The CIA predicted the Putin forces would rapidly conquer Ukraine. Asked to explain this failure to predict correctly, they say they underestimated the effect of the pervasive corruption in Russia.

The US also suffers from pervasive corruption — less than Russia historically, but Republicans' by-hook-or-by-crook attitude is boosting it. The military-industrial complex is a major center of corruption. I hope Congress thinks about this when funding more F35 airplanes.