Mark has recently posted the work of Tucker Carlson, Danny Davis, John Mearsheimer, David Sacks and others who are deeply concerned about the 'state' of our union. Its also worth watching and listening to Col. Douglas Macgregor, who (I think we all know) has been an outspoken critic of American military and foreign policy, as well as domestic policy.
My 2 cents… perhaps it’s too cynical or political, but with this Whitehouse crew, I don’t think that’s possible.
All the Biden Administration cares about in Ukraine is delaying a disaster until after Election Day, or laying the blame on the Republicans.
The big question is can Ukraine survive another 8 months?
The muddy season, rasputitsa, is coming, so that should slow down the war for 3-8 weeks.
And then October / November is the most rainy season.
The Russian advance is slow, but steady. Western / NATO ISR means mass formations are just huge targets. So advances are done with massive fire power and small units, while doing aggressive attrition to Ukraine units.
With logistic issues, the key question is how fast can the Russians safely advance keeping resupplied, while keeping a low casualty rate.
With the self decapitation of the Ukrainian armed forces, replacing them with Zelensky loyalists the danger of a coup seems reduced.
The U.S., France, and U.K have the view that Russia can’t be allowed to win. And Europe is doing their utmost to support Ukraine, but their armories are empty.
My guess is they will ratchet up the economic war, more attacks within Russia, more seaborne attacks on Russian ships (only thing positive for Ukraine), and more wonder Weapons to Ukraine. And hope General mud slows the Russian advance through Election Day.
Gaza is a drain of U.S. resources that would be going to Ukraine.
And what of Haiti? It’s a situation begging for a U.S. intervention.
Does anybody know that a U.S. Senator said the other day "there is today a horrifying catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of children are facing starvation because of Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment and unacceptable restrictions on humanitarian aid getting across the border"?
Does anybody know that the same U.S. Senator told Congress:
"The American people understand a simple truth that we here in the nation’s capital continue to ignore. And that is that it is absurd and hypocritical to publicly profess horror at Netanyahu’s inhumane war while, at the same time as we say how terrible it is, how awful Netanyahu is, at the same time, we ship tens of thousands of bombs to his army.
"It is absurd to criticize Netanyahu’s war in one breath and provide him another $10 billion to continue that war in the next.
"Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this disaster is the fiction we tell ourselves here in Congress and that is there is nothing, just nothing that we can do."
I didn't know. So of course I didn't know which Senator made these statements.
They are both missing how the West is committing suicide economically due to an internal culture war. Without a strong economy, you can’t have a strong military.
This is also going back to the belief of the U.S. being the world’s policeman spreading the approved version of democracy and the correct beliefs, while making sure our Allie’s play nice.
On the nuke issue with Iran, it’s done. I’m sure Iran could build a working nuke quickly, if they wanted too.
And the U.S. betrayal of our agreement with Khadify, if he gives up nukes we won’t invade him, showed the U.S. can’t be trusted.
And Iraq showed if you have nukes, you won’t be invaded. Ukraine supposedly could not unlock the nukes on their territory.
"Likewise, both Davis and Mearsheimer piously mouth the platitude that Putin is “not a nice guy”. Yet, later, Mearsheimer flatly characterizes the notion that Putin is the “font of all evil” as simply “nonsense.” C’mon guys. Get your stories straight. And don’t make silly concessions to conventional Russia hysteria talking points that you know are lies."
This is a 'small' point, but so true. Its as if you can't be taken seriously by the 'adults in the room' (in other words, you're an idiot) if you don't preface whatever you're saying by mouthing the platitude that Putin is evil, and of course he's a Hitler, let alone 'not a nice guy'. He's ex-KGB, too, you know what that means. He poisons people. He killed Prighozin, you know. Magnitsky, too. And tried to kill the Skripals in London. With Novichok! He killed Navalny! He blew up his own pipeline! He wants to conquer Europe!
Nancy Pelosi doesn't really have this problem, because when she says Putin is evil, she doesn't really mean it. She's just an out-and-out hopeless liar. Bought and paid for. But a lot of folks who are serious, and who kinda want to help, like Danny Davis and John Mearsheimer here have to play the game that Putin is 'not a nice guy'. Victor Davis Hanson does it and so does Dan Bongino.
I don't know of a single figure in Congress who would dare to stand up and say: Look, you've got it all wrong. All Putin is, is the duly elected President of the country of Russia. He was elected to look after Russia's best interests and certainly to protect its national security interests. It doesn't matter if he practices martial arts in his spare time or reads Russian history. He's just a dude -- a politician -- trying to do his job. Let's drop the ad hominem attacks and just try talking to him.
Kinda like Tucker did. Maybe a little follow up is in order.
Looking at the sliming Tucker got over his Putin interview, I’m not surprised at the fear of those in Congress.
Plus what happened to Trump with Russiagate is probably also a factor. I fear U.S. Russian relations have been poisoned by the amazing dirty trick Hillary did of Russiagate.
Ray -- I really want to believe that Trump would want to stop the Ukraine war if he were President. However, I don't believe he will dare say it as a candidate. So I think he will attempt to work his way through the election campaign saying things like "Putin would never have dared invade Ukraine if I were President." Then, if he is elected, he will have to find a face-saving way to end the war and overrule and out-manoeuvre the 'interagency' and avoid the ignominy of Biden's Afghanistan disaster. Its a tall order.
Yes, Tucker did get slimed in the left-wing (mainstream) media for his interview with Putin. OTOH, my wife told me today that she wouldn't be surprised if the Tucker Carlson Network is worth a billion dollars before too long...
Hah! I wouldn't be surprised if Nixon's decision to exit VN didn't piss enough people off in Langley that he found himself with a one-way ticket to San Clemente a year or so later.
Read this last night and decided to sleep on it until now. I guess I'm kind of Mearsheimer'd out. Seems he speaks doublespeak so often. IDK.
Mark has recently posted the work of Tucker Carlson, Danny Davis, John Mearsheimer, David Sacks and others who are deeply concerned about the 'state' of our union. Its also worth watching and listening to Col. Douglas Macgregor, who (I think we all know) has been an outspoken critic of American military and foreign policy, as well as domestic policy.
https://rumble.com/v4hwbnl-ceo-douglas-macgregor-state-of-the-union-response.html
In this video, posted yesterday, Col. Macgregor responds to the Biden State of the Union with his own prescription for our national renewal.
watched that yesterday. Sobering and inspiring.
Just to prove my point on how cynical and political this Whitehouse crew is. Newest Biden Adv.
What a disgraceful, disgusting ad.
The real polls must be really bad if they feel the need to go this negative this early.
Sliming Trump with Racism. Obviously aimed to motivate the female and Black Vote.
https://youtu.be/d-A0WnKJQ6U
Reeks of desperation. Probably the only public exposure for awhile and so the need to "milk it".
May be also trying to stop any talk of Biden being dumped.
Yes, the re-invigorated President...
My 2 cents… perhaps it’s too cynical or political, but with this Whitehouse crew, I don’t think that’s possible.
All the Biden Administration cares about in Ukraine is delaying a disaster until after Election Day, or laying the blame on the Republicans.
The big question is can Ukraine survive another 8 months?
The muddy season, rasputitsa, is coming, so that should slow down the war for 3-8 weeks.
And then October / November is the most rainy season.
The Russian advance is slow, but steady. Western / NATO ISR means mass formations are just huge targets. So advances are done with massive fire power and small units, while doing aggressive attrition to Ukraine units.
With logistic issues, the key question is how fast can the Russians safely advance keeping resupplied, while keeping a low casualty rate.
With the self decapitation of the Ukrainian armed forces, replacing them with Zelensky loyalists the danger of a coup seems reduced.
The U.S., France, and U.K have the view that Russia can’t be allowed to win. And Europe is doing their utmost to support Ukraine, but their armories are empty.
My guess is they will ratchet up the economic war, more attacks within Russia, more seaborne attacks on Russian ships (only thing positive for Ukraine), and more wonder Weapons to Ukraine. And hope General mud slows the Russian advance through Election Day.
Gaza is a drain of U.S. resources that would be going to Ukraine.
And what of Haiti? It’s a situation begging for a U.S. intervention.
Does anybody know that a U.S. Senator said the other day "there is today a horrifying catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of children are facing starvation because of Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment and unacceptable restrictions on humanitarian aid getting across the border"?
Does anybody know that the same U.S. Senator told Congress:
"The American people understand a simple truth that we here in the nation’s capital continue to ignore. And that is that it is absurd and hypocritical to publicly profess horror at Netanyahu’s inhumane war while, at the same time as we say how terrible it is, how awful Netanyahu is, at the same time, we ship tens of thousands of bombs to his army.
"It is absurd to criticize Netanyahu’s war in one breath and provide him another $10 billion to continue that war in the next.
"Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this disaster is the fiction we tell ourselves here in Congress and that is there is nothing, just nothing that we can do."
I didn't know. So of course I didn't know which Senator made these statements.
https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/prepared-remarks-bernie-sanders-calls-out-the-absurdity-and-hypocrisy-of-continued-u-s-support-for-netanyahus-horrific-war/
We do live in strange times.
I knew that!
They are both missing how the West is committing suicide economically due to an internal culture war. Without a strong economy, you can’t have a strong military.
This is also going back to the belief of the U.S. being the world’s policeman spreading the approved version of democracy and the correct beliefs, while making sure our Allie’s play nice.
On the nuke issue with Iran, it’s done. I’m sure Iran could build a working nuke quickly, if they wanted too.
And the U.S. betrayal of our agreement with Khadify, if he gives up nukes we won’t invade him, showed the U.S. can’t be trusted.
And Iraq showed if you have nukes, you won’t be invaded. Ukraine supposedly could not unlock the nukes on their territory.
"Likewise, both Davis and Mearsheimer piously mouth the platitude that Putin is “not a nice guy”. Yet, later, Mearsheimer flatly characterizes the notion that Putin is the “font of all evil” as simply “nonsense.” C’mon guys. Get your stories straight. And don’t make silly concessions to conventional Russia hysteria talking points that you know are lies."
This is a 'small' point, but so true. Its as if you can't be taken seriously by the 'adults in the room' (in other words, you're an idiot) if you don't preface whatever you're saying by mouthing the platitude that Putin is evil, and of course he's a Hitler, let alone 'not a nice guy'. He's ex-KGB, too, you know what that means. He poisons people. He killed Prighozin, you know. Magnitsky, too. And tried to kill the Skripals in London. With Novichok! He killed Navalny! He blew up his own pipeline! He wants to conquer Europe!
Nancy Pelosi doesn't really have this problem, because when she says Putin is evil, she doesn't really mean it. She's just an out-and-out hopeless liar. Bought and paid for. But a lot of folks who are serious, and who kinda want to help, like Danny Davis and John Mearsheimer here have to play the game that Putin is 'not a nice guy'. Victor Davis Hanson does it and so does Dan Bongino.
I don't know of a single figure in Congress who would dare to stand up and say: Look, you've got it all wrong. All Putin is, is the duly elected President of the country of Russia. He was elected to look after Russia's best interests and certainly to protect its national security interests. It doesn't matter if he practices martial arts in his spare time or reads Russian history. He's just a dude -- a politician -- trying to do his job. Let's drop the ad hominem attacks and just try talking to him.
Kinda like Tucker did. Maybe a little follow up is in order.
Looking at the sliming Tucker got over his Putin interview, I’m not surprised at the fear of those in Congress.
Plus what happened to Trump with Russiagate is probably also a factor. I fear U.S. Russian relations have been poisoned by the amazing dirty trick Hillary did of Russiagate.
Ray -- I really want to believe that Trump would want to stop the Ukraine war if he were President. However, I don't believe he will dare say it as a candidate. So I think he will attempt to work his way through the election campaign saying things like "Putin would never have dared invade Ukraine if I were President." Then, if he is elected, he will have to find a face-saving way to end the war and overrule and out-manoeuvre the 'interagency' and avoid the ignominy of Biden's Afghanistan disaster. Its a tall order.
Agree 100%.
And I’m sure Trump bears a grudge on being impeached on Ukraine.
Yes, Tucker did get slimed in the left-wing (mainstream) media for his interview with Putin. OTOH, my wife told me today that she wouldn't be surprised if the Tucker Carlson Network is worth a billion dollars before too long...
I seem to remember a number of “right-wingers” — especially “on The Hill” — sliming him too.
My daughter keeps reminding me to get a subscription…
Hah! I wouldn't be surprised if Nixon's decision to exit VN didn't piss enough people off in Langley that he found himself with a one-way ticket to San Clemente a year or so later.