The United States sided with Russia, Belarus, and North Korea against a United Nations General Assembly resolution accurately noting Russia as the aggressor against Ukraine.
There's the Erickson that I've come to know! We quite often disagree, but rarely have I ever seen you not call a ball a ball, or a strike a strike. When we find ourselves on the same side as Russia, Iran, and North Korea, our being on the WRONG side is not even a close call.
Not sure what the strategy could possibly be to side with something as simple as right versus wrong. Even with all of Zalinski's flaws Ukraine was invaded by Putin's Russia, unbelievable.
Is Putin the aggressor? These things are never black and white. In the 90's the Clinton Administration and NATO expanded NATO's reach into eastern Europe. By 2008 NATO was knocking on the doors of Ukraine and Georgia. Putin called it a direct threat and warned of grave consequences. He invaded Georgia and still controls 20% of its territory today. By 2014, the EU was courting Ukraine to join in a trade and security "association." Ukrainian President Yanukovych said no when Putin offered him a "sweeter" deal. Popular demonstrations against government corruption and Russian influence broke out in Kiev's Maidan Square. The protests were openly supported by the Obama Administration and Sen John McCain, who went to Kiev in solidarity with the protesters. Within a couple of weeks Yanukovych was gone, replaced by the pro-West Poroshenko. Putin promptly seized full control of Crimea. In Feb 2022 Putin, seeing weakness in Biden and supported by China, invaded Ukraine and now controls about 20% of its area and 3.5M people. With the expansion of NATO off the table, Putin might see fit to end this war, with Ukraine as a buffer zone between Russia and Europe.
I agree with the part about Putin seeing weakness in Biden. I don't agree that Putin feels at all threatened by us, NATO, or anyone else.
First, NATO is a purely defensive alliance. Secondly, because of the role played by public opinion in true democracies (such as in the West) tend not to start wars that members of the public have to then go and fight. In both of these respects, Putin's intelligence operatives have surely confirmed that there is no will in the West for any action against Russia. Our inaction when he took Crimea confirms as much.
I also agree that with NATO membership for Ukraine off the table, Putin might be willing to end this war . . . until he rearms and is ready to go again.
I'm not a Putin apologist, but I think he's a balance-of-power realist who sees NATO expansion as a direct threat. He sees our meddling in Ukraine over the years as an example of that, so he takes actions to thwart our moves. Way back in the Clinton Administration during the halcyon days of the "end of history," foreign policy realists such as George Kennan and Henry Kissinger warned against NATO's march eastward because Russia would see the West as aggressors. I think they were right. But Clinton pressed on. Bush and Obama did the same thing, but for different reasons - Bush because he was a neocon hawk and Obama because he was a liberal, "peaceful hegemon" type. Tweedledum and Tweedledee, you might say. The result was the same: Putin, the Russian Bear, growled in warning and pushed back whenever he saw a strategic opportunity. He took full advantage under Sleepy Joe. I see hopeful signs with Marco Rubio at State. He's no longer a unipolar neocon but now seems to be a multipolar realist. He's taking a very measured, diplomatic approach toward Russia, while recognizing that China is our real enemy. I see good things in that.
NATO expansion IS a direct threat . . . to his latitude to invade or otherwise threaten other European states. Think about it: if he were afraid of NATO, it would make no sense to squander men and materials in Ukraine that he might need to defend against a NATO attack.
Regarding China, however, I am quite curious as to the basis for your concern. As compared with Russia (and us, for that matter), except for a few border skirmishes with India, China has not undertaken military action against anyone for about 70 years. And they could have. Before North Korea acquired nuclear weapons, the Chinese could have marched right in with no objection from us or anyone else.
Moreover, if you check out what the Chinese Communist Party is saying about what they are trying to do (as Russia need only have taken a look at Mein Kampf to know what Hitler was really up to), they are committed, first and foremost, to the pursuit of prosperity. (This is a really interesting revision of Marxist theory: rather than asking everyone to share equally from a small pie, their approach is to bake a really big one before making that request.) One doesn't serve that objective by taking down one's biggest customer. I'm no Chinese apologist, so I do not in any way maintain that they are our friends. In particular, Taiwan remains as an issue over which we might eventually come to blows. However, I see the Chinese more as competitors than potential adversaries.
Regarding Putin, it's interesting that before he invaded Ukraine in Feb 2022, he signaled a desire to negotiate if NATO would consider closing its "open door" policy. The US dismissed it out of hand, calling it a ploy to weaken us, easing his path to achieving his imperial designs. Was this a missed opportunity to avoid war? We'll never know. Putin plays us in so many ways. He's the International Man of Mystery. Is his goal to "destroy Europe, divide NATO, and restore Russian power?" Or is he a rational actor wielding his power in a way that he hopes will ensure peace and prosperity for his homeland? No one really knows, but our approach toward him in the last thirty years has not worked out well. Time to change. As for China, I think they want to dominate us and the world. Through the Belt and Road initiative, they're developing ports in strategic areas (including one near Florida) around the world under the guise of economic cooperation. They're also acquiring land in the US near our military bases and sending spy balloons over the heartland. Young Chinese men have crossed our southern border and are known to be surveilling sensitive sites. China is steeling our technology and engaging in a huge military build-up. The CCP declared a "People's War" on the US, which is a throwback to Mao's military doctrine of total war. China is assessing our vulnerabilities, watching what we do, gauging our reactions to things. These are ominous signs, and not something mere competitors do.
I have voted for Donald Trump twice and I support his agenda but I find his recent comments about the Ukraine and Russia unsettling. Russia invaded a sovereign nation. End discussion!
Zelensky is corrupt. A comedian becomes President and now has many houses around the world. Elections have not been held because of the war. This accords with their constitution. We through money at a war that should never have happened and wouldn't have happened under Pres. Donald Trump. Then UN votes were shameful
You DT haters with great dislikes of him are also misjudging him. I will allege that there was great corruption between Joe Biden and Zelenskey. DT is aware of such and also with China. More disclosures will come. For the contemporary times, I will take and did vote for DT 3 times.
Hell, I voted for Nixon 2 times, and I would today if he were running against what he was against in 1968 and 1972.
As for the poster saying; "Trump is dangerously misguided in respect of Ukraine and tariffs.
It was always the greatest risk of having him restored to power."
I would say DT is not the greatest risk factor. I would take DT over Kam Harris or any Progressive Dem.
Everyone has an opinion, but the Progressive Dems consider theirs superior.
If Putin gets away with this invasion, the Chinese could take it as meaning they can also move to retake Taiwan. Then either we let them or risk going to nuclear war.
Under longstanding American foreign policy across Democratic and Republican administrations alike, we have consistently opposed the aggression of one nation state against another. For the world's greatest superpower to abruptly change course in this regard is extremely destabilizing because nobody knows anymore what an aggressor state can get away with doing. This is the risk to which that poster was referring.
At one point or another, Trump has badmouthed every world leader in sight . . . except one. This is no one-off. With respect to Putin, Trump has been remarkably consistent.
Nearly 20% of Russia's claimed $8 trillion GDP is oil and gas. Sending hundreds of billions to Ukraine was always a costly mistake. Trump is going to have much more success helping Europe secure peace by a drill baby drill policy in the US, and requiring everyone to invest more in their own national defense. In the meantime, continuing this defense industry boondoggle against a big country with a big nuclear arsenal is stewpid. There is so much "Russia, Russia, Russia" and "Putin, Putin, Putin" derangement-syndrome-media-algorithm-injected-gaslighting in the brains of otherwise semi-intelligent people that Trump is correct in going extreme to break the trance.
Let me start by saying that I’m totally with you, Erick, in my dislike of Trump. But isn’t the UN scolding Russia just like saying “Nanny nanny boo boo” and walking away? It achieves nothing.
Let’s focus on the desired outcome. Not the temporal stage show to entertain friends.
I credit the following comment to Victor David Hanson. Maybe you all will listen to his podcast from a few days ago where he explains Trump reasoning.
Putin invaded Georgia while Bush was President. Putin invaded Ukraine when Obama was president. Putin did not invade anyone while Trump was President. Putin invaded Ukraine while Biden was president.
Why did Putin invade Georgia? The US was bogged down in Iraq and Georgia tried to send in troops to take control of two of Georgia's provinces (think of the Mexican Cartel running New Mexico and the President sending in the 4th ID to reassert control over NM). So, Putin said I am taking all of Georgia. Putin did not but he now firmly controls the two former northern provinces of Georgia.
Why Did Putin invade Crimea, the Donbas and Luhansk? Obama withdrew troops from Iraq. You all remember when ISIS nearly took over Bagdad? Obama was forced to reinsert troops into Iraq to stabilize the situation. Obama canceled missile defense that Bush had set up to be built in Poland and Chechia. Hillery went over and did a “reset” with Russia. Remember how feckless we were in Libya under Hillary’s war? Ambassador assassinated. Further, remember the hot mic comment from Obama to the Russia FM, which was something like this "tell Putin to give me space so I can win reelection, and I will give him space afterwords". So, Putin takes Crimea, Donbas and Luhansk. Obama sends blankets to Ukraine.
Then Trump shows up. Russia Gate. Vindman. Two impeachments. And all the political hatchet jobs the Left and the other nations tried to pull on Trump. Do you all remember what Trump did to ISIS? The barbarians that kidnapped, raped and murdered Americans? He destroyed them by telling our commanders to beat the hell out of them. Do you all remember when the Wagner group tried to attack and push US forces out of eastern Syria where all the oil in Syria is located and is still controlled by the US/Kurds? US forces killed about 200 Russians. Do you all know we spend money in Syria maintaining a local force to “incarcerate” 1000s of ISIS fighters and their 40,000 dependents in two towns in Syria? Trump then had Sulieman killed. Trump sent offensive weapons to Ukraine, enough to allow Ukraine to stop and reverse much of Russians initial offensive gains in Ukraine during the Feb/March 2022 Russian offensive. No one could doubt that Trump would punch you hard in the mouth if you punched him. He is from Brookland.
Then Biden shows up. Withdraw from Afghanistan, Taliban takes over. October 7th and Isreal goes full on “I am going to slap you all silly” on Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and Iran. And you all know the rest, DEI, Inflation, green new energy, biofuels for US troops, etc.).
Trump goes through all the Lawfare, two assignation attempts, etc. To top it off, Zelensky visits the US, he is convinced to go to PA to a rally with Biden. What was everyone thinking? What is Trump to think about all this?
Trump is correct in saying that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump had won reelection. But that is all now, water under the bridge.
Ukraine may sustain its current operational tempo. They have enough domestic production, and Europe will give them some stuff. As will Russia. A year from now neither country will have much left if this goes on. Ukraine has yet to "modernize" its lilitary and ellimante all the bad habits of its former Soviet/Russian military doctrine. IS it making porogress? Sure. But it will take many more years.
Trump is flipping his finger at the Ukrainian leadership, the EU leadership and all the other US leadership efforts under Bush, Obama and Biden. You all screwed this up, so I am here to fix it. I have nothing to work with here. I had used my first term to reset the tempo of world affairs--Iran was near collapse, Russia was quiet. etc. No one will like what I say or do but this war is going to stop. And I don’t trust any of you all.
I am reminded of a lady I met years ago. She had 5 boys. She was a small lady. If things got too hectic in the house, she would grab anything and start hitting any of her sons she could find. It did not matter who started the fight or disruption. They were all guilty and she was going to impose discipline on everyone, guilty or innocent. The 5 boys lived in the house, and each were equally responsible for the behavior in the house. This is all Trump is telling the World. You all kicked me in the shins and tried to get me killed. You all let the world blow up and now that I am President, I am going to discipline everyone in a way that really hurts but, in the end, you will all stop all this fighting.
My personal view. Do I wish the Russian Federation will collapse like the USSR collapsed? Yes. Will Putin allow it? No. IN 30 years, maybe Ukraine will be like Switzerland and the Caucus region will be free of Russian tyranny.
Here's where I would disagree about the Russian Federation collapsing like the USSR. When the USSR collapsed, they lost control of their nuclear weapons arsenal. We developed a program called the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program where we assisted the new Russian Federation in regaining control over their nuclear weapons. It was under the Nunn-Lugar program.
If the Russian Federation were to collapse, we would face the same predicament - who would be control of their nuclear weapons? Would a rogue general take command of some, and would others be sold off?
I know that it is convenient to make this a morality play - Russia and Putin bad; Ukraine and Zelensky good - but the real world is not that simple. We do not want Russia to collapse - nor do we want China to collapse. Because if either of them does then we have the real possibility of loose nuclear weapons around the world.
Re: "It did not matter who started the fight or disruption. They were all guilty and she was going to impose discipline on everyone, guilty or innocent."
When you boil it all down.... that is Trump's view of this whole Ukraine war.
I'm hoping that this is part of a longer game by Trump to make Putin more agreeable to working out an end to the war. Trump can say, 'Look at the way we voted. So can you do me a favor and negotiate and end?'
But I don't think it is.
And, of course, the cries of, 'Trump is a Russian puppet' will be forthcoming.
The Nostradamus-esque part lies in your doubt about this being a mere negotiating ploy. Trump has consistently taken Putin's side, even against the judgment and advice of national security officials that he himself picked.
I absolutely don’t agree with what Trump did, but I am also going to wait and see. I still Trump is poking the bear especially about Russia and all of the Russia collusion that he had to go through last term.
Does anyone out there think that the UN is even relevant anymore? Yeah let’s put Iran and China on the human rights committee. And they absolutely hate Israel. A feckless body of over priced global bureaucrats.
Calm down everyone. It was nothing but Trumps signal to Putin that it's time to sit down and talk about ending the war. The next announcement will be about the meeting. First it will be an armistice to end the bloodshed. Then it will be a four way deal: US, Russia, Ukraine and Europe (to guarantee Ukraine's borders).
Thank you for being another voice of reason. It just amazes me how supposedly intelligent people have such knee-jerk reactions to things without really bothering to think about them first.... they default to "Orange Man Bad" and they ruin their whole day for themselves..
There's the Erickson that I've come to know! We quite often disagree, but rarely have I ever seen you not call a ball a ball, or a strike a strike. When we find ourselves on the same side as Russia, Iran, and North Korea, our being on the WRONG side is not even a close call.
Not sure what the strategy could possibly be to side with something as simple as right versus wrong. Even with all of Zalinski's flaws Ukraine was invaded by Putin's Russia, unbelievable.
Is Putin the aggressor? These things are never black and white. In the 90's the Clinton Administration and NATO expanded NATO's reach into eastern Europe. By 2008 NATO was knocking on the doors of Ukraine and Georgia. Putin called it a direct threat and warned of grave consequences. He invaded Georgia and still controls 20% of its territory today. By 2014, the EU was courting Ukraine to join in a trade and security "association." Ukrainian President Yanukovych said no when Putin offered him a "sweeter" deal. Popular demonstrations against government corruption and Russian influence broke out in Kiev's Maidan Square. The protests were openly supported by the Obama Administration and Sen John McCain, who went to Kiev in solidarity with the protesters. Within a couple of weeks Yanukovych was gone, replaced by the pro-West Poroshenko. Putin promptly seized full control of Crimea. In Feb 2022 Putin, seeing weakness in Biden and supported by China, invaded Ukraine and now controls about 20% of its area and 3.5M people. With the expansion of NATO off the table, Putin might see fit to end this war, with Ukraine as a buffer zone between Russia and Europe.
I agree with the part about Putin seeing weakness in Biden. I don't agree that Putin feels at all threatened by us, NATO, or anyone else.
First, NATO is a purely defensive alliance. Secondly, because of the role played by public opinion in true democracies (such as in the West) tend not to start wars that members of the public have to then go and fight. In both of these respects, Putin's intelligence operatives have surely confirmed that there is no will in the West for any action against Russia. Our inaction when he took Crimea confirms as much.
I also agree that with NATO membership for Ukraine off the table, Putin might be willing to end this war . . . until he rearms and is ready to go again.
I'm not a Putin apologist, but I think he's a balance-of-power realist who sees NATO expansion as a direct threat. He sees our meddling in Ukraine over the years as an example of that, so he takes actions to thwart our moves. Way back in the Clinton Administration during the halcyon days of the "end of history," foreign policy realists such as George Kennan and Henry Kissinger warned against NATO's march eastward because Russia would see the West as aggressors. I think they were right. But Clinton pressed on. Bush and Obama did the same thing, but for different reasons - Bush because he was a neocon hawk and Obama because he was a liberal, "peaceful hegemon" type. Tweedledum and Tweedledee, you might say. The result was the same: Putin, the Russian Bear, growled in warning and pushed back whenever he saw a strategic opportunity. He took full advantage under Sleepy Joe. I see hopeful signs with Marco Rubio at State. He's no longer a unipolar neocon but now seems to be a multipolar realist. He's taking a very measured, diplomatic approach toward Russia, while recognizing that China is our real enemy. I see good things in that.
NATO expansion IS a direct threat . . . to his latitude to invade or otherwise threaten other European states. Think about it: if he were afraid of NATO, it would make no sense to squander men and materials in Ukraine that he might need to defend against a NATO attack.
Regarding China, however, I am quite curious as to the basis for your concern. As compared with Russia (and us, for that matter), except for a few border skirmishes with India, China has not undertaken military action against anyone for about 70 years. And they could have. Before North Korea acquired nuclear weapons, the Chinese could have marched right in with no objection from us or anyone else.
Moreover, if you check out what the Chinese Communist Party is saying about what they are trying to do (as Russia need only have taken a look at Mein Kampf to know what Hitler was really up to), they are committed, first and foremost, to the pursuit of prosperity. (This is a really interesting revision of Marxist theory: rather than asking everyone to share equally from a small pie, their approach is to bake a really big one before making that request.) One doesn't serve that objective by taking down one's biggest customer. I'm no Chinese apologist, so I do not in any way maintain that they are our friends. In particular, Taiwan remains as an issue over which we might eventually come to blows. However, I see the Chinese more as competitors than potential adversaries.
What am I missing?
Regarding Putin, it's interesting that before he invaded Ukraine in Feb 2022, he signaled a desire to negotiate if NATO would consider closing its "open door" policy. The US dismissed it out of hand, calling it a ploy to weaken us, easing his path to achieving his imperial designs. Was this a missed opportunity to avoid war? We'll never know. Putin plays us in so many ways. He's the International Man of Mystery. Is his goal to "destroy Europe, divide NATO, and restore Russian power?" Or is he a rational actor wielding his power in a way that he hopes will ensure peace and prosperity for his homeland? No one really knows, but our approach toward him in the last thirty years has not worked out well. Time to change. As for China, I think they want to dominate us and the world. Through the Belt and Road initiative, they're developing ports in strategic areas (including one near Florida) around the world under the guise of economic cooperation. They're also acquiring land in the US near our military bases and sending spy balloons over the heartland. Young Chinese men have crossed our southern border and are known to be surveilling sensitive sites. China is steeling our technology and engaging in a huge military build-up. The CCP declared a "People's War" on the US, which is a throwback to Mao's military doctrine of total war. China is assessing our vulnerabilities, watching what we do, gauging our reactions to things. These are ominous signs, and not something mere competitors do.
I have voted for Donald Trump twice and I support his agenda but I find his recent comments about the Ukraine and Russia unsettling. Russia invaded a sovereign nation. End discussion!
Zelensky is corrupt. A comedian becomes President and now has many houses around the world. Elections have not been held because of the war. This accords with their constitution. We through money at a war that should never have happened and wouldn't have happened under Pres. Donald Trump. Then UN votes were shameful
When you talk about having many houses around the world, are you talking about Zelenskyy or Putin? Such claims about Zelenskyy have been debunked:
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-zelensky-buy-20-million-mansion-florida-1852474
https://www.newsweek.com/zelensky-ukraine-russia-infinity-1814058
On the other hand, Putin responded to similar claims against him by having Alexei Navalny (one of the men making them) arrested and then killed.
Forgive me. I forgot that Newsweek is an honest credible publication 😂.
His estimated net worth is $20 million. Pretty good for a comedian turned President.
So enlighten me. What is the "honest credible publication" from which you are getting contrary information?
You DT haters with great dislikes of him are also misjudging him. I will allege that there was great corruption between Joe Biden and Zelenskey. DT is aware of such and also with China. More disclosures will come. For the contemporary times, I will take and did vote for DT 3 times.
Hell, I voted for Nixon 2 times, and I would today if he were running against what he was against in 1968 and 1972.
As for the poster saying; "Trump is dangerously misguided in respect of Ukraine and tariffs.
It was always the greatest risk of having him restored to power."
I would say DT is not the greatest risk factor. I would take DT over Kam Harris or any Progressive Dem.
Everyone has an opinion, but the Progressive Dems consider theirs superior.
If Putin gets away with this invasion, the Chinese could take it as meaning they can also move to retake Taiwan. Then either we let them or risk going to nuclear war.
Under longstanding American foreign policy across Democratic and Republican administrations alike, we have consistently opposed the aggression of one nation state against another. For the world's greatest superpower to abruptly change course in this regard is extremely destabilizing because nobody knows anymore what an aggressor state can get away with doing. This is the risk to which that poster was referring.
At one point or another, Trump has badmouthed every world leader in sight . . . except one. This is no one-off. With respect to Putin, Trump has been remarkably consistent.
Something is very, very amiss here.
Nearly 20% of Russia's claimed $8 trillion GDP is oil and gas. Sending hundreds of billions to Ukraine was always a costly mistake. Trump is going to have much more success helping Europe secure peace by a drill baby drill policy in the US, and requiring everyone to invest more in their own national defense. In the meantime, continuing this defense industry boondoggle against a big country with a big nuclear arsenal is stewpid. There is so much "Russia, Russia, Russia" and "Putin, Putin, Putin" derangement-syndrome-media-algorithm-injected-gaslighting in the brains of otherwise semi-intelligent people that Trump is correct in going extreme to break the trance.
Let me start by saying that I’m totally with you, Erick, in my dislike of Trump. But isn’t the UN scolding Russia just like saying “Nanny nanny boo boo” and walking away? It achieves nothing.
Let’s focus on the desired outcome. Not the temporal stage show to entertain friends.
Thank you, Erick!
Trump is dangerously misguided in respect of Ukraine and tariffs.
It was always the greatest risk of having him restored to power.
The next weeks ahead in respect of Ukraine are truly frightening.
Pity that Trump has never heard of the concept of reparations. Russia should the party that "pays", not the Ukraine.
Maybe Trump is having a public conversation with Putin and a private one with Zelensky.
Because if not, Trump looks like a clown.
Not saying the Dems are any better (Israel vs Hamas), but Trump clearly doesn't have discernment between good and evil.
That's one thing I'm including in my daily prayers--that our leaders can tell the difference between good and evil.
I credit the following comment to Victor David Hanson. Maybe you all will listen to his podcast from a few days ago where he explains Trump reasoning.
Putin invaded Georgia while Bush was President. Putin invaded Ukraine when Obama was president. Putin did not invade anyone while Trump was President. Putin invaded Ukraine while Biden was president.
Why did Putin invade Georgia? The US was bogged down in Iraq and Georgia tried to send in troops to take control of two of Georgia's provinces (think of the Mexican Cartel running New Mexico and the President sending in the 4th ID to reassert control over NM). So, Putin said I am taking all of Georgia. Putin did not but he now firmly controls the two former northern provinces of Georgia.
Why Did Putin invade Crimea, the Donbas and Luhansk? Obama withdrew troops from Iraq. You all remember when ISIS nearly took over Bagdad? Obama was forced to reinsert troops into Iraq to stabilize the situation. Obama canceled missile defense that Bush had set up to be built in Poland and Chechia. Hillery went over and did a “reset” with Russia. Remember how feckless we were in Libya under Hillary’s war? Ambassador assassinated. Further, remember the hot mic comment from Obama to the Russia FM, which was something like this "tell Putin to give me space so I can win reelection, and I will give him space afterwords". So, Putin takes Crimea, Donbas and Luhansk. Obama sends blankets to Ukraine.
Then Trump shows up. Russia Gate. Vindman. Two impeachments. And all the political hatchet jobs the Left and the other nations tried to pull on Trump. Do you all remember what Trump did to ISIS? The barbarians that kidnapped, raped and murdered Americans? He destroyed them by telling our commanders to beat the hell out of them. Do you all remember when the Wagner group tried to attack and push US forces out of eastern Syria where all the oil in Syria is located and is still controlled by the US/Kurds? US forces killed about 200 Russians. Do you all know we spend money in Syria maintaining a local force to “incarcerate” 1000s of ISIS fighters and their 40,000 dependents in two towns in Syria? Trump then had Sulieman killed. Trump sent offensive weapons to Ukraine, enough to allow Ukraine to stop and reverse much of Russians initial offensive gains in Ukraine during the Feb/March 2022 Russian offensive. No one could doubt that Trump would punch you hard in the mouth if you punched him. He is from Brookland.
Then Biden shows up. Withdraw from Afghanistan, Taliban takes over. October 7th and Isreal goes full on “I am going to slap you all silly” on Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and Iran. And you all know the rest, DEI, Inflation, green new energy, biofuels for US troops, etc.).
Trump goes through all the Lawfare, two assignation attempts, etc. To top it off, Zelensky visits the US, he is convinced to go to PA to a rally with Biden. What was everyone thinking? What is Trump to think about all this?
Trump is correct in saying that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump had won reelection. But that is all now, water under the bridge.
Ukraine may sustain its current operational tempo. They have enough domestic production, and Europe will give them some stuff. As will Russia. A year from now neither country will have much left if this goes on. Ukraine has yet to "modernize" its lilitary and ellimante all the bad habits of its former Soviet/Russian military doctrine. IS it making porogress? Sure. But it will take many more years.
Trump is flipping his finger at the Ukrainian leadership, the EU leadership and all the other US leadership efforts under Bush, Obama and Biden. You all screwed this up, so I am here to fix it. I have nothing to work with here. I had used my first term to reset the tempo of world affairs--Iran was near collapse, Russia was quiet. etc. No one will like what I say or do but this war is going to stop. And I don’t trust any of you all.
I am reminded of a lady I met years ago. She had 5 boys. She was a small lady. If things got too hectic in the house, she would grab anything and start hitting any of her sons she could find. It did not matter who started the fight or disruption. They were all guilty and she was going to impose discipline on everyone, guilty or innocent. The 5 boys lived in the house, and each were equally responsible for the behavior in the house. This is all Trump is telling the World. You all kicked me in the shins and tried to get me killed. You all let the world blow up and now that I am President, I am going to discipline everyone in a way that really hurts but, in the end, you will all stop all this fighting.
My personal view. Do I wish the Russian Federation will collapse like the USSR collapsed? Yes. Will Putin allow it? No. IN 30 years, maybe Ukraine will be like Switzerland and the Caucus region will be free of Russian tyranny.
Here's where I would disagree about the Russian Federation collapsing like the USSR. When the USSR collapsed, they lost control of their nuclear weapons arsenal. We developed a program called the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program where we assisted the new Russian Federation in regaining control over their nuclear weapons. It was under the Nunn-Lugar program.
If the Russian Federation were to collapse, we would face the same predicament - who would be control of their nuclear weapons? Would a rogue general take command of some, and would others be sold off?
I know that it is convenient to make this a morality play - Russia and Putin bad; Ukraine and Zelensky good - but the real world is not that simple. We do not want Russia to collapse - nor do we want China to collapse. Because if either of them does then we have the real possibility of loose nuclear weapons around the world.
Again, welcome to the world of real politick.
Re: "It did not matter who started the fight or disruption. They were all guilty and she was going to impose discipline on everyone, guilty or innocent."
When you boil it all down.... that is Trump's view of this whole Ukraine war.
Very well stated. I still think that you need to run for office. You make so much sense.
I'm hoping that this is part of a longer game by Trump to make Putin more agreeable to working out an end to the war. Trump can say, 'Look at the way we voted. So can you do me a favor and negotiate and end?'
But I don't think it is.
And, of course, the cries of, 'Trump is a Russian puppet' will be forthcoming.
Trump is a Russian puppet.
Thanks for making me look Nostradamus-esque.
The Nostradamus-esque part lies in your doubt about this being a mere negotiating ploy. Trump has consistently taken Putin's side, even against the judgment and advice of national security officials that he himself picked.
I absolutely don’t agree with what Trump did, but I am also going to wait and see. I still Trump is poking the bear especially about Russia and all of the Russia collusion that he had to go through last term.
Does anyone out there think that the UN is even relevant anymore? Yeah let’s put Iran and China on the human rights committee. And they absolutely hate Israel. A feckless body of over priced global bureaucrats.
Thank you for this. W.ill all have to wait to see what happens next, but thanks for calling this out.
Calm down everyone. It was nothing but Trumps signal to Putin that it's time to sit down and talk about ending the war. The next announcement will be about the meeting. First it will be an armistice to end the bloodshed. Then it will be a four way deal: US, Russia, Ukraine and Europe (to guarantee Ukraine's borders).
Thank you for being another voice of reason. It just amazes me how supposedly intelligent people have such knee-jerk reactions to things without really bothering to think about them first.... they default to "Orange Man Bad" and they ruin their whole day for themselves..