I'd say this is a pretty accurate summation of my view of what Putin is doing specifically -- and nuclear bargaining generally. The audience for most nuclear threats, ostensibly presented as others, is more properly understood as the self. Although to be fair ...
https://twitter.com/PaperMissiles/status/1574581413445255170
... Tywin Lanister said it better. Putin making nuclear threats because they aren't inherently credible.
Putin sounds like Eisenhower on nuclear use in Korea. Ike's team used nuclear threats to convince themselves they were the tough guys and, afterwards, that it was their toughness that yielded the armistice that eluded Truman. A false narrative, but one they believed fervently.
Putin might well talk himself into doing something stupid, just as Ike nearly did. But I don't think we should take Putin's statements at face value, It's no surprise he's not being honest with us, but he's also not being honest with himself.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
