How Did Putin Miscalculate So Badly?

Brian Klaas: “Autocrats such as Putin eventually succumb to what may be called the ‘dictator trap.’ The strategies they use to stay in power tend to trigger their eventual downfall. Rather than being long-term planners, many make catastrophic short-term errors—the kinds of errors that would likely have been avoided in democratic systems.”

“They hear only from sycophants, and get bad advice. They misunderstand their population. They don’t see threats coming until it’s too late. And unlike elected leaders who leave office to riches, book tours, and the glitzy lifestyle of a statesman, many dictators who miscalculate leave office in a casket, a possibility that makes them even more likely to double down.”

Tom Friedman: “I never had any illusions that once Putin launched this war, he’d stop short of doing anything to make sure that he could claim to be the ‘winner.’ Nevertheless, it is stunning to watch how quickly he has tied himself into knots.”