2.24.22
Widely considered history’s all-time greatest chess player, Garry Kasparov, who is a veteran expert on the psyche of Russian President Vladimir Putin, delivered on Thursday a series of messages detailing how to isolate and ultimately defeat Putin on Twitter. Kasparov's commentary comes in response to Putin's military invasion of Ukraine. Kasparov wrote: “Since I answered so many of the questions I'm getting today on Putin and Ukraine, and more, in my book Winter Is Coming, I'm pinning it. I hoped it would be history by now, but thanks to Putin and free world apathy, it's still a current event.
"Support Ukraine militarily, immediately, everything but boots on the ground. All weapons, intelligence, and cyber. Bankrupt Putin's war machine. Freeze and seize Russia's finances and those of Putin and his gang. Kick Russia out of every international and financial institution. PACE, Interpol, etc. The international community should recall all ambassadors from Russia. There is no point in talking. The new unified message is ‘stop or be isolated completely.’ Ban all elements of Putin's global propaganda machine (RT/Sputnik etc) Turn them off, shut them down, send them home. Stop helping the dictator spread lies and hate. There is a need to expose and act against Putin's lackeys in the free world. If Gerhard Schröder and his ilk continue to work for Putin, bring charges. Ask the owners and advertisers of networks platforming Putin propagandists like Tucker Carlson why they allow it."
"Putin's invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014 ended any reasonable doubts as to his nature and threat. Any attempts to negotiate with Putin since then were corruption, cowardice, and cynicism. He should have been isolated instantly. Instead, here we are. Will Russians revolt against Putin? There is always a chance. Dictatorships are hard but brittle. If the blitzkrieg fails and Putin is faced with too many casualties to hide and more information gets through, the 1000s protesting today could become a million. But after 21 years it is hard. I wonder what the American tech giants could do to help get the truth to the Russian people. Most get news from state TV, unfortunately, but Apple, Facebook, Google, and the rest still have considerable reach. But courage, usually none. Germany is still refusing to send weapons to Ukraine after funding Putin's war machine for years, or even to remove Russia from SWIFT. Neutrality between good and evil sides with evil, always."
