Are the Russian people willing to go to war?

[MaryMagdaline]

The West has softened since WWII and since the Cold War, but so have Russians. Do their soldiers and civilians have the stomach to kill their close cousins (ethnically and culturally?). This is far different from fighting invaders on your own turf.

[Atticus]

1. Seriously,---does that matter? nt

[MaryMagdaline]

2. It will if there's an occupation

Would not matter in the short-term.

[temporary311]

4. I'm not sure it matters much what the Russian people want.

And I'm sure enough can be brought around easily enough if it does end up mattering. Remember, the Russian people fell harder for the FSBs anti-vax psyops that almost anyone else even though that psyops was aimed primarily at the west.

[Atticus]

7. That sounds correct. I only meant that it seems to me that if Vlad decides to invade, it will

not matter what his people want.

He and Trump share that trait: neither cares about the health, safety or welfare of their people.

[MaryMagdaline]

10. Understood. And agree.

[Atticus]

8. That sounds correct. I only meant that it seems to me that if Vlad decides to invade, it will

not matter what his people want.

He and Trump share that trait: neither cares about the health, safety or welfare of their people.

[MineralMan]

3. They will not be consulted.

[sarisataka]

5. Look to history to predict the future

It is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.
**
voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.

-Hermann Goering
"Nuremberg Diary" by Gustave M. Gilbert, 1947

[herding cats]

6. They have no choices here.

If you're asking if this will harm Putin's standing with the Russian population, he doesn't care.

He squashes any dissent against him now with no regard for the public reactions.

[MaryMagdaline]

9. I was really asking as to issue of sustaining war

Will they sacrifice their kids for war or try to flee to Europe/America?

[herding cats]

12. That's a good question.

Sadly, it's also one we're about to find out the answer to it appears.

[MaryMagdaline]

17. True. And yes, very sad

[RockRaven]

11. It doesn't matter what they want. They have no say.

And the Russian military proper will use proxies to the maximum degree possible, such as the separatist rebels in Eastern Ukraine trying to conscript at gunpoint every able bodied man they can get their hands on.

One of the lessons the Russian military learned from the Soviet misadventure in Afghanistan was the importance of hiding the true casualties. They have recently put that lesson into practice in the Chechnya and Georgia conflicts. They will no doubt do so again here, and their task will be aided by the fact that many of the deaths will occur amongst Russian-speaking Ukrainians used as cannon fodder such as the rebels and conscripts noted above.

[maryellen99]

13. Anyone still think he's not mad enough to start WW3?

[maxsolomon]

14. Did we have a choice when Bush decided to invade Iraq?

The soldiers will do as they are ordered. The Russian People will be fed propaganda and dissent will be crushed.

[choie]

15. Did we want to go to war against Iraq?

In other words -- it doesn't matter what they want.

[gladium et scutum]

16. Were they willing to invade Afghanistan

don't think Putin has taken the time to ask the soldiers and citizens of Russia that question. Then again I do not recall being asked if I wanted to fight in Vietnam.