Our greatest problem is that people have characterized Putin as a madman and then they paint all of Russia with the same brush. But that is a distraction from trying to understand what is the real confrontation with Russia all about and replacing Putin will by no means be the solution. You may find someone far worse, but historically Russia will never TRUST the West for many reasons. We must understand how Russia looks at this and that transcends Putin. His views of Russian security are not unique and all leaders have taken the same ideas. So a Putin successor is not likely to change the Russian mindset.
What is the backdrop to ALL Russian leaders historically? There are no mountains in eastern Ukraine, which has made this region the gateway through the great expanse of flatland that is the European Plain which throughout history has been the curse of the Russians. It allowed the Mongols to destroy the Russ in their capital which was Kyiv in 1240. This great expanse has been such inviting territory for the invaders who have attacked Russia from there repeatedly through history. In truth, Russia has never invaded Europe, but Europe has repeatedly invaded Russia as has been the case from Asia.
Putin, like Russian leaders before him, has always been deeply concerned and has at least tried to control the flatlands to protect Russia’s western front. This geography deeply impresses history upon the Russian mind. Russia sees this region as hard to defend, and where for centuries leaders have far too often tried to extend power into Russia.
Western leaders clearly have difficulty understanding Putin and prefer to cast him as a madman for they do not understand the history of Russia that always remains in the back of their mind just as Americans fear the return of a Great Depression and Germans instinctively fear inflation because if the hyperinflation of 1923. We always judge the future by our past experiences. Even in relationships, if a previous partner cheated on them, they then look for signs that their current partner will do the same.
Unfortunately, Britain and America do not fully understand the Russian mind and their history of being vulnerable to invasion from Europe and Asia.
Russia with its largest landmass among nations confronts both Europe and Asia. In the past 500 years, Russia has been invaded several times from the west.
We MUST understand the Russian thinking just as General Patton was able to defeat Rommel by reading his books. As long as we just demonize Putin, all we will do is propel the world into a catastrophic war, and Western Civilization as we have known it will fall. To Russia, this is NOT the ego of just Putin. This is the historical mindset of Russia and if the West killed Putin, they will get someone far worse and there will be no solution but inhalation of the world we have known.
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