waited 8 years to invade Ukraine. How you think that noting that Ukraine, in fact, did this entails some sort of denial in my part about Putin's behavior in 2022 is something you will have to explain. I doubt you will. I have never and would never argue that the Ukrainian bombing of its own in 2014 is the sole or main reason that Putin invaded in 2014. I will, however, argue that our media purposely leaves out facts as they paint the Midget Autocrat and Ukraine as paragons of democracy and freedom. In the last year, and prior to the Russian invasion, Midget Autocrat has attacked civil liberties in his country. Ukraine is and has been a corrupt craphole for some time. The idea that supporting Ukraine is supporting "democracy" is comical. Since we're talking about 2014, would you be okay with our government bombing one of our major cities because rebels seized control of it? If the flakes in Cali led an attempted secession, should we launch missiles at Sacramento, SF, and beyond? Does that sound like a modern, advanced society, or does that sound more like something a backwards, craphole country would do?"
And since you introduced the question of why Putin waited, I will ask again: why do you think he waited? You seem to know what the bad answers are, so I'd like to know the good ones. I'm fine if you consult The Economist right as you read this.