[OutsiderFan]

How, pray tell, do we (or for that matter any other world actor)  “take out” Putin.  He’s sitting on thousands of nukes. And I don’t even think he smokes cigars. 

You dont think Russia would back Putin to the hilt if he is threatened by outsiders?    Russia has and always will fight to the death for Mother Russia.  And all Russia has ever really known is Czars and autocrats.

When there is a will there is a way. I just don't see the collective will and that disappoints me.

The nuclear canard is a red herring, IMO. Russian leaders know if Russia uses nukes, they will be eliminated. Nobody who subjugates others for their own power is willing to give up their own lives because they are ultimately cowards who can't win in a competition of ideas in a free market.

It's one thing to sacrifice Russian lives sending them on suicide missions in Ukraine to hold on to your power. But it is quite another to risk your own life, and a nuclear war will do that.

All bullies back down when they face enough push back. Putin and certainly the islamist terrorist organizations, maybe even Iran, have not faced enough by enough of a global coalition. That's why we are where we are. 

None of these things are easy, but I don't think we should throw our hands up and say we can't remove problem people from power because it is hard.

[OutsiderFan]

How, pray tell, do we (or for that matter any other world actor)  “take out” Putin.  He’s sitting on thousands of nukes. And I don’t even think he smokes cigars. 

You dont think Russia would back Putin to the hilt if he is threatened by outsiders?    Russia has and always will fight to the death for Mother Russia.  And all Russia has ever really known is Czars and autocrats.

When there is a will there is a way. I just don't see the collective will and that disappoints me.

The nuclear canard is a red herring, IMO. Russian leaders know if Russia uses nukes, they will be eliminated. Nobody who subjugates others for their own power is willing to give up their own lives because they are ultimately cowards who can't win in a competition of ideas in a free market.

It's one thing to sacrifice Russian lives sending them on suicide missions in Ukraine to hold on to your power. But it is quite another to risk your own life, and a nuclear war will do that.

All bullies back down when they face enough push back. Putin and certainly the islamist terrorist organizations, maybe even Iran, have not faced enough by enough of a global coalition. That's why we are where we are. 

None of these things are easy, but I don't think we should throw our hands up and say we can't remove problem people from power because it is hard.