Putin Flubbed It
Paul Craig Roberts
President Trump’s reference to Russia as a paper tiger, dismissal of Putin’s conduct of the conflict in Ukraine as “aimless,” and suggestion of supplying Ukraine with long range missiles that would turn the war around and put Ukraine on the offensive awaited Putin’s response at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi. Putin flubbed it. Instead of addressing the latest challenges presented to Russia, Putin pandered to Trump praising Trump’s plan for Gaza to be governed by a Peace Board headed by Trump and unindicted war criminal Tony Blair.
Interviewed on Press TV, Gilbert Doctorow responded to the host’s question with questions:
How can Iran take seriously any Russian commitments to its defense when Vladimir Putin drops all pretense at sovereignty to ingratiate himself with Donald Trump as he did in Sochi? How can Iran establish durable partnership with Trump who praises unindicted war criminal Tony Blair as an ‘experienced statesman’ appointed by Trump as a member of the Peace Board to govern Gaza?
It does seem that Putin either has no stomach for the real war toward which events are pushing the world or, holding counsel with himself, he is quietly preparing for war so as to have the advantage of surprise. It is difficult to believe that Putin and Lavrov are as obtuse to the West’s intentions as they appear to be.