In my reading, there were just too many things out of place: if he is more worried about the rebels, why does he wax lyrical about their reasons, and about Ypsilanti's broken promise? What sense does it make to start off by repeating the "promise" to not ally with the Left Party on the day that option died anyway? Why is he sowing doubts about Ypsilanti's future, while attempting a preemptive strike by implicitely appealing against the expulsion of the four? Why does he want to talk with Ypsilanti, and not the four?

On the other hand, by today, I see another reading: that the old man was just out of his depth. That the incoherence of his message was because he had no message worked out at all. That somehow he realises these four blew it big time, but doesn't know where it went all wrong.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}