If you read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman", you'll see it's straight from the US playbook. Sure, Putin started the war, and that was the whole point, poke

If you read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman", you'll see it's straight from the US playbook. Sure, Putin started the war, and that was the whole point, poke and prod until they start a war. Lend money until they can't repay. Keep a country rubbelized so they won't unite against resource extraction. Replace democratically elected leaders with religious nutcases so you can have your way. It's the way of the empire. Ask Iranians, ask Panamanians, ask the people of East Timor.