{"id":225660,"date":"2022-03-02T13:45:46","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T08:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=225660"},"modified":"2022-03-08T15:13:06","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T09:43:06","slug":"putins-self-inflicted-fiasco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/putins-self-inflicted-fiasco\/","title":{"rendered":"Putin\u2019s Self-Inflicted Fiasco"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Kumar David<\/a> –<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Prof. Kumar David<\/p><\/div>\n

Ukraine joining NATO<\/a><\/span> and\/or the stationing nuclear weapons is a red line that neither the people of Russia<\/a><\/span> nor a government that wishes to survive in domestic politics can permit to be crossed. This column for months has said so. But the offensive that began on 23 February was premature, unpopular, excessive and the outcome is doubtful; diplomatic options had not been exhausted. Putin is said to be a master strategist but this time he has blundered. He promised the world that he would not invade Ukraine and then did just that. The 170,000 troops he sent in are inadequate for the onerous task the Russian military has been assigned of taking and holding Ukraine<\/a><\/span> for any length of time. As of this time of writing (1 March) not a single Ukrainian city has fallen to the Russians. Frustrated by this slow progress, enraged by French high-seas piracy in seizing a Russian cargo vessel and flustered by a tornado of sanctions and illegal acquisition of Russian bank assets, Putin has put his nuclear arsenal on alert. Is it bluff to distract from his cock-up? For a long game he needed a larger force, deeper pockets, careful explanation and preparation of Russian and world opinion and global alliances. He did none of this.<\/p>\n

It is true that the US, NATO, capitalist Europe and the government in Kiev have for months if not years brushed aside Russia\u2019s unquestionably justified security concerns. But Putin should have persisted in these efforts until Kiev made a practical move to membership. A decades old clause in the Ukrainian Constitution does not amount to an imminent move. Yes, if Ukraine\u2019s accession to membership was imminent it is tantamount to a declaration of war but that was not the case. However, what is far more sinister and dangerous is that the US and NATO have lied time again promising not to expand NATO up to the Russian border and broken that pledge every time inching ever closer.<\/p>\n

The two most important presentations you can access at this time giving a general background are by distinguished American scholar and Professor at Chicago University, John Mearsheimer;<\/p>\n

Current situation:<\/p>\n