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Well over 100,000 Russian troops are now amassed on the border with Ukraine.
Most suspect this is more than mere war games.
It appears to be brinksmanship, at minimum.
The USA is mightily concerned that an impending invasion is just a matter of time. And that perhaps short.
What does the leader of Russia Vladimir Putin want?
As the 1997 political satire black comedy film WAG THE DOG amply demonstrated, distractions do sometimes work. In that movie a spin doctor and Hollywood producer fabricate a war in Albania to distract voters from a presidential sex scandal.
Putin can, at least temporarily, get his people’s mind off other problems — a reeling economy, low birthrate, rampant alcoholism, a dour mood not improved by long Siberian winters, etc. — by going to war with another country.
Perhaps akin to the fellow who’s had a rough day at work coming home and kicking the family dog.
One has very little to do with the other, and the dog gets taken unfair advantage of, but it’s not about to bite the hand that feeds it.
Or the foot that kicks it.
It still fetches a slipper for that misguided foot.
Even though he wasn’t the Russian leader at the time, Putin probably chafes at…
