We need to recognize that among the enemies of Ukraine are politicos in Washington who are using Zelensky to score political points for themselves, not to support Kyiv: You know who they are… the Chris Murphys (D-CT) of this world, much of Biden’s White House national security team, House and Senate D leadership. (Check out this excellent piece laying out the whole sordid story.)
Yesterday, Susan Rice said of the Trump-Zelensky meeting, "There is no question this was a set up." She revealed full knowledge of the mineral agreement, complained that it didn't include "concrete" security agrees (meaning, apparently, commitment of US troops on the ground if conditions merit), and then mischaracterized Trump's behavior, counting on most Americans to not have watched what transpired over the entire hour in the Oval Office.
You can look at this and dismiss it as typical Democrat talking points, but you could also view it as almost a confession, one that includes details about the current "Get Trump" effort.
(Snip)
As you can see from the hostility of the bureaucracy to any Republican oversight, no matter how reasonable or minor it may be, the entrenched bureaucracy and permanent DC apparatus is quite active. That goes quadruple for the deep state in the Intelligence Community. I'd expect more and more shenanigans and to be prepared so that you don't fall for the next information operation. The post-WWII architecture in Europe and the US needs this war to continue or be settled on "US troops on the ground" type guarantees, even though that's not what Americans want.
Things will heat up here, and it's a very dangerous time.
10:24 AM · Mar 1, 2025
_______________________________
Someone had sit Zelensky down and give him a serious does of REALTY!
Are we in a pre-first world war situation where the great powers will blunder into war or a post second word war where one superpower was relied upon to secure stability? After WWII at least for awhile some lessons were learned and figures emerged with some gravitas. I'm not sure we see the maturity needed to navigate through this. I understand that they are who they are, but we must learn something. Should Vance have kept his peace? And have times changed so much that we can't learn from Churchill, Reagan and Thatcher?
All excellent and salient questions, to which few of us, if any, have the answer. Good people are trying to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, that it can do so without troops or taxes paying the way, and that we do what we did not before WWI or II, which is take out the bad guy when it was easy. Because one thing should be clear to everyone that watches Russia's war on Ukraine unfold: Putin is a dangerous man.
In the early 2000s I found out about the incredible social safety net Europe had/has. Two months long vacations, free health care and other subsidies. At the time I was thinking we should at least have some kind of national health care, where if everyone in the USA belonged it would be affordable,I thought. I remember talking to some Canadians about why we didn't have free health care like the did and they laughed and said because of the expense of our military. At the time I thought it was only right that the rest of the world shoulder some of the defense burden so we could have some perks too. Well they still haven't, even after it became obvious that Putin had become such a threat. And using the bs threat of nuclear war as a reason for not helping decisively, Biden performed a charade of helping Ukraine. Which instead would not only not make a difference in the outcome but make it look like there was no point in helping Ukraine (well we tried, look at all the money we spent for them he might have said)
And then the finishing touch was helping elect Trump by pushing policies that many
And of course, that "incredible social safety net" involves terrible health care, enormous numbers of people under- or unemployed, unrestrained immigration, and subsidies because of sky high utility rates caused by an insane devotion to rolling back the temperature of the earth. It'd be science fiction if it wasn't real. America has been more sane than many of our allies, but we're spending like there's no tomorrow, allowing our defense industrial base -- and thus, our deterrence -- to atrophy, and otherwise doing our best to become Europe. Sigh.
At the time I wasn't looking for 2 month vacations but in the spirit of making sure you can pay your way I felt if the EU would kick in more we could cut back military expenditures and that could pay for affordable,national(run as a business) health care. At the time I had no health insurance where I worked. And it seemed like with any health insurance the more people in the plan the more likely it would be affordable. But like Donald says health insurance is complicated.
"In the early 2000s I found out about the incredible social safety net Europe had/has. Two months long vacations, free health care and other subsidies."
All paid for by US Tax payers in the form of the US Military
I'm not sure that "militancy" is the right word. We have been the strongest nation on earth, but we have been lousy stewards of both our economy and our military. Reforms are needed. and rethinking and lessons learned would be nice. It feels like we just swing from extreme to extreme... no way to govern, no way to lead.
Meant US Military. With apologies to Dr. Demmings "Read Twice, Post Once."
I recall this being said about NATO. It was designed to Keep America In, The Russians Out, and Germany Down.
Thing is after 75 years it might be time to reassess NATO. No saying leave, but reassess. Its a different world today than in 1949. If we've learned nothing from the Russia/Ukraine war its The Russian Bear is not quite so scary. I read the other day they are pulling out T-55's to use.
We need to recognize that among the enemies of Ukraine are politicos in Washington who are using Zelensky to score political points for themselves, not to support Kyiv: You know who they are… the Chris Murphys (D-CT) of this world, much of Biden’s White House national security team, House and Senate D leadership. (Check out this excellent piece laying out the whole sordid story.)
Molly Hemingway
https://x.com/MZHemingway/status/1895872853930545214
Yesterday, Susan Rice said of the Trump-Zelensky meeting, "There is no question this was a set up." She revealed full knowledge of the mineral agreement, complained that it didn't include "concrete" security agrees (meaning, apparently, commitment of US troops on the ground if conditions merit), and then mischaracterized Trump's behavior, counting on most Americans to not have watched what transpired over the entire hour in the Oval Office.
You can look at this and dismiss it as typical Democrat talking points, but you could also view it as almost a confession, one that includes details about the current "Get Trump" effort.
(Snip)
As you can see from the hostility of the bureaucracy to any Republican oversight, no matter how reasonable or minor it may be, the entrenched bureaucracy and permanent DC apparatus is quite active. That goes quadruple for the deep state in the Intelligence Community. I'd expect more and more shenanigans and to be prepared so that you don't fall for the next information operation. The post-WWII architecture in Europe and the US needs this war to continue or be settled on "US troops on the ground" type guarantees, even though that's not what Americans want.
Things will heat up here, and it's a very dangerous time.
10:24 AM · Mar 1, 2025
_______________________________
Someone had sit Zelensky down and give him a serious does of REALTY!
Are we in a pre-first world war situation where the great powers will blunder into war or a post second word war where one superpower was relied upon to secure stability? After WWII at least for awhile some lessons were learned and figures emerged with some gravitas. I'm not sure we see the maturity needed to navigate through this. I understand that they are who they are, but we must learn something. Should Vance have kept his peace? And have times changed so much that we can't learn from Churchill, Reagan and Thatcher?
All excellent and salient questions, to which few of us, if any, have the answer. Good people are trying to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, that it can do so without troops or taxes paying the way, and that we do what we did not before WWI or II, which is take out the bad guy when it was easy. Because one thing should be clear to everyone that watches Russia's war on Ukraine unfold: Putin is a dangerous man.
In the early 2000s I found out about the incredible social safety net Europe had/has. Two months long vacations, free health care and other subsidies. At the time I was thinking we should at least have some kind of national health care, where if everyone in the USA belonged it would be affordable,I thought. I remember talking to some Canadians about why we didn't have free health care like the did and they laughed and said because of the expense of our military. At the time I thought it was only right that the rest of the world shoulder some of the defense burden so we could have some perks too. Well they still haven't, even after it became obvious that Putin had become such a threat. And using the bs threat of nuclear war as a reason for not helping decisively, Biden performed a charade of helping Ukraine. Which instead would not only not make a difference in the outcome but make it look like there was no point in helping Ukraine (well we tried, look at all the money we spent for them he might have said)
And then the finishing touch was helping elect Trump by pushing policies that many
Americans would oppose vehemently.
And of course, that "incredible social safety net" involves terrible health care, enormous numbers of people under- or unemployed, unrestrained immigration, and subsidies because of sky high utility rates caused by an insane devotion to rolling back the temperature of the earth. It'd be science fiction if it wasn't real. America has been more sane than many of our allies, but we're spending like there's no tomorrow, allowing our defense industrial base -- and thus, our deterrence -- to atrophy, and otherwise doing our best to become Europe. Sigh.
At the time I wasn't looking for 2 month vacations but in the spirit of making sure you can pay your way I felt if the EU would kick in more we could cut back military expenditures and that could pay for affordable,national(run as a business) health care. At the time I had no health insurance where I worked. And it seemed like with any health insurance the more people in the plan the more likely it would be affordable. But like Donald says health insurance is complicated.
"In the early 2000s I found out about the incredible social safety net Europe had/has. Two months long vacations, free health care and other subsidies."
All paid for by US Tax payers in the form of the US Military
As he saying goes That Was Then...This is now.
I'm not sure that "militancy" is the right word. We have been the strongest nation on earth, but we have been lousy stewards of both our economy and our military. Reforms are needed. and rethinking and lessons learned would be nice. It feels like we just swing from extreme to extreme... no way to govern, no way to lead.
Meant US Military. With apologies to Dr. Demmings "Read Twice, Post Once."
I recall this being said about NATO. It was designed to Keep America In, The Russians Out, and Germany Down.
Thing is after 75 years it might be time to reassess NATO. No saying leave, but reassess. Its a different world today than in 1949. If we've learned nothing from the Russia/Ukraine war its The Russian Bear is not quite so scary. I read the other day they are pulling out T-55's to use.