too many people believe that trump is soft on Russia. Time to prove them wrong. Also an article was written on what we can gain in Syria. If we just take over Russian bases we can profit immensely. Russians have lost their warm water ports in Syria and recognize that they are playing second fiddle to the chinese who cannot support them. Trump is in a great position.
Danielle … I know that this is Monday morning quarterbacking, 20/20 vision in hindsight, or call it what you will, but I have long thought that our American diplomacy and national security strategy missed it big after the USSR collapsed and ceased to exist in the early 1990s. I suspect, for the sake of both Russia and Ukraine, if American policy fell far short in bringing the Russians into our western orbit.
We ended up getting Slick Willie throughout the 90s along with his sophomoric scandals and the taking his eye off the ball of growing international concerns because he seemed more into getting an eyeful from a rather dumb intern, among others.
We should have pivoted and brought Russia in as an ally to counter the ChiComs, who had just demonstrated their brutality and totalitarianism at the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
Now … this whole debacle of the past three years, along with Biden’s fecklessness, has pushed the Russians even closer to the ChiComs (note: the CCP seems to be communist in name only at this time, as they are operationally fascist in both temperament and economics.)
I have lamented before what a missed opportunity this was back then, and the tragic consequences that are following now. I had penned this column a few years ago …
This write-up was not written to carry a torch for Russia; Russia is indeed the aggressor, and Ukraine has been irrevocably harmed and has suffered innumerable war crimes and atrocities.
I just don’t understand that what with all the billions and billions that have been spent by the American IC, diplomats, and national security establishment, why wasn’t the effort made to fully integrate Russia into our western community? The Russians would have made a better ally with us … but now they seem to have formed an alliance with the totalitarian CCP, to the detriment of all freedom loving people.
I have cut and paste from that essay my main thought about Russia as follows …
Likewise, the Russian people have become an international version of “Karen.” Russians, now viewed as pariahs and international lepers, have had very little choices in their leaders for hundreds of years. Whether it’s due to the czars, murderous Bolshevik tyrants or autocratic imperialists like Putin, the Russian people never seemed to ever have had any choice in their leaders. They are just passed off from one despotic regime to another … wash, rinse and repeat.
Yet, and as I have believed for quite some time now, Russia should be part of the West. Our West. Setting aside for a moment their miseries with czars, Communism and autocrats, their culture and historical contributions from classical music to ballet, from poetry to great works of literature, put the Russians firmly ensconced within western civilization. Our western civilization.
There has always been something tragic about the Russian people as it’s easy to sense that Russians are most happy when they are at their most miserable. They can’t seem to win for losing. Is it their long history of despotic rulers? Is it the long cold Siberian winters? Is it the always plentiful vodka? Perhaps it’s all three and more.
It explains why some of the world’s greatest novels are about Russian tragedy … love lost, pain, suffering and death, i.e., the human condition. Tolstoy’s epics “Anna Karenina,” “War and Peace” and (Pasternak’s) Doctor Zhivago” are among the greatest works of literature ever penned. I would be remiss to leave out Dostoevsky’s epic “Crime and Punishment” and Solzhenitsyn’s “Gulag Archipelago,” so too are added these most honorable mentions.
Danielle … I would be most interested in your long term views about Russia and the Russian people, and whether they and their society could or would ever become a part of our western civilization. Thank you … and g’day!
Putin was about to become head of KGB before Soviet Union fell, then he did become head of FSB in the new Russia. Putin is not an amateur at politics, yet he doesn't have much to parlay with.
Ukraine can afford to pay for what they want, but they won't.
Actor-Comedian-President Zelensky is a hand-puppet for old guard Soviets in Ukraine that put their Soviet party badges and paperwork into safe-keeping, then declared to the world that they are a now a 'democracy' and they held their hands out for US dollars.
At the same time, the regular Ukrainian people suffered with abysmal wages, the women were treated like serfs or prostitutes, and many Ukrainians fled to EU to find a life.
Watch Gorky Park (1983) and see why Joanna Pacula's character is having sex with Lee Marvin's character: she is young and pretty and poor and no chance to afford anything but some of the necessities of life. Such women in Russia and Ukraine are likely to trade sex for a lifestyle they can't afford.
Investigative Reporter George Webb has a Substack site, to include a photo of Zelensky at his $35 million Florida home.
Thank you for the kind words. I disagree with you strongly on Zelenskyy, and that Florida story is certified Russian disinformation. Good reminder to rewatch Gorky Park. 😎
too many people believe that trump is soft on Russia. Time to prove them wrong. Also an article was written on what we can gain in Syria. If we just take over Russian bases we can profit immensely. Russians have lost their warm water ports in Syria and recognize that they are playing second fiddle to the chinese who cannot support them. Trump is in a great position.
Reading this just now … a bit late. Apologies.
Danielle … I know that this is Monday morning quarterbacking, 20/20 vision in hindsight, or call it what you will, but I have long thought that our American diplomacy and national security strategy missed it big after the USSR collapsed and ceased to exist in the early 1990s. I suspect, for the sake of both Russia and Ukraine, if American policy fell far short in bringing the Russians into our western orbit.
We ended up getting Slick Willie throughout the 90s along with his sophomoric scandals and the taking his eye off the ball of growing international concerns because he seemed more into getting an eyeful from a rather dumb intern, among others.
We should have pivoted and brought Russia in as an ally to counter the ChiComs, who had just demonstrated their brutality and totalitarianism at the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
Now … this whole debacle of the past three years, along with Biden’s fecklessness, has pushed the Russians even closer to the ChiComs (note: the CCP seems to be communist in name only at this time, as they are operationally fascist in both temperament and economics.)
I have lamented before what a missed opportunity this was back then, and the tragic consequences that are following now. I had penned this column a few years ago …
https://myvalleynews.com/blog/2022/04/28/are-the-russian-people-the-new-karens/
This write-up was not written to carry a torch for Russia; Russia is indeed the aggressor, and Ukraine has been irrevocably harmed and has suffered innumerable war crimes and atrocities.
I just don’t understand that what with all the billions and billions that have been spent by the American IC, diplomats, and national security establishment, why wasn’t the effort made to fully integrate Russia into our western community? The Russians would have made a better ally with us … but now they seem to have formed an alliance with the totalitarian CCP, to the detriment of all freedom loving people.
Note: I think there is a paywall on that write-up from 2022. Here is a posting of it on the FReeper site at: https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4060346/posts
I have cut and paste from that essay my main thought about Russia as follows …
Likewise, the Russian people have become an international version of “Karen.” Russians, now viewed as pariahs and international lepers, have had very little choices in their leaders for hundreds of years. Whether it’s due to the czars, murderous Bolshevik tyrants or autocratic imperialists like Putin, the Russian people never seemed to ever have had any choice in their leaders. They are just passed off from one despotic regime to another … wash, rinse and repeat.
Yet, and as I have believed for quite some time now, Russia should be part of the West. Our West. Setting aside for a moment their miseries with czars, Communism and autocrats, their culture and historical contributions from classical music to ballet, from poetry to great works of literature, put the Russians firmly ensconced within western civilization. Our western civilization.
There has always been something tragic about the Russian people as it’s easy to sense that Russians are most happy when they are at their most miserable. They can’t seem to win for losing. Is it their long history of despotic rulers? Is it the long cold Siberian winters? Is it the always plentiful vodka? Perhaps it’s all three and more.
It explains why some of the world’s greatest novels are about Russian tragedy … love lost, pain, suffering and death, i.e., the human condition. Tolstoy’s epics “Anna Karenina,” “War and Peace” and (Pasternak’s) Doctor Zhivago” are among the greatest works of literature ever penned. I would be remiss to leave out Dostoevsky’s epic “Crime and Punishment” and Solzhenitsyn’s “Gulag Archipelago,” so too are added these most honorable mentions.
Danielle … I would be most interested in your long term views about Russia and the Russian people, and whether they and their society could or would ever become a part of our western civilization. Thank you … and g’day!
Great post.
Putin was about to become head of KGB before Soviet Union fell, then he did become head of FSB in the new Russia. Putin is not an amateur at politics, yet he doesn't have much to parlay with.
Ukraine can afford to pay for what they want, but they won't.
Actor-Comedian-President Zelensky is a hand-puppet for old guard Soviets in Ukraine that put their Soviet party badges and paperwork into safe-keeping, then declared to the world that they are a now a 'democracy' and they held their hands out for US dollars.
At the same time, the regular Ukrainian people suffered with abysmal wages, the women were treated like serfs or prostitutes, and many Ukrainians fled to EU to find a life.
Watch Gorky Park (1983) and see why Joanna Pacula's character is having sex with Lee Marvin's character: she is young and pretty and poor and no chance to afford anything but some of the necessities of life. Such women in Russia and Ukraine are likely to trade sex for a lifestyle they can't afford.
Investigative Reporter George Webb has a Substack site, to include a photo of Zelensky at his $35 million Florida home.
Thank you for the kind words. I disagree with you strongly on Zelenskyy, and that Florida story is certified Russian disinformation. Good reminder to rewatch Gorky Park. 😎
Thank you for reminding me not to be intellectually lazy. I should have checked on the Florida house.
"That Putin believes he can continue to stonewall until Trump comes around is a testament to the power of anti-Trump propaganda..."
You are blaming, even in part, Putin's stonewalling on Democrats?? AYFKM???
Perhaps you would be happier on another substack that values your alphabet soup. I do not find it persuasive.
Sorry. I responded too quickly, and with unnecessary emotion. Yet, I remain incredulous.