Assuming he actually believes this, he just needs to extend that logic one tiny step forward. A more plausible explanation is he knows that it isn’t true but still needs some sort of argument that explains the regime’s repugnant behaviour. Those are your dismal options. Reminds me of that South African leader who claimed he was raping girls as a cure for AIDS because raping girls has bad optics.
Assuming he actually believes this, he just needs to extend that logic one tiny step forward. A more plausible explanation is he knows that it isn’t true but still needs some sort of argument that explains the regime’s repugnant behaviour. Those are your dismal options. Reminds me of that South African leader who claimed he was raping girls as a cure for AIDS because raping girls has bad optics.