the wars—Ukraine and Iran—are such mirror images. wars of aggression, planned impetuously, prosecuted by fascist militarist leaders who thought they could attain military glory on the cheap, against governments galvanized by attack to become more resilient than most would have predicted ex ante. 1/

in so many ways, the Iran War is great for Putin. yeah, there's the oil revenue pouring into empty coffers. but also, what vestiges of a righteousness against which its aggression could be held in contrast the US can now lay no claim whatsoever to. /fin