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Londoner's avatar

Tooze's article here is by far the worst of those I have read recently - reality for Putin is damned if he did, damned if he didn't. More specifically, Measheimer is only one of numerous famous strategic thinkers/diplomats who pinpointed blame on NATO expansion and predicted the exact mess today. They include George Kennan, Kissinger, Jack Matlock (who literally is the horse's mouth), William Perry, Bill Burns, Malcolm Fraser, Paul Keating, Bob Gates, Pat Buchanan, etc. etc. and I have not included even a single "leftie/Ruskie"! See list including reference compiled here: https://twitter.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1498491107902062592

Tooze's thesis also damns Measheimer without offering any sensible cogent solution Putin might have employed whatsoever - after all, Putin did try peaceful means for no less than 8 years - what exactly could he have done to turn the tide in the face of US/NATO encirclement, sponsored coup in 2014/regime change/colour revolution/arab spring, and proxy war in Donbas etc.? Just more waiting hoping US woke up one day regretting their disastrous, deadly "mission for democracy" around the world?

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Blurred Lines's avatar

this article is horrible. It reeks of academic posturing and competition for status. claiming mearsheimer is an apologist is a disgusting smear. tooze seems hell bent on erasing any culpability on the part of the states and nato - gross.

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