Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
You know this how exactly?
Note the media isn't exactly unbiased...
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The western media.
Seriously, though- you guys are intelligent. Are you not following current events? Do you seriously believe Putin's propaganda? I can't believe that we're having this debate.
Anyway, I don't need the media to tell me what Putin's mindset is. Just take a look at his behavior, including but not limited to:
- Russia's seizure (by force) of Crimea
- Russia's continued support of separatists in eastern Ukraine
- Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election (according to the CIA, NSA, and FBI)
- Russian defense procurement and spending (the fact that they can't currently afford to purchase the various modern, offensive weapon systems that they want to is largely immaterial- the intent is there)
- Russia's various shows of force, like it's recent staging of Blackjack strategic bombers from Venezuela http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...island-reports
- Russian bombers have been flying right on the edge of Finnish, Swedish, UK, Canadian, and US airspace
- Russia's direct military support of the Assad regime in Syria
- Russia's blockade of Mariupol and seizure of Ukrainian naval vessels
- Russia's militarization of the Arctic http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...improved-bases
- Russia's attempts to woo Serbia https://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...-idUSKBN12Y1JX
Putin claims that most of this behavior is defensive in nature. He sees NATO and the US as an existential threat to Russia. This is clearly a Cold War mentality. So to is the concept of self-defense through the acquisition of buffer states (like Crimea, Eastern Ukraine, etc.), massive military- conventional and nuclear- strength, and power projection.
Bottom line Leg, are you saying that Putin
doesn't long for the days of Soviet (ne Russian) power and influence in Europe and beyond? And you would know this how exactly?