Just finished listening to this and i found it fascinating. Thank you for sharing.

I think the intell community knew far more about Putin post 1989 than was officially taken on board by Western govts: his KGB ruthlessness and his desire to build an empire of his own.

When you think of Western democracies it's the big oligarchs/corps who create the arena for the politicians to work within. Their money pays. Tail wags the dog.

In Russia Putin is the tail AND the dog. *Nobody controls him.* He controls the oligarchs and will readily dispose of them if they don't comply.

I think the West completely misjudged and underestimated Putin. They naively thought he'd join in the democracy party and become a friend. He was playing the West from the v start. Built his money and empire and now pulls the strings in Hungary Belarus Turkey Poland MEast SthAmerica Africa and in all the elections in the West.

The thing about nationalist fascist right wing dictators tho, is once they have finished hating on everyone they inevitably turn in on themselves. Putin v Trump v Xi v Modi v Kim v Orban ... who'll be the one to win? Or push the button on the others?

#putin #trump #dictatorship #fascism #oligarchy #globalpolitics #autocracy