“It takes a special sort of political cynicism to publicly thank the Ukrainian ambassador for her nation’s bravery — and stress in the next moment that we will do nothing to defend her country with our military.
But then President Biden’s State of the Union speech was nothing but bumbling hypocrisy.
Start with the fact that the mask mandate Nancy Pelosi lorded over her members for years was suddenly lifted the day before the speech, showing that “follow the science” was a bald-faced lie. Next up, Biden begging for unity, then accusing Republicans of only helping the rich.
It was quite the performance. After years of bashing Donald Trump, Biden stole his stump speech. He rebranded Build Back Better as Build a Better America, and got cheap applause for claiming he was going to get businesses to stay in the US. This after Democratic administrations have signed trade deal after trade deal that have taken industries to China and Mexico.
But you think companies will be happy to stay after Biden blamed them for inflation, claiming that rising costs in stores were because of gouging, not supply issues and his own reckless government spending? Or that he’s instituting a “crackdown” on prices? Corporations will long for the friendlier shores of, we don’t know, Venezuela.
Turns out “buy American” was just a stalking horse for Biden’s real agenda — trying to get the massive social spending of Build Back Better passed. He’s nothing if not consistent in his futility. Even though Joe Manchin has shot him down again and again and again. “
Comment: Watching Biden’s bombastic performance last night, and especially his interaction with the Ukrainian ambassador I reached the conclusion that he has already approved and signed one or more “findings” for covert action support to Ukraine in her struggle against Russian invasion. These will create unacknowledged projects for US assistance to the country for help in-country under the cover of some fictive organization.
Such aid will be in addition to overt aid delivered through Poland, Romania, etc. pl
https://nypost.com/2022/03/01/bidens-unserious-state-of-the-union/
According to Kees van der Pijl, “States of Emergency”, the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency has already for several years had 11 biolabs in Ukraine.
There is a succinct essay by Thierry Meyssan explaining some of the sources of the ‘interesting situation’ the world has found itself in today: “Russia declares war on the Straussians” https://www.voltairenet.org/article215879.html
And another angle by Michael Hudson (I do not always agree with him): “America defeats Germany for the third time in a century” https://www.unz.com/mhudson/america-defeats-germany-for-the-third-time-in-a-century/
A Russian fake — its release timed to give their invasion the rhetorical cover.
pl,
I had the same thought when Biden went off the prepared speech and said, “He has no idea what’s coming.” People are signing up for Zelenskiy’s Foreign Legion (ZFL) in droves. Scores of Brits are going. Vets from the US are forming 50 man groups and signing up. Supposedly around 80,000 people have returned to Ukraine since the invasion began. The bulk of those are military age men. But I really want to see working A-10s flown to Poland, painted in ZFL colors and handed over to retired hog jockies for a quick flight check and immediate employment.
TTG et al
Getting a lot of nasty flak from Russia IO and partisans. I just delete it. People I never heard from before. But, FIDO
I have my doubts about this.
Trained military and Ukrainian/Russian speakers, yes, they will fit in. But untrained and/or non Russian speakers could be a liability. Also, any no Ukrainians will legally be mercenaries so in a legal no mans land outside POW status if captured, a receipt for harsh treatment.
As just about everyone agrees that, when push comes to shove, the Russians cannot be stopped, it is too one sided. Meaning that all the extra weapons and manpower being sent in are likely to result in increased damage and deaths and not an (earlier) end to the conflict. Especially as the West are not prepared to provide actually useful assistance, NATO apparently quashing the EU’s (stupid) idea of giving Ukraine a batcjh of old Mig-29s.
At least ‘peace’ talks are underway (ironically in Belarus as the 2015 Minsk agreement was sihned off) albeit without much apparent urgency, but this may be intentional from both sides.
The major factor in the non implementation of Minsk was the fierce objections of the right wing in the Rada, backed up by the proven brutal force of the Azov and Aidar battalions. No ‘mainstream’ politician including Zelinsky, dare to either move on that Agreement or express anything good about Russia, they valued their and their families lives too much.
The destruction of those battalions is one of the Russians main stated objectives and key elements of them are north of Donbas, in Mariupol (their main base) and Odessa. Of those locations only Odessa is now not within a Russian pincer movement and it being surrounded is only a matter of time. It is likely that within a week they will be done as they are hit by the full force of the Russian military.
This could have a dramatic impact on the negotiations, on the Ukrainian side the ‘gun’ at their back will be gone and on the Russian side a key objective will have been achieved. Left to their own devices a deal could be done, all that would be needed would be for the US to bless it.
JohninMK
Yes, trained military and linguists would certainly be welcomed by the Ukrainians, but untrained people can be formed into foreign units and then trained. In any event war itself is the best trainer for those who survive. Do you have any military experience?
JohninMK,
There’s a lot of military and combat experience heading to Ukraine. Since they will most likely operate in small groups relatively independently, language will not be a massive problem. There are 500 or so Swedes volunteering. That could be a Swedish battalion. I’ve worked with foreign military with no common language. It can be done and done effectively.
JohninMK
Well, I have trained a lot of raw people into maybe not soldiers but sure as hell people who could and would fight. You might want to watch the film “Farewell to the king.”
this brings to mind, the journalist that thought he was talking to Ukrainian troops but in fact was talking to Russian troops. Was a funny clip.
Anyway, good luck to all…
How would you service those A10s? Ukraine’s airforce facilities are based around Soviet designs.
zmajcek
You bring your logistics with you. That is how you do it. The long pole in the tent for the a-10s would be the 30mm cannon ammunition for the gatling gun. You don’t want to talk to me? What? I am a demented old man?
Good Post Pat..
elosi Looked In La La Land Always That Smie..Eyes Wandering Unfocused..Kamala Stared At Biden Transfixed,,Start To Finish..,,Glad TheySurvived The Nite,,And
Mr Biden On the Way Out..All That head Bumping And Sniffing Hair With
The Ladies On His Long..Long Exit..
JT
The UN just Voted To Condemn Russia..
The US wants century old conflicts solved in 4 years or less by ignoring the blood on everyone’s hands and raising one up as the undisputed champ. Real entertainment value for the WWE in a Royal Rumble match. Not so much in real life.
Well I hope someone has a plan that doesn’t result in a few million people being incinerated. They won’t be important people, just the usual run of the mill ordinary folks. Meanwhile everyone can breath a sigh of relief that Nancy will be able to safely wait out the apocalypse by hiding in one of her enormous refrigerators stuffed full of ice cream
Very articulate post!!!
Thanx, kim
Three points:
1. We all know how this will end and sadly SOTU did not address that
2. We are buying oil from Russia and sadly SOTU did not address that
3. We are building an Intel plant in Ohio that will be staff by foreign workers
PS – Rio Grande Valley took a red pill last night
Let’s Go Brandon
Jose
Defeatist!
Realist, unfortunately.
Analysis is not advocacy.
Analysis assumes the primacy of logic.
If logic is subordinate to faith than analysis becomes advocacy
Keep them sorted!
Wrote this down and nailed it above my workbench.
How to analyze during the fog of war and competing narratives?
Perhaps a week of events is not enough time to assess?
Michael Vickers on Title 50 mischief
https://rollcall.com/2022/03/01/new-shadow-war-with-russia-could-last-years/