Russia Invades Ukraine XIX

[Tidewater]

Last night we watched an interesting psychological review of what made Putin the person (monster) he is as an adult.

It is here for anyone interested. We follow this UK based Psychiatrist and find his commentary on Trump and global affairs interesting.

Putin is a product of his environment.
His upbringing in Brezhnev's USSR made him suspicious and deeply skeptical.
As Hari Seldon might say, the only kind of guy who could have risen to the top in 1990s Russia was someone who was ruthless, bloodthirsty, and conniving. To paraphrase Del Gue from Jeremiah Johnson, "he may speak [English] well and read the Bible, but he is still [Russian].
A Mother Teresa type was not going to become the president in 1990s Russia.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I said several years ago that Putin was an outstanding tactician, but he was no strategist. To my gratification, one of his former aides, a defector, echoed my sentiment, almost word for word...

 

[Tidewater]

This has probably already been discussed, but I somehow missed this:
Military chiefs gather in UK to discuss Ukraine peacekeeping force
This would not be a NATO op. It would be a "coalition of the willing" op that included NATO member states. The Brits and the French are exactly the kinds of troops you need on the ground: capable, professional, and disciplined.
I served in Bosnia in the UNPROFOR days.The Egyptians in Bosnia were not the most capable. In fact, they spent the winter huddled around burn barrels trying to keep warm. They did not stop ceasefire violations. They were not even aware of ceasefire violations in their sector.

What is needed in Ukraine are capable troops, with a robust ROE so that, whenever someone steps out of line, the peacekeepers smack the crap out of them instantaneously. Otherwise, why bother going? If you do not immediately punish violators, the situation wioll sprial out of control and the war start back, only this time with non-ERussian, non-Ukrainian peacekeeprs in the way.
Within BH Command when I was there in 1994, the British sent an LO to the Spanish Battalion (SPANBAT). The combatants (Serbs, Croats) used to take pot shots at the blue helmets all the time. The UN lost dozens of soldiers killed this way. The Brit LO rode around in a Warrior (Brit APC like a Bradley, but less capable). The combatants who shot at the Brit LO would get a burst of 25mm chain gun in return. Pretty soon, all the combatants in Gornji Vakuf learned not to shoot at the Brit LO. A key lesson for any peacekeepers who might go to Ukraine.

 

[Tidewater]

I would also add that if the EU stopped buying Russian gas and enacted secondary sanction on those who purchase Russian oil, thie was would be over in short order. Every ruble Russians uses to buy weapons used against Ukraine was given them by the EU.
Stopping the purchases and enacting the secondary sanction would be expensive, however. would be expensive.