Russians Play Chess, Americans Play Poker
"One of the clever but true things that is a common quip is that the Russians play chess and the Americans play poker. The Russians are looking at the long term, the Americans are bluffing. The Americans are playing a hand and the neocons were a mix of delusion and bluff."
Description
Professor Jeffrey Sachs captures the fundamental difference in strategic thinking between Russia and America. While Russians think several moves ahead like chess players, Americans rely on bluffing and short-term plays. This explains why the neocons repeatedly miscalculated, believing Russia would "fold" at every escalation - from sanctions to weapons deliveries. The poker mentality led to catastrophic misjudgments that have cost over a million Ukrainian lives.
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