, 03.02.2022 11:02 AM

My latest: Putin has already lost

Vladimir Putin is a fascist.

He’s a war criminal. He’s a thug. He’s a murderer.

But he’s also losing his war against Ukraine. He’s already lost, in fact.

Ten reasons:

1. NATO. More than anything else, perhaps, the Russian dictator wanted to stop Ukraine’s admission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO was weakened during the chaotic Donald Trump era — and Putin wanted to keep it that way. Instead, his attack on Ukraine has unified NATO like never before.

2. CHINA. Putin’s closest superpower ally has been China. He didn’t start his illicit war until the Beijing Olympics were over — and he was counting on China’s tacit support while he waged war. But China has clearly been stunned by world reaction, and has been decidedly unhelpful to Putin at the United Nations and elsewhere. Putin needed China’s unquestioning support. He doesn’t have it.

3. EU. Until now, the European Union has been European, perhaps, but not so united. Since the commencement of war in Ukraine, however, the EU has acted swiftly, decisively and as a common front — and, for the first time, provided arms to a nation under attack. Like NATO, the EU is united and stronger like never before — because Putin underestimated both.

4. SWISS. The Swiss are known for cheese and banking — with holes in the former, but none in the latter. For the first time in history, however, the notoriously secretive Swiss banking system has abandoned neutrality and frozen millions held in personal accounts belonging to Putin and his cabal. That was a move neither Putin nor his regime ever expected.

5. RUSSIANS. Thousands of Russians have taken to the streets, across Putin’s fiefdom, to loudly and defiantly oppose his war. They have done so at great risk to themselves and to their families — and hundreds have been imprisoned for doing so. Meanwhile, even some of the most ardent Putin loyalists — the oligarchs he made rich, and vice-versa — have started to openly oppose the war, too.

6. SWIFT. The expulsion of Russian banks from SWIFT, the nervous system that joins financial institutions around the globe, has crippled the Russian economy, and rendered the ruble virtually worthless. Without SWIFT, Russia cannot conduct trade with the rest of the world.

7. TRUMP. Putin could always count on Donald Trump, and the Trump Republicans, to offer unqualified support. Trump, in fact, even paid tribute to Putin’s “genius” in a recent speech — and was stunned by the massive backlash it caused. Since then, Trump and his Republicans have been walking back their fealty to the Russian leader, and condemning his war in Ukraine.

8. CANADA ET AL. Little Canada and other nations who lack superpower clout have been punching above their weight during this illegal war. Canada, in particular, has sent Ukraine fighting troops for training, shipped lethal weapons, initiated the calls for Russia’s expulsion from the global financial system, and this week pushed for the prosecution of Putin as a war criminal. Whatever their many faults, PM Justin Trudeau and his cabinet have done exceptionally well since the war began.

9. WEATHER. Writer John Mraz returned from Ukraine this week. On my Kinsellacast podcast, Mraz said that unseasonably warm temperatures have hurt Putin’s military. Russian heavy artillery has been confined to roadways because the ground is too soft and muddy — thereby making that artillery an easy target for Ukrainian military.

10. UKRAINIANS. More than anything else, Putin was counting on Ukrainians to put up little or no defence — as was the case when he annexed Crimea in 2014. That hasn’t happened. The Ukrainian military, and Ukrainian people, have fought with a ferocity that all of us will be speaking about for generations. Their bravery and strength has been astonishing, and an inspiration for the world. So too their leader, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

In the end, Putin may take Ukraine, but he will not hold it. He will never hold it.

Because all of the world are now united against him — and united in support of the Ukrainian people.

— Warren Kinsella was special assistant to Prime Minister Jean Chretien

11 Comments

  1. Richard L says:

    Germany, too! Putin likely assumed they would be soft on Russia given their dependence on Russian oil, yet they not only cancelled Nordstream 2 but also vowed to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP – a huge departure from decades of German policy.

  2. Gilbert says:

    All your points are good ones. Let me add three points about President Biden:

    1) He had lots of time to arm Ukraine adequately.
    2) The USA was energy-dependent but is now buying Russian oul.
    3) The withdrawal from Afghanistan was noticed by the enemies of the USA.

    • The Doctor says:

      You mean that withdrawal from Afghanistan that Donald Trump wanted to do even faster than Biden did?

  3. They say Putin is paranoid about a surprise boom boom in the Kremlin. Well, given his latest track record on Ukraine, I wouldn’t call him paranoid. I’d call him lucid and realistic.

    Bang, bang, and then you’re gone.

    • Pipes says:

      Mr. O’Dowd the end is nigh.

      Or

      We get a Hollywood ending-Putin orders to spin up and launch Nukes. Russian Generals knowing that will be the end of times, refuse. Russian Military Coup happens, Putin faces War Crimes. Putin Hangs. Russia pays to rebuild that which they destroyed in the Ukraine. Russian people move toward democracy and the brave and innocent Ukrainian souls are canonized in our hearts and minds forever.

      Alternate ending: The power of the detonated Nuclear Weapons knocks the earth off its orbit and we either fly into the sum and incinerate or are sent off to a different orbit and freeze to death.

      I dont mean to appear to be cavalier, but I really think these are possibilities.

    • Douglas W says:

      Agreed: only a matter of time before Russian power brokers turn on their boss.

      Bullets in chambers, as we speak.

      • The Doctor says:

        I think that’s why Vlad is hiding in the Urals rather than strolling around Moscow. Remember it’s strongly suspected that Stalin (the last Russian leader to go gaga) was poisoned by his Politburo colleagues

    • Derek Pearce says:

      We can only hope. Maybe some brave (foolhardy?) soul will do it to him.

  4. Westguy says:

    Your points are valid which causes me more concern. He’s mentioned using nuclear weapons a couple of times now. I’m concerned that the more things don’t go his way the more likely it is he’ll use them.

  5. Dave says:

    Worth a watch if you do not understand how Russia wages war. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5BAZ2bBUzM&list=WL&index=1

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