Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to not understand why we have not done something about Putin?

92 replies

Dalint · 12/08/2022 11:58

I know that it's a nuclear power, but we wouldn't really need to go nuclear? Just take him out?

Is it Putin's war or Russia's war?

Why have we not assassinated him?

OP posts:
Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 12/08/2022 12:00

Because of rule of law.
As shocking as it may sound, the world can't just go around topping off leaders of countries because they don't like or disagree with them.

dampgreg · 12/08/2022 12:00

Because he has his finger on the nuke trigger. Also, if we miss - I'm pretty sure he'd retaliate. Thirdly, it's more complicated than that

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:01

In general I don't agree with assassinations but is his life worth more than the lives of everyone affected by his actions? The knock on effects of his tactics, his war, the millions who will freeze this winter or die because of pressures on Health Services? The starving children? The suffering? Does the greater good not come into it?

OP posts:
RudsyFarmer · 12/08/2022 12:01

I don’t think Putin is really the issue. He’s like the squeaky wheel. China is the main issue to the destabilisation of the West and there is precisely zero we can do about that.

Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 12/08/2022 12:01

Oh and then politics. I am sure that most countries in the world hope to reinstate relations with Russia once this is over. Russia is a huge economic partner and one with a lot of resource.
Plus, better the devil you know. If you got rid of him, whose to say the next guy isn't more trigger happy.

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:02

Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 12/08/2022 12:00

Because of rule of law.
As shocking as it may sound, the world can't just go around topping off leaders of countries because they don't like or disagree with them.

I'm pretty sure we killed Saddam, Gaddafi, Hitler, a few US presidents, Bin Laden?

OP posts:
Thatswhyimacat · 12/08/2022 12:02

Would you think it was right if another world leader decided to say, assassinate Biden?

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:02

dampgreg · 12/08/2022 12:00

Because he has his finger on the nuke trigger. Also, if we miss - I'm pretty sure he'd retaliate. Thirdly, it's more complicated than that

I suspect that it is more complicated which is why I'm asking the question. It's not a rhetorical question. It's a genuine question.

OP posts:
Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:04

Thatswhyimacat · 12/08/2022 12:02

Would you think it was right if another world leader decided to say, assassinate Biden?

It's been done in the past!

OP posts:
Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:05

dampgreg · 12/08/2022 12:00

Because he has his finger on the nuke trigger. Also, if we miss - I'm pretty sure he'd retaliate. Thirdly, it's more complicated than that

Unless he's able to haunt people, he couldn't really retaliate if he was dead!

OP posts:
Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 12/08/2022 12:06

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:02

I'm pretty sure we killed Saddam, Gaddafi, Hitler, a few US presidents, Bin Laden?

Bin Laden wasn't a recognised leader of a country.
We were in a world war with Hilter (we are still not at war with Russia), I doubt anyone other than his allies recognised him as a soveriegn leader.
Saddam had not been president for 3 years when he was assasinated
Gaddafi was also deposed by the time he died.
All that said, I am not sure all of the above were legal.
Not sure who you mean re US presidents and "we".

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:07

Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 12/08/2022 12:06

Bin Laden wasn't a recognised leader of a country.
We were in a world war with Hilter (we are still not at war with Russia), I doubt anyone other than his allies recognised him as a soveriegn leader.
Saddam had not been president for 3 years when he was assasinated
Gaddafi was also deposed by the time he died.
All that said, I am not sure all of the above were legal.
Not sure who you mean re US presidents and "we".

We, the people. Obviously only 1 person pulls the trigger but who is behind it?

OP posts:
NotDavidTennant · 12/08/2022 12:08

Assassinating Putin would start WWIII.

Pootles34 · 12/08/2022 12:08

Hitler killed himself. Intrigued to know which US presidents 'we' have killed?

Coffeaddict · 12/08/2022 12:09

You also risk making him a martyr

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:10

4 sitting US presidents have been assasinated. Abraham Lincoln (1865, by John Wilkes Booth), James A. Garfield (1881, by Charles J. Guiteau), William McKinley (1901, by Leon Czolgosz), and John F. Kennedy (1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald).

I know we're spun tales but could we not just assassinate Putin and blame on some loon?

OP posts:
Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:10

Pootles34 · 12/08/2022 12:08

Hitler killed himself. Intrigued to know which US presidents 'we' have killed?

Good point. Forgot he killed himself ;)

OP posts:
Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:11

Coffeaddict · 12/08/2022 12:09

You also risk making him a martyr

We have no such concerns in the Middle East?

OP posts:
undermilkjug · 12/08/2022 12:12

Saddam was executed following his conviction for war crimes.
Hitler killed himself
JFK and LIncoln weren't assassinated by a state power, they were murdered.

Putin isn't one man acting alone. He has been in power for a very long time and is surrounded by people he has appointed. If putin is assassinated, he would be replaced by someone who may be more enthusiastic about a nuclear strike, not least in revenge for the assassination.

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:12

Btw I'm not shooting down all your replies. I asked and I appreciate the answers. It's just that it should be easily done! They've gone rogue.

OP posts:
Featuredcreature · 12/08/2022 12:13

Because its all fucking theatre and he is a useful bogeyman?

Discovereads · 12/08/2022 12:13

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:02

I'm pretty sure we killed Saddam, Gaddafi, Hitler, a few US presidents, Bin Laden?

Wait a second, are you saying the British assassinated JFK?

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:13

undermilkjug · 12/08/2022 12:12

Saddam was executed following his conviction for war crimes.
Hitler killed himself
JFK and LIncoln weren't assassinated by a state power, they were murdered.

Putin isn't one man acting alone. He has been in power for a very long time and is surrounded by people he has appointed. If putin is assassinated, he would be replaced by someone who may be more enthusiastic about a nuclear strike, not least in revenge for the assassination.

So we're afraid of people who might be worse than Putin?

How much worse can you get?

OP posts:
Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:14

Discovereads · 12/08/2022 12:13

Wait a second, are you saying the British assassinated JFK?

  1. I'm not British
  2. No
OP posts:
Coffeaddict · 12/08/2022 12:14

Dalint · 12/08/2022 12:11

We have no such concerns in the Middle East?

Yes but Russia is a nuclear power and have spend decades pumping a large component of their budget into their military. They are also allies with China.

Assassinating a head of state is an act of war and a war between the west against Russia and China is not one I want to see.