I think too many people, including Mr. Sykes, are not taking into account the mental instability of Vladimir Putin. When you are dealing with someone who is paranoid and on the defensive, you have to speak slowly and clearly about setting boundaries. That is, you shouldn't be engaging in the same game of "maybe I will, maybe I won't" t…
I think too many people, including Mr. Sykes, are not taking into account the mental instability of Vladimir Putin. When you are dealing with someone who is paranoid and on the defensive, you have to speak slowly and clearly about setting boundaries. That is, you shouldn't be engaging in the same game of "maybe I will, maybe I won't" threats and implications. Biden's message that Nato is NOT putting ground forces into Ukraine and Russia is NOT facing an existential threat is being heard by the Russian military - and I'll bet they are slowly being drawn into relying more on this consistent message than the increasingly bizarre threats and hysteria from Putin and his coterie. I don't think Putin is totally rational at this point, and that calls for a firm, consistent, public message.
Besides, although I think this is too much subtlety, it's possible the emphasis on airplanes over Ukraine serves as a valuable cover for what is really going on - the transfer of more significant and effective fighting technology to Ukraine. By keeping the "no-fly-zone" as the red line we WON'T cross and talking a lot about it, we can cross plenty of other lines quietly. "Oh, no, no, no, see, we AREN'T enforcing a no-fly-zone. Just look at what we're NOT doing." (oh, and another 100 javelins just crossed the border into Ukraine).
I think too many people, including Mr. Sykes, are not taking into account the mental instability of Vladimir Putin. When you are dealing with someone who is paranoid and on the defensive, you have to speak slowly and clearly about setting boundaries. That is, you shouldn't be engaging in the same game of "maybe I will, maybe I won't" threats and implications. Biden's message that Nato is NOT putting ground forces into Ukraine and Russia is NOT facing an existential threat is being heard by the Russian military - and I'll bet they are slowly being drawn into relying more on this consistent message than the increasingly bizarre threats and hysteria from Putin and his coterie. I don't think Putin is totally rational at this point, and that calls for a firm, consistent, public message.
Besides, although I think this is too much subtlety, it's possible the emphasis on airplanes over Ukraine serves as a valuable cover for what is really going on - the transfer of more significant and effective fighting technology to Ukraine. By keeping the "no-fly-zone" as the red line we WON'T cross and talking a lot about it, we can cross plenty of other lines quietly. "Oh, no, no, no, see, we AREN'T enforcing a no-fly-zone. Just look at what we're NOT doing." (oh, and another 100 javelins just crossed the border into Ukraine).