want to die for Putin. The war has been an obvious FAILURE for Russia on many levels. My greatest fear is that, in an act of despair and vengeance, Putin uses nukes against Kyiv or even American cities. I'm no expert on the military details of the conflict but it's apparent to me from afar that the Russian soldiers don't believe in the war and that might explain why their military has struggled so mightily. So, again, why is Putin doing this?

It seems plain that Putin didn't think he was starting a war and thought his invasion would result in a quick power grab that would leave him in control of Ukraine in a very short time. The way he sent his tanks straight to Kyiv without first securing his supply lines tells us that he didn't think he would meet much resistance and the takeover would be very quick.

He grossly underestimated the determination of the Ukrainians to resit and overestimated the leverage Europe's dependence on Russian gas would give him in keeping Europe from taking action to help Ukraine, and now Russia is hemorrhaging blood and treasure at an unsustainable rate. If Putin had had any idea this is where Russia would be a year later, he wouldn't have invaded.

 

[AMart]

Pfff, 5 billions since 1991? It is just pocket money considering how much was buried in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Have we likely passed that now with how much has been spent in Ukraine?

 

[Winco]

Do you support the corrupt American government? Do you support the corrupt Ukraine government?

Another Deflection.
Answering a Question with a Question.

So back to the original Question.
Do you support Putin?

And, just to clarify, in your own words........

Do you support Putin?

Simple Yes or No.

 

[K9Buck]

Putin is in Ukraine because we wanted a conflict with Russia.
We promised Russia that NATO wouldn't expand into former Warsaw Pact nations & we did anyway.
We instigated it from the get go because it's what we do now

That may be (or not) but I still don't understand how Putin thought that this war would be good for Russia.

I wish someone would remove Putin and that morally good people would take over, for everybody's benefit.

 

[K9Buck]

By the way, I'm not opposed to helping Ukraine, but I also recognize that there is an ulterior motive that motivates the Washington establishment to fall over themselves in giving our money to them. How much of that money is working its way back to Washington elites?

 

[occupied]

Putin wants a grand legacy other than just being one of history's biggest thieves.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Putin is in Ukraine because we wanted a conflict with Russia.
We promised Russia that NATO wouldn't expand into former Warsaw Pact nations & we did anyway.
We instigated it from the get go because it's what we do now

Putin clains that NATO promised not to allow eastern European countries to join NATO, but Gorbachev said that is not true.

“The topic of ‘NATO expansion’ was not discussed at all, and it wasn’t brought up in those years. … Another issue we brought up was discussed: making sure that NATO’s military structures would not advance and that additional armed forces would not be deployed on the territory of the then-GDR after German reunification. Baker’s statement was made in that context… Everything that could have been and needed to be done to solidify that political obligation was done. And fulfilled.”

Did NATO Promise Not to Enlarge? Gorbachev Says "No"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it well known his antipathy towards NATO, claiming the Alliance took advantage of Russian weakness after the collapse of the Soviet Union in violation of promises allegedly made to Moscow by Western leaders. Steven Pifer argues that no such promises were...

www.brookings.edu

Clearly there is no rational basis for claiming the US or NATO instigated the war.

 

[AMart]

Another Deflection.
Answering a Question with a Question.

So back to the original Question.
Do you support Putin?

You are the deflection. I don't support any of them including invading Ukraine. You are so fucking stupid not to understand that you be against the behavior of all of them. Do you support out CIA coup and regime change in Ukraine in 2014, yes or no?

 

[K9Buck]

Putin wants a grand legacy other than just being one of history's biggest thieves.

That may be. I hope he doesn't nuke us in a desperate last gasp.

 

[ESay]

Have we likely passed that now with how much has been spent in Ukraine?

Of course not, far from that. 20 years in Afghanistan will be quite hard to overcome.