Last week, European leaders sucked up to 'Daddy Donald'. Not least to keep him interested in Ukraine. But this week, the U.S. president blocked the delivery of vital US defense equipment to Kyiv.
I know many Americans live in a bizarre fantasyland, where their president is malevolent merely because he is stupid, or his father was nasty to him, or his base forces him to, or what have you.
Occam's Razor suggests a much, much simpler explanation. The man is a Russian asset, and is systematically delivering on all Russian goals wrt to the US: weakening its financial system, its educational and scientific system, its social cohesion and rule of law - and, of course, stabbing Ukraine in the back.
For a long time, I've shied away from looking too deeply into the 'Krasnov' theory, but there comes a point where, as you say Patrick, that explanation becomes the most obvious one - seen against the actual acts, words and behaviour of the Donald.
Unacceptable! And the sad partβ¦ personally, as someone originally from Odessa, but having grown up in Canada and happily visiting my homeland until that became a non-option starting with a thing called Covidβ¦ I have known for years this is the outcome that they were aiming for. It is why from day one I have been pleading for everyone around me to say no to this war. But after 9 out of 10 people argued me on it, all 100% of people have become silent, bored and inclined to place blame somewhere away from the themselves on this matterβ¦ it feels like only a force of destiny can turn things around and do whatβs right. And I genuinely hope that is in the cards for one of the most resilient, hospitable, abundant nations, and cultures the world has had the pleasure of enjoying up to nowβ¦
If Iβm correct, the Patriot missiles we have been supplying Ukraine are those that are about to be decommissioned anyway. Not that theyβre any less effective, but the process is much more cumbersome to the US military than it is to give them to Ukraine where they can defend their nation.
In other words β itβs a win-win for both. So why??? π€·π»ββοΈπ€¦π»ββοΈ
Yeap, even the older block versions (entered service in 1991), are still good systems, like the Israeli Patriot system we got donated late last year or whenever it was and is still stuck in the USA undergoing "maintenance and refurbishment". We won't be getting that system anytime soon (as stated by President Zelenskyy a couple of weeks ago - english story link below).
The main problem now is ammunition reloads of the interceptor missiles. Hence why we did try to source newer systems from Israel. It was agreed before October 7th that we would purchase some Israeli Barak-B air defence systems, but after the Hamas attacks, Israel has changed its priorities so that deal is now essentially off the table. :(
There was never a contract that Trump couldn't welch on. He his a creature of whim, totally untethered. What we have done to Ukraine will haunt us for years. Trump = Putin = Truth.
Do not despair. Ukraine is eating into Russian capacity to kill. Every week another reduction in air power. Recently a massive punch to the ability to manufacture SAM systems. Now when Russia uses bombers to launch, the bombers fly several hours. Russia is a dying animal.
Trump gates Zelensky full stop. Zelensky didnβt βhelpβ to find dirt on The Bidens. Zelensky is also a hero of a type Trump will never and could never be. In the meantime Putin has been backing him for years. The Russia Hoax was real. Trump has reportedly idolized Putin since the Moscow Tower daysβboth failed attempts. And then there was Deutsche Bank. Who backed Donald when no other bank would help him? And who was behind Deutsche Bank? Putin of course. What Trump is doing is sabotaging Ukraine while pretending to want to broker peace. There will be no help from the U.S. if Trump can help it. He is a traitor to our allies.
The best hope is that as Jason Jay Smart says, the Russian economy is on the verge of collapse and the Ukraine is able to continue to consistently diminish the Russian war machine / oil industry with strikes inside Russian and the occupied territories as they have been doing recently.
Indeed, plus even though Jason means well, staunch supporter of us at the Kyiv Post, he's been predicting the imminent collapse of russia every month for a couple of years or more now. A good comparison is that tiny decrepit North Korea hasn't collapsed either, after over half a century of western embargo (China helping via the back door etc) , so definitely agree it is not a great FP strategy.
Well put.
Denying weapons and munitions to Ukrainians is not just assisting Moscow. It's a boon to Beijing too.
https://shevtar.substack.com/p/the-dumbest-gamble-in-american-strategy
I know many Americans live in a bizarre fantasyland, where their president is malevolent merely because he is stupid, or his father was nasty to him, or his base forces him to, or what have you.
Occam's Razor suggests a much, much simpler explanation. The man is a Russian asset, and is systematically delivering on all Russian goals wrt to the US: weakening its financial system, its educational and scientific system, its social cohesion and rule of law - and, of course, stabbing Ukraine in the back.
For a long time, I've shied away from looking too deeply into the 'Krasnov' theory, but there comes a point where, as you say Patrick, that explanation becomes the most obvious one - seen against the actual acts, words and behaviour of the Donald.
Been thinking and saying that since 2017
Unacceptable! And the sad partβ¦ personally, as someone originally from Odessa, but having grown up in Canada and happily visiting my homeland until that became a non-option starting with a thing called Covidβ¦ I have known for years this is the outcome that they were aiming for. It is why from day one I have been pleading for everyone around me to say no to this war. But after 9 out of 10 people argued me on it, all 100% of people have become silent, bored and inclined to place blame somewhere away from the themselves on this matterβ¦ it feels like only a force of destiny can turn things around and do whatβs right. And I genuinely hope that is in the cards for one of the most resilient, hospitable, abundant nations, and cultures the world has had the pleasure of enjoying up to nowβ¦
Π‘Π»Π°Π²Π° Π£ΠΊΡΠ°ΠΈΠ½Π΅ π’πβ€οΈ
If Iβm correct, the Patriot missiles we have been supplying Ukraine are those that are about to be decommissioned anyway. Not that theyβre any less effective, but the process is much more cumbersome to the US military than it is to give them to Ukraine where they can defend their nation.
In other words β itβs a win-win for both. So why??? π€·π»ββοΈπ€¦π»ββοΈ
Good question. VERY good, and unpleasant question.
Yeap, even the older block versions (entered service in 1991), are still good systems, like the Israeli Patriot system we got donated late last year or whenever it was and is still stuck in the USA undergoing "maintenance and refurbishment". We won't be getting that system anytime soon (as stated by President Zelenskyy a couple of weeks ago - english story link below).
The main problem now is ammunition reloads of the interceptor missiles. Hence why we did try to source newer systems from Israel. It was agreed before October 7th that we would purchase some Israeli Barak-B air defence systems, but after the Hamas attacks, Israel has changed its priorities so that deal is now essentially off the table. :(
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/israel-handed-over-patriot-air-defense-but-it-s-not-in-ukraine-yet-zelenskyy/ar-AA1GI4OR
Israel handed over Patriot air defense, but it's not in Ukraine yet - Zelenskyy
There was never a contract that Trump couldn't welch on. He his a creature of whim, totally untethered. What we have done to Ukraine will haunt us for years. Trump = Putin = Truth.
Do not despair. Ukraine is eating into Russian capacity to kill. Every week another reduction in air power. Recently a massive punch to the ability to manufacture SAM systems. Now when Russia uses bombers to launch, the bombers fly several hours. Russia is a dying animal.
Amen.
Trump gates Zelensky full stop. Zelensky didnβt βhelpβ to find dirt on The Bidens. Zelensky is also a hero of a type Trump will never and could never be. In the meantime Putin has been backing him for years. The Russia Hoax was real. Trump has reportedly idolized Putin since the Moscow Tower daysβboth failed attempts. And then there was Deutsche Bank. Who backed Donald when no other bank would help him? And who was behind Deutsche Bank? Putin of course. What Trump is doing is sabotaging Ukraine while pretending to want to broker peace. There will be no help from the U.S. if Trump can help it. He is a traitor to our allies.
The best hope is that as Jason Jay Smart says, the Russian economy is on the verge of collapse and the Ukraine is able to continue to consistently diminish the Russian war machine / oil industry with strikes inside Russian and the occupied territories as they have been doing recently.
....well, we waited for 20 years for the USSR to go bankrupt "next week", it's not great as a foreign policy strategy....
Indeed, plus even though Jason means well, staunch supporter of us at the Kyiv Post, he's been predicting the imminent collapse of russia every month for a couple of years or more now. A good comparison is that tiny decrepit North Korea hasn't collapsed either, after over half a century of western embargo (China helping via the back door etc) , so definitely agree it is not a great FP strategy.