Could all be down to him having Asperger's Syndrome.

http://www.bluewin.ch/fr/infos/inter...sme--selo.html

Google translation:

Russian President Vladimir Putin is suffering from a form of autism, Asperger's syndrome, which requires him to exercise "maximum control" of himself when in crisis. It is the contention of a Pentagon report written in 2008 and published Thursday.

By studying the expressions and movements of his face in videos, military experts concluded that neurodevelopmental Putin had been disturbed in his childhood. Russian President gives the impression of a physical imbalance and be uncomfortable in relationships with others.

"This serious behavior problem was identified by neurologists as Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that affects every decision," said the report's author, Brenda Connors, the Naval War College , from the center of internal reflection at the Pentagon (Office of Net Assessment).

But the Pentagon downplayed the report revealed Wednesday by the newspaper "USA Today". The text is also never reached as far as the office of the Secretary of Defense or other military officials, said a spokesman for the Pentagon, Valerie Henderson. Furthermore, this hypothesis can be confirmed by a CT scan of the brain of Putin, according to the report.

"During the crisis, stabilizing and balancing perceptions (...), it must impose maximum control," Ms. Connors, who has studied body language of other world leaders. The report always stare Putin is the mark of a neurological defect and an inability to cope with external signals.

Putin displays a "hypersensitivity" and "highly addictive combat, reactions to cold or giving the impression of fleeing" instead of a more nuanced social behavior.

Relations between Russia and the United States have never been strained since the Cold War because of the Ukrainian crisis that began a year ago.

Forget Russia, its Argentina and Spain we need to fear!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-10030047.html

This sums up the current situation succinctly. If Putin doesn't call in the dogs and back down, things are going to get very ugly very fast If the Russians advance, I assume the US will supply Ukraine with weapons, and the EU will turn up sanctions much higher, perhaps block Russia from SWIFT bank transactions, which would not only cripple the Russian economy, but isolate them further as well.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle22852320/

Another "humanitarian" convoy from Russia of 170+ tucks just resupplied the Russian forces there. Strangely, Russian media admits that the Russian government is outright lying about the trucks being inspected None of the convoys from Russia have been inspected by anyone other than Russian agencies. OSCE, Ukraine and IIRC are not involved with them, despite the Russian government trying to make them appear legitimate (PS- the "Russian Red Cross" is a Russian agency designed to confuse people to thinking it's an international one)

The UK Independent is carrying the same story about the bleatings of the UK foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, referenced above. The article itself is not so interesting because it is the same sort of pro-US, pro-war, drivel which keeps getting pasted into this thread. What is interesting, however, is the comments section. Unusually, this article is open for readers comments (at least, at the moment) and the variety of opinions expressed make interesting reading. The readers are an uncouth bunch and do not refrain calling out hypocrisy when the see it.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-10031644.html

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Looks like the US is playing bad guy (with intended 'spearhead') so Germany/France can play good guy and start negotiations. The competitive approach of the US and Russia is not easy to find compromise but hopefully DE/FR will be able to make a compromise. No one wants WW3. I hope they simply hold proper elections and draw thes line where the local people want to then stop further aggression from either side.

I barely glance at the comment section on any news site anymore, especially the large news outlets, because they are all infiltrated by trolls. The Kremlin is paying millions of $ for people to post comments reflecting their views. All part of the propaganda machine.

Here's a good read:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...anonymous.html

and another:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/do...ica#.yk2rmgZB8

I do however read new sources of various interests, especially ITAR, DW, YLE and others to keep an eye on what all sides are thinking and saying.

Could be the good cop/bad cop game. However it looks like the good cops came back from Moscow empty handed.

I don't want to go too far off topic, but I am curious to know how it is that you joined the forum about two and a half years ago and your only activity has been two posts today. Did you simply register and lie dormant in the mean time ?

Yes. It is a bl**dy misery isn't it. We certainly have our fair share on this site as well.

I just see the usual trolling from both sides. If you have an opinion then please present it so we can discuss, otherwise we have to guess what you think.

I assume the hypocrisy comment you support is this one "Personally, I have trouble believing any of them, but I ESPECIALLY wholly and completely disbelieve anything Putin says. Hammond might also have included the aphorism "tinpot" in his description of Comrade Vladimir. Whatever might come from Minsk, if Vlado does not like it, no matter what he might "agree to", he won't comply. All parties need to understand this" ?

LOL. I guess there's a fine line tho between posting inflammatory drivel and having a reasonable discussion

Indeed. But at least with the Independent article I quoted, the quality of the trollery is of a much higher standard than is usually encountered here. There, many names, with various view represented, mostly rational, mostly in good English, and in the main, interesting. In this thread, the same few names keep appearing with monotonous regularity with content lifted from the same pro-US, pro-war sources.

Dream on. No large country in the West gives a f. about it.
Just a day or two ago Sarkozy said what everyone thinks. He is quoted by Russia Today. Ukraine is left to itself.

To say it clearly, the sanctions shoud be dropped NOW as being completely useless and negative

Ivan: America is waging a war against Russia in Ukraine. We have lost more than 6000 soldiers and 300 tanks.

Sascha: What about the Americans?

Ivan: Wait, They are not there yet!

Problem is if the sanctions are dropped and not replaced with anything then it looks like the West is allowing Putin to do whatever he wants.

Without being pro-Russia or pro-Russian politics, I can't but feel sorry for our Ukrainian brothers. They have no idea in what they've got into.

True, the Crimean takeover was relatively bloodless.

What is happening now in East Ukraine is a disaster for both sides and makes a mockery of Putin's claims that his aim was to protect ethnic Russians in the area.
Tell this to the ethnic Russians whose homes have been destroyed or have become refugees or killed by military actions or risk death by freezing/starvation.

Money talks, BS walks. Even Switzerland gave up its banking secrecy and will give up its tax reductions to companies doing business abroad.
Were the sanctions useless, there would be no immense pressure from all over the EU to renounce them as there are so many people either profiting with doing business there or being Russian influence agents. That's what I said - the West doesn't care as there is so much business do be done with Russia, and they can buy their peace by selling Ukraine. They don't want to be dragged into any war. Fine. But they don't want to pay anything either to save a nation. That's the "Swiss way". But remember, if not the Allies, Switzerland would have eventually ended up as another Oesterreich. Or worse.

CNN about sending weapons to Ukraine: Obama considers arming pro-US troops Well done CNN.

"Pro-US rebels", I like that I guess somebody needs to protect the english-speakers living in the DNR from the "Facist Jaunta" that is controlling this area . Maybe suddenly US tanks and rocket launchers will happen to magically appear in the hands of these pro-US separatists so they can fight to break away from the DNR?