DanArrows patreon

The Iron Dice | Bonus Episode #5: Russia Rolls The Iron Dice

🕑 Added 2022-02-22 00:29:11 +0000 UTC

Comments

Michael Litke

I think up to about 2010 (rough estimate) it makes sense to talk about nato encroaching on Russia's sphere of influence. But for the past 12 years or so we have seen countries that are already in nato drift towards Russian influence. Germany made itself hugely dependent on Russian gas coal, and was preparing to make itself even more dependent. And when trump suggested im I think 2018 that nato counties needed to hold to agreed upon amount of military spending, he was very strongly rebuffed. I obviously understand you are not trying to justify Russia's actions but the analysis you gave I think breaks down the closer you get to the present day after the 2008 nato meeting. I think Russia's actions here are more heavily explained by other motivations. Putin's hour long speech I think speaks to that. I don't think it was always divorced from jockeying with the US for influence, but I think Russia's motivations have expanded beyond that, especially given the scale of the invasion that happened after this was recorded. Russia is not trying to occupy part of Ukraine and have it not be in nato anymore, they are trying to take it as part of Russia