Biden stared down Putin, and Putin was bluffing

[Ike Bana]

Timothy Ash, senior emerging markets sovereign strategist at BlueBay Asset Management, said in a note Tuesday that “if Putin has really blinked, this would be huge win for Biden, [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and the West.”“They called out Putin for threats [and] menacing military actions and failed to concede anything much on Putin’s red lines,” he said.Ash added that it would be difficult to see the entire situation as anything but a big defeat for Putin.“What did he achieve?” he said. “He managed to rally the West back around NATO, which again has common purpose. Ukrainian sovereignty [has been] affirmed, even strengthened.”As a result of Russia’s aggressive activity, Ukraine’s military was now better armed and better able to defend itself, Ash added.“Russia has been called out as an unreliable energy supplier — the West will accelerate diversification away from Russian energy sources,” he said. ”[Putin’s] bluff was called. He may have written a long essay over the close historical links between Russia and Ukraine, but some will say he was the Russian leader who actually lost Ukraine. That will be his mark in history — he accelerated Ukraine’s Western orientation.” - CNBC 2/15/22

Russia begins partial troop pullback from Ukraine border

Now watch American conservatives who will have no choice but to pimp for Putin as some sort of honorable guy...simply because they can't admit a win for Joe Biden. At some point in this last conversation with Putin, in so many words Biden told him that if he goes through with this he's not gonna like what happens.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Russia begins partial troop pullback from Ukraine border

Now watch American conservatives who will have no choice but to pimp for Putin as some sort of honorable guy...simply because they can't admit a win for Joe Biden. At some point in this last conversation with Putin, in so many words Biden told him that if he goes through with this he's not gonna like what happens.

Sounds good. But this list of how this is really bad for Putin is also a list of reasons to suspect this is a deception and the invasion will happen.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Russia begins partial troop pullback from Ukraine border

Now watch American conservatives who will have no choice but to pimp for Putin as some sort of honorable guy...simply because they can't admit a win for Joe Biden. At some point in this last conversation with Putin, in so many words Biden told him that if he goes through with this he's not gonna like what happens.

Like Tucker Carson and his #1 fanboy, our very own Dondilion.

[nailer]

Blinking is a good thing.

Putin's playing the long game, Russian style.

[Ike Bana]

I'm pretty convinced that as much as neither man will admit it, there very likely could have been some sort of deal struck between Biden and Putin. Something that satisfied both Putin and Zelensky. We shall see.

[BigElCat]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Sounds good. But this list of how this is really bad for Putin is also a list of reasons to suspect this is a deception and the invasion will happen.

I still think Putin is going for it.

Too much to gain, and too much to lose by backing down. He not planning on retiring, and wearing a bag over his head.

I hope I'm wrong.

[RickeyM]

I saw a report somewhere this A.M. that Russia isn't actually pulling back troops. If so, wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[BigElCat]

Originally Posted by RickeyM

I saw a report somewhere this A.M. that Russia isn't actually pulling back troops. If so, wouldn't surprise me a bit.

He's building bridges to bring his tanks in.

When I said he was "going to plant a Billy Jack kick", I did not mean to imply that Putin is a hero. Only that he was going plant a kick as stated.

Here's the scene from the movie; the rest of the world has Putin surrounded.

(If anyone remembers the movie, no need to watch)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVX-voqWuwY

Correction; Putin states he's not going to do it. But he's 'telegraphing' his swing for the spy cameras.

[BigElCat]

Putin's not going to be harmed by the sanctions. Russia will sell it's oil to China at a marginally discounted price, China will build it's strategic oil reserve.

Petrol prices go up in the west, the rich get richer, the poor more poor. I've already mentioned who generates this brilliant foreign policy. Won't say it again.

[Mark B]

Originally Posted by nailer

Blinking is a good thing.

Putin's playing the long game, Russian style.

Braggin' about the Russians huh?

Looks to me like they've been a dismal failure.