Here in the US the news continues to be dominated by the Prog Left’s ongoing effort to bend America and Americans to its will: top down central governance by the Left elite, canceling of all dissenters, sexual deviance the norm for all—starting virtually from the womb. Few Americans—with the notable exception of Joe Manchin—have been paying attention to the reemergence of Russia as a geopolitical force to be reckoned with. No longer a ‘failed nation’ to be pushed around with impunity, as the Clinton/Bush/Obama Neocon policy would have had us believe. Russia’s Putin has made his view—a largely reasonable one—perfectly clear. He has defined a red line: No offensive weapons are to be stationed by the US in nations so close to Russia as to be able to strike at the heart of the Russian nation within minutes. Russia’s geopolitical security concerns as a nation must be respected, as also Russia’s status as a major power. No doubt the details are negotiable, but Putin has stated the situation Russia finds itself in in stark terms: Russia has been backed into a corner, the US is placing missiles “on Russia’s front porch.”
I really appreciate (and from a layperson's limited knowledge perspective) agree with Matlock's analysis. It makes perfect sense to me.
In the 10,000 ft view of the Ukraine "problem," I place primary blame on the Neo-cons of both American political parties who could not accept Reagan's victory over the USSR and refused to adjust their views accordingly. These are the same people who will not accept Trump's victory over ISIS and his peacefully aligning Israel and the gulf states against Iran.
These people advocated continuing to press and threaten Russia all these years, without end, based on any justifications they could invent. They have continued to push for NATO expansion right to Russia's borders. They supported a coup in the Ukraine that they knew would necessarily invite a Russian military response. They condemn Russia for its takeover of Crimea in circumstances they encouraged and continue to encourage by supporting civil war through supplying weapons. These people loathed a "peace dividend" and peace as much as Democrats have hated to have budget surpluses and cutting spending.
Putin is asking the U.S. "What is your policy toward Russia?" Does he not have a responsibility to try to find that out? Is he wrong to prepare a defense for his country in the face of potential aggression? If so all traditional diplomacy must be considered acts of war. Putin may be a bastard but at least the Russians know he is THEIR bastard. In this matter he is acting as a national leader SHOULD act.
Good articles. I did not realize Ukraine was so ethnically diverse. I thought it was just basically Ukrainian and Russian speakers.
Why is the US so against Federal Governments, and pushes for a centralized government every place outside the US. Afghanistan would have been a lot better with one.
I wish there was a 4th article, one that mentioned:
1. Ukrainian money to the us politicians
2. Russian Economic path today
3. Russian gas / oil diplomacy
4. How effective are the existing sanctions
5. Effect of high price of oil and gas on Russian Economy
6. Impact of Soros funding on Ukrainian politics
7. Risk of Russian efforts to destroy the petro dollar / offer alternatives
8. Impact of us inflation on Russian efforts
9. Impact of allegations of 2020 US Election Fraud on US / Russian credibility
10. Perception of US power / credibility with Biden President and the purging of the US Military
11. How is Ukrainian economy doing today? What’s its probable path.
12. What impact will Nordstream coming online have on Ukrainian economy?
I believe I've read that George Bush senior promised the Russians, at the time of the allowed reunification of Germany that NATO would not expand closer to Russia's borders than it was at the time. We have.
This seems to be almost the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 in reverse; we didn’t tolerate Soviet missiles 90 miles away from Florida & Putin won’t tolerate a neighbor becoming a member of a federation that could place advanced weaponry on his border. This constant push to make Ukraine a NATO member has always seemed nonsensical; moreover why - post Soviet collapse - does NATO even exist? NATO was explicitly formed as a counter to the Warsaw Pact to forestall a potential Red Army plunge into Western Europe. The Warsaw Pact no longer exists so why does NATO? It’s a feckless, toothless organization funded principally by the U.S. taxpayer. Europe skates on its NATO financial obligations & every president sans Trump let them get away with it. This is akin to going up to a bear’s cage & poking him with a stick. It’s just going to enrage the bear for no good purpose.
And why the constant demonization of all things Russian? It reached a fever pitch during the Trump years with the fake “Collusion” hoax. In the Soviet-era, it’s understood but just because Putin is pro-Russian does not automatically make him anti-American. Hell, I wish we had a pro-American president. The last one we had they ran out of town via a rigged “election”.
Putin’s a Russian patriot. I respect that. Wish we had an American patriot in the WH.
I really appreciate (and from a layperson's limited knowledge perspective) agree with Matlock's analysis. It makes perfect sense to me.
In the 10,000 ft view of the Ukraine "problem," I place primary blame on the Neo-cons of both American political parties who could not accept Reagan's victory over the USSR and refused to adjust their views accordingly. These are the same people who will not accept Trump's victory over ISIS and his peacefully aligning Israel and the gulf states against Iran.
These people advocated continuing to press and threaten Russia all these years, without end, based on any justifications they could invent. They have continued to push for NATO expansion right to Russia's borders. They supported a coup in the Ukraine that they knew would necessarily invite a Russian military response. They condemn Russia for its takeover of Crimea in circumstances they encouraged and continue to encourage by supporting civil war through supplying weapons. These people loathed a "peace dividend" and peace as much as Democrats have hated to have budget surpluses and cutting spending.
Putin is asking the U.S. "What is your policy toward Russia?" Does he not have a responsibility to try to find that out? Is he wrong to prepare a defense for his country in the face of potential aggression? If so all traditional diplomacy must be considered acts of war. Putin may be a bastard but at least the Russians know he is THEIR bastard. In this matter he is acting as a national leader SHOULD act.
Good articles. I did not realize Ukraine was so ethnically diverse. I thought it was just basically Ukrainian and Russian speakers.
Why is the US so against Federal Governments, and pushes for a centralized government every place outside the US. Afghanistan would have been a lot better with one.
I wish there was a 4th article, one that mentioned:
1. Ukrainian money to the us politicians
2. Russian Economic path today
3. Russian gas / oil diplomacy
4. How effective are the existing sanctions
5. Effect of high price of oil and gas on Russian Economy
6. Impact of Soros funding on Ukrainian politics
7. Risk of Russian efforts to destroy the petro dollar / offer alternatives
8. Impact of us inflation on Russian efforts
9. Impact of allegations of 2020 US Election Fraud on US / Russian credibility
10. Perception of US power / credibility with Biden President and the purging of the US Military
11. How is Ukrainian economy doing today? What’s its probable path.
12. What impact will Nordstream coming online have on Ukrainian economy?
I believe I've read that George Bush senior promised the Russians, at the time of the allowed reunification of Germany that NATO would not expand closer to Russia's borders than it was at the time. We have.
Ironically just as I hit the “post” button for the below comment I receive this column via email just released by Dick Morris where he says the exact opposite of my $0.02 below: https://www.dickmorris.com/putin-wrong-to-compare-ukraine-with-cuba/
Sounds like he’s firmly in the Neo-con column.
This seems to be almost the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 in reverse; we didn’t tolerate Soviet missiles 90 miles away from Florida & Putin won’t tolerate a neighbor becoming a member of a federation that could place advanced weaponry on his border. This constant push to make Ukraine a NATO member has always seemed nonsensical; moreover why - post Soviet collapse - does NATO even exist? NATO was explicitly formed as a counter to the Warsaw Pact to forestall a potential Red Army plunge into Western Europe. The Warsaw Pact no longer exists so why does NATO? It’s a feckless, toothless organization funded principally by the U.S. taxpayer. Europe skates on its NATO financial obligations & every president sans Trump let them get away with it. This is akin to going up to a bear’s cage & poking him with a stick. It’s just going to enrage the bear for no good purpose.
And why the constant demonization of all things Russian? It reached a fever pitch during the Trump years with the fake “Collusion” hoax. In the Soviet-era, it’s understood but just because Putin is pro-Russian does not automatically make him anti-American. Hell, I wish we had a pro-American president. The last one we had they ran out of town via a rigged “election”.
Putin’s a Russian patriot. I respect that. Wish we had an American patriot in the WH.