… Vladimir Putin is not a Chessmaster …

.. but he is playing a weak hand in a very strong fashion .

.. Russia ‘ s military is sorely in need of reform . Its navy is modernizing , but needs years of investment in its surface fleet and its training regime . The Russian Air Force is easily the most modern . It has a great deal of territory to cover , but does so with a small fleet of aircraft and aircrews . It could be larger , if Russia could afford it .

.. The Russian army is still sorely in need of a major overhaul . Russia ‘ s enlisted forces are largely a conscript force . The average Russian has to serve a 2 year hitch , and draft evasion is rampant . It would serve Russia well to convert to an all – volunteer force . At least then they would know that the people there are there willingly , and will serve their tours of duty .

.. Putin does not have as strong a force as he thinks that he might have . However , he is facing off against a very , very , very weak customer in Barack Obama . Obama is a wuss , and has no idea of strategic concepts , strategic planning , or leadership . Putin does , and is doing so to his best . If Putin were facing off against someone stronger , well then … . Well , he is not , and is taking maximum advantage …

… My God [Venezuela] …

.. it is more of Send in the Goons time ! ..

.. it has been , ever since Hugo Chavez and his crowd took power in an electoral ” coup ” many years ago . They continue to play out the Send in the Goons card , although there are far fewer Chavistas these days . They literally have to pay them in order to get them to show up , and their numbers are down sharply .

.. Now , it is the army that has to do the dirty work . Somehow , I do not think that they are too happy about it . They would rather have the National Policy wield the trunchions instead of plain ordinary mestizos . The higher ups cannot be entirely confident that their orders are going to be followed …

.. It would be nice if we had some strategic foresight here in America . POTUS , VPOTUS , and their crowd have no idea of what they are doing , or what they want to do . If they had any kind of strategic vision , they could end up having a ” B ” anticipating events , and thinking ahead towards what could or should be done , especially in foreign affairs ….

.. A ” B ” team would be a good idea in domestic politics , too . These idiots would not get caught so often when they get seen ” leading from behind . ” Thinking ahead and anticipiating events would help to avoid a lot of unneccessary grief …