Putin interview valuable for those who are interested.

PUTIN OFFERS HIS CLEAR OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THE GLOBAL POLITICAL SCENE

THE WORLD IS CHANGING IN UNSTOPPABLE WAYS

I watched the whole 2 hour interview of Vladimir Putin by Tucker Carlson. I have already heard the criticism that Carlson let Putin do all the talking. Actually it is the style of effective interviewers like Larry King, Lex Friedman and now Carlson to let their subjects reveal their thoughts and ideas. For anyone who is interested, it was a valuable insight into Putin's view of the Ukraine conflict and the evolving world political scene. To do those who find it easier and more comfortable to accept the narrative of the western media and leaders I am sure they did not watch or discounted this interview before even watching.

For myself, an observer of world events for over 40 years, as these event happened, I found no new revelations, Putin's analysis is very clear, objective and pragmatic, something that is lacking in most all western leaders today.  

I believe the United States has been the greatest and most effective experiment in self government in history. I believe for this nation to be successful, to continue to provide opportunity, security and individual rights for its citizens it needs to strictly adhere to its constitution and also to be guided by certain eternal truths of moral integrity. All Americans should feel it is their responsibility to ascertain if the government of this country has been living up to the standards that has made this country successful.

The narrative of the western security state is that Putin and Russia desires to remake the former Soviet Union. That if he is not defeated in Ukraine, he will be at the door of Poland, Latvia, Sweden and Germany. It is to any objective and commonsense analysis a ludicrous idea. What does any of these countries have that Russia needs, certainly not land mass, not raw material, really not anything. In fact western Europe needs Russia far more than Russia needs western Europe. That reality is being demonstrated every day in the economies and social upheaval now going on in most all of western Europe.

As far as NATO expansion, the love child of the U.S. security and intelligence apparatus, the conflict in Ukraine was predicted by myself near a decade ago and other observers of Russia and NATO. It was understood by the U.S. that NATO expansion to the doorstop of Russia would end in military conflict, which it has. They knew it, and they wanted it, because they felt that they could cripple and possibly dismember Russia into conflicting parts that they could control. It has been a dismal failure, but yet they double down hoping to save their credibility and political power. They no longer have much credibility and it is waning around the world.

The reality is that the United States is not the power it was in 1980. It has lost its manufacturing base. It has a debt like no country in world history. Its internal politics are corrupted and corrupting. To an outside observer this country, like empires before, is declining from within, not from foreign threats. While we still have a formidable military power, we increasingly have attempted to keep our place in the world by intimidation, threats and force. It is not going to work.

America can only keep its place in the world by a strong internal America, self sufficient, a sound currency and guided in its foreign policy by fair play and sound judgement. With a moral integrity that has empathy and listens and respects the concerns of other nations and their cultures. The United States needs to get its house in order to maintain its standing in the world, not by force and threats but by admiration and respect.