The War: 25 Feb 2022

 1. How much coverage was on German public TV yesterday (Thursday)?

Between ZDF/ARD....probably up to ten hours of material.  Various 'Doctor Doom' people came out and did their talk. 

For Germans over eighty....there's a lot of remembrance of WW II, and the year after that.  On the worry-scale, they are maxing out at a '10'.  It was the first day since early 2020....that virtually nothing was said about Covid.  

2.  Kiev likely falling today (Friday)?

If you follow German news.....it will be under Russian control shortly.

3.  Putin's mental  side?

Three angles you might want to consider.  He's likely got a huge 1984 map of the Soviet Union on his office wall, and admires the 'buffer zones' on the outer ring.  

He surrounds himself with people who are 40 to 60 years old, pro-Soviet-Union, and all chatty about the 'old days'.....but never remembering how everyone felt economically screwed.  

Finally, he probably watches a lot of movies where the Russian military is portrayed as the bad guy, and he feels disrespected by the West.  He wants to regain this respect, by kicking the EU's ass.

4.  Ukraine banning men from ages 18 to 60 from leaving the country?

That story is reported by Focus.  You probably had your one and only chance before 9 PM yesterday to get out.

5.  Chancellor Scholz short speech yesterday (Thursday)?

Blunt, direct, and to the point.  In his mind....this is 'Putin's War' and he cannot win.

6.  'Ostpolitik' dead?

Around 1972, Ostpolitik as a term started to get used.  It meant you overlooked Communist dictatorships....did business with them, and this commerce path would make them less of a dictatorship.  West Germans bought this concept and went full-turbo.

In the past day, I'd say at least five 'Doctor Dooms' appeared on German public and commercial TV, and uttered Ostpolitik....saying that it's mostly proven wrong now.

The funny thing, around Germany....there must be over a thousand books written since 1972....which chat over the wonderful nature of Ostpolitik.  

7.  Indiscriminate bombing going on?

Well....if you view the video of day one....I'd say dozens of public non-targetable structures were hit (if I used the US method of targeting).

8. Ukraine mobilizing hackers?

Well....N-TV reported this and I'm shaking my head about where this will go.  You could end up with Russian nuke plants shutting themselves down and going into some chaos-mode.  

Wouldn't shock me if Facebook/Twitter had outages over the next two weeks....with Russian hackers going after the West.

9.  Lot of nuclear chatter going on?

Weird stuff....Putin made a blunt statement that some nations ought to keep their nose out of Russian business, or face Russian nuclear missiles (directed at France and Germany).  Yesterday, Macron made a blunt statement back to Putin.....maybe he ought to remember that France/UK have nuclear missiles as well.

10.  More US troops to Germany?

N-TV says an announcement of 7,000 US troops was made by the Pentagon.  The only comment was that they'd land in Germany.

11.  'Iron Curtain' got uttered again?

Sigmar Gabriel, former party boss of the SPD, uttered a comment last night on a chat forum....saying that the 'Iron Curtain' is going back up.  If you are under the age of thirty in Germany.....you probably have no idea what the hell that means.

12.  London saying the Oligarchs have to leave?

Via only social media....this comment started up and has trended a good bit.  Johnson hasn't said much, but I would imagine by Monday....some type of government order will occur, and whoever remains in London in this status....might have to leave.  Going back to Russia?  I seriously doubt it.  

13.  Chernobyl captured?

People may not grasp that....but from the entire complex....some of the nuke plants are still operational and providing power to the Ukraine.  Technicians being held by the Russians?  That rumor started up.