Tucker Carlson Interviews Vladimir Putin

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Global Recap
February 09, 2024 • Read in: 7 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

And of course… Tucker Carlson’s much-anticipated interview with Putin goes live when I send the newsletter.

It’s pretty much expected at this point.

As promised, you can find it in the in-depth section!

🌐 Around the World

  • 🔪 Iranian Hostage-Taker Shot Dead

  • 🌋 Iceland’s Volcano Eruption Spree

  • 🛢️ Oil War Looms

  • 🇩🇰 Denmark Warns of Russia’s Threat

  • 🎤 Tucker Carlson Interviews Vladimir Putin

🔪 Iranian Hostage-Taker Shot Dead

Click for videos. The explosion seen in the first video was a tactic used by the police to separate the perpetrator from the hostages.

A train in Switzerland became the scene of a hostage crisis on Thursday night when an Iranian asylum seeker armed with an axe and a knife seized 15 people.

  • Incident: The man, 32, was killed by police after a four-hour standoff that involved a Farsi interpreter and WhatsApp messages.

  • Motive: Unknown. Police ruled out terrorism or jihadism as possible factors.

  • Casualties: None among the hostages. The hostage-taker was fatally wounded by a police officer who acted in self-defense.

🌋 Iceland’s Volcano Eruption Spree

Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula has been rocked by a series of volcanic eruptions since December 2020, spewing lava and smoke into the air.

  • Impact: More than 20,000 people have lost access to hot water, and some homes have been set on fire by lava flows.

  • Cause: Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor that separates two tectonic plates.

🛢️ Oil War Looms

On Thursday, Venezuelan Defense Minister threatened to use force against US oil giant ExxonMobil if it drills in disputed waters off Guyana.

  • Context: ExxonMobil recently announced that it will drill two new wells in the region.

  • History: The region of Essequibo has been a source of tension for decades, but the discovery of massive crude reserves has raised the stakes.

  • Provocation: Venezuela recently held a referendum to create a province in Essequibo and sent troops to the border.

  • Implication: The conflict could escalate into a military confrontation and disrupt the global oil market.

🇩🇰 Denmark Warns of Russia’s Threat

Denmark’s defense minister said Friday that Russia could attack a NATO country within the next three to five years.

  • Reason: The minister cited “new knowledge” about Russia’s increased military capacity and willingness to test NATO’s solidarity.

  • Article 5: The key clause of the NATO treaty that states an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

  • Steadfast Defender 24: NATO’s largest military exercise in Europe since the Cold War, involving 90,000 personnel, is currently underway. The training is planned to conclude on May 31, 2024.

Russia

Tucker Carlson Interviews Vladimir Putin

Here we have it.

Perfectly timed for the weekend!

The long-awaited interview of Russian President Vladimir Putin by Tucker Carlson has finally happened. However, I didn’t expect it to be two hours long!

Summarizing this extensive interview wouldn’t do it justice. So, here are some key points to ponder while viewing:

  • Justification: Putin offers a detailed historical context and justification for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea. His conversation with Carlson conveyed a sense of sincerity in his reasons for the invasion. While this doesn’t necessarily validate his actions, it’s certainly intruiging.

  • NATO Expansion: The Russian President also outlines NATO’s slow expansion over several years, reaching right up to Russia’s border. Ukraine was intended to serve as a “neutral” entity between Russia and NATO.

  • Kosovo: In 2008, the US-backed Kosovo’s independence from Serbia. Given Russia’s support for Serbia, this action could be seen as a provocation by the US.

Initial Thoughts

To be clear, Putin’s extensive historical knowledge and the seemingly logical basis for his actions initially impressed me. Putin certainly made some accurate and balanced evaluations, but his worldview appears to be heavily shaped by Russian irredentism.

Hitler Parallels

This notion of “historical entitlement” and “reclamation” is also deeply embedded in Adolf Hitler’s actions, particularly his claims on the Sudetenland.

  • Hitler, who considered Aryans superior to all other races, believed that the Nazis had the “right” to expand for more Lebensraum or “living space.”

  • He also aspired to create a Greater Germanic Reich by consolidating ethnically German territories, such as Austria.

Do you see the parallel with the Russia-Ukraine situation?

Closing

I’m not suggesting that Putin is Hitler, but it’s important to note that just because one’s actions are supported by a strong belief in their reasoning, it doesn’t make those actions objectively just.