Dr. Marcel Dirsus

But what he gradually realized is that, OK, the Iranians coming closer, they're not quite within range of my palace yet. But now Iranian soldiers are starting to become a bigger issue than Iraqi soldiers. And in the case of Saddam Hussein, he could still pivot because Iraq is a comparatively powerful country, but has resources that it can trade.

So gradually what he did is he loosened the grip that he had on his own generals. He redirected the intelligence apparatus towards Iran, and he did less micromanaging because he came to realize that actually, okay, I'm not the person that should be determining how wide the trenches should be. I'm going to let the professional... I mean, that's real. He actually did that.

So gradually what he did is he loosened the grip that he had on his own generals. He redirected the intelligence apparatus towards Iran, and he did less micromanaging because he came to realize that actually, okay, I'm not the person that should be determining how wide the trenches should be. I'm going to let the professional... I mean, that's real. He actually did that.

So gradually what he did is he loosened the grip that he had on his own generals. He redirected the intelligence apparatus towards Iran, and he did less micromanaging because he came to realize that actually, okay, I'm not the person that should be determining how wide the trenches should be. I'm going to let the professional... I mean, that's real. He actually did that.

That's, yeah, ridiculous. Yeah. I'm going to give a little bit longer leash to my generals because now I'm more worried about the Iranians than I am about my own people. And it allowed them to maintain power. But not all countries can do that. So a lot of them essentially look for external protection.

That's, yeah, ridiculous. Yeah. I'm going to give a little bit longer leash to my generals because now I'm more worried about the Iranians than I am about my own people. And it allowed them to maintain power. But not all countries can do that. So a lot of them essentially look for external protection.

That's, yeah, ridiculous. Yeah. I'm going to give a little bit longer leash to my generals because now I'm more worried about the Iranians than I am about my own people. And it allowed them to maintain power. But not all countries can do that. So a lot of them essentially look for external protection.

If they cannot protect themselves, if they cannot go back on this coup-proofing, they need somebody else to protect them, essentially.

If they cannot protect themselves, if they cannot go back on this coup-proofing, they need somebody else to protect them, essentially.

If they cannot protect themselves, if they cannot go back on this coup-proofing, they need somebody else to protect them, essentially.

Yeah, chances are high. You can survive in power even if you lose a war. But chances are quite high that you do end up losing power. But I think this is quite interesting when it comes to Russia, for example, because we talked about the influence that outsiders have on the survival of some of these regimes and of some of these dictators.

Yeah, chances are high. You can survive in power even if you lose a war. But chances are quite high that you do end up losing power. But I think this is quite interesting when it comes to Russia, for example, because we talked about the influence that outsiders have on the survival of some of these regimes and of some of these dictators.

Yeah, chances are high. You can survive in power even if you lose a war. But chances are quite high that you do end up losing power. But I think this is quite interesting when it comes to Russia, for example, because we talked about the influence that outsiders have on the survival of some of these regimes and of some of these dictators.

And I think when it comes to Putin, outsiders actually have much more influence than they often have, but they are less willing to use it. Unlike with a lot of these other dictatorships, we can have a massive influence on whether Vladimir Putin stays in power or not, because we can have an influence on the way that the war goes in Ukraine.

And I think when it comes to Putin, outsiders actually have much more influence than they often have, but they are less willing to use it. Unlike with a lot of these other dictatorships, we can have a massive influence on whether Vladimir Putin stays in power or not, because we can have an influence on the way that the war goes in Ukraine.

And I think when it comes to Putin, outsiders actually have much more influence than they often have, but they are less willing to use it. Unlike with a lot of these other dictatorships, we can have a massive influence on whether Vladimir Putin stays in power or not, because we can have an influence on the way that the war goes in Ukraine.

The more likely it is that Putin loses that war, the more likely it is that he also loses power. But I think we're less willing to use it because the consideration is, of course, also, OK, if Putin feels that he has his back towards the wall and that he might actually lose this war, what is he going to do?

The more likely it is that Putin loses that war, the more likely it is that he also loses power. But I think we're less willing to use it because the consideration is, of course, also, OK, if Putin feels that he has his back towards the wall and that he might actually lose this war, what is he going to do?

The more likely it is that Putin loses that war, the more likely it is that he also loses power. But I think we're less willing to use it because the consideration is, of course, also, OK, if Putin feels that he has his back towards the wall and that he might actually lose this war, what is he going to do?

And I think in European capitals like Berlin, but also in D.C., for example, the thinking is, OK, if we empower the Ukrainians too much and Vladimir Putin thinks he might lose the war and subsequently might lose power, he may use nuclear weapons. So I think we've got a bit of a paradox when it comes to Russia currently.