The most pessimistic tweet I've ever seen from Bill Browder:

[Leghorn21]

While the rest of the world is distracted by Corona virus and our own internal fights, Russia is quietly taking over the world. These developments will haunt us for decades to come.


#Russia during negotiations, Moscow received the necessary permissions to establish military bases in the Central African Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Madagascar, Mozambique and Sudan

Link to tweet

goddamit

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Goddamnit is right. How do we withstand this? n/t

[DonaldsRump]

2. Putin is chickenshite

When Joltin Joe takes over, the miniature James Bond-wannabe will be humbled. He was under Obama, and he was stupid enough to pick Trump to be his puppet.

Let's all stay away from open windows and drinking cups of tea with strangers until then!

[SergeStorms]

19. You're assuming...

that Putin isn't going to pull out all the stops and directly control November's election. I believe republicans have done absolutely nothing to prevent it, and TrumpCo. is more than willing to give Putin the keys to the kingdom. These republican assholes know that without wholesale intervention on Russia's part, they'll never win another election for decades. They've pushed all of their chips into the center of the table, and they have nothing to lose. That makes them extremely dangerous, and very predictable. For all of Trump's cheap talk about elections not being fair for him, you can bet he's been doing everything in his power to make 2020 a repeat of 2016, but worse.

[CloudWatcher]

20. Um, Crimea

The annexation of Crimea happened in 2014, on Obama's watch.

And yes, there were economic repercussions, but I wouldn't exactly call Putin's behavior humbled. They're still there.

And of course, the election interference of 2016 happened on Obama's watch. And Obama was too afraid of the political fallout to go public with it.

Putin is sitting pretty and nothing is going to change that anytime soon.

[DTomlinson]

26. To play devil's advocate, having direct access to the Black Sea is in Russia's strategic interest.

And regarding the election interference: Putin has been much more aggressive and anti-American/anti-Western since he "came back" in 2012 (as President). He's a conspiracy theorist himself - he believed that the US State Department, under Hillary Clinton, was trying to overthrow him.

He's acting out of insecurity as much as boldness. He directly intervened in Syria, for example, because Assad is his indispensable Middle Eastern ally. He clearly feared a Hillary Clinton Presidency...

Bottom line: Putin FEARS a strong US, a strong NATO, a strong EU, and pro-Western, or at least, anti-Moscow, movements and governments in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. From his perspective, it's a matter of regime survival - and his survival. That has shifted his risk calculus to the point where he's making much more aggressive and even shocking moves in foreign policy.

[DonaldsRump]

27. This is a much more informed post than the previous one

Putin was basically zero until Trump. Yes, he invaded Crimea, but that cause a huge amount of consternation to him, Russia etc. It is PRECISELY for this reason that 2016 "is what it is", to paraphrase our Impeached Infector-in-Chief.

Putin: you suck! And your puppet is not going to win.

Russia: if you're listening, listen louder this time.

[handmade34]

3. Biden is getting briefed

I trust he will be on top of this soon!!

[crickets]

6. Thank you for that reminder. It certainly makes me feel a little better. nt

[SheltieLover]

8. Me too!

This is all part of putin's bigger plan, I'm guessing.

Not a coincidence!🤬

[iluvtennis]

14. Me three. nt

[SheltieLover]

17. 👍

[Mr.Bill]

15. Which means he knows more than Trump now

because he listens to the briefing and reads the material. Imagine the edge that gives Biden in any debates.

[FM123]

4. And trump is doing his very best to help Putin do just that....

Trump's Germany troops pullout may be his last gift to Putin before the election.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/02/politics/trump-germany-troops-russia-intl/index.html

[SheltieLover]

10. Absolutely!

Dump has been KEY to this!

[DTomlinson]

25. But what does Trump get out of it? Putin's interests are clear. Where's Trump's FSB allowance?

[vapor2]

5. OH CRAP!

[Alex4Martinez]

7. Sounds like somebody wants to own the mineral rich continent of Africa...

And our own government has no leader, so it's good for the taking.

[DTomlinson]

22. Our government may have no leader but it has owners - Trumps, Kushners, billionaires

and they're colluding with Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE...

[Progressive Jones]

9. But we're building a wall !!! nt

[Leghorn21]

11. I just googled to see who's running this story: 7 outlets, and none are MSM or even US outlets --

it looks as if no one to speak of in America has even heard about this

well maybe tomorrow or in two weeks, right

dayam

[ProfessorGAC]

12. They Don't Have The Capital

Their GDP is less than 1/12th of the US, a fifth of China.
They are still doing soviet style shows of force.
Their economy is also hyper dependent upon a single asset.
Browder is walking a limb here. And, it's a small branch.

[grantcart]

16. You are 100% correct professor

Getting signatures for a base means little.

What limited capital they have will be pouring into Tartus,Syria Naval Base, the only one where they have extra territorial rights and is tied to their defense of their Ukraine expansion and to defend the port in Crimea

Not only that but Russia will be blocked by ROC who is 10 years into a 50 year plan to develop good will relations with those countries with massive capital investment on private companies and infrastructure.

Russia has nothing to offer to gain favor and once in a position of favor no capital to take advantage of their position.

By 2060 most of Africa will be solidly within the Chinese orbit.

[abqtommy]

13. I know from following the international news that China is also heavily invested in Africa,

as well as in South America and probably elsewhere too. We are indeed living in interesting times...

[Kingfisher86]

28. Canada too.

[dmr]

18. We desperately need President Biden in office NOW!

I've wanted Biden all along because I've been so freaking worried about foreign affairs. Biden has deep knowledge and experience.

Learning about the "gifts" Donald has awarded Putin makes me ill, literally. And, that's just Putin. Donald has fucked up all over this world, including our own nation.

[DTomlinson]

21. Russia, China, and similar regimes are carving up the world and giving Trump and Kushner discounts.

Horrifying...

[Cha]

23. Retweeted!

[bringthePaine]

24. D'ump crippled US + Putin moves equals Repussian treason

the resources Putin saved with his long-game plan to install Trump couldn't have worked better -
he clearly assessed, quite accurately, the depravity of the entire Repussian horde quite some time ago; so much for giving them the benefit of doubt - see them, deny them, and unleash justice