“Tragically, the Western leaders and diplomats who are right now trying to stave off a Russian invasion of Ukraine still think they live in a world where rules matter, where diplomatic protocol is useful, where polite speech is valued,” The Atlantic says. “All of them think that when they go to Russia, they are talking to people whose minds can be changed by argument or debate.”
The problem is that when Western diplomats are “talking to the new breed of autocrats, whether in Russia, China, Venezuela, or Iran, [they’re] now dealing with … people who only respect hard power. Their intentions are different from ours too. Putin’s goal is not a flourishing, peaceful, prosperous Russia, but a Russia where he remains in charge. [Foreign minister] Lavrov’s goal is to maintain his position … [and] keep his money. … When they listen to our diplomats” they’re unmoved because “they don’t hear anything that really threatens their position, their power, their personal fortunes.”
In short, the West has been too gentle with these thugs. Russian oligarchs can even buy Miami mansions. (Read article here.) Maybe we should torpedo Putin’s yacht?
Photo: A Ukrainian guard watches the border and waits for the tanks
