Comments by "80s Music" (@eightiesmusic1984) on "Dannatt: Vladimir Putin is 'out of date'" video.

@frederickmiles327 The world is facing ecological collapse and yet despotic egomaniacs play their mindless and stupid games at the expense of the interests of the masses. Tragic and pathetic. Putin is a menace and wrong if he really thinks NATO is a threat to Russia but the Cold War mentality of both sides can be seen at play here. NATO is a defensive alliance, fact, but it was the same in the Cold War when the Soviets felt encircled ( wrong then too) and under threat. But if Ukraine not being in NATO is the price of a rapprochement it is a price worth paying. I hope the Americans and the British et al have got professional historians as well as Russia experts advising them ( and good interpreters who do not miss the nuances in what is said), as Russian history and sense of itself is a feature that cannot be ignored. Putin is bad news and it is not in the best interests of the Russian people for him to be in charge. But they have been duped into thinking he is protecting their national interest from an abstract threat. He is also a creation of the west after the shock therapy and misguided triumphalism at the end of the Cold War created a power vacuum into which stepped oligarchs and a 'strong man' dictator. The west has also been complacent in not standing up to him over Crimea but this time the situation is too dangerous to allow hubris to obstruct the need for a diplomatic solution. Just like occurred in the Cold War when required.
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