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Mark Wauck's avatar

I spoke too soon yesterday re the Iran / Pakistan thing. Here's what's going on today:

Pakistan recalls ambassador in Tehran, kicks out Iran ambassador

Iranian reports on border clashes

IRGC commander killed

China mediation failed: local media

Unconfirmed reports that border shut

Saudi mediating

India statement backs Iran

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Robert Fausti's avatar

Mr. Putin is a traditionalist. Listening to him is like listening to the Speeches of Teddy Roosevelt at the turn of the century. He is a nationalist, but not an unreasonable one. You want an example of hard-core Russian nationalist? Look at Igor Girkin or a blogger who goes by the name of “the Saker”. It is an eye opener.

So what are we dealing with? The a partial key to understanding what we are facing can be gleaned from what is said on Russian tv or listening to the common man on the street.

The Russian view point can be summed up as:

a. This is an existential fight, a life and death fight for: our Country, culture and people. We fail, we die.

b. The West hates our guts. It has consistently lied to us (think Minsk agreements) and cannot be trusted under any circumstances.

c. This war is not against Ukraine, they are our Slavic brothers. They have been lied to and cozened by the West. This war is against the United States and the NATO European vassals .

d. We are Russia, no matter what happens, we will survive and a Mighty God is with us.

Now this may sound bizarre to a sophisticate in Foggy Bottom. But it does not matter what we think. It matters what your opponent thinks.

Do our leaders understand this concept? Do they understand that this is not about America? But how Russians feel about themselves? How Russians perceive their place in this conflict?

From our elites past actions, it would not be imprudent to think that they have no clue.

Our problem is that our leadership is not capable of understanding the Russian mentality. And if they do understand it, they do not care. To put it another way, someone once said “our elites lack empathy”. They lack the ability to walk in another man’s shoes. “

Surprised? I am not. This is just like our current progressive leadership is not capable of understanding the values of the average American small farmer in the mid-west. Our political elites blind spot is their arrogance combined with an intransigent myopia.

And this is their great failure.

For Knowing one’s enemy, is the first rule of war.

I may not know much, but I can say the above from past experience.

Do not be fooled by MSM sources that the Russians will not exact their own pound of flesh from this mess. Putin said a long time ago that if the Ukraine launched a war, it would not exist afterwards. The Russians will have their day. As far as future relations with the Russian nation. This whole episode is a tragedy. A tragedy that men like George Kennan warned us about and tried to avoid.

By Americas own actions, it has pushed the Russians into the Chinese camp. This is a monumental disaster. American won WW2 because of industrial might. Who now can equal the combined industrial might of the Russian and Chinese nations? Certainly not the USA or Europe. Remember Lend Lease? If we go to war with one, the other will become the supplier of needed weapons. This is the scenario of doom for us.

The greatest part of this tragedy is that American was just about there. Do we remember that Vladimir Putin was one of the first persons to call George Bush after 9/11 and say:

“We are with you.”

That there is a monument in the USA from the Russian people commemorating the tragedy of 9/11. That the Russians opened their air space to us for military operations Afghanistan.

All that goodwill, just thrown away. A travesty of epic proportions for future generations of Americans. Lost Victories.

Wish you the best.

Robert Fausti

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