Crazy Ivan

 

"If you are concerned about Putin right now, you should be. He is a loose canon. If you don't care about what is going on over in the Ukraine, you should be. If Putin pulls a 'Crazy Ivan' and does something really stupid, it could change things for many years for many people."     

I know, I know. "Crazy Ivan" is a term I took from a Tom Clancy novel. It was a move that Soviet subs would use during the Cold War. But I like the term for Putin. He is crazy. Some say, stark craving nuts. So crazy, he just might do what all of his predecessors knew not to do. He might use chemical weapons on a neighboring country. Or worse. He could light off a tactical nuke in the field of battle. Or - he could do the "doomsday move", and do an all out launch on NATO and the US. In any event, this unexpected move of his, has put the world in grave danger. 

Some are saying that Putin needs an "off ramp", so he does not do something very stupid. Others are saying that Ukraine needs to sue for peace. Do as Biden had suggested earlier - just give Putin a chunk of the Ukraine, and ask if he will go home and stop the fighting. The only problem is this - Ukraine wants none of that. If anything, Ukraine wants Crimea back, that Putin illegally took in 2014. 

Today, Putin's troops killed an American reporter, who was on site just doing his job. They also hit an airbase on the far western part of the country. It is a base which just a few weeks ago, was used by American troops. It is a base which is just a stone's throw from Poland. Thirty-five Ukrainian soldiers were killed, and scores more wounded. But there is something else which needs to be noted. That part of the country is full of Ukrainian refugees, trying desperately to make it over he border, into some kind of safety.

Many have tried to get into Putin's head to understand his motivation for bringing the world to the brink. I have a slightly different take. Putin is a self proclaimed student of Russian history. That being said, did he have a slip in this memory or understanding with what happened during World War II? Less than a hundred years ago, Germany was the invader, and Russia was the victim. 

In June of 1941, Germany began "Operation Barbarossa", the surprise invasion of Russia. The Russians were ill prepared for what was coming. To make a long and gruesome story short, this barbaric siege of Russian cities, not only killed tens of thousands of Russian by arial bombing, the blockade of cities caused hundreds of thousands to starve to death. It was horrific.

Putin should be fully aware of his history. The pain and suffering that an invading nation caused. What Putin is doing to Ukraine right now, is only a sample of what Russia went through during World War II. The problem is, Putin could take the suffering of the Ukrainian people to that same level Russia went through in the past. And many think he might just be crazy enough to do so. 

If you are concerned about Putin right now, you should be. He is a loose canon. If you don't care about what is going on over in the Ukraine, you should be. If Putin pulls a "Crazy Ivan" and does something really stupid, it could change things for many years for many people.