I never really understood why the Republicans were blocking the military aid packages to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as support of these countries is very strong among their constituency, especially Israel. Virtually all my conservative friends on facebook support Ukraine as adamantly as they do Israel. Yet, here was Johnson holding up the aid package for over 6 months to the point Ukraine was really suffering along the front line with Spring maneuvers in full swing.
One can argue why European countries aren't supplying more aid and ammunition to Ukraine? Unfortunately, we have Mike Johnsons of our own. It took at least 6 months to get a 50 billion euro aid package through the EU parliament with Viktor Orban blocking it until the EU unfroze funds for Hungary. There was no military aid in the package, as it was aimed at bailing Ukraine out of its economic crisis as a result of the two-year war. The funny part is that Orban backed down without the EU having to release any funds to Hungary. The angry Putin stooge called it "blackmail" as the EU threatened to cut off all economic ties to Hungary.
Orban was also actively courting Trump, even going so far as to promote Donnie's "Peace Plan," which would have cut funding to Ukraine all together. For years, Viktor has been sticking up his nose at the EU, putting in place an autocratic form of government with severe social restrictions on the country that earned him the love of conservatives back in America. Little Tucker Carlson even staged his show from Budapest at one point, raving about Orban's Hungary even more so than Putin's Russia.
Yet, the conservative electorate hasn't warmed up to either Orban or Putin. For an older generation it dredges up memories of the Cold War when the Soviet Union held Hungary and other Eastern European countries inside its Iron Curtain. Many Eastern Europeans emigrated to the United States during this time. They actively supported conservative leaders like Reagan and both Bushes as they saw them as promoting their interests. They never understood how Donnie and other leading conservatives could sing Putin's praises or adopt Orban as some sort of model of the conservative cause, when all they did was recall the Soviet era.
Still, guys like Carlson, Steve Bannon and Marjorie Taylor Greene persevere. Greene has been repeating so many Kremlin talking points that she has now been dubbed "Moscow Marjorie." Democratic Rep. Moskowitz humorously tried to attach an amendment to the aid packages that would have made Greene "Vladimir Putin's Special Envoy to the United States." Through it all, Marjorie remains unrepentant as do her media friends. They insist that Ukraine is the real bad guy here and we should all be supporting Russia. It's enough to make St. Ronnie turn over in his grave.
For decades, Republicans fought against the "Red Peril" to the point it was almost comical. Over the last decade there has been a seismic shift with even guys like Mitt Romney singing Putin's praises regarding his successful Sochi Olympics, and using it to knock Obama. Of course, he and his conservative brethren were shocked when Putin used the Olympics as cover for his first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, and even more shocked at the massive doping scheme that Putin approved to give his athletes the leg up at the Olympics. It was 1980 all over again. The last time Russia, aka the Soviet Union, staged the Olympics. Only American politicians weren't so obliging back then, choosing to boycott the Games over the war in Afghanistan. Anyway, Russia became the bad guy again in most minds, but a few held out. Notably, the talking heads at Fox News, who continued to sing Putin's praises.
Putin got his biggest fan boy in Donald Trump. For decades, Russian oligarchs had been laundering their ill-gotten money through Trump properties. Some say Putin had been cultivating Trump as an asset since the 1990s, even before he became President. Putin that is. When Putin finally succeeded in getting his man in the Oval Office it was truly a shameful sight. Trump had bad words to say about almost every world leader, but not Putin. When they first met in Helsinki, it was an utter embarrassment with Putin literally tossing a football to his top dog.
Throughout this four-year relationship Putin clearly had the upper hand, leading many to speculate why he didn't commence with phase two of his invasion of Ukraine sooner. It seemed Vlad had to get all his tanks in a row and probably thought Biden, like Ukraine, would be an easy push over. After all, Biden had withdrawn from Afghanistan in what was a very embarrassing moment for him. Much to Putin's surprise, Ukraine resisted thanks to training and military support from the US and NATO in the years since Putin annexed Crimea and spurred a civil war in the Donbas. Mostly it was Ukraine's own resolve. They refused to cower to the Kremlin's tanks. Instead, they picked them off one by one with drones, with farmers hauling the remains by tractor, resulting in this indelible image of Putin's war.
I think it was this resolve more than anything else that endeared Ukraine to so many Americans. Everyone was awestruck by how effectively Ukraine was able to resist the massive assault and eventually push Russian soldiers out of much of their country. For a moment it looked like they would push the once vaunted "Z" army into the Black Sea. That great effort came to a screeching halt when Elon Musk pulled the plug on Starlink, apparently afraid such a bold offensive would trigger nuclear armageddon, as a deeply embarrassed Putin and his Kremlin toadies were threatening tactical nuclear warfare. Since then the war has bogged down, as all wars do, and some on both the Right and Left have started to question our funding of the war.
It isn't "fiscal conservatism" that drives Moscow Marjorie and her fellow operatives in Congress. It certainly isn't social concerns for the homeless and other less fortunate Americans. It is something else. 112 Republican US representatives voted against the Ukraine portion of the funding, more than half of the party. Afterward, Moscow Marjorie was screaming for Mike Johnson's head. However, there wasn't much enthusiasm for another call to vacate the Speaker's seat before recess, so Marjorie took her protest onto the steps where the insurrections once waged their assault on the Capitol. What is driving these so-called "Freedom Caucus" representatives is anyone's guess? For now they are crawling back home and will gauge the pulse of their constituencies before pushing for another vote of no confidence.
I think what animates them is not so much their love of autocratic leaders but rather their belief that federal government should be weak and that the real power should be in the states. Most of these unruly representatives come from former Confederate states, so that rebellious streak runs deep in their veins. There always were the Copperheads from Ohio and other Northern sympathizers that we currently see in persons like "Gym" Jordan of Ohio and Elise Stefanik of New York. Greene was kicked out of the Freedom Caucus last year for her repeated attacks on GOP colleagues. She now stands alone like the defiant Confederate soldier that once appeared on cigarette lighters.
These recalcitrant Republicans are also isolationists, in large part because they know nothing of the world outside their narrow constituencies and don't have the intellectual curiosity to find out. So, they accept talking points from persons they respect like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, who are firmly aligned with Moscow. If these talking heads say Ukrainians are killing priests, then Marjorie says the same. As far as I can tell this is a story that emanated from CNE news. Not Canadian news mind you, but some blog site that heralds itself as Christian News Europe. It is one of the many fake stories planted by the Kremlin and then circulated through the conservative blogosphere to be picked up by useful idiots like Marjorie, who firmly believe that Russia is fighting to protect Christianity in Europe. At least that is what she said on Bannon's War Room.
In fact, the converse is true. Russia is losing its religious hold on Ukraine and is torturing and killing priests that no longer bow to the Patriarch of Moscow. For centuries, Ukrainians had been forced to submit themselves to this false patriarch when the Ancient Ruthenian Patriarchy stems from Kyiv, not Moscow. Russia transferred the patriarch back in the 17th century and held onto it until the Orthodox Church in Constantinople recognized the Kyiv Patriarchy once again in 2018. Not like Putin is a religious man, anymore than Stalin or the Tsars before him, but he knows how important it is to hold onto the church as a form of power, and will use whatever means necessary to retain it. After all, the Kremlin is noted for its colorful onion domes.
This is what Marjorie Taylor Greene supports, not freedom of religion. Yet, she literally rants this swill on Capitol Hill, oblivious to the harm she is doing. I have to respect Mike Johnson for showing an incredible amount of restraint after what had to be a very difficult decision for him. Smartly, he chose not to ally himself with Greene, like McCarthy had done before. Whether he will be able to survive a vote of no confidence remains to be seen, as Democrats have not pledged any support for him, but he can rest easy in knowing he finally made the right decision. Just too bad it took him so long. Ukraine could have used this aid package 6 months ago.
''I never really understood why the Republicans were blocking the military aid packages to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as support of these countries is very strong among their constituency, especially Israel.''
ReplyDeleteSenator Bernie Sanders made a speech today in which he quoted various polling services, all of which clearly show the majority of Americans 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄 such support as shown below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_M7XOiguuw
''We are aiding and abetting the destruction of the Palestinian people ..."
He continues to insist on financing Zelenskyy which, as you know, I oppose as none of those conflicts are any of our business. Bear in mind again that there are 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 of Americans without health care (myself included) and in need of other types of social services which the politicians disregard. We need to get our own house in order before venturing overseas and financing foreign wars that are of no consequence to any of us.
As for MGT yeah she is full of 𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓻𝓭𝓪 but for once I do agree with her that anyone who wants to send money to Ukraine should be forced to join their army and fight. The majority of Americans clearly say this is NOT our war and we should not be forced to pay or to promote it in any way. But if anyone still insists on giving away our money, let them make their own war bonds and sell them on the street corners like they did in the old days.
You should join the Republican party because, and I quote,
ReplyDelete"Democrats are driving the desire to support Ukraine."
https://news.gallup.com/poll/643601/americans-say-not-helping-ukraine-enough.aspx
Also, Bernie was mostly against funding Israel, not Ukraine, but unlike the House bill all the military aid was bundled into one package, so he voted against it.
Anyway, glad to see you are now part of the MGT fan club ; )
Just because someone agrees with only ONE idea does not mean I'm her new fan boy. After all, I could easily turn it around and say that anyone who endorses Zelenskyy is a fan boy of Stepan Bandera. But I wouldn't do that to you or anyone else.
ReplyDeleteYou see, it's very easy for people to get hung up over what goes on in Donbas or Israel or Taiwan because the news in those places are splashed all over TV and other media every day. But what you don't see is the long lines of sick people (especially seniors like myself) at ghetto clinics who cannot afford care at private doctors offices. Sick oldsters like me stand on long lines and often crumble in fatigue or because of body pain. One time I was on a long line and nearly fainted - another guy who I didn't know had to help me get back to my feet to go get medical attention. People like you never see the thousands of homeless people who step up to people like me, utterly desperate for a handout so that they can go buy a meal. You just don't know the utter desperation of the impoverished -- the many tens of thousands -- who roam the streets hunting through garbage cans desperately looking for discarded food.
Then you wonder -- is is right to send all those billions of dollars overseas while so many at home are suffering? Put yourself in our position, then wonder.
It's such a tiresome argument it is hardly worth responding, but the burden of taking care of the homeless and health care problems falls on the state not the federal government. Congress can allocate money for these purposes, which it does through welfare and medicaid, but thanks to past Republican presidents, the disbursement of this money falls to the state.
DeleteWhat I find in your febrile arguments is an ongoing inability to understand the difference between federal and state authority. If these problems are so bothersome to you then take it up with your state legislature and local government. I'm not sure what state you live in as you have mentioned both New York and Minnesota. Instead of dealing with these problems, local governments literally want the Supreme Court to weigh in on whether they have the right to remove homeless persons from public land. NYC Mayor Adams and other mayors have already done so. Very few states or local governments make the effort to address these problems, including the ongoing fentanyl problem, which Republicans love to harp upon. Instead, they try to sweep them under the rug.
However, none of this relates to American foreign policy. You've already shown your inability to understand the situation in Ukraine and how it relates to Europe and the world as a whole, so I won't belabour the issue. What I find amusing is how you glean your information almost entirely from Russian propaganda sources as filtered through whatever rags you pick up on the internet. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with many Americans as they lack the intellectual curiosity to go beyond a first source.
Anyway, I'm glad the Senate approved the aid package, although I am concerned about Netanyahu getting any more firepower to further level the Gaza Strip and kill many more innocent civilians. This is what Bernie was standing against, not Ukraine.
https://vtdigger.org/2024/04/24/citing-devastation-in-gaza-sanders-and-welch-oppose-aid-package-for-ukraine-and-israel/
''What I find in your febrile arguments is an ongoing inability to understand the difference between federal and state authority.''
DeleteLaughable. Utterly laughable. Let me remind you that I have a 𝐃𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 degree in the field of law and have written on constitutional issues all over the internet for the past 20+ years. You are hardly in a position to lecture me on this or any related subject.
As someone who has demonstrated some degree of knowledge on the subject of American history, you are or should be aware of policy changes created by FDR. Without Federal money, the states have no capacity to administer those relief policies. And why do we lack the money we need? Because too much of our limited resources are directed to Israel and Ukraine. $95 billion overseas while so many people go hungry here is an absurdity. So goddamn stupid as to be mind boggling. It's just too bad that you are living so comfortably there in Europe and are not stopped on the streets every single by people begging for a handout so that they can buy another meal. Just the other day a homeless man begged me for a dollar but I didn't have a single cent on me -- not one cent. Then the poor guy started crying -- actually crying because I had nothing to give him. Too bad it wasn't you who had to see that.
'' Russian propaganda sources''
Laughable as well since Russia Today is banned while I get my news from Fox, CNN, and antiwar.com which is conservative.
By any chance, did you see this article about your hero 𝑵𝑨𝒁𝑰Lenskyy:
https://news.antiwar.com/2024/04/25/poland-lithuania-say-they-can-help-return-military-age-men-to-ukraine/
Poland, Lithuania Say They Can Help Return Military-Age Men to Ukraine
Ukraine has cut off consular services for military-age men living abroad to pressure them to return home and fight
by Dave DeCamp April 25, 2024
Poland and Lithuania have said they can help return military-age Ukrainian men to Ukraine as Kyiv is looking for more conscripts to put on the frontlines, where Ukrainian forces are facing a brutal fight and an advancing Russian army.
The comments came after Ukraine announced it was suspending consular services for military-age men living abroad as a way to pressure them to return home to fight. The restrictions include prohibiting men ages 18 to 60 from applying for passports while abroad.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Wednesday that Warsaw has “suggested for a long time that we can help the Ukrainian side ensure that people subject to [compulsory] military service go to Ukraine.” When asked if Poland would agree to transport Ukrainians back to Ukraine, he said, “Everything is possible.”
Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said Vilnius was also willing to help send Ukrainians back to fight. He suggested Lithuania wouldn’t be willing to physically deport Ukrainians but could pressure them in other ways.
“Of course, no one will collect them and take them to Ukraine – this will not happen,” Kasciunas said. “But (it is possible to limit these persons) in terms of social benefits, work permits, documents – these are options that I hear from the Polish side as well. So, let’s wait and see what option they will offer, maybe it will also be suitable for Lithuania.”
It’s estimated that about 860,000 Ukrainian men are living outside of Ukraine in Europe. Some were able to leave Ukraine despite martial law prohibiting men ages 18 to 60 from leaving the country. Others lived outside of Ukraine before Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
Stepan Bandera and his fellow Nazis would be very proud of this repression. Small wonder why your hero honored him.
Netanyahu is of the Likud (formerly Herut) party and it is well established that it is a FASCIST group. Einstein and other great Jewish scholars went on record in declaring this so.
To be honest, it is hard for me to differentiate you from a Russian troll these days. You repeat the same talking points, and now here you are calling Zelenskyy a Nazi! Oh boy, Trip, you really have fallen off the deep end. Better to stick to your domestic arguments, as nauseating as they are to hear repeated over and over again. Citing some kid who writes for "antiwar news" is hardly a credible source, but whatever.
DeletePS: You would be better off citing the welfare reform act of 1994, which essentially gave the right of disbursement of funds to the states through block grants, ending "welfare as we know it." This was Clinton trying to outflank the Republicans before the midterm elections only to suffer a humiliating defeat in the polls just the same. Since then welfare, like health care, has become manipulated by states so that we see huge discrepancies across the country. Even if you gave the $95 billion to the states to address the issues you so often like repeating, it is doubtful it would achieve its purposes as states wouldn't necessarily allocate it accordingly.
DeleteAnyway, annual federal spending currently exceeds $6 trillion. Ukraine's $60 billion accounts for one percent, literally a penny on the dollar. It isn't going to break the bank and the good it does far exceeds the price tag IMHO.
Re disbursements, my former chiropractor lost his job at the neighborhood clinic I usually go to for treatment on my arthritic back. I now have to go downtown for treatments. The doctor there told me the clinic closed down his colleague's position due to lack of government funding. Too bad we don't have universal health care while your heroes Zelenskyy & Netanyahu spend the day counting all the money given to them by Washington DC.
DeleteEvidently, Gintaras believes that anyone who disagrees with him is a Russian "troll" even if you get your news from Fox or the conservative antiwar site (Rothbard was no kid and he has passed on a long time ago). Perhaps you would include this Ukrainian-American as a Russkiyite troll as well:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/this-congresswoman-was-born-and-raised-in-ukraine-she-just-voted-against-aid-for-her-homeland/ar-AA1nPJWA?cvid=407ea89105ed459f99585215029938ea&ei=17
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝
https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.RZ_ezAJArhfT83M_V8Pg9QHaE7?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain
U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, the first and only Ukrainian-born member of Congress, emerged early on as a natural advocate for supporting her native country in its war with Russia. But when $61 billion in additional support for the war effort came up for a vote in the House recently, she voted against it.
Instead she has called for better oversight of U.S. funds and opposed giving “blank checks” to the Ukrainian cause. She says U.S. border security should be a bigger priority.
That puts her more in line with conservative House Republicans and more notably with voters in her deeply conservative central Indiana congressional district. She's locked in a tough reelection fight in the May 7 GOP primary, made all the more complicated by her public announcement more than a year ago that she wouldn't seek another term, a decision she later reversed.
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., speaks during a Northern Hamilton County GOP Meeting, Monday, April 22, 2024, in Sheridan, Ind. Spartz, the first and only Ukrainian-born member of Congress who emerged as a natural voice for Ukraine, recently voted against sending $61 billion of aid to the country. Her reversal aligns with other hard-right Republicans in the House. Thanks to a year off from campaigning, Spartz's district in central Indiana is vulnerable in the upcoming primary election where the U.S.-Mexico border is of top concern.
Monday, April 22, 2024, in Sheridan, Ind. Spartz, the first and only Ukrainian-born member of Congress who emerged as a natural voice for Ukraine, recently voted against sending $61 billion of aid to the country. Her reversal aligns with other hard-right Republicans in the House. Thanks to a year off from campaigning, Spartz's district in central Indiana is vulnerable in the upcoming primary election where the U.S.-Mexico border is of top concern.
The aid package, part of a larger bill that also included assistance for Israel, Taiwan and other global hot spots, was approved by the House on April 20, the Senate on Tuesday and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Spartz said she is “kind of appalled” at the notion that her heritage should dictate support for the Ukrainian cause if she feels the money would be wasted.
more ...
BTW, Russian government hasn't paid me any $$$ or 𝕽𝕽 for alleged trolling. :)
I figured it wouldn't be long before you dug up this story. I read it yesterday. This woman sounds like a total nutcase. It's interesting to me how the extreme ends of the political spectrum bend around and connect each other, using right-wing loons to defend your position. No wonder RFK Jr. is so popular right now. He appeals to both extremes. Surprised you haven't quoted him. He's against foreign aid too.
DeleteIt's worth noting that isolationism is ultimately what got us into WWII, but we were so ill-prepared to deal with it that it took us all of four years to finally suppress Germany's imperial ambitions and bring an end to the war with the help of the Soviet Union. This in turn led to the Cold War, resulting in an endless stream of proxy wars afterward. The reality is we do not live independently of each other. We are all interconnected in this world, and when you see the rise of authoritarianism, it is best to stamp it out before it is able to gain a strong foothold. We disregarded the many warnings about Putin and now we are having to the pay the price for our indifference. Today it is Ukraine. Tomorrow it could be any one of a number of other countries. His success will inspire other aspiring autocrats, including those in the United States. Already you hear any number of American politicians praising Putin. Trump has clearly shown his affinity for him. Yet, here you are portraying Zelenskyy as the Nazi. Last I read, it wasn't Poland that started WWII, anymore than it is Ukraine that started WWZ. Your sense of history is astoundingly blind for a man who claims to be a Doctor of Law. You are no better than the isolationists of the 1930s who refused to recognize the strife in Europe, turned their back on Jews crossing the Atlantic, and kept the US out of war until it was almost too late.
DeleteI have previously referred you to the writings of CONSERVATIVE Antony Sutton re how Wall Street financed and enabled both the Bolsheviks and Hitler. Had you taken off the blinders and troubled yourself to read these superbly documented books you would know that the cynical idea known as isolationism was not the problem. It was war profiteering. That's what caused the rise of the Bolsheviks, Pearl Harbor, and the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteOver twenty years ago the same things you are now saying about Putin is precisely what traitor Bush said about Saddam Hussein and about the Taliban. He was wrong about them just as you are now. Because had any of that propaganda garbage been true then Europe could just as easily financed the wars and provided the troops. But they didn't because they knew it was all a bunch of lies designed to generate profits for the rich. Yeah, whopppeeeee! Those wars on Afghanistan and Iraq sure did a great job of making the world safer for democracy, didn't they?
I've had disagreements with many people both on the right and left for many years. Most have enough character to admit that I was right and they ultimately proven to be wrong. But one thing about these people that remains true is that they usually had the USA's best interests in mind. They sincerely believed that their ideas were for the benefit of the USA as befits patriotic people. Sadly, one cannot ascertain any such sentiment in you. It's not the USA's best interests that motivate you to insist upon our entering into another futile war -- it's Europe's interests that are your motivation. Perhaps you own stock or some other financial interests in Europe and you want to keep the Russkies out of it. That's why you want to stop Putin who has never posed any threat to the USA. There is absolutely NOTHING he can do to possibly menace us in any way. He would have to conquer all of Europe, China, Japan, and the rest of the world before he possibly cause even the slightest harm to us. That will NEVER happen no matter how hysterical your pro war propaganda becomes. Putin has had plenty of time to conquer Ukraine but hasn't been able to do so as his forces are puny. Yeah, let him try to conquer the USA as you believe in your psycho hysteria -- that will never happen. NEVER.
Only an anti-America traitor wants us to get involved in another war. I called Bush a traitor for doing what he did and do the same for anyone who wants another war. It is nothing more than treason to demand that we direct our resources to Europe, to Israel, or anywhere else.
Treason. That's all it is.
It is sad to hear such ridiculous argument, given the wars Putin has fomented over the last 20 years, starting with his renewal of the war in Chechnya, and installing a brutal autocratic regime led by a madman. It is pretty easy to see that Putin is trying to reconstruct the Soviet Union. The West however turned the other cheek because of all the oil, natural gas, timber and other resources Russia was providing. Yea, a lot of people got rich but that didn't hide Putin's maximalist intentions, which have been on full display since he invaded Georgia in 2008. Unfortunately, your massive ego clouds any awareness of these events. Instead, you continue to cite dubious sources to support your febrile arguments because you are determine to "win" this argument like all the other imaginary arguments you boast about on the internet. You have no idea what is going on over here anymore than the isolationists of the 30s did of Europe. It is sad to see all this "Nativism" re-emerging at a time we are more linked together globally than we ever were before. It was this Nativism that resulted in the US abandoning the League of Nations and making any effort to stem the rise of authoritarianism in Europe before WWII. Get your head out of your ass!
DeleteHorseshit, pal.
DeleteI know all that crap every bit as well as you do. If you still insist that there needs to be foreign intervention in it, why don't you enlist in Ukraine's army?
https://ildu.com.ua/
Go ahead. Be a "hero" if you have the guts to back up what you say with manly action.
As for me, it's none of my concern nor that of any patriotic American. We have enough problems of our own with people dying 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 due to lack of housing and universal health care. THOUSANDS dying here while delusionals like you stupidly insist on financing Zelenskyy and Netanyahu while laughing all the way to the bank. Since you're so smart and so benevolent in your twisted little mind, pray tell us what you have to say to the families of these people who are dying every day (many of whom are homeless veterans). What words of wisdom can you use to inspire them and to provide a glimmer of hope while you and your pals are profiting from their misery.
Go ahead genius - tell me. I'll wait.
It's one thing to be a pacifist or isolationist, take your pick, and another to use propaganda to blatantly misrepresent a situation and try to claim some sort of intellectual superiority. We can pick and choose from the internet, but one hopes that there is at least enough intellectual curiosity to search for accurate stories or at least accept divergent opinion. I don't see that in your comments. I see a man who is frustrated by the situation and has chosen to defend what he regards as the easy way out of an international crisis by opting for isolationism.
DeleteFTR, Israel doesn't defend Ukraine. In fact the Netanyahu regime and the previous coalition refused to give any aid whatsoever to Ukraine. The only aid Ukrainian Jews have received is from private individuals and groups from Israel, mostly in Odessa. In fact, one can argue that Netanyahu is working with Putin, as part of his reasoning for not giving any support to Ukraine is so that he can ferret Hezbollah groups out of Syria, as Russia currently controls the country. Instead, Netanyahu has urged Jews to flee Ukraine.
It's ironic since the Chief Rabbi of Moscow fled Russia because of the growing Antisemitism in the country, and has said all Jews should leave Russia while they can,
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/30/exiled-chief-rabbi-jews-should-leave-russia-while-they-can-pinchas-goldschmidt-war-ukraine
Yet, you portray Zelenskyy as the neo-Nazi. This isn't lack of intellectual curiosity on your part but rather willful ignorance. So wait all you like, "Doctor of Law."
''Virtually all my conservative friends on facebook support Ukraine as adamantly as they do Israel.''
DeleteFox network has taken Putin's side and speaks of your hero Zelenskyy as the heel in all this. It calls the latter "dictator and a dangerous authoritarian”. While neither are angels, all that I concern myself with is the fact that their conflict is of no concern to us here in the USA. We need the money for our own problems, not yours. If you in Europe feel so threatened by Putin, go ahead and enlist. Use your money and your financial resources for him while we'll direct ours to our own problems.
As we know tRump leads in the polls and he said,
''Trump for years has accused European NATO allies of freeloading on America to provide protection against hostile foreign powers and urged them to spend more on defense. The issue has become especially acute for European security officials given Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s increasing belligerence and revanchist rhetoric.
In raw numbers, the United States dwarfs the amount of military aid sent by any European country.
“Why can’t Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?” Trump railed on his Truth Social platform. “As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!”
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-moan-why-europe-not-give-more-money-help-ukraine/
And that's what I say as well. None of that shit is any of our concern --- GET YOUR LAZY ASSES MOVING AND FIGHT YOUR OWN GODDAMN BATTLES.
Don't be a sissy -- you want a war? ENLIST!!
''Virtually all my conservative friends on facebook support Ukraine as adamantly as they do Israel.''
DeleteFox network has taken Putin's side and speaks of your hero Zelenskyy as the heel in all this. It calls the latter "dictator and a dangerous authoritarian”. While neither are angels, all that I concern myself with is the fact that their conflict is of no concern to us here in the USA. We need the money for our own problems, not yours. If you in Europe feel so threatened by Putin, go ahead and enlist. Use your money and your financial resources for him while we'll direct ours to our own problems.
As we know tRump leads in the polls and he said,
''Trump for years has accused European NATO allies of freeloading on America to provide protection against hostile foreign powers and urged them to spend more on defense. The issue has become especially acute for European security officials given Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s increasing belligerence and revanchist rhetoric.
In raw numbers, the United States dwarfs the amount of military aid sent by any European country.
“Why can’t Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?” Trump railed on his Truth Social platform. “As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!”
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-moan-why-europe-not-give-more-money-help-ukraine/
And that's what I say as well. None of that shit is any of our concern --- GET YOUR LAZY ASSES MOVING AND FIGHT YOUR OWN GODDAMN BATTLES.
Don't be a sissy -- you want a war? ENLIST!!
I see you doubled up there. If you are going to quote from my post, you might want to note that the EU finally was able to approve a $50 billion aid package to Ukraine. Hungary had been blocking it for months. Unlike Congress, the EU needs unanimous consent in order to approve any kind of major legislation. One for all, all for one. Unfortunately, it doesn't really work that way.
DeleteAs far as military equipment, Germany and France have been the biggest holdups. Neither really wants to give its arsenal or allow other countries to send German and French equipment to the front line. The US had done the same in blocking the use of F-16 jets until last Fall when it finally granted Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands the right to give their fighter jets to Ukraine. They should arrive soon as the requisite training should be complete.
As far as enlisting, I'm 63 and not of much use on the front line. Although I could flip the script and ask what are you doing to feed and house the needy. We did take in two Ukrainian families back in March of 2022 when more than 5 million Ukrainians found themselves refugees, and have given extensively to the cause ever since. Our architectural union pitched in and raised enough money for a Turkish drone to send to Ukraine, and is actively involved in rebuilding efforts. So yes, Trippy, we do contribute.
The thing is the US has all sorts of heavy military equipment parked over here, much of it in Germany, serving no purpose really. It could be put to immediate use in Ukraine. The same goes with all the German Panther tanks, which Count Olaf is so reticent to give. If it is about defending Europe, then it makes sense to put all this hardware to use.
Russia is an imminent threat. They've been doing their damnedest to destabilize Europe for decades, tampering with elections, supporting alt-right and alt-left political parties like the AfD party in Germany and the National Party in France. It's not just Eastern Europe that Putin trolls. He's already managed to gain footholds in Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, and has been working hard on the Czech Republic and Poland. He wants to bring back all of Eastern Europe into his "sphere of influence," and the amazing part is that many in the West are just fine with that.
Mostly, Putin uses trolls to spread disinformation and lies through the internet, which in turn is picked up by left wing and right wing internet rags and eventually finds its way into the "news." It's very effective, as I can see by your comments. You become "useful idiots" in Putin's propaganda efforts, making ludicrous false equivalences to justify your pacifist opinions.
Zelenskyy could have fled his country in the early days of the war when it looked like Russia was going to march right into Kyiv and take over the country. But, he didn't and the Ukrainians held their ground against a 60 km. long caravan of tanks and heavy equipment, eventually pushing the Russian "Z" army out of Northern Ukraine. That is why he and the people of Ukraine are regarded as heroic.
Meanwhile, Pooty hid in his bunker, or his hideout in Sochi, when Prigozhin and his Wagner Group marched on Moscow, fed up with being used as meat in the battle for Donbas. Putin wouldn't even come within arm's length of his commanding officers throughout much of the war, afraid he might be assassinated.
Anyway, I've gone on long enough defending Ukraine to you. I have better things to do.
''what are you doing to feed and house the needy''
DeleteJust for the record ~ 30 years of volunteer work at the local community service center. Am 72, now largely disabled due to crippling arthritis, and cannot do more. It would help if a portion of the multi billions you and your pals got for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan were sent in my direction in order to help with my bills and dwindling cash reserves.
As I said before, none of my ideas are pacifist nor isolationist. They are practical as none of those European affairs are any of our concern.
But soon enough you'll see when your hero Zelenskyy runs off with millions of dollars in his suit cases like Ghani did in Afghanistan. You'll be laughing away while thousands more in the USA die in poverty without health care.
The government budgeted $1.1 trillion last year on welfare!
Deletehttps://federalsafetynet.com/welfare-budget/
"As I said before, none of my ideas are pacifist nor isolationist. They are practical as none of those European affairs are any of our concern."
DeleteThe very definition of isolationism. FTR, the EU is the US' largest trading partner, accounting for $1.3 trillion in 2022 and I imagine more in 2023. So what happens in Europe is very much American concern, as we saw with the spike in consumer goods in 2022 when the war broke out. Also, most of our grains, oil and metal prices are traded at global market rates. This means that when something happens in one part of the world it affects prices in all parts of the world. Are you really that naive?
I'm all for increasing trade but prefer, of course, to having much more manufacturing at home. I am also for more agricultural reform such as government buyouts of commodities for free public distribution as that promotes ag financial security and helps feed the poor. This is something many of us have been demanding for years but that goddamn politicians stupidly insist on keeping us dependent on imports. Damn these treasonous fckkkers.
DeleteGive us the reforms we want and soon enough the rest of the world won't have us to kick around. Then, if you want a war, you'll have no choice but to fight it yourself.
NOT ONE MORE PENNY NOR ONE MORE DROP OF BLOOD FOR YOU PEOPLE. Fight and pay for your own wars.
You should buy a MAGA cap after that tirade. That's MAGA all the way!
Delete