Free Republic

Why does President Trump keep bringing up the Epstein file, saying he barely knew the guy. This just gives the media and others another chance to post all those public photos of the two of them partying together. Self defense can be good, but sometimes silence is better.

How much was the US commitment and how much was state commitment? How much has actually been spent by either party? How much of it has actually been built, and is any of it useable already, or is all money spent now a total waste? Also, whatever became of Boston’d big dig?

I’m sorry, but I am no longer capable of such acrobatic excess.

How much did Hunter Biden’s $3million deal in Moscow influence our decisions regarding Russia? How much are Trump and family deals in the Middle East influenceing our decisions and actions there? How much of any of this is pure business, and how much is patriotism and honor of commitments?

What part of “They will send their Patriot batteries to Ukraine. Then buy new ones from the U.S.” don’t you understand, or do you not listen to recent daily news or read information posted in this thread?

” The only breach in all these years has been done by Donald Trump and that was half-assed and now partially reversed-or something.”

Apparently, one important difference is that Trump’s wife has been telling him about her experiences growing up in Tito’s Yugoslavia where the fight was to avoid being swallowed whole by the Russian snake while still retaining some independent national rights. Ukraine would not even have any independent national rights if swallowed whole by Putin’s Russia.

Another influence on Trump is probably his growing up with his successful but harsh father. Trump has written about how his father’s treatment of his brother led to his alcoholism and death. Trump also had experience with the NY and NJ Mafia types embedded in the real estate and casino businesses. He has probably been temporarily fooled by Putin’s facade of politeness and good manners. After several attempts to get Putin involved in negotiations, Trump now seems to realize Putin has no interest in good faith negotiation, or even bad faith negotiation. All Putin wants is total control of Ukraine and victory. Since Trump is at heart a businessman, he is dropping futile efforts to have any productive negotiations with Putin, and now work with Ukraine which as a country has certainly shown much more creativity and hard productive work abilities. There is much potential business with Ukraine’s mineral resources, drones, reconstruction, and agriculture. Even if Putin were gone, Russia though larger would be much less promising as a business partner. The Russian people have been productively ruined by so many decades of Soviet and socialist mistreatment and neglect.

Thank you for another worthwhile information list. ;-)

“The Politburo was impressed by the proposed loan amount, but even more so by the offer of possible military assistance. Representatives of the Russian leadership inquired about what types of weapons and what volumes were being discussed, and received the answer: supposedly, we will agree if Trump introduces sanctions.”

The supposed Chinese military aid to be provided by China if Trump introduces sanctions, raises the question of how Trump would react to China’s increased aid? What more can Trump do to punish/discourage China besides the tariff game already being played?

Remember the important difference that Russia is targeting a large number of civilian and even medical targets. Ukraine is targeting military/industrial targets with possibly some collateral damage. So far I have seen NO statistics regarding Russian civilian casualties not directly caused by being too close to a legitimate war related target.

Please forgive the typos in this comment due to my failing Cromebook’s tendency to jump all over the place, and my failing eyesight to proofread as well as I should.

Mistakes include: letters inserted into BEAUTIFUL; the word OUR put in front of excess; the phrase accused of lies changed to “caused” by lies, by Mr. know it all Chromebook. Thank goodness a new lap top is on order .

US taxpayers will not be stuck with another huge bill for supplying Ukraine. In the first place our President is obsessed with the concept of bigness—MAGA. BIG BEAUTeIFUL BILL, huge multiunit golden apartment in Trump Tower. It has been suggested his tendency to Our excess results from early frustrations when he tried to break into Manhatten society, but was rejected. His figures on our payments for Ukraine are about double the reality. Our contributions and those of Europe had neen similar until recently. Our President has been caused of lies, but I think it is just his desire for everything to be big and impressive, unlike his father’s small homes for everyman.

Regarding the public refusal by France and Italy to take part in this latest weapons plan, I think that reflects insufficient work behind the scenes when dealing with our European associates in the Defense of Ukraine. Two of the longest developed countries of Europe take pride in their countries, and need a certain amount of diplomacy in helping them swallow situations they might not like. Rude power does not impress countries for whom diplomacy is a long developed art form. This form of power does not guarantee long term results for a country where governments can be changed on a regular basis. Friendship and alliances require nourishment over time, not only in Europe, but also in the Far East with countries like Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and even China..

Russia really seems to be being pushed to full 1984. The legislator’s move for a bill on compulsory male focused reproduction suggests Alexandr Dugin’s moves behind the stage. I get the impression that with Putin’s promises to consider some of Dugin’s other ideas in the future. Dugin suspects, probably correctly, that his ideas are being shelved for the far, far future. I suspect such a law requiring reproductive activity, especially after only 3 “dates”, would trigger another flood of Russian males fleeing Russia for friendlier, less compulsory countries. It would make life in Russia impossible for any exclusively gay male living there. Then their only option would be compulsory military service and probable death. Of course the Russian women reported to be black widows who make a point of marrying men to get their enlistment bonuses would have a field day.

Regarding the poor laying hens who are being thrown out on the street. I imagine their fates will be either someone’s next dinner, or perhaps someone’s new source of daily eggs or a small business by selling eggs. Thus a source of micro-capitalism, so antithetical to Dugin ideology. I am not sure Kirill’s crosses are going to solve any of these issues. Russia is such a fun place.

I guess the isolationist wing of MAGA does not yet understand that our President is first of all a businessman, with entertainment interests. An important way to MAGA is to increase our business activity, and that includes expanding our efforts in many parts of the world. That is part of what the tariff battles are about. A favorable exchange with many countries on the import and export of products.

I imagine our President has come to realize that Putin with all his politeness is just a very polished gangster. My brother ended doing some business work for Mafia types looking to launder some money in upstate NY real estate historic properties. My brother new the laws well regard the various phases of permitting and construction law. Often those guys would ask him to manage things a slightly crooked way. He would explain that it was actually easier and cheaper to follow the laws and regulations on those projects and orders. Still they would insist on their way quite often. He finally concluded that they had a deep psychological need to game the system whenever possible. They say Putin is an excellent chess player, so perhaps playing the game is more important than the result to him.

Using various US and foreign munitions before their sell by date and sending them to Ukraine is a very good way to save money. Not only is the dangerous work of dismantling dangerous explosives removed from American workers, but money spent on storage space and buildings for millions of smaller explosives and very large equipment like trucks and tanks can be saved.

I remember several years ago we provided a large number of cluster bomb munitions to Ukraine that were scheduled for decommission. These were cluster bomblets packed inside of larger metal shells. In Afghanistan the Russians had used these kinds of bomblets painted pretty colors to kill and maim little Afghan children who picked them up. It is poetic justice that now Ukraine is using these bomblets carried by drones to kill off Russian soldiers during their meat wave attacks.

I wonder if Putin is beginning to get tired of all Dugin’s big ideas for improving the country? I also wonder who really tried to kill Dugin a few years ago and instead killed his propaganda writer daughter? Interesting that Dugin wants to eliminate foreign words from Russian, except for German words that are essential for philosophy. This sounds a bit like blasphemy laws as practiced in certain very strict religious societies.
The last line sounds like Putin has put this idea far on the back burner for far future thought.

Thank you for an interesting follow-up on this economist.

As I mentioned I am going through old newspapers and bunches of unsorted clippings. I have started files on Ukraine, Russia, Iran and Iraq, and plan to use some of this historical information in future comments. I am currently looking at newspapers from 2003 to 2006, and lots of clippings from 2009 to 2014. Every stack or box I look through has a different collection of years. Kind of like mining—a lot of work, but you never know what little gem you might find.

In my previous comment I had intended to include the words, “after 1991.” It was after Alexandr Dugin printed his book Foundations of Geopolitics in 1997 that it soon became apparent that Putin was turning away from cooperating with the West. Dugin was subsequently labeled as “Putin’s Brain.”

I am currently going through old newspapers, clipping items of interest, filing, and throwing out the rest. (Offspring’s please that I not leave them this huge collection of old newspapers, siigh.) Here is a pertinent quote from Dec. 2005. * “Illarionov, a senior economic advisor to President Vladimir Putin, worked for years to get the government out of the Russian economy. This year he stood by as the Kremlin did the opposite, consolidating its control of the energy sector and other strategic industries.
* In a broad attack on the new policy Wednesday, Illarionov said Russia was now dominated by big murky state-owned companies, its democracy was in decline and a ‘neoimperialistic’ Kremlin was using natural gas as a ‘energy weapon’ against its neighbors.” [original source, WSJ]

Since the next paragraph indicates that the people ask, “Why does Putin put up with him”. One answer was “Putin gets the truth from him, without the sycophancy.” My own thought is to wonder what ever became of him—suicide, window flying, or old age retirement?

In one month since the big Russian event of 6/12, they now have an additional 32,000+ casualties, mostly probably deaths given their combat lack of tactics. So, how is their goal of 30,000 volunteers enlisted per month working out for them?

“Russian nationalism, perpetuates the idea that the West unfairly and unjustly seeks to collapse the Russian state, and mythologizes veterans of the Russian military.[18”

Although it appears western countries made efforts to reassure Russia that they might be accepted into NATO, and could conduct normal business with the west, there were problems with that. I feel certain that the developing Russian oligarchy did not welcome western competition, especially if it was honest and competent. It is unlikely the Russian military would want the western powers and militaries poking around in their military situation either. There was simply tooooo much incompetence, bribery, and theft there to be exposed, so for both their own safety and that of the nation, no sane Soviet military leader would want to have their situation exposed to reality. Today that approach is killing and destroying the Russian military on a daily basis. I hope our current president is as smart as Ronald Reagan and can or has figured that out.

Is it a good idea for a person who frequently changes their mind back and forth to have that much absolute power. Making good decisions requires gaining adequate information, thinking about it carefully, and THEN making a decision. Being able to change your mind based on new information or experience is also useful, but jumping back and forth on specific issues is not reassuring.