Like we negotiate all the time with people who want more but are willing to accept less.

I will admit, I am greatly influenced by this substack:

https://nonzero.substack.com/p/why-biden-didnt-negotiate-seriously?utm_source=url

May be a Russian Asset but it sounds right.

Appeasement has us so shook that it might have never made us actually considering striking a deal in which UKraine doesn't join NATO. BTW, what is the great upside for allowing Ukraine to join NATO? We get to say Russia doesn't get to tell us what to do?

We didn't strike a deal and Putin invades the Donbas region. Would striking a deal have stopped him from doing that? Maybe. Do we care that the Russian parts of Ukraine that voted to align with Russia have been invaded by Russia? IDk. But to put another way. If this ends today with the only result is Russia now having the Donbas region wouldn't that be a win and a relief for everyone?

I really don't think you can enter these sort of negotiations overly focused on "well what are they going to do or want next?" All the near nuclear strikes that almost happened through out history were because one side wanted to take pre-emptive steps before the other side launched (like Crimson Tide and the Cuban Missile Crisis).

I think the biggest advantage the US has over Russia is time. The longer we keep a stalemate going, the sooner Putin dies, and the sooner folks from Eastern Boarder countries see Russian style economies do not work. That is why Putin is panicking, he is old and sees the direction Eastern Europe is heading. When Russia's strength is as a military power in a world run by economic power, he has to think a military conflict are betters terms for conflict then economic .

But again, Kfine is a rockstar. I do not think I am disagreeing with what he said, just going in a different direction.





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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"