Russia is, and always has been, a one-man show. It’s ruled from the top down, with the guy at the peak of the pyramid giving the orders, playing the starring role, and slinging the bullshit to try to convince the world — including his own people — that black is white and vice-versa. That’s quite a job.

And seldom has it been more so than it is now, with Vladimir Putin writing the script and pulling the strings of his all-puppet cast. Every once in a while, he gets lucky and something happens somewhere in the world in which he played absolutely no part — allegedly — but which he can use to his advantage simply by twisting the facts a bit. Like Hamas’ invasion of Israel: a brutal, deadly war in which only one person in the entire world can find any good: Vladimir Putin. Because he can once again blame the United States. And because it may help him defeat Ukraine.

How so? According to the Washington-based think tank, The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), “The Kremlin is already and will likely continue to exploit the Hamas attacks in Israel to advance several information operations intended to reduce US and Western support and attention to Ukraine.” [Business Insider, October 8, 2023.] The ISW report further states that, after Hamas’ attacks on October 7th, “the Kremlin amplified information campaigns that accused the West of ignoring Middle East conflicts to support Ukraine.” The Kremlin also predicts that resources from the West would now be devoted to the Middle East (presumably meaning Israel) rather than to Ukraine.

Not surprisingly, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, has also added fuel to the fire by posting similar messages on X (we all know what that was formerly called), claiming that “instead of actively working at Palestinian-Israeli settlement,” the U.S. and its allies are once again trying to “incite conflicts all over the planet.” The ISW commented: “These Kremlin narratives target Western audiences to drive a wedge in military support for Ukraine, seek to demoralize Ukrainian society by claiming Ukraine will lose international support, and intend to reassure Russian domestic audiences that the international society will ignore Ukraine’s war effort.”

It doesn’t help matters that the U.S.Congress has, at least temporarily, sidelined Ukraine by passing a stopgap funding measure omitting aid to Ukraine, while it continues to haggle over a final budget for this fiscal year. Putin the Propagandist immediately jumped on that bit of news to predict that, if financial assistance to Ukraine from the West is cut off, Ukraine will be able to “live for only a week.” [Business Insider, October 8, 2023.]

I certainly can’t foretell the accuracy of Putin’s predictions, but I fear he may not be totally off the mark. If we, and the rest of the West, are forced to spread ourselves too thin in offering assistance to both of our allies, Ukraine and Israel, the result could be disastrous for either or both of them.

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Taking into account what the world does know about Putin’s devious methods, how can we even be certain that he isn’t at least partially complicit in Hamas’ recent actions? Consider the well-known symbiotic relationship between Russia and Iran in the form of an exchange of weaponry (Iran to Russia) for technology and training (Russia to Iran). Add to that the supportive relationship between Iran and Hamas, and the current investigation by Western intelligence into the possibility of Iran’s having provided resources to Hamas prior to its invasion of Israel, and . . . Do you see where this is leading? Could Putin’s somber prediction of Ukraine’s demise thus become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

And now, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has put forth a proposal that Russia act as mediator between Israel and Hamas, based on Russia’s good relationship with both Israel and Gaza (and, presumably, its own superior negotiating skills). According to Peskov, Russia intends “to keep making efforts and play our role in terms of providing assistance to seek ways to a settlement.” Right. The dictator who is mercilessly pursuing his own massacre in Ukraine now professes to be able to settle a centuries-old vendetta in the Middle East by means of . . . what? . . . superior intellect? Threatening to nuke both sides? Or perhaps just charming them into submission?

Seriously, wouldn’t allowing him to step into that role be sort of like sending the fox to settle an argument in the henhouse?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/13/23