Most experts underestimated Ukrainian willingness for resistance and Russian unwillingness to fight people who speak the same language, have the same religion etc.
Just when the war started, many western politicians said it is much better to not intervene and let Russia to take over Ukraine as soon as possible to reduce death toll. I disagreed because I knew that Ukrainians will fiercely resist and in case of total Russia's victory, it will need to supress civilian resistance leading up to a second Holodomor.
Patriarch Kirill, leading the Russian Orthodox Church, is complicit in the war, having called for Ukraine's complete destruction. The ROC is now a pariah among the other Christian Orthodox Churches. There is a growing contingent in the World Council of Churches to expell the ROC. Kirill considers Putin's leadership a divine miracle, and they each legitimize the other.
Any western politician saying Russia should take over Ukraine is speaking obscenities and ignorance. Every western country is a signatory to the UN Charter. The invasion isn't just illegal. It's comparable to Nazi Germany invading Poland, which led to the Nuremberg judgement that aggressive wars, wars of conquest to expand borders and/or subjugate people, is the supreme international crime. It would be highly diplomatic to tell such a politician proposing otherwise to shut up.
It would be highly diplomatic to tell such a politician proposing otherwise to shut up.
I'd love to, but it's a moderately popular position in the US. We have an election coming up this November, and there will be more than a few politicians who accept this position, at least tacitly. It is expected by many (including me) to be effective, and to reinforce an already expected takeover of both branches of Congress.
Such things are common during midterm elections, so it won't be entirely attributable to support for Russia. But there are a fair number of Americans who do, and their preferred party is already opposing the President on any action he takes with respect to Russia.
No one in the west stood to profit from saying "Russia's military is corrupt, unmaintained, and poorly trained." Everybody with an interest in the Russian military had incentive to magnify their capabilities.
SNAFU principle at work. Everybody tells the boss what the boss wants to hear; so the bosses never connect with reality.
I'm sure the US military, fresh form 20 years of triumph in Afghanistan, is totally ready to meet the challenges etc; we could conquer Mexico tomorrow if we wanted.... right?
Just when the war started, many western politicians said it is much better to not intervene and let Russia to take over Ukraine as soon as possible to reduce death toll. I disagreed because I knew that Ukrainians will fiercely resist and in case of total Russia's victory, it will need to supress civilian resistance leading up to a second Holodomor.