Is it safe to understimate the cynical, cold-blooded opportunism of Vladimir Putin as we prepare for the "we are the world" international sporting event at Sochi?
With the news of the utter failure of Russia to prepare for the winter olympics in Sochi, would I be excessively paranoid if I wondered if Putin would prefer a military crisis with Ukraine to distract from the horrible mess that Sochi appears to be just days away from world media focus?
Probably not.
But I will hold open the possibility that I'm being paranoid by thinking that the winter Olympics are just a way to get lots of Western hostages inside a ring of steel at Sochi to guarantee Western and Chinese good behavior while Russia tears away chunks of Ukraine.
I really miss it when the honesty of Soviet Bloc judges at the women's figure skating events was the biggest worry.
About Me
- Brian J. Dunn
- I live and write in Ann Arbor, Michigan. University of Michigan AB and MA from Eastern Michigan University. One term in the Michigan Army National Guard. Former American history instructor and retired nonpartisan research analyst. I write on Blogger and Substack. Various military and private journals have published my occasional articles on military subjects. See "My Published Works" on the TDR web version or under the mobile version drop-down menu for citations and links.
