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As US troops left Iraq, their combat gear went to police
(lemmy.world)
The troop withdrawal created a ton of surplus armament. Through the so-called “1033 program,” police departments can acquire excess military gear from the Pentagon for free.
Source: https://www.stephensemler.com/p/how-the-iraq-war-turbocharged-police
I mean it's kind of the professors point. He says that Putin is doing this to kill off and redefine the identity parts of the Russian population, whom Putin identifies as lazy, drunkard, directionless young men.
Ah, great plan! When they return they can be disabled, traumatized men who are drunk dealing with PTSD.