Vox concluded an important post with the following words:
However, it is good to know that there are still a few rational actors in command of Clown World. One hopes that they will have the perspicacity, and the courage, to admit to their inevitable defeat and surrender while it is still possible to do so
I disagree with his assessment in a number of ways.
First of all, I do not believe at all that there are any “rational actors” in command of Clown World. Not even remotely one of them. Any rational actors are several steps below any kind of command structure. I would bet any amount of money on that.
Secondly, I think he is mistaking something that works every single time when dealing with these clowns, whether it’s at the individual level or the global one: the absolute certainty that they will personally suffer physical violence if they don’t do as they are told. Mistaking fear for rationality (even if the reaction to fear is often rational) is a strategic error that can be very costly down the line.
Thirdly, and this is the crux of the two matters above, I do not for a second believe the people in command have any intention or even rational understanding that could possibly lead them to surrender. They are literally analogous to the idiotic choice Lucifer made when choosing to go against God. They will never surrender. At best they will slink away and plot murder by other means. The only way to deal with them is to literally kill every single one of them, and anyone on their side too. I would not even classify the masters of Clown World as actual humans as such. Technically they are, but effectively they are literally doing the work of demons, and they should absolutely be treated as such.
This all means that (as the Russians have already stated a number of times) at best, Clown World surrendering is merely a chance for them to recover, regroup, and plot further revenge.
The strategy of the Russians has been obvious and clear from the start, and I mentioned this at the start of the SMO:
Their propaganda is to tell the truth as it is. Because reality is ultimately undeniable in the long term.
Their long-term plan is to put so much economic, manufacturing, and structural pressure on the Clowns that they hope eventually, popular uprisings will result is some level of change in at least some countries in Europe at least.
Victor Orban is clearly aware of this and trying to stay ahead of the game. The leader of Serbia being “a little guy” like the leader of Georgia, can’t afford to be as bold without getting killed, but he too is aware of what his citizens would actually prefer.
America is pretty much a lost cause and the Americans are almost guaranteed to never revolt against the deep state that runs their country and most of their brains too. The best the Russians can hope for there is that the general devolution —that is well on its way— reaches such a chaotic level that you get internal balkanisation, which is already in its very early stages.
Italians tend to switch sides depending on who’s winning, so it will be a while before they wake up, and by then they may well have gone the way of Germany, but I am hopeful that there will be pockets of resistance to Clown World that would mean there are some areas that will achieve a certain level of independence.
But if I was Putin, as I also said a long time ago, chances are that several of the second, third and even fourth tier people in Clown World would be having episodes of SADS (Sudden, Adult, Death Syndrome).
That’s my take anyway.
And since I don’t think Putin is as ruthless as I would be if I were in his shoes, the entire thing is likely to drag on for a lot of longer than it should.
All Clown World has is fake money and the perception in people’s minds. Against someone that doesn’t care about perception, and only worries about direct results, they simply have nothing to counter with. Which is why the Russians should just start playing for keeps.
Solid analysis.
Like you, if I were Putin I would be more ruthless. I can’t speak for Europeans, but in the U.S. the everyday Joe is as clueless as a summer child. There are those that understand what’s going on and what’s at stake, but not enough. Politics has become the religion of the peasants and they are all fervent believers. At this point, Balkanization might be the best we can hope for. We’re already there ideologically and all that’s left is the fight.