When you run out of options, you cannibalize assets

Russia's Putin and Israel's Netanyahu are throwing everything into the furnace

Jim and Sara Nuttle illustration from “Anerica’s New Map”

Interesting Business Insider article says the Putin-is-winning story is misleading because he’s basically surviving economically by cannibalizing state-owned companies. This trick is typically pursued in terms of state-own lands (US federal lands in 1800s, China over its real-estate turbocharged rise), but Putin is forced to do it with newly state-owned companies (basically abandoned Wester firms’ assets).

Meanwhile, as Netanyahu makes it increasingly clear that he won’t be listening to either the world or the Biden Administration on curtailing his comprehensive and deep destruction of Gaza, one gets the feeling that he’s basically cannibalizing his relationship with the United States — while he can. Polls indicate that younger Americans aren’t up for this sort of supportive relationship with Israel.

In both instances, you can’t help but wonder if the men in charge are taking these short-term actions with the hope of some sort of salvation in Trump’s possible return to power.

Where to begin?