Regarding Putin, it is nice to see someone recognize that he is a moderate. I doubt he's seriously ill simply because the media claiming that are notorious for projecting what they want to believe is reality. Their credibility is rather pathetic.

That doesn't mean the man won't retire. The Merkle revelations are an embarrassment for Putin. Plus there is no point in any diplomacy with the West now. So what value can a great diplomat have?

Think of Robert Duvall's character in The Godfather(Tom Hagen). A lawyer who was great in peacetime but when the families go to war, he's not a wartime leader. Therefore he's out.

Putin has reached this point in his career. As Russia has mobilized for a war with NATO(not Ukraine) it may be time for a wartime leader to take over. I hope not. We owe Putin a great debt for keeping the lid from blowing off this for 8 years. Still, Russia has spent those years preparing for WW3. The US military has spent the same time becoming more corrupt.