@skells Maybe so, but I think it's pretty clear that Putin is deluded about the situation and nobody is telling him he's wrong. So if he said "bomb it", it would be bombed, even if circumspect individuals would know better.

@skells I'm not saying there aren't people there who know better, even in some high places. I'm saying we can't assume logical behavior for major decisions with a randomizer like that at the helm.

@kcrca it's comfortable to assume one's enemies are fools; it is rarely wise

@skells It's a interesting thought. Although, given the law of symmetry of aphorism, there's always "Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to stupidity." <shrug> In the end we all stumble between these approaches scraping the floor for clues for what's really going on. Luckily for probably everyone, what I think about this will have no effect on what gets done. 🙂

@kcrca hah, law of symmetry of aphorism is nice

it depends on your exposure, never attribute.... , applies well to flatmates and the people down the pub, in geopol be more circumspect and in the trenches you'd not last long assuming stupidity

but yes, glad to be able to assume the best in people in my day to day interactions :)