Biden's sanctions are supposed to put so much pressure on the Russian economy that people want change from within and remove Putin from power. But one month after the war started Putin's approval rating is near 75% so not a lot political pressure to get him out. Granted that Russians approve of Putin because they are constantly exposed to state media. But does that matter strategically? Unless Biden can get the state media to be anti-Putin the people are not going to vote him out. Biden is also not sanctioning Putin or anyone who can make war decisions. How does he expect the sanctions to do anything effective?
Putin's approval rating continues to rise. The Russian military will fully take over Mariupol by tomorrow and his approval rating will go up again. Putin's military command isn't affected by the sanction. Biden's plan to win the carnival game by throwing money at it is only strengthening Putin. Even if you think that Russians support Putin because they are brainwashed it doesn't matter. The fact remains that he has enough support to not risk losing power. He has enough support to escalate, and Biden is fueling that support.
Decisive action by democracies are crippled by the stupidity of its people. Decisive action by authoritarians are enhanced by it. It’s why this country can’t win a war against terrorists…or anyone else for that matter…but Putin can go apeshit on Ukraine and not suffer politically. Thus any hope of rebellion from within is a pipe dream not to be relied on. So at the end of the day all that will matter is what happens on the battlefield, and what happens on the battlefield is directly tied to Russias ability to sustain its war machine versus Ukraines ability to do the same. Which is why weapons to Ukraine are extremely important and anything that affects money and materials to Russia is equally so. in this regard, our half-assed approach every step of the way is definitely a point worth making
They can't vote him out. He is a dictator. I don't think Biden wants Ukraine to win the war. He just wants to contain Russia in the hope a preventing an attack on NATO.
