Ukraine (closed; covers till August 2014)

[JMA]

kaur,

With the greatest respect why would you believe anything Putin says in public forum?

Stan:

From Putin's answers about Ukraine two days ago.

1) Nationalism and even neo-Nazism are experiencing a resurgence in western Ukraine.

2) People in eastern and southeastern regions of Ukraine were worried about their future and the future of their children, because they saw a rapid growth of nationalist sentiments, heard threats and saw that [the new authorities] wanted to invalidate some of the ethnic minorities’ rights, including the rights of the Russian minority. On the other hand, this description is relative, because Russians are native persons in Ukraine. But an attempt was made to invalidate all decisions regarding the use of the native language. This alarmed people, of course. What happened next?

3) But you know well the history of this territory (Ukraine) and its people. Some of these territories were part of Czechoslovakia, some of Hungary, some of Austro-Hungary and some of Poland, where they were never full-fledged citizens. You know, something has always been growing in their heart of hearts.

Some people seem to believe that it is this circumstance – because these territories were former possessions of several present-day EU countries – that imbues them with some special European substance. That they were second-rate citizens in those states seems to have been forgotten, but this still lurks in their historical memory, under the crust, deep down in their hearts, see? It’s where their nationalism comes from, I think.

http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/7034

[Stan]

Mark,
In theory, and I mean way back when, our Army shrink tried to explain the Mobutu mentality.

Huge sense of self-worth
persuasive
ruthless
No remorse
manipulative

Politicians

The year book I referenced are from a bunch of very smart criminologists with plenty of experience in dealing with exactly what is happening in the Ukraine.

Sadly, their advise fell on deaf ears.

kaur,

With the greatest respect why would you believe anything Putin says in public forum?

[JMA]

Putin is clearly delusional... but many people in the international media and in Europe are taking him seriously. What does that say about them?

I would say he has criminal cunning rather than intellectual intelligence. He should be dealt with on that basis.

He has psyched out the leadership of the US and Europe and must be given credit for that.

As Gary Kasparov said:

Putins-just-like-Al-Capone

Mark,
In theory, and I mean way back when, our Army shrink tried to explain the Mobutu mentality.

Huge sense of self-worth
persuasive
ruthless
No remorse
manipulative

Politicians

The year book I referenced are from a bunch of very smart criminologists with plenty of experience in dealing with exactly what is happening in the Ukraine.

Sadly, their advise fell on deaf ears.