Friday, March 14, 2014

On the Prospect of Putin Ultimately Invading Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania

I don't even want to think about this one, people. I mean, yes, there are a fair number of ethnic Russians who live in the Baltic but you could say exactly the same thing about Mexicans in the United States, Chinese in Malaysia, Serbs and Croats in Bosnia, etc.. That, and I would also assert that these three countries are amongst the very few in Europe (along with Sweden and Denmark) that seem to be moving more toward economic freedom and away from the heavy-handed albatross of the state/less than sentient overlords. To me, it would be an absolute tragedy to lose any of these lands to some bush-league former KGB ass-hat like Vladimir Putin.

16 comments:

Rusty Shackelford said...



I don't know if Putin can be classified as a "bush league ass hat," I think I would tread lightly there.

After watching his press conference today John Kerry may very well fit in the ass hat arena.

Putin's goal in life is to restore his perceived glory of the former Russia and he may very well cause quite a few problems along the way.

After getting the best of Obama in Syria, Putin views him as a weakling and IMO has absolutely no fear of Obama or anyone in Europe for that matter.The EU is dependent on Russian energy and fears a pipeline shut down.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

Let me just remind you that Putin invaded Georgia while Bush was President. The guy is a lunatic and apparently doesn't give a damn who's President.

Rusty Shackelford said...



Correct.....but Bush only had three months left when Putin invaded Georgia and Russia still holds parts of Georgia.

My point is....I wouldn't take Putin lightly. I'd guess ex-KGB heads maybe just a bit devious.

Putin has time on his side....I don't think he is worried about a mid term 2014 election and what may happen if Obama becomes a true lame duck.

Tell me......who is going to step up and stop Putin? Merkel is the only EU member with a set of balls and she needs Russian oil and gas.

dmarks said...

About the Second Chechnya War:

"In 2001 the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has placed Chechnya on its Genocide Watch List:

Chechnya was devastated, including the almost complete destruction of Grozny, the Chechen capital. Russian artillery and air indiscriminately pounded populated areas. Human rights organizations also documented several massacres of civilians by Russian units. Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed Chechnya pacified by Spring 2000. But peace has been elusive for Chechen civilians, victims of a continuing war of attrition. They are plagued by abuses committed by Russian forces – arbitrary arrest, extortion, torture, murder. Chechen civilians also suffer because there have been no sustained efforts to rebuild basic social services, such as public utilities or education. Chechen fighters also commit abuses against civilians, but neither on the same scale nor with the same intensity as Russian forces.[93]

The Russian government failed to pursue any accountability process for human rights abuses committed during the course of the conflict in Chechnya. Unable to secure justice domestically, hundreds of victims of abuse have filed applications with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). In March 2005 the court issued the first rulings on Chechnya, finding the Russian government guilty of violating the right to life and even if the prohibition of torture with respect to civilians who had died or forcibly disappeared at the hands of Russia's federal troops.[94] Many similar claims were ruled since against Russia."


This was the first step in Putin establishing news new Russian Empire. He got away with all of the abuses shown above, which means that he would do the same in Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and any other non-Russian territory unfortunate to be coveted by Moscow.

Similar to China's invasion of and war against and "pacification" of the nation of Tibet.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

Oh, I don't take him lightly, Russ. Like I said, I fear that he WILL invade the Baltic countries.......Yeah, that's some pretty scary stuff, dmarks, some pretty scary stuff.

BB-Idaho said...

For a powerful guy, from the photos I've seen, he can't afford a shirt lots of times. The Crimea
thing presented an opportunity; Ukraine was in political chaos and
Vlad spotted a Churchillian sphere of interest...a port on the Black Sea. As regards ethnic
Russians, they are scattered in
significant numbers throughout the former Soviet Union; active, for example, at space bases in
Kazakhstan and gas line pumping stations throughout the Steppes.
As long as the former states have
a healthy political system and economic ties with Russia, IMO
Putin has no Hitlerian or Stalinist agenda. (unless he spots a good shirt factory somewhere)

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I pray that you're right.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I would also add that one of the major reasons for the high percentage of Russians in the Ukraine (is is Ukraine or the Ukraine?) is that Joseph Stalin forcibly removed a fair amount of Ukrainians and allowed the Russians to migrate there.

Rusty Shackelford said...



It will all work out....they have an "election" this weekend.....wink,wink,nod,nod...

BB-Idaho said...

Those 'plebiscites' go back to Hitler's ethnic Germans in the Rhineland/Saar and subsequent invasion back in the 'Peace In Our Time' days. Reminds of the
"He may be an SOB, but he's our SOB" concept. We like plebiscites if they are our idea,
and along those lines, one wonders if Ol Jimmy Carter will be
there monitoring and counting votes.

dmarks said...

Will said:

"...Joseph Stalin forcibly removed a fair amount of Ukrainians..."

Dervish Sander's hero Josef Stalin "removed" seven million Ukrainians from this mortal coil. Part of the necessary (according to WD) struggle against the rich.

dmarks said...

BB said: "Putin has no Hitlerian or Stalinist agenda."

Look at any account of life in Chechnya since Russia invaded it and established Russia as an imperial power for the first time since Gorbachev and Yeltsin wisely let the empire idea become a barbaric memory instead of reality. An ongoing reign of terror with mass murder and ordered rapes and mass graves. Is that so different from a Hitlerian and Stalinist agenda?

Rusty Shackelford said...



Hitler's army got a strong dose of the Russian bear at Stalingrad.In fact other then the D Day invasion the battle for Russia destroyed the German army and they really felt the brunt of Russian reprisal when the red army reached Berlin.

Les Carpenter said...

" ... I'd guess ex-KGB heads maybe just a bit devious.

Reminds me a bit of Good Ole Dick Cheney with the devious thing.

dmarks said...

BB... I will have to check the dates, but I thought that incident was after Russia invaded Chechnya. I could be wrong...

Rusty Shackelford said...



Hey the election results are in and well over 90% of Crimea people want to align with Mother Russia.....what a surprising result

And Putin's approval rate is over 70% in Russia.

This shit is going to get interesting.