Will President Putin Fight or Surrender? by Paul Craig Roberts
(2024-12-18 at 01:23:27 )

Will President Putin Fight or Surrender? by Paul Craig Roberts

In his meeting the other day with the Russian Defense Ministry Board, Putin discussed the accomplishments of the past year and measures needed to ensure Russias security from Washington,D.C.s aspirations for world dominance. "We see the United States administration and the collective West relentlessly trying to preserve their dominance, pushing their rules on the global community and manipulating them as they see fit." Washington,D.C., Putin said, is engaged "in an effort to weaken our country and inflict a strategic defeat."

That is true, but why is President Putin helping Washington,D.C. succeed?

President Putin complains about the growing instability and violence in the Middle East. Does he realize that he contributed to it by withdrawing Russias defense of Syria? Did President Putin forget "seven countries in five years"? Did President Putin forget "Greater Israel"? Did President Putin forget Turkeys ambition against the Kurds?

President Putin complains about the Wests participation with Ukraine in the conflict with Russia. Why did President Putin make this possible by dragging out a limited military operation for 3 years?

How could President Putin fail to understand that Washington,D.C. would test the intervention waters step by step to see if there are any real red lines. The absence of red lines has reached the point of Washington,D.C. and NATO firing missiles into Russia, and Putin, despite his warnings to the West, retaliates only against Ukraine. Indeed, Putins retaliations are measures that should have been conducted on the first day of Russias intervention in Donbas. Putin has prevented Russian military action that would have made it impossible for Kiev to continue the conflict. What purpose is served by dragging out the conflict? Certainly not the preservation of lives.

The Russian population is hurting not so much from the Wests sanctions as from Putins central bank directors 21 percent interest rates. Sooner or later the population is going to blame the war for the economic deprivation, and support for a war without end will decline. The same central bank director left Russias central bank reserves where they could be stolen by Washington,D.C. I suspect the central bank directors warnings that Russia cannot afford war is the reason the Russian military remains too small for effective deployment, thus forcing Russian reliance on nuclear weapons.

The West has just imposed more sanctions on Russia, and Russia continues to supply energy to Poland and Romania, NATO members hosting United States missile bases on their borders with Russia. It is extraordinary how the Russian government helps Russias enemies to work against Russia.

It is not only Putin who seems unable to get his mind around reality. The leader of the terrorist group HTS used by Turkey, Washington,D.C., and Israel fo overthrow Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sharaa, complains that Israel has no excuse for continuing military strikes on Syria. Apparently, al-Sharaa has never heard of "Greater Israel." Israel is clearing the way for Syrias absorption into "Greater Israel," just as Turkey intends the absorption of the Kurdish area of Syria to become incorporated into Turkey.

As Israeli strategist Oded Yinon wrote, the Muslim world is too disunited to stand as an obstacle to "Greater Israel.: "please see here:"

Perhaps that is the reason President Putin abandoned his ally. But by sacrificing Syria Putin has left the road open to Iran and Lebanon.

If Iran becomes the mess that Washington,D.C. has created elsewhere in the Muslim world, the Russian Federation will be open to infiltration by jihadists to cause disruption in Russias Muslim areas.

Meanwhile Washington,D.C. continues to operate against Russia in the former Russian provinces of Georgia and Armenia. How long before there are United States of American missile bases in Georgia and Armenia?

It is unclear why United States missile bases on Russias border with Ukraine are a reason for Russian military action, but not United States missile bases on Russias borders with Poland and Romania.

It was impossible for President Putin to stand aside while the United States created a Ukrainian army to destroy the Russian populations of Donbas.

The world should appreciate that President Putin has not attacked Russias tormenters outside of Ukraine. Putin has also accepted sanctions without adequate response. The question is whether Putins determination to avoid a larger war presents as weakness and indecision that encourages the West to further provocations that eventually lead to a wider war. The big question in the coming year is whether Predident Putin surrenders or fights.

Paul Craig Roberts columns may be reprinted, disseminated, and translated on the condition that a link is provided to the articles on "Paul Craig Roberts" and that the following disclaimer is included:
~
Permission to reprint Dr. Roberts columns does not imply that Dr. Roberts endorses the websites or media organizations that republish his columns or that he approves of the content of the websites, media outlets or books that republish his columns.