Posted on 07/19/2023 11:34:40 PM PDT by Angelino97
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday said that it was in America's best interests to keep backing Ukraine in its war with Russia, and that the U.S. was at its strongest when it when it engaged with the rest of the world.
The U.K. has been at the forefront of efforts to shore up Ukraine's armed forces, training soldiers and sending arms, as it fends off the Russian invasion.
But officials have privately expressed concern that a growing strand of isolationism among Republicans who back Donald Trump's America First stance could choke off aid from Washington, which has so far sent $40 billion in military assistance — by far the biggest contribution.
Cleverly, who was in the U.S. to attend the Aspen Security Forum, told DailyMail.com he was confident that it was a minority position for now.
But he said his message to skeptics was that the world had to stick with Ukraine.
'Because if we don't, if we allow Putin to prevail, if we don't establish the principle that you cannot change borders by force, the world has become a more dangerous place,' he said.
'That'll be more disruptive, more expensive, and therefore, it's better that we deal with this issue ... now and deal with it properly rather than a few years down the line.'
Hardline Republicans such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have slammed the Biden administration for spending billions on Ukraine while failing to close the southern border.
Others have highlighted how American families are struggling with rising bills while money flows overseas.
Cleverly said that was the wrong way to see America's place in the world.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
“So blood must be spilled for the economy’s sake.”
Yeah, but we are talking way more than “keeping inflation under 5%” we are talking a complete, comprehensive financial implosion that would make the great depression look like a picnic. It would destabilise both America and the west in general and China would certainly seize the opportunity to leapfrog the US by every metric and reshape the world in their image.
The US has already given a very dangerous impression of having no resolve by abandoning Afghanistan to the Taliban in such indecent haste. It cannot afford to lose even more face by supporting Ukraine and then allowing a pathetic nation like Russia, a nation with a gdp less than Italy’s to crush it and then expect China, whose economy and military is approaching parity with the US, to be intimidated by American threats over Taiwan and it’s ridiculous territorial claims over the South China Sea. Prestige matters, especially when dealing with countries like China that are obsessed with face and will view a country that is willing to lose it as weak.
You can’t unring a bell. Do you have confidence in the Biden national security team, i.e., Biden, Blinken, Sullivan, Nuland, Powers, Austin, etc.? I don’t. We have a compromised, corrupt, illegitimate, feeble President surrounded by fools and knaves.
I can’t endorse the policies of this Administration. They got us into this mess starting in 2014. They double down on stupid. We have a new Cold War and we are sleepwalking our way into a direct confrontation with Russia, a nuclear power over this proxy war, which we can’t afford and weakens us. Biden calls for regime change in Russia and Austin says the objective is to weaken Russia militarily so they won’t do this again. And how do you negotiate with someone you label as a war criminal?
Biden has invested so much personally in this war. Maybe he is influenced by the bribes he and his son have received. What will a desperate Biden, Blinken, Sullivan, Nuland, et.al., do when it becomes apparent that Ukraine can’t win. Further escalation? More attacks on Russian infrastructure like the Nordstream pipelines, the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia, drone attacks against the Kremlin, more cluster bombs, etc.? With a Presidential election coming up next year, how will Biden deal with the growing liability of the Ukraine war? Or fissures in NATO as many Europeans have grown increasingly less supportive of the war and want to end it sooner rather than later? Macron and Scholz are dealing with rising domestic opposition to the war. Hungary and Turkey are already outliers on the war.
You talk about restoring our prestige after Afghanistan and sending a message to the real existential threat, China. Too late. Our woke military has been exposed and recruitment and retention problems are well known. We are low on ammunition and other war stocks because of Ukraine. It will take years to replenish our stocks. Chinese spy balloons transit our country. China is setting up a base in Cuba. The war in Ukraine has caused a global political realignment including driving the Russians and China closer together.
You go to war with the leaders who got you there. Until the Biden Crime Family is removed from power, the prestige of the US will continue to decline. And more importantly, it is getting more dangerous for us as a nation. What is the exit strategy? What does winning mean? What are our red lines? How much money must we borrow to keep this war going?
America embraced the world when America was at its strongest.
The Neocons are weakening America to weaken Russia.
Kinda like World War One, when both sides thought they'd win by attrition. In the end, both sides ended the war severely weakened.
And after Round Two, even the "victors" lost their colonial empires, tanked their economies, and never recovered.
Two scorpions in a bottle.
Thank you for your excellent comment. You nailed it. Your comment was the focus of dinner conversation between my wife and I last evening. We agree with everything you say. Thanks again, man!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.