Yes, he should.
The Ukraine invasion is no doubt a horrific blunder. But it is difficult to think that it was his decision alone.
Before the invasion, Vladimir Putin was considered a brilliant Russian leader. His talks and acts were reasoned. He did restructure Russia away from democratization but many, including some American officials, agreed that he did so to strengthen the Russian government to deal with terrorism. They also believed that such restructuring was compatible with Russia’s democratization process. In other words, he had reasons, good reasons, to do so. That means he was a man who could be reasoned with, not driven by emotion.
Our president George W. Bush even found him to be a good man: “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be straightforward and trustworthy…I was able to get a sense of his soul. The man’s deeply committed to his country and the best interest of his country.”
One good result out of the Ukraine fiasco is that Mr. Putin is weakened. The Russian power structure is no longer a one man show. The disappearance from the public and reappearance of his Defense Secretary Sergey Shoygu reveals such change. Mr. Shoygu’s disappearance was no doubt Mr. Putin’s decision. But his reappearance was clearly not. He, or any leader, cannot reverse his decision by himself in a matter of days without damaging his authority.
It is better for the West to continue dealing with him than a new Russian leader, a still unknown guy who probably is also a member of the cabal deeply involved in the decision to invade Ukraine who would not have the brain and, strange enough, the temper of Mr. Putin.
The news briefing by the U.S. intelligence that Mr. Putin was deceived, or at least not given full information, by his security apparatus including his generals, is the right approach to buttress Mr. Putin’s standing with the Russian people, which is the sine qua non to keep him the leader of Russia.
But calling the invasion of Ukraine Mr. Putin’s smart move or that he is a genius or asserting (on Fox News) that our government is lying about the Ukraine invasion or lapping up (Fox News again) the Russian propaganda (fake news) that the U.S. has helped Ukraine develop bioweapons in laboratories located on the Ukraine’s soil, does not help to shore up Mr. Putin’s status. It is dangerous, weirdly pervert, unpatriotic and pathetic. It smacks of a personal agenda looking for personal benefits in blatant disregard of the U.S.’s interest and national security, and even the world’s, if Fox ever thinks about it.
