So just to clarify, this war was orchestrated because the Democrats are fearing the midterms? And Putin is "in" on this and trying to help Biden out? I can think of multiple reasons why this is asinine and tinfoil-hat level speculation.
1) Why would you assume Biden would get a bump in approval? Not only has Biden's approval rating remained beneath 50% since Aug of 2021, he experienced no boost during the buildup or since the outbreak of the war.
2) Why are the Democrats fearing midterms, in your mind? Gas prices and inflation notwithstanding, there are no challengers and the Democrats know it. The GOP is leaderless and continues to say they will suppport a Trump run in 2024, despite his low popularity and the fact that they are openly condemning him.
3) "We could have waited"? How do you figure? That claim is based directly on the idea that there is a conspiracy here. In reality, Putin has been posturing since 2014 and wasn't willing to wait any longer, hence why Xi had to plead with him to wait until after the Olympics!
4) The war has done no favors for the global economy! In case you hadn't noticed, high gas prices are directly attributable to sanctions on Russian oil, and the Republicans are using that to mount political attacks on Biden.
5) You clearly know nothing about Putin's mindset. Since he took power amid a string of terrorist bombings that had the FSBs fingerprints all over it (they were even caught red-handed!) he has been obsessed with restoring the old order. Hence the invasion of Chechnya and Ossetia.
But Ukraine has been a particular thorn in his side. He viewed their vote for independence as a betrayal. The way they revolted against his puppet Yanukovych twice (2005 and 2014) he considers a personal slight that he had to respond to.
6) The reason Russia's economy isn't going well is because of the sanctions that keep piling up. Why? Well, he's in the habit of murdering and jailing reporters, opponents, and whistleblowers. But more than that, HE INVADED UKRAINE! First in 2014, when he annexed Crimea using paramilitary forces, and now in 2022 using the full-weight of his army.
7) The war has shined a spotllight on corruption in Russia, particularly where Putin allies have run their respective military offices like their own personal piggy banks. The war exposed how efforts to modernize Russia's armed forces have failed because the people running it were embezzling billions to pay for their mega-yachts instead of making sure Russian vehicles had proper tires, engine parts, supplies, and other equipment - hence why so many vehicles have broken down and had to be abandoned.
A “distraction?” Is that a joke? The war has drawn attention to everything you think Biden and Putin are trying to hide! And Putin, the spotlight this war has shined on his poor leadership and failures has been blinding! Saying he need a war to distract from the bad economy is like saying “I need a pack of cigarettes because this lung cancer is killing me!”
