To All You Ostensible Putin Haters

[Spock]

Personally, from a strategic sense-I have the hope that the Venezuela deal will permanently remove a Chinese ally (colony?) from the game board-but all you ostensible Putin Haters that have been very vocal on the bored should be ecstatic at the removal of a hard-core Putin ally from the table.

Oh. well-I guess you hated Putin until somebody makes a significant and unexpected move that will surely cause Putin to re-evaluate the world situation.

[Weyoun]

Those more informed than yourself have voiced concerns that this was part of an exchange where we agreed to lay off Ukraine in exchange for Russia laying off Venezuela. It was awfully curious that Russian personnel bailed two weeks ago.

https://newrepublic.com/article/204892/ ... in-xi-next

So, duh, Putin would be thrilled with that arrangement.