Thread by @MMazarr

100% right. This is an understandable emotion but not a considered policy position. Publicly taking that stance = zero incentive for compromise from Putin or anyone close to him, creating the most dangerous possible situation

https://twitter.com/PatPorter76/status/1498002971338186757

Remember what McNamara learned from Castro about the Cuban missile crisis in 1992: In the event of a US invasion, Castro was prepared to endorse the use of nuclear weapons even though he knew the Cuban people would "disappear"
armscontrol.org/act/2002-11/fe…

Embracing regime change would also shift the narrative in wholly self-destructive ways. Potential to fragment global consensus vs Russia. W/in Russia, it would endorse Putin's lie that this is all a necessary response to Western aggression + potentially boost his support

There is a middle ground. Demand RU withdrawal and indicate that US/EU = ready for diplomacy w/current regime to end crisis. But signal to Russian officials, people that full recovery of Russia's int'l position will demand real change. Undertake private contacts in that direction

All of this may collapse down to the same result; there is no world in which Europe goes back to "normal" discussions with Putin. But Russia isn't Iraq, or even North Korea. Publicly ruling out any outcome short of end of regime would be a fantastically risky move