American dupes calling for a negotiated end to the Ukraine war are forgetting the long history of Russian ‘peace offensives.’ What's needed is a Western ‘peace counteroffensive.’
It burns me here in Canada that we're not doing more to support Ukraine, and if (when) the Conservatives win the next election we'll do nothing at all, our right increasingly takes all their cues from the right in the US.
At a time when support for Ukraine is most critical, Republicans have chosen to do nothing. They are quickly eroding our strength and leadership in the world. I hate to bag on the Republican Party all the time, but dang, what happened? Where have all the leaders who stood for democracy gone?
The GOP is no longer a political party. It has become a personality cult, and the personality is Donald Trump. Trump has long admired Putin and despised Ukraine. In 2016, he demanded only one change to the party's platform - gutting the plank about supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. It seems to be one of the few issues he actually cares about. Trump's cultists will not tolerate disagreement with their messiah. And, as usual, Trump is supported by Russian trolls' domination of social media.
Many, perhaps most, Republican leaders know the importance of US leadership in the world, but they are not willing to defy the Trump cult.
To me, the better question is, "Where have all the leaders who stood for protecting America's long term interests in the world gone? That Ukraine is a democracy is the cherry on top of the geo-political Sunday that is one of our biggest geo-political foes stepping on a rake in historic fashion.
We should keep supporting Ukraine out of naked self interest if nothing else, and Republican calls to save money so that they can give another tax cut to the rich who are groaning under the problem of how to enjoy two yachts at once are incredibly idiotic and short-sighted. The world (China, India, Iran) is watching to see what the west's resolve is for a conflict on their borders. It would be really, really, good if we didn't signal that naked aggression is back on the table.
America is going to be nice and secure in a world where China's power and influence grows until the day when it isn't. And that day will come in my children's lifetime if we call a full retreat from global affairs. It will likely involve my unborn grandchildren fighting it, and perhaps losing. We're at an inflexion point where we can have another American century if we just have the will to spend money while other people's children are fighting and dying. Nothing terribly noble about that concept, but it is right there for our taking. And we're at risk of throwing it all away because some people can't get past the idea that some countries pay less than we do to ride in the car we're driving and setting the course for.
It burns me here in Canada that we're not doing more to support Ukraine, and if (when) the Conservatives win the next election we'll do nothing at all, our right increasingly takes all their cues from the right in the US.
At a time when support for Ukraine is most critical, Republicans have chosen to do nothing. They are quickly eroding our strength and leadership in the world. I hate to bag on the Republican Party all the time, but dang, what happened? Where have all the leaders who stood for democracy gone?
The GOP is no longer a political party. It has become a personality cult, and the personality is Donald Trump. Trump has long admired Putin and despised Ukraine. In 2016, he demanded only one change to the party's platform - gutting the plank about supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. It seems to be one of the few issues he actually cares about. Trump's cultists will not tolerate disagreement with their messiah. And, as usual, Trump is supported by Russian trolls' domination of social media.
Many, perhaps most, Republican leaders know the importance of US leadership in the world, but they are not willing to defy the Trump cult.
To me, the better question is, "Where have all the leaders who stood for protecting America's long term interests in the world gone? That Ukraine is a democracy is the cherry on top of the geo-political Sunday that is one of our biggest geo-political foes stepping on a rake in historic fashion.
We should keep supporting Ukraine out of naked self interest if nothing else, and Republican calls to save money so that they can give another tax cut to the rich who are groaning under the problem of how to enjoy two yachts at once are incredibly idiotic and short-sighted. The world (China, India, Iran) is watching to see what the west's resolve is for a conflict on their borders. It would be really, really, good if we didn't signal that naked aggression is back on the table.
America is going to be nice and secure in a world where China's power and influence grows until the day when it isn't. And that day will come in my children's lifetime if we call a full retreat from global affairs. It will likely involve my unborn grandchildren fighting it, and perhaps losing. We're at an inflexion point where we can have another American century if we just have the will to spend money while other people's children are fighting and dying. Nothing terribly noble about that concept, but it is right there for our taking. And we're at risk of throwing it all away because some people can't get past the idea that some countries pay less than we do to ride in the car we're driving and setting the course for.