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Sanctions are consolidating public opinion behind Putin.

Of course they are because Putin has no opposition and controls ALL the news in Russia.

Public opinion in Russia seems to be that Ukraine was the invader. Just because Russians believe they are fighting a desperate war for their survival and they support their fearless leader is nonsense. That thousands of Russians are fleeing the oppressive yoke of Putin's leadership means nothing to you? That the youngest and brightest are leaving for greener pastures means nothing? Only the indoctrinated remain. All opposition has been vanquished and Putin is expanding his borders through force.

I want to feel sorry for him like you do and I want all those Putinites in Russia to be happy cutting drywall screws until they fall over dead so the very wealthy can hoard more yachts.

But Putin is not conquering the Ukrainian people so he can make their lives better.

He's doing it to serve industry and amass more wealth at the expense of Russians and Ukrainians alike.

Nonsense? Maybe. Perhaps in your walls of text you could try to convince me I'm wrong.

Thus far you mostly reinforce what I already believe.

You haven't convinced me I'm wrong about Clinton yet and you aren't liable to convince me that poor Vlad was forced into this corner and had no choice but to attack Ukraine because of Western aggression and failure to yield to his demands.

Russia is a pissant nation trying to leverage its petroleum supply here at the end of the Petroleum Age. It is Russia that needs to yield(or compromise) not the West.

Good coffee, good weed, and time on my hands...