PUTIN AND PRIGOZHIN’S BROW-WRINKLING ARRANGEMENT: The Wagner Revolt Leaves Losers Worldwide

…here’s Putin’s short-term payoff: The brow wrinkling arrangement has the appearance of strength and stability.

The arrangement enables these Putin-desired events. The Russian Army absorbs the Wagner mercenary corps. The glorious war to absorb Ukraine in Putin’s reviving Russian Empire continues.

But it ain’t all over. The Wagner Revolt fizzled, but it left a lot of dead and wounded soldiers and several political losers.

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…I distrust mercenary organizations. In August 2000 I recorded an NPR Morning Edition commentary expressing skepticism about the UN’s proposal to hire mercenary peacekeepers. In the 14th century, Italian Condottieri (contractors) mercenary companies often disregarded the contracts with city-states and took power to themselves. Wagner has done that in the Central African Republic. Fair bet Prigozhin’s Wagner trainers — while working for Russia — have made some money from filched CAR natural resources.

Mercenary organizations are another loser. With Wagner kaput the Kremlin has lost its “plausibly deniable” military and economic actor in Africa.

Check it out.