Good grief. If Putin thinks he’s bringing his A game he better have something special up his sleeve. Playing dominance games with Trump is playing with fire.
Dominance games? The silly stunts like being late for meetings or in this case a phone call and making others wait for you. It’s the political version of fighting for pole position. There are a lot of times when this sort of nonsense actually is important.
When your country’s economy is about to tank and the only guy with a life preserver is kinda iffy about throwing it is NOT the time.
When that guy signaled the day before that he’s willing and capable of continuing a fight it is REALLY not the time!
Honestly, Trump rarely signals anything so I’m not surprised that people missed it but Putin shouldn’t have been one of them. Maybe he didn’t and he’s trying to play to the home crowd how strong he is. Maybe he thinks his position is much stronger than I think it is. Or maybe he’s an idiot. We all are sometime.
Yes, Trump sent a signal. A very kinetic signal as the military guys like to say. Oh, come now, you didn’t really think the timing was coincidental, did you? The Houthis have been a rather quiet pain in the backside of late but Trump just happens to authorize attacks to occur the day before his marathon call with Putin?
I thought you were the tea leave reading guys.
The biggest mistake with Trump is assuming he’s signaling every time he says anything. Trump may well be maneuvering, but he’s rarely signaling. His signals tend to be flat out statements. Little wonder most politicians and media commentators find him unpredictable. Having people do what they say they will is just too confusing.
Which is why you shouldn’t put too much stock in tea leaves, no matter whose. The adage is to ignore what politicians say and watch what they do. Trump skips the middleman and just says what he means. It’s a really unfair tactic when used against people who get paid to analyze the heck out of every little statement or head nod. Most of those poor guys don’t remember what plain talking even is.
But when Trump does give you a signal, it’s not subtle. Bombing the Houthis makes it crystal clear that Trump isn’t some pacifist who won’t use military power if he needs to. Assuming that Trump’s desire to be a peacemaker is a sign of weakness is pure foolishness. Yes, Trump wants a peace deal. Yes, he will put up with Putin’s shenanigans in order to get Putin to the table. Yes, he’ll come down hard on Ukraine if he thinks he needs to.
But no, he ISN’T on Russia’s side. He can and will use the tools at his disposal, like increasing aid to Ukraine, if that’s what it takes to convince Putin that peace is his only real recourse. The message was pretty danged clear.
Putin didn’t seem to get the memo.
Less than three hours after pledging to stop attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure Russia appears to have bombed a power plant. IF – remember, preliminary information is rarely complete – that is really what happened, oh boy.
No, Trump won’t bomb Russia – seriously, are you taking your meds? Trump tends to play long games. How do I know? You really think a short game guy could have gotten re-elected after being out of office for four years like Trump just did? Nah, Trump definitely knows how to play the long game. Despite how bombastic he can be, he can also be very subtle.
Meaning we’re in about the midgame of this chess match and it’s pretty stupid to count Trump out yet. This kind of negotiating stuff is Trump’s literal bread and butter. He’s good enough at it to know when to show his cards and when not to. I don’t expect Trump to show his cards for a while yet.
Annoying, isn’t it?
I also don’t expect Trump to forget when Putin ‘accidentally’ violates agreements, verbal or otherwise. The Russian bear may very well be playing minesweeper with the guy who has a monopoly on bear traps and landmines.
Trump isn’t the kind to forget. I don’t think he’s particularly vengeful, either. I think – for what little it’s worth since I don’t live in Trump’s head – that Trump hates to lose. He’ll comeback swinging when it is advantageous – when he knows he can win.
I would never buy a used car from Trump. Oh, it’d be a great car – win-wins are the best deals after all – but he’d also sell me the dealership and two extra franchises. I can admire the man’s skills but I’d never be able to withstand them.
But I’m not the one with a nearly dead economy and a war I can’t win or lose safely. That’d be Putin. Now, Putin is no slouch in the negotiating department but he’s always been able to take the easy way out – violence. That won’t work against the US President no matter who it is, but especially not Trump. Trump isn’t showing his cards. Putin’s hand is laying on the table.
Playing games at this stage only weakens Putin’s hand. He should know it. I doubt seriously he’s playing 3d chess or some such nonsense. No, at the moment, Putin thinks he’s got an ace or three up his sleeve.
Pity Putin isn’t wearing sleeves.
Will Trump get a ceasefire? Eventually. Will Putin break it? You bet!
That’s when Putin learns what the Houthis just did – don’t play stupid games with America.
You really won’t like the prizes.
