Navalny: First Piece Of Putin's Puzzle?

Is it part of the master plan? You know, for a guy who's planning to reconstitute the Soviet Union by force? It's immensely helpful if your top drawer political opponent suddenly bites the dust. Essentially, potentially, there is suddenly no one there that the Russian people can rally around in opposition to Putin. So, taken from his perspective, the elimination of Navalny is a masterstroke. But that's short term thinking. Killing political opponents has never blown up in Putin's face: think Nemtsov. But will this be different? No way of really knowing.

So, what's next? Obviously, a push to overrun Ukraine before the fighters arrive next spring. But then, what? Is the Baltics next, Poland, Moldova, etc.? 

It all boils down to this: the free world is funding Ukraine so they can keep Putin out of the rest of Europe. Failure to continue funding means trouble for NATO members. It sort of becomes we in the West can fight Putin now or later, but limiting or withdrawing Ukraine funding only serves to guarantee that NATO fighting Putin's Russia becomes inevitable. And make no mistake, under such a regrettable scenario, NATO can't lose, even if it takes years to beat the Russians.

The Trump useful idiot only makes it paramount that Biden get the aid to Ukraine any way he can. Biden should do it, even if he's later impeached because of it. It's that important to the preservation of the free world and democracy.

Ukraine is winning by not losing, at least for now. But artillery and ammunition shortages are leading to temporary territorial concessions, which can only give the Russians an advantage. 

Biden needs to meet the moment. Anything short of that could lead to Ukraine's demise and further European adventurism by Putin. Should Putin ultimately go there, it'll be WWIII for all of us. A war that the West will inevitably win, much to Putin's peril.