I’ve listened to the whole course and it’s quite interesting to hear outside perspective. A big part of this course is sort of about the philosophy of history, as this the lecturer tries to explain the subject as something important beyond the today’s headlines.
Nobody knows. Moldavian themselves are very puzzled about all of this. Is something happening? Do Russians plan a coup? They were supposed to have a huge demonstration with provocations against the police last weekend but only old ladies were there.
KevinC
24155
In theory, I would think by capturing the airport in Moldova via airborne assault.
Russia tried something similar in the Kyiv offensive in the initial days of the war, but their forces were expelled from the Hostomel airport and ended up in disaster. Moldova doesn’t really have a military to speak of, so I have doubts that they could muster the same kind of defense.
That being said, Russia hasn’t exactly demonstrated competence throughout the war, so I also have doubts they could coordinate and pull something like that off.
I wonder what God masturbates to. Himself?
Hee hee, believe it or not Tim Snyder was once a good friend of mine. Now he seems to be mad at me for something, though I haven’t seen him in almost 30 years. No idea what…
KevinC
24159
Did you have inappropriate relations with his mother? That’d be my first guess, John.
Dejin
24160
With @John_Many_Jars involved that was the first thing that came to my mind too.
I don’t believe there’d be any kind of air assault on the place. But I imagine the scenario being pictured is that local provocateurs / out-of-uniform militias (plus GRU / spetznaz) get into the airport and gain control for long enough that troops can be airlifted in. This is a common play from the old Soviet days, going back to Kabul in '79 and Prague in '68.
Still, it’s hard to see how Russian military transports would get there without being shot down by Ukraine. There is supposed to be a battalion of regular Russian army troops in Transnistria itself, along with the militias, but that doesn’t seem like enough for this kind of adventure.
On the other hand, if you’re a Western-oriented president who’s well aware that your army barely exists and isn’t sure about the level of Russian penetration into your security services, I can see why it’s a scary scenario to have to think about.
Grifman
24163
Interesting, if a bit snarky at times, interview with the head of Ukrainian intelligence:
NI1
24164
Watching the first lecture, which was excellent, lead me to this video:
Some very candid and interesting discussions about how different presidents have understood and misunderstood Putin (and vice versa).
Calelari
24166
Huh, Russia is the GOP and America is kid’s genitals.
The idea that the Putin we’re dealing with now isn’t the same person (or at least the same leader) as he was 15 years ago also resonates with me.
I really like Timothy Snyder. He is wrong about Putin not speaking foreign languages though. He speaks fluent German, and I’d be surprised if a former stationed KGB officer didn’t know English.
The PBS interview is good for the short and sweet, the lectures are good if you wanna know why racism and nationalism tends to be the realm of people who are oblivious to history.
I still don’t understand why we teach national myths in schools - I mean I do, it’s propaganda - but since I started picking up history books on my own, there have been so many moments where I’ve felt utterly betrayed by what I have been taught.
My reply was gonna be “But he’s been saying the same things for 20 years” but then Snyder very adequately accounts for what is different now. The guy is good!
Aceris
24171
Societies are bound together by a sense of commonality, in purpose, in obligation, in outlook. National myths are a big part of that.
Without national myths Ukraine would have fallen almost a year ago.
A national myth is not a lie that is spread to motivate people. It is a story that a society tells itself to define what it is. Without that story the idea of nation becomes merely a legal and administrative structure.
Of course these myths can be toxic, but they can also be optimistic and inspirational. Generally they have portions of both.
