Post # 210, Bob McKnight's Florida Commentary
Putin watched the Soviet Union fall in 1991, and used his elections as President to regain his evil power in the World. Ukraine is the ultimate test of whether he has succeeded.
It is a hard date to forget--Christmas day in 1991. The Soviet Union was dissolved that day. The year 1999 is when Viladimir Putin, ex member of the KGB, became President of what then remained of Russia. He was angry, wanted revenge and was determined to restore Russia to it's place as the major Communist power in Europe and the World. My guess is he had settled on a plan and it included using his prowess in security as a way to restore Russia's power. During that first term, Putin served as President until 2008, when he became Prime Minister. That service lasted until 2012, when he became President for a second term, which he has now extended indefinitely, through his manipulation of elections.
The start of Putin's first term in 1999 was also the start of the internet and social media. America saw it as an exciting new medium for convenience and commerce. Putin saw it differently, as a source of intelligence and spying on his enemies--mainly the United States and NATO countries. In a word, he saw "evil." He spend the better part of the early 2000's laying his plan in place, with the priority of disrupting America's Cyber Security. He began moving into expansion of Russia fighting in Georgia, securing Belarus, securing Crimea and had his eyes on securing control of Ukraine. At this point Barack Obama was the American President and Ukraine was put on hold by Putin. In the meantime, Putin moved quickly into Syria, and that spooked Obama into doing nothing during the elections. It is well known that Putin has become close friends with China President Xi Jinping with the joint target of removing democracy from Taiwan. Putin has funded Cuba and Venezuela's Communist Party for decades, showing his vision for expansion into the Americas. Putin's plan was to spread evil from the very start in 1999.
Hillary Clinton, in 2016, was the Democratic favorite to be the nominee, and Putin saw this as an opportunity to influence the American election. He already had a shaky relationship with Donald Trump, who wanted to build real estate projects in Russia. Putin allegedly had his Oligarchs fund Trump's struggling operation and used Russian computers to infiltrate America's utilities, banks, and electronic defenses. Trump lost the popular vote in 2016, but became the 45th President due to the electoral college vote. America's role with Russia immediately turned from one of concern to that of subservience. The Republican Hawks turned into weak Doves toward Russia and Putin, and remain so today.
With Trump as President, Putin moved quickly to have the Magnitsky Act repealled by Congress, which froze Russian assets of people responsible for certain deaths in Russia. Putin and his close confidents had millions frozen. Trump's ignorance of lawmaking showed--he could not repleal Magnitsky and also could not repeal Obama Care.
Fast forward to today. With Biden now as United States President, Putin has launched full blown war on Ukraine. He is trying to present it as Russia against the foes of America and NATO. Putin is greatly aided by the apparent split in America with Biden and Democrats loyally on the side of Ukraine and NATO, while Trump and the majority of the Republican Party are supporting Putin and the Communists. Why? Tump has economics on his agenda and most Republicans are cowards, afraid of Trump.
Putin's evil plan for War Crimes is on schedule.