This was secondary objective, not main. Main was still Russia’s collapse and the encirclement of China, but it failed.
Good point, I don’t think that was ever a realistic objective though. More like an aspirational goal. :)
I mean they certainly believed they at least had a good chance to pull it, but USA govt is not exactly most sane or materialist government in the planet and those belief was based in large part on their power trip and wishful thinking.
Also i think there indeed was some chance to pull it, after all they managed nearly every such stunt in last decades including the big one with USSR. Just in the retrospect Ukraine war escalation in 2022 is already seen as the visible beginning of the end of empire.
I agree there, they definitely did think they could pull it off.
Condoleezza Rice been talking about this years ago. Shows you that red or blue, certain hegemonic plans don’t change from admin to admin.
exactly, there is a continuation of policy regardless of which clowns are overseeing it