As events move quickly, I think it worth the time to acknowledge how smart the Biden administration was in publicly releasing intelligence about Putin's plans. This killed Putin's propaganda plans in the cradle.
Also great to see our intelligence agencies get so much right after some terrible failures in recent decades.
I was 5 when Soviet tanks appeared in the city of Gyor, Hungary, in 1956. Seeing them in a town square as I walked with my mother makes an impression. That sight led my parents to walk with a 5-yr-old and a 1.5yr-old (who had started crying) across a no man's land literally between 2 unmanned (Thank God!) watchtowers into Austria. I'm having flashbacks to the memory of hearing dogs barking and what had to be machine gun fire miles away from us as I see Ukrainians doing the same thing running from the very same invaders. The reaction of Trump and his "PETS" makes me want to puke. They would be the first ones to greet the invaders with cheers. God help the Ukraine. And US!
JVL's posit — "Zelensky’s conduct over the last few weeks—which has been utterly extraordinary—has substantially buttressed Ukraine’s resolve. He has become more than a man. More than a leader. He has become a symbol." — is spot on. What's even more amazing is that Zelensky wants no laud, exhorting his countrymen to post pictures of their family in their offices, not him. Adler was right, “Heroes are not made. They are born out of circumstances and rise to the occasion when their spirit can no longer coexist with the hypocrisy of injustice to others.”
The whole “Putin is smart” take is born out of a completely amoral mindset. It’s not a judgment about whether what Putin is doing is right, in the moral sense. It is a take that kowtows to Putin without taking a stand on the evil of what he is doing. It’s chickenshit.
Perfect title for this! Thank you Charlie, I’m a new subscriber. I find myself feeling about the current crop of ‘America Firsters’ as my grandparents felt about the the originals in 1940- nazi sympathizers and would be traitors. I remember my grandmother telling me how just days after Pearl Harbor you could find not find anyone who would even admit to having ever been one. I hope we don’t have to all suffer an equivalent or worse disaster to get to that point. The Ukrainian people are shouting, “we will not be ruled by Putin!” …and it is spreading. The ‘Hinge of Fate’ indeed. Let’s hope it leads towards, ‘the sunlit uplands of human progress’ and that we are past ‘the Gathering Storm’.
Gratified to read that Ukraine has gotten itself a new battle cry, the words of Ukrainian border guards to a Russian warship demanding their surrender: 'Go Fuck Yourself."
I've read the piece by Shawn several times and I will admit it's the first explaination of "America First" that makes some sense even thought I don't agree with the concept. I'm an old guy that grew up during WWII so my view of the country is way different. If the current crop of citizens have to be told what's wrong with the situation in Ukraine then heaven help us. Our education system apparently has failed if people can't see and understand what's happening. If Worrying about cheap goods and gas is what the younger generation considers more important then people getting slaughtered by a guy that still can't accept the fact that Russia isn't the same, is pretty sad. Unless you're my age you don't know what cheap gas is, $.25 a gallon in the 1950's.
Anyway, I would suggest that "American First", if implemented, will be the end of this country as I have known it but I won't be around to witness the disaster.
I've been trying to contemplate what a tactical nuclear weapon being deployed anywhere in Europe would be like and all I get back in my head is "Dr Strangelove" . Pukin has really reached out to say he's playing poker, not Chess. Then again it may be Russian Roulette. We really do need an Ides of March solution. He has to becoming a totally isolated man trusting absolutely no one.
Zelensky? What can you say about a man who has become the symbol of resistance in his country. I hope they can hold out for one week before the Russian invaders hit the supply line problems that have stopped the crazy people for centuries. Tearing down road signs hasb't been used since WWII but if any soldier pops up to look around, it's fast becoming whack a mole for that individual.
Get the stingers, get the ammo and give it to them. Then be ready to have to have NATO engage on the ground despite its mandate. Also be ready for five dollar gasoline. It's coming.
The quoted comment is a bit out-of-step with the headline of this piece. It's true that the language of high ideals doesn't always resonate with voters, but dollars and cents talk often fails in this regard as well. What does resonate is slogans, images, and symbols. Charlie hits the nail on the head when he boils down the far right to nothing more than "Let's go Brandon." And JVL hits the nail on the head when he points out that Zelensky has become a symbol. The stories of Ukrainian resistance in the face of Russian aggression are incredibly powerful. A new narrative is emerging at this moment, capturing the imagination of the world indeed.
Maybe, as in Ukraine, we will see a leader w/ true patriotic spirit appear in America before 2024 to drown out the awful rhetoric of Trump, DeSantis and other right wingers.
My morning shot is Jamison and cream in my morning coffee, I think I will cook some bacon just to irritate my doctor. Being retired you take your fun where you can.
I agree. I am not in a rational mood today. Outside the sun is shining, I've never missed a meal in my life, I am married to the love of my life for half a century who is my best friend, I have all the books and food and things I could ever need and pretty much whatever it might come into my head to buy, I have two great kids who grew up into decent human beings, I have worked at a job I love for four decades, some of which I have because I didn't screw up, most of which I have because of good luck, and none because I deserve any of it more than the average ordinary person. So I'm going to try and find a way to give some money. Like that will make everything all right.
Russia has foisted on the world during 2 subsequent centuries Vladimirs, Lenin and Putin, both monsters primarily motivated by hate. May the cycle be broken.
"But we wake up this morning to several bits of encouraging news: the brave Ukrainians still resist and the evidence suggests that they are holding back the vastly superior Russian forces. Kyiv is still free."
I fear this is a bit of naive hopefulness. The people of Ukraine will eventually collapse without military aid from the US/NATO. How long do you think you and your family could hold out if you came home to find the Russkies in your town. Grocery stores empty; no gas for the car; no cash at the ATM; no job and a bombed out house. Your life basically erased.
I got married the day the invasion took place and have been glued to the news for days now. I was SO WRONG about Russia invading! I was thinking Putin was bluffing because his country couldn’t take economic losses and his kleptocratic Billionaire friends love their yachts so much. Oh man, Putin IS that insane and stupid. I feel like this war- while terrible- shows us what just war looks like. I am anti-premeditated war always, but the Ukraine has no option but to defend itself. We are witnessing a change in world order. America is no longer the world’s policeman, but an ally amongst allies. Ukraine is showing us what patriotism really looks like. We are showing the world the strength of world’s Democracies - not as the lone world power- but together, unified in defense of our ideals. #slavaukraini
Waiting around for something to bring the GOP to their senses is pollyannaism of the worst kind. 40 years of "thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican" left the people dedicated to principle wholly disarmed in the face of those who would see the party maintain power. The McCarthys and McConnells in charge would rather see the system collapse while they're in charge than lose power so something less toxic can grow. It's a giant proof of the iron law of bureaucracies.
As events move quickly, I think it worth the time to acknowledge how smart the Biden administration was in publicly releasing intelligence about Putin's plans. This killed Putin's propaganda plans in the cradle.
Also great to see our intelligence agencies get so much right after some terrible failures in recent decades.
I was 5 when Soviet tanks appeared in the city of Gyor, Hungary, in 1956. Seeing them in a town square as I walked with my mother makes an impression. That sight led my parents to walk with a 5-yr-old and a 1.5yr-old (who had started crying) across a no man's land literally between 2 unmanned (Thank God!) watchtowers into Austria. I'm having flashbacks to the memory of hearing dogs barking and what had to be machine gun fire miles away from us as I see Ukrainians doing the same thing running from the very same invaders. The reaction of Trump and his "PETS" makes me want to puke. They would be the first ones to greet the invaders with cheers. God help the Ukraine. And US!
JVL's posit — "Zelensky’s conduct over the last few weeks—which has been utterly extraordinary—has substantially buttressed Ukraine’s resolve. He has become more than a man. More than a leader. He has become a symbol." — is spot on. What's even more amazing is that Zelensky wants no laud, exhorting his countrymen to post pictures of their family in their offices, not him. Adler was right, “Heroes are not made. They are born out of circumstances and rise to the occasion when their spirit can no longer coexist with the hypocrisy of injustice to others.”
Zelensky is a living legend.
The whole “Putin is smart” take is born out of a completely amoral mindset. It’s not a judgment about whether what Putin is doing is right, in the moral sense. It is a take that kowtows to Putin without taking a stand on the evil of what he is doing. It’s chickenshit.
Perfect title for this! Thank you Charlie, I’m a new subscriber. I find myself feeling about the current crop of ‘America Firsters’ as my grandparents felt about the the originals in 1940- nazi sympathizers and would be traitors. I remember my grandmother telling me how just days after Pearl Harbor you could find not find anyone who would even admit to having ever been one. I hope we don’t have to all suffer an equivalent or worse disaster to get to that point. The Ukrainian people are shouting, “we will not be ruled by Putin!” …and it is spreading. The ‘Hinge of Fate’ indeed. Let’s hope it leads towards, ‘the sunlit uplands of human progress’ and that we are past ‘the Gathering Storm’.
Gratified to read that Ukraine has gotten itself a new battle cry, the words of Ukrainian border guards to a Russian warship demanding their surrender: 'Go Fuck Yourself."
https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/1497589261318696965
I've read the piece by Shawn several times and I will admit it's the first explaination of "America First" that makes some sense even thought I don't agree with the concept. I'm an old guy that grew up during WWII so my view of the country is way different. If the current crop of citizens have to be told what's wrong with the situation in Ukraine then heaven help us. Our education system apparently has failed if people can't see and understand what's happening. If Worrying about cheap goods and gas is what the younger generation considers more important then people getting slaughtered by a guy that still can't accept the fact that Russia isn't the same, is pretty sad. Unless you're my age you don't know what cheap gas is, $.25 a gallon in the 1950's.
Anyway, I would suggest that "American First", if implemented, will be the end of this country as I have known it but I won't be around to witness the disaster.
I've been trying to contemplate what a tactical nuclear weapon being deployed anywhere in Europe would be like and all I get back in my head is "Dr Strangelove" . Pukin has really reached out to say he's playing poker, not Chess. Then again it may be Russian Roulette. We really do need an Ides of March solution. He has to becoming a totally isolated man trusting absolutely no one.
Zelensky? What can you say about a man who has become the symbol of resistance in his country. I hope they can hold out for one week before the Russian invaders hit the supply line problems that have stopped the crazy people for centuries. Tearing down road signs hasb't been used since WWII but if any soldier pops up to look around, it's fast becoming whack a mole for that individual.
Get the stingers, get the ammo and give it to them. Then be ready to have to have NATO engage on the ground despite its mandate. Also be ready for five dollar gasoline. It's coming.
Bless the Ukranians, each and every one.
The quoted comment is a bit out-of-step with the headline of this piece. It's true that the language of high ideals doesn't always resonate with voters, but dollars and cents talk often fails in this regard as well. What does resonate is slogans, images, and symbols. Charlie hits the nail on the head when he boils down the far right to nothing more than "Let's go Brandon." And JVL hits the nail on the head when he points out that Zelensky has become a symbol. The stories of Ukrainian resistance in the face of Russian aggression are incredibly powerful. A new narrative is emerging at this moment, capturing the imagination of the world indeed.
Remember Snake Island!
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2022/02/25/ukrainians-trapped-on-snake-island-to-the-russians-demanding-their-surrender-go-fck-yourself/
Ken Duncan
Maybe, as in Ukraine, we will see a leader w/ true patriotic spirit appear in America before 2024 to drown out the awful rhetoric of Trump, DeSantis and other right wingers.
My morning shot is Jamison and cream in my morning coffee, I think I will cook some bacon just to irritate my doctor. Being retired you take your fun where you can.
I agree. I am not in a rational mood today. Outside the sun is shining, I've never missed a meal in my life, I am married to the love of my life for half a century who is my best friend, I have all the books and food and things I could ever need and pretty much whatever it might come into my head to buy, I have two great kids who grew up into decent human beings, I have worked at a job I love for four decades, some of which I have because I didn't screw up, most of which I have because of good luck, and none because I deserve any of it more than the average ordinary person. So I'm going to try and find a way to give some money. Like that will make everything all right.
Russia has foisted on the world during 2 subsequent centuries Vladimirs, Lenin and Putin, both monsters primarily motivated by hate. May the cycle be broken.
"But we wake up this morning to several bits of encouraging news: the brave Ukrainians still resist and the evidence suggests that they are holding back the vastly superior Russian forces. Kyiv is still free."
I fear this is a bit of naive hopefulness. The people of Ukraine will eventually collapse without military aid from the US/NATO. How long do you think you and your family could hold out if you came home to find the Russkies in your town. Grocery stores empty; no gas for the car; no cash at the ATM; no job and a bombed out house. Your life basically erased.
I got married the day the invasion took place and have been glued to the news for days now. I was SO WRONG about Russia invading! I was thinking Putin was bluffing because his country couldn’t take economic losses and his kleptocratic Billionaire friends love their yachts so much. Oh man, Putin IS that insane and stupid. I feel like this war- while terrible- shows us what just war looks like. I am anti-premeditated war always, but the Ukraine has no option but to defend itself. We are witnessing a change in world order. America is no longer the world’s policeman, but an ally amongst allies. Ukraine is showing us what patriotism really looks like. We are showing the world the strength of world’s Democracies - not as the lone world power- but together, unified in defense of our ideals. #slavaukraini
Waiting around for something to bring the GOP to their senses is pollyannaism of the worst kind. 40 years of "thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican" left the people dedicated to principle wholly disarmed in the face of those who would see the party maintain power. The McCarthys and McConnells in charge would rather see the system collapse while they're in charge than lose power so something less toxic can grow. It's a giant proof of the iron law of bureaucracies.