<\/p>\n
Paul Craig Roberts<\/p>\n
The Kremlin has demonstrated that Russia is reluctant to take decisive action. \u00a0That doesn\u2019t mean Russia won\u2019t. \u00a0Indeed, the Kremlin\u2019s reluctance almost guarantees that Russia will be forced into decisive action.<\/p>\n
Ukraine steals Russian\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>assets \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/www.rt.com\/business\/560345-ukraine-seized-russian-assets\/<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 and Ukraine outside Donbass is permitted life as a country at peace. There is no Russian interference with the government with which it is at war. This encourages more Ukrainian provocations.<\/p>\n Instead of retaliation against her enemies, Russia cooperates with them. Russia permits Ukrainian grain to flow, thus providing Ukraine with more funds for war with Russia.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Is the Kremlin more concerned with the hunger of foreigners than with the life of its own soldiers?\u00a0https:\/\/www.rt.com\/russia\/560389-grain-ships-ports-turkey\/<\/a>\u00a0 Washington wants to brand Russia a terrorist state, and Russia continues to ferry US astronauts to the space station, carrying on a partnership with a country with which Russia is at war.<\/span><\/p>\n Russia tolerates Ukraine\u2019s attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear reactor with artillery fire.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Why permit Ukrainian forces anywhere close to a nuclear reactor?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Surely at this late stage the Kremlin doesn\u2019t assume the Ukrainian government has any sense or any humanity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/sputniknews.com\/20220806\/russian-military-calls-kievs-shelling-of-zaporozhye-npp-nuclear-terrorism-1099343688.html<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Despite being at war with the US and Europe, which keep the \u201climited military operation\u201d in Donbass going with weapons supplied to Ukraine, the Kremlin continues to enable Russia\u2019s enemies by continuing to supply Europe with energy.<\/p>\n The West does not see these as actions of a country that goes to war with serious intent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If the Kremlin had turned off the energy, the Kremlin could have brought NATO and Ukraine to their knees without a \u201climited military operation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If the Kremlin had accepted Donbass back into Russia in 2014, as Russia did for Crimea, there would have been no Ukrainian attacks on Donbass requiring Russian intervention.<\/p>\n The Kremlin has created the impression that it is incapable of proactive thought and action, and only reacts when there is no other choice.<\/p>\n The Kremlin does not understand politics or the media.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Extremely defensive, the leadership rushes to deny every accusation, which keeps the accusations in the news.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Russia\u2019s denials mean nothing to the West.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The Kremlin would benefit from ignoring the accusations and cutting off all supplies and cooperation with the West.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Will the Kremlin ever learn that Russia does not benefit from the Goody Two Shoes role?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>This role conveys weakness and does nothing but encourage more provocations of Russia, thus building up to a larger and more serious conflict.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n