Promoted from comments

I thought this comment was interesting enough to stand on its own, so I'm promoting it from comments to its own entry.

Responding to my entry on Putin/China/wargames and the "Grand Chessboard" of central Asia as Zbignew Brzezinski called it in his major strategy/policy book on post cold war geopolitics.

Putin has certainly shown many moments of political shrewdness. The history of the Russian people would offer contradictory visions about his statements on the limitations of force. They've done their share of exerting same. At the same time, they've shown that the amazing forces of Napolean and Hitler, to name two, were insufficient to reach objectives. It's well known that Russians tend to be excellent chess players, and Kennedy understood that a chess mentality plays heavily into their politics. I view this comment by Putin as a savvy, mid-game move. In chess, there are three, and only three, elements that govern the game: Force, Time and Space. Leaders who mistakenly believe any one of these elements, alone, will achieve results will always be defeated by an opponent who is willing to make use of all three. In chess terms, for Putin, this is all about space (read: position). As noted with Kennedy, we've had many leaders who understood that chess is an excellent tutorial on global politics. Unfortunately, our current regime is not well schooled in this art. We've exercised too much power and expended too much time for too little position. Now, those that would choose to gain from our mistakes see a great opportunity. Our force has reached too far, too quickly for space less valuable than the effort exerted. An amateur opponent would react by attempting to immediatly apply opposing force in the incorrect belief that such over-reaching is best handled in this manner. A more elegant and refined player simply uses the opponent's "time" wasted through misdirected "force" to gain "space." In such cases, these space advantages can be positioned in such a way that the ultimate objective will be achieved in a manner that cannot be countered, period. Torasch's great tome on chess states "every pawn move weakens the position." We've moved a lot of pawns. Putin knows it. I think most Americans, on some level, know it, too.

Wild Bill

Skips a few details which are implied, Napolean, Hitler lost because they thought force and tactics could overcome space and time, and I would argue that Putin is attempting to "channel" us, limiting options as we attempt to regroup from the ill advised mad dash in response to threat.

But you gotta cut some slack because the comments section severely limits your space, and in the "tell why you like this brand in fifty words or less" genre, this is a great effort.

Yeah, and we have spent our pawns quite early in this new unipolar world.

Thought it was an excellent cross analysis. I hope you enjoy it, too.

If you take issue, fire back, Bill.