myata

First, let's stick to the reality: it's "huge" only in the MAGA magnifying glass. Georgia (2008) to Crimea (2014) can you count perhaps? Secondly, he got all he needed at that time: no threat from the U.S. of any kind and he was quite sure about it (why?). Could deal with other matters like Syria where by the way American presence was weakened seriously thanks to who? And Afghanistan as the cherry, of course. You can't sell "Trump tough on Vlad" to anyone with a grain of a rational mind. It just doesn't fly anywhere within a few lightyears of the reality. I agree to some extent that liberal West was slow and reluctant dealing (like practically, not just reports and meetings) with these threats. But to paint someone like Trump as a realistic alternative is not only irrational, hardly more than a sad joke. After three years of cautious Joe, the thug isn't talking about NATO anymore, only to get his way in Ukraine. And Trump and his stooges were singing from the start, just give him what he wants and we will have "peace". You have responsibility to your sane, rational mind, not so?

OK at this point it'll have to be one of: a) d*mp b) ill*terate c) l*ing. Sail on.

This is nothing to do with me, but you're stuck in cliches of the past and coined dogmas. I haven't said a word about "domino". But for eight decades after WWII world thought it was building a future based on the law and certain principles: go no further than the Charter of UN. Or it thought that's what it was doing. Now Putin decided to challenge it, in your face blatantly. And look. China proposes a "plan" that doesn't even mention the law (Charter). Just give the thug what it asks for and negotiate to death. That's what it wants great solemn words in one place and the reality, very different or starkly opposite. Three African juntas where there were none, hostile to West. Brazil and India ambivalent. This is the reality. You want to play those tunes in the echo chamber by all means. But don't tell that it's got anything to do with me, or the reality for that matter.

When was the past a guarantee of the future? Ask the dinosaurs, Rome or etc, yada. Not true: the time has changes and you're quoting something that isn't there. Russia exposed itself as unable to be a world-level player on par with China. Then, it's dependent on China, and China needs it as a resource pool and a proxy directly influencing NATO. You're conveniently forgetting Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Syria and a couple of African juntas. And only a few years back the hope that Africa has moved on from the coups was widespread. So it's working on the world already. And not seeing it point blank would be what? Naivety? Wishful thinking? Complacency? That would be a pure fantasy, out of a finger. Much of the world is ambivalent toward Russia/China axis vs America-West. China just came up with an alternative plan that doesn't even mention the Charter of the Nations and guess who supported it? Brasil, Hungary and Switzerland. This on the other hand, can be true but it's driving them toward each other. Syria's Asad stood because he was helped by Iran and Russia. Now Iran and North Korea supplies to Russia critical munitions with China hanging in the shades. Three years of persuasion did not move China any closer to a position based on the international law rather than word-dancing. It hasn't crossed the line yet, but didn't step back from it either. That could have been the case if it stood by and on its principles. But we have one of the contenders almost openly siding with a war criminal thug. Who can be certain of anything, in this light? Sure it plays against America. If the world moves to make deals with the Axis it would be very hard to reverse the drive.

It's such a naive idea that one episode in the past could give any assurances for the future. Xi and Putin share a lot more (and still more going forward) in interests than with the West. Rely on "talking"? I have to disagree here. Trump had a full term in the office and he did nothing to stop Putin, engineered chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and now talking openly about giving Putin what he wants. You've got to look at the reality, not just words.

And with paralysis of will and act, it will keep happening more and more. Why wouldn't it? Dictators, tyrants thugs scum of the world are enticed and attracted by weakness. What's worse, folks around the world those who vote against them now will begin getting the wind where the things are going. This is simply not the time to sit on the butt and wait to see how it would play out.

That could very well lead to the worst outcomes that could be really bad in this age where the tyrants have discovered and are honing the skill of total control and ruling indefinitely. If China would come more openly or semi-openly on the side of Russia's brutal aggression, that would signify a decisive move to toward a new world without rules or laws. Twisty words would add nothing to the picture. In that case, West couldn't hesitate to act. 1. Draw a decisive line in Ukraine by accepting it to NATO (along the current line of separation). Now the Axis wouldn't go into an open confrontation with the West. Ten years, two decades on, working its duplicitous way in the world, who could tell? 2. Immediately, impose total economic isolation on all participants of the aggressive Axis. 3. Also with urgency, begin building the global alliance of democracies, including defense alliance. This should be looked at now. The world where the Axis grows in the power and influence, recruiting or converting to its side more an more states does not have a good exit - not only for the West, but for the humanity. This time is not for a weakness and indecision.

No no. They each have their fetishes to wave around and in the meantime enjoy all the juicy entitlements of the system that just cannot be changed. For the sake of the wisey rich or holy poor to f*ck with it. It's nothing to do with a grown up responsible democracy. Tired and sick of the politicians bullsh*t show. Wake me up when it's available around and not in the color picture book.

Russia is upping its nuclear bluff in the United Nations today just as the lying cult is preparing to give in to the international bullies. For generations, since the early days of America it was a clear principle: politics take second place to the interests of the nation. Here we have nothing less that the rule of law, international order at stake. If the rules are not written for some, if they can be violated at will, what are they there for, and who? Not anymore. This is the first when a politician and a cult he leads openly side with the enemy of the free world. Two years back Vlad made ultimatums to NATO not Ukraine. Today, he tries to scare the West. An !diot wouldn't know. The liar will pretend to not understand. So, it's not about the stripe. Nothing to do with ideology. But the right and brutal, hellish evil do exist. Of course we knew. And the choice is ours.

The mob rule: in the world and in America. That seems to be the proposition, objectively and factually. Who didn't know? Who's thinking that anything would fix itself somehow and the future is assured and guaranteed no matter what we do? The choice is ours. And it will determine our future.

Look shouldn't we be honest about it rather than throwing slogans around. Last time I looked there's no universal pharmacare in the country or dental: you've got to be a) poor or b) very young or very aged. Can a country work for the benefit of one social group and be happy about it? I really can't care about this ideological cr*p any longer. PP will dance and nurse his ideological agenda to millionaires and Trudeau with his lap buddy, their poor darlings. None of this has anything to do with me. Can't hear of $200K monthly politicians caring about poor, poor folk but look they make more in the NHL. This is what they do the third world. And in the first one, it's shared prosperity and the programs supported by the citizens work for everybody not just ideological mascots. And above all I don't want to choose between the preset options. Can we have the real, unrestricted choice, please? Why couldn't we, the last of the last in the free world?

This is as clear as it will ever get: this isn't about policies. This is about the power and changing the rules. Changing them from the law and democracy to the mob ones: "I know you, you know me let's fix it". What law? Why would we need it, here? Over a century America struggled and fought, hard at times, to establish the law that would apply to everybody. But with the Time, there are no guarantees. Each generation has to prove its worth to it and no magical escapes or universal disclaimers. He wants to change that. He tried. He will try again. That's what he would do in the world: fact. And that's what he would try to do in America. Yes we can choose this way and that, we are free that's certain; one thing we couldn't do though is to pretend that we didn't know what it was about; and to ask for excuses and miracles. Nobody is listening. It makes all sense to choose right.

Raising stakes of a "quick solution" is a dangerous game - except he couldn't care less. If Vlad says no to anything even remotely reminiscent of a fair resolution that is based on the international law, he would be fully prepared to ride and slide all the way to accepting Vlad's terms and through the entourage, he's already hinted - not once, that that would be exactly what he would do. This of course would be a catastrophe - not for Ukraine, but for the international law and the future of the world. Diminished and divided, West would begin to fade. People around the globe would be looking for new masters and new alliances. Hopes for a lawful, peaceful world, blown away in a decade - an instant, in history's measure. The new age of dark terror, dictators deciding the fate of free people whenever they like, with nothing to stand to them. Why would any of this be an exaggeration, based only on the reason and facts? But he couldn't care less. Power at all cost and now. This is what it's about. And we knew.

There's nothing here we couldn't see. Losing the count of times he spilled his love and admiration for Vlad the thug, the war criminal - most recently, yesterday, 27.09.2024 just ask yourself: when was the last time you heard from him about the international law and justice? That's right. The facts, the reality they tell us all there's to know. He "knows" someone. Has "very good relationships". That's all he needs and where would be the need for the law? He's ready, and couldn't even hold it back, to move on from the world of democracy and law to that of the mob, where problems are "fixed" by a circle of "tough" guys who happen to "know" each other. Think of it. Because words, excuses won't go for much if it begins to happen. We knew very well what the options were. And the choice is ours.

We see and we know what it looks, walks and quacks like. There are no excuses for playing with this stuff. Everyone will be making a choice.

We can't avoid seeing this: "a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin" for what it is: a real, factual and material assistance to a warranted war criminal, initiator fully responsible for a criminal war of aggression in Europe, unprecedented since the times of WWII. Trivializing his crimes. Normalizing and propping his status and legitimacy. Nothing to question or doubt here: in his own words. This is a fact now that went in the history. Why, though? Why would anyone want to do that? We can try to see and dissect it. First, the cookie. The posture of an instance peacemaker, but giving the thug all that he asked fore. Easy, done. Is it all there's to it though? Wait. Next layer. There are people in the world to whom the law should not apply, who are greater and above it. Yes, he said and implied that much on a number of occasion to the wild chorus of his cult. Decades, almost a century of a great democracy went into building a society where universality of law is not questioned. It was not guaranteed to be so. We could have had presidents vetoed and approved by the family - as is the reality in any number of countries. He doesn't like that. And that is another common ground for the attachment. Imagine the future where a circle of "tough" rulers would decide the fate of peoples and laws? Of course, we knew. But even that may not be the final destination. In the world of chaos, with no rules, no laws way past any principles who will give us the ground, foundation of safety and security? Where to seek them? The cult knows: in Him. The only source of wisdom and truth. Forever. History made a full circle, alternative for now. But here, no place for naivety or complacency: we knew well where playing with these things can end up. It's taught and shown in every textbook. Sure, we knew.

Have a good relationship: with Hitler. Really, he just couldn't hold it back. Sees nothing wrong, in the picture. "... and I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin" (Global) If and when someone pretending to run for the leader of the free world says that, implying that an aggressive totalitarian dictator, modern Hitler and why not? can be seen as the legitimate president, it, in itself is a statement. Never, in centuries of proud American democracy has anything like this happened before. But he sees nothing wrong with it, in plain sight and under the brightest of sun. Only "president". Nothing about the war criminal under an international warrant. No: we cannot take it for normal, and treat as innocent funnies. It's way and far over the line of minimal normalcy. Who can say, they didn't see it? Who could claim, we didn't know?

There has to be the reason why the lying buffoon praises and admires the worst totalitarian thugs on the planet and fans their plans and agendas. What is it? Why wouldn't he tell? Is it because he is imagining himself in their shoes? Salivating on brutal "toughness" he just can't stop spilling about?

The cult is deliberately avoiding any meaningful conversation about responsibility, acceptance and commitment to democratic principles and values. These are replaces by extreme hostility, blatant lies, manipulation, and hot air rhetoric. We have seen this before. We should know what it means and where it's coming from. These are not innocent funny fancies. Good that we knew.

Here's an angle to consider: what if in Trump's view, submission of Ukraine to Vlad could be a reflection of the general mental pattern, weak, useless democracy cowering to a "tough" at times, brutal macho? Seeing himself in Vlad's glory and salivating as sucker losers do, in their shady caves? Only a thought.. or could it have a connection to the reality?

This may not be what some want to hear or even think about these days, but at this time, de facto the cult has already detached itself from democracy. It does not see itself a part of it. It suspects and despises it. And in the large picture, it can do without it. It thinks. At this time, it is a-democratic, ambivalent and detached from democracy. But if it sees a threat or a benefit, it can become anti-democratic quite easily and fast too. This path is wide open now. See, think for yourself, disagree if you will but complacency, playing with these things pretending that they are some funny fancies can be very risky. History tells us that in no uncertain terms.

A ton of hot blabber only confirms the theory. Get to the power at all cost, by anything: no principles, no decency left and then? What happens then, in this kind of setting, and with that sort of folk? Naivety, complacency carries no weight with the time. We saw it. We knew. No way we couldn't have known, what it is, and for what it is. No escapes. No excuses, this time.

The cult has moved past the point where dictator thugs are closer to it, its view of the world, concepts and values; it can understand and agree with them more and better than with the principles of democracy. It was all hot talk at first, more and more of it and now its done, the line crossed. He's not even hiding it, can't hold it back. This is what it's about, isn't it?

Wait, but could there really be more to it? Does it explain crawling and smooching? What if, it, the cult just moved past the point where it actually sees and feels itself closer to the dictator thugs than to a modern democracy? Note "tough, toughness" in every other sentence. Note how the bunch despises and looks down at the law, it's there to serve their agendas and purposes, not some fancy writing and ideals. I think that would explain a lot. Power, might, rule they understand, and more, admire. Law, democracy, responsibility who wants to bother? Isn't this most or even all it came down to, factually?

There you go. No, they just wouldn't get it.