It has been three years since the Ukrainian War began, and most members of NATO have done bupkis to build up their militaries. Without the US, NATO is a letterhead and not much more than that.
Putin is a KGB thug who wishes to be Tsar of all the Russias, but the Europeans, with the exception of the Poles, oppose him with only their mouths.
Certainly true. And while “% of GDP” is a better indicator capacity than total dollars, the fact remains total dollars is what buys weapons. That said, the gutted Russian military may now be on par with anemic European readiness.
I’m neither an isolationist nor an interventionist, but these past couple of years have instilled in me retroactively much sympathy for the hardcore isolationist crowds circa 1914-15 and 1939-40.
The child who left an old world home because it was too stifling but found wealth and the older generation still believes the kid “owes” them for the privilege of being their son.
Reminds me of the scene in Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner between Sidney Poitier and his father in Spencer Tracy’s study.
Europe will work it out. They have no choice. US has done enough. Meanwhile Brits are cheering in the streets for another cheque signed by Keir Starmer. I must say, if you need a fundraiser co-ordinator for your next school fair then Zelensky is your man.
Ezabelle, I cynically suspect that Zelensky has receipts on most of the Euro leaders, as well as on the Obama Axis, that would blow the global elite club wide open if he leaked them. Trump just wants to stop the fighting, and Z has already played all his cards against him. I weep for the people of Ukraine and Russia, who have no exit from this mess absent violent revolution.
While I’m no fan of Russia, Zelensky took what could have been a private spat between at least nominal friends and turned it into a win for Russia. I think his rock star status with the left went to his head. Zelensky apparently thinks that, since all the media and the globalists hate Trump, he would get support for disrespecting him and the leftist lemmings would force Trump to change his mind. Bad move. They don’t know the guy and there is literally no upside for Trump to change his mind now. And now negotiations are off the table. It’s only a matter of time until Zelensky cuts and runs with the billions he stole from the U.S. taxpayer leaving “his countrymen” to figure out how to placate the Russian bear. But then again, what do leftists always do? Create a disaster, blame others for it and leave it to the responsible people they despise to try to fix the disaster. Meanwhile they retire to Martha’s Vineyard or Delaware or wherever. Sorry Volodymyr. The gravy train is over. Take your tin cup to the UK. However, maybe if you talk real nice, we can arrange to have everyone that flies the Ukrainian flag in the US sent over to fight. We can even arrange for free airfare. That would solve two problems at once.
“…but the Europeans, with the exception of the Poles, oppose him with only their mouths.”
THAT, I’m afraid, is all too true. …And has been for a very long time.
Over the past three years, …I have mostly assumed Zelenskyy and his staff to function … similar to our President and military. Such is based on correspondence SOS, true, yet there’s not another way to have a functional service. Armies and air forces require competent staff officers, knowledgeable sergeants, and savvy leaders. Not merely good marketing and bluster.
I have not made any particular effort to visit the sausage factory or look under the hood, so to speak. Based on that meeting the other day, …maybe I should.
..Don’t we have military oversight committees in both House and Senate who routinely expect to monitor how military funds are used?
To the original point though, too many won’t make tough decisions. Not yet. It seems it’s easier to blast Trump, then hide. Sooner or later, lots of folks besides Trump will need to make some tough decisions.
“However, maybe if you talk real nice, we can arrange to have everyone that flies the Ukrainian flag in the US sent over to fight.”
LKL, I get the drift. We’d best send these folks through Fort Benning first though. We might be guilty of criminal negligence if we don’t. I’m not placing any bets on any of these eager folks ever having even touched a rifle.
It is as true as it has always been. Weakness invites war and countries that erroneously perceive that lose wars. Europe, since 1870, has been involved in three major wars and a “cold” war, which has since 2014 been resurrected. Franklin was quite correct. It appears that the countries in Europe are determined to hang separately.
I’m not placing any bets on any of these eager folks ever having even touched a rifle. In the legal business that’s called an irrefutable fact.
I’m not saying expect them to enlist; I’m saying that that should be the only qualification for instituting the draft to fight in Ukraine. These are the same people that went to Toronto during the Vietnam war and then attacked anyone with the United States license plate that visited. And based upon the rhetoric coming out of the politicians in Canada right now about our current president, my suggestion is that as part of any funding by the US in any communal defense or intelligence group that Canada should be required to match US dollar for dollar. In US Dollars obviously . We’ll see how long the nasty rhetoric keeps up. Canadian citizens have already suffered a 40% decline in per capita household income compared to the US over the last 10 years . Per capita household income is higher in Mississippi than the average in Canada and you know where Mississippi ranks in the United States. Put your money where your mouth is Canada.
I understand that the Hungarians take the same position as Poland.
Josh: The Fourth Commandment is the only Commandment with a promise. “Honor thy mother and thy father that thou may be long lived upon the face of the earth.”
I’ll take it.