It’s impossible to know whether any of this is true or even if US intelligence agencies really believe it, but part of the propaganda war against Russia is spreading the message that president Vladimir Putin is out of touch, doesn’t really know what’s going on and is losing his mind after two years of COVID-19 related lockdowns. Of course, it’s entirely possible that the Russians believe the same things about American president Joe Biden.
At the Kremlin, Trying to Suss out What’s up with Biden
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The Final Countdown" talk show on Radio Sputnik. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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U.S. President Richard Nixon famously invoked the “madman theory” when he sought to convey to North Vietnam via his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger his supposed willingness to use any means possible against them. But he was hardly inventive. An early reference shows up in Niccolò Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy, when he notes that it can be “a very wise thing to simulate madness.” — Melissa Chan
Pre-apocalyptic release from restraint: Do anything that pleases you because all of your sins will be purged in the coming nuclear and/or climate change fires.
“[A]nd a military campaign less successful than he expected…”
The NYT has spies planted in Putin’s head, or other mind reading technology, or maybe they are just liars.
“Is Vladimir Putin ill?
Intelligence sources claim the Russian president’s decision-making may be affected by poor health”
Are those the same sources that said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? And access to his health records? Maybe they are just liars.
I take any such reports about Putin with a major Salt Lake full of salt.
I have too much respect for you, Ted, to even consider that you might be duped by the anti-Putin propaganda that is taking over American media.
With all the censorship and Putin derision, rational conversations might be hard to engage in with most everybody thinking that that is what everybody is really thinking.
It’s like the Keynes hypothetical newspaper beauty contest. Don’t pick who you like, but pick the contestant you think will win in order to win the prize.
I spy … with my little eye … something beginning with deja vu.
Everyone knew Trump was going to lose to the inevitable Queen Hillary, first of her name, scrubber of contributions, defender of Bill, peddler of influence, and stiffener of Twitter.
Everyone knows that Putin’s going to lose the war/invasion/forced reunification of Ukraine.
Everyone knows that Trump’s going to prison.
In every case, it’s whistling past the graveyard. No one, or at best very few ones, wants to look at the uglier realities. Hillary was unlikable, stank of corruption and insincerity, and helped rally the Republican base in uniting against her in their absolute hatred of her.
Putin’s running a major military group. He has nukes. The entire set up is a pile of sabers and rifles, to misrecall a Barbara Tuchman metaphor, waiting for someone to try to extract one and bring the whole mess crashing down. It gives Putin the victory because no one will help Ukraine significantly for fear of dragging all of NATO into a conflict that will inevitably become a full-blown war. Nothing about Biden (or The Cackler) presents any sort of facade of toughness or savvy. In fact, Putin wouldn’t dare compromise to a doddering fool or a naif; he would lose face.
Trump? It’ll never get to court. It’s the same pattern every single time.
The US doesn’t have enough lipstick to make all its swine herd kissable.