Russia invades Ukraine again?

[macdoc]

[Tero]

"General rule of thumb: If you are there to discuss/negotiate with Trump, and the cameras are rolling, you weren’t called in to discuss/negotiate-you are there to be a shitshow target, and the outcome has already been determined by Trump."

But it's not working as well as it sometimes did in Trump I. Though Trump routinely embarrassed himself with Fauci there. Therefore we get RFK Jr, to punish Fauci.

[Tero]

With Trump it is always money. Penny pincher on anything away from US to foreign aid.

What he has done is ruined is his own "under US authority" claim. No country will follow his claim as he has little to follow up the thret with.

To Trump, that system gave smaller and less powerful countries leverage over the United States, leaving Americans to pick up the tab for defending allies and promoting their prosperity.

While his predecessors — Democrats and Republicans — insisted that alliances kept the peace and allowed trade to flourish, Trump viewed them as a bleeding wound. In the 2016 presidential campaign, he repeatedly asked why America should defend countries that are running trade surpluses with the U.S.
But only in the past five weeks has Trump begun exercising a plan to destroy that system. It explains his demand that Denmark cede Greenland to the United States and that Panama return a canal Americans built. When asked how he could seize Gaza for redevelopment as a “Riviera of the Middle East,” when it was sovereign territory, he shot back: “Under the U.S. authority.”

Three weeks ago Trump told an interviewer that Ukraine “may be Russian someday.”

Zelensky knew this but did not read the room. While the leaders of France and Britain preceded him to the Oval Office with plans to placate Trump, and explain how Europe was stepping up its defense spending, Zelensky became combative.

He reminded Trump that the oceans between America and Russia won’t protect it forever. Trump raised his voice and told the Ukrainian he would be lucky to just get a cease-fire, suggesting that any terms would be better than defeat. “I want to see guarantees,” Zelensky retorted. Minutes later, he stormed out of the White House, leaving the luncheon of rosemary roasted chicken and crème brûlée uneaten, a minerals deal unsigned and his country’s future ability to defend itself in doubt.

Of course, it is easier to blow up an existing world order than to create a new one. For all its faults, the post-World War II system avoided great-power war and encouraged economic interdependence. Trump, instead, would use American power to strike deals — essentially an argument that peace is as simple as weaving together minerals agreements and trade pacts.

There is little precedent to suggest that approach alone works, especially with authoritarian leaders like Putin and President Xi Jinping of China. But judging by yesterday’s display in the Oval Office, Trump seems convinced that as long as he is at the helm, the world will order itself as he commands.

NYT

[Tero]

"While Trump’s abuse of Zelensky might delight the MAGA crowd, it isn’t likely to play well with most voters, including the almost 30 percent of Republicans who, even now, believe it’s in our interest to stand with Ukraine. And while most Americans may want to see the war in Ukraine end, they almost surely don’t want to see it end on Vladimir Putin’s terms."

"Those are points honorable conservatives should press: Can Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska — two Republicans who haven’t sold their souls on Ukraine — lead a delegation of like-minded conservatives to Kyiv?"
"Still, there’s no getting around the fact that Friday was a dreadful day — dreadful for Ukraine, for the free world, for the legacy of an America that once stood for the principles of the Atlantic Charter.

"Roosevelt and Reagan must be spinning in their graves, as are Churchill and Thatcher. It’s up to the rest of us to reclaim America’s honor from the gangsters who besmirched it in the White House."

"New York Times" columnist, conservative Bret Stephens wrote "A Day of American Infamy."

[Tero]

Michael Cohen descibed in his book exactly how Trump operates. He bought the cheapest paint to repaint a motel or two he had bought. Then he sued the paint maker, with Trump getting the best grade of paint for free.

The Zelisnkyys of the world are just among paint manufacturers and other contactors Trump stiffed. Because he is bigger. he is going to order the world by bullying to submission. Next up: pull all the troops out of South Korea or give us something.

[rainbow]

He needs to send "Soiled my Pants" to acting school.

[Tero]

[Tero]

It was just an episode of a Trump
Reality show

[Tyrannical]

France, Germany, UK+ can feel free to send in 50,000 ground troops plus armor and air to force Russia out of Ukraine. Trumps wants no part of WWIII.

[Sean Hayden]

Uh, isn’t appeasement usually cited as a contributing factor to the start of WW2? Yes, I’m sure it is. Something like: playing nice with Hitler to avoid conflict only encouraged him.

—//—

Why would the US give Russia any kind of break?

[pErvinalia]

Because Trump likes dictators. And he desperately wants to be one.

[JimC]

Golden showers.

Just sayin'...

[Svartalf]

Because Trump likes dictators. And he desperately wants to be one.

let's just wish him to die like one, and soon

[pErvinalia]

Ceaușescu style.

[Svartalf]

definitely... but I doubt it will happen, the elephants are much more combative than the asses and ghe magaguard will protect dear leader