"And I put $20 billion in an offshore bank for you, Joe just like Hunter told me to."
Posted on 02/24/2025 5:00:35 AM PST by MtnClimber
Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022 because he saw weakness in the West, but now both he and the world want an end to the war—Trump may be the only one willing to cut an imperfect but necessary deal.
To find an impossible peace between Ukraine and Russia we must understand the recent history of the war and the European and American roles in it. So, Americans should revisit some fundamental realities and questions from which to remember before going forward:
Why Did Putin Invade Ukraine in 2022?
Putin did start the war. Trump’s trolling aside, he knows that because he correctly pointed out that Putin invaded his neighbors in three of the last four administrations—but not his own, given Trump’s deterrence.
The most obvious answer why Putin did is that he thought he easily could. But why in 2022—as he had in 2008 and 2014?
Putin has nonending opportunistic desires to recombobulate what he thinks properly is and will always be Russian—whether territories to be formally absorbed or as coerced satellite states. But he moves on them only whenever he thinks the benefits outweigh the costs.
And by February 2022, he certainly felt they did.
The U.S. and NATO had lost all appearances of deterrence vis-à-vis Russia. Joe Biden had been part of the Obama-Biden administration that had naively appeased Putin for some eight years. Remember their 2009 reset by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that was based on numerous flawed and disastrous assumptions:
1. The prior Bush sanctions against Putin for invading Georgia and grabbing parts of South Ossetia were overly harsh, reflective of his supposed cowboyism evident in Iraq.
2. The Obama mystique, coupled with criticism of the prior Bush administration, would win over Putin. Remember Obama’s 2012 hot mic appeasement in Seoul, when Obama promised Putin “flexibility”
(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...
VDH ping
bump for later
While I respect VDH he is guilty of what a lot of older guard GOP have been taught to do, accept certain democrat narratives lest you look stupid and unwashed. America wanted the war to happen. America made the war happen. It was a war that they knew Ukraine couldn’t win. It was part of a foreign policy strategy to weaken Russia. The evidence for this is overwhelming at this point.
for the sake of argument, let’s say putin did not want bio chem labs in ukraine... of for ukraine to join nato. he ask the us under biden to stop both... nay says the admin and infers a minor incursion by russia will be tolerated...
BAM ukraine war... zelensky now has to pay the price for US involvement, a bit more than his usual 10%
trump could just shoot him in the d***.
https://x.com/vileTexan/status/1893639951704641821
“While I respect VDH he is guilty of what a lot of older guard GOP have been taught to do, accept certain democrat narratives lest you look stupid and unwashed. America wanted the war to happen. America made the war happen. It was a war that they knew Ukraine couldn’t win. It was part of a foreign policy strategy to weaken Russia. The evidence for this is overwhelming at this point.”
I have to agree with you. While I like VDH I have to disagree with his “It’s Russia fault” assessment.
"And I put $20 billion in an offshore bank for you, Joe just like Hunter told me to."
*Sigh*
The problem with this analysis of Hanson’s is that Hanson entirely ignores the basic cultural / societal (except political as a subset of societal) forces and changes at work. So seem to most everyone else, and that shallowness will most likely lead to a massive guerilla war that would go on for or until...
As long as some of the Euro countries see it as the best way to weaken Russia, or;
An Afghanistan type result is achieved, probably due to Ukraine being able to take out most of Russia’s refineries, or;
Russia tries to do a REAL genocide on the Ukrainians, which brings in the Euro-NATO countries, who have gone to 5% or perhaps even more defense spending.
The old Democrat Socialist doctrines and narratives are now to be put on the road to extinction. It may take a while, years or decades even, and the job may never be completed, as these myths and contrarian beliefs have an amazing resilience, seemingly reborn with just about every generation.
Command and control regimes apparently have some great attraction for those bent on rebellion against what they believe to be authority. And a certain minority of youth does rebel, for what may only be called instinctual imperatives.
So, the real problem is how do you keep Russia from financially benefiting and subsequently just Re-invading Ukraine at a later date for more territory?
I don’t call him “Vlad the Invader” for nothing, he will do it again.
I believe Trump is trying to do a US investment deal, so that the United States can have a financial interest, and therefore a military presence in the area. Vlad the invader understands business, so this may be the most appropriate way to end the war with a satisfactory line for all.
The model—unfortunately—is not a gloriously defiant and courageous Finland of winter 1939. Instead, it is—realistically—an exhausted, proud, and realistic Finland of March 1940, when it finally accepted the reality of a Russian impending victory, negotiated, surrendered disputed territory, was often criticized but still preserved its autonomy, balanced East and West, finally gained international respect, armed to the teeth, and deterred Russia from entering the Finnish quagmire again.
Along but excellent article. There will be something to disagree with (it's long) but a well written and coherent discussion of Ukraine and the way forward.
FR Index of his articles: Victor Davis Hanson on FR
Town Hall: Victor Davis Hanson on Town Hall
American Greatness: Victor Davis Hanson on American Greatness
His website: Victor Davis Hanson
Please let me know if you want on or off this new VDH ping list.
As a reminder, Professor Hanson has asked that we do not post the full article of his writings. Thank you for following the link to finish his article.
Content created by the Center for American Greatness, Inc. is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a significant audience.
Exactly correct.
Good synopsis.
ping
Oceania is at war with either Eurasia or Eastasia.
...and the M.I.C. thinks that’s just fine. In fact, requires it in order to survive.
I like VDH but Russia invaded the Ukraine because they were threatening to rescind the lease on his only port on the Black Sea, they were threatening to join NATO and allowed NATO build military bases in the Ukraine one of which was 36 miles from the Russian border not to mention bio labs all over the place experimenting with dangerous viruses.
I believe it is.
It’s a plan that has potential to be good for everyone.
Trump is smart that way.
Me too.
and NATOs and any NEOCON’s.
And military industrial complex made a few bucks.
Nothing is always a conspiracy.
Some things are.
I don’t know if this one was.
I don’t know enough about the different moving parts.
But I know what you said is right.
This is a disagreement about fundamental principles:
1) if you think that countries should be free to decide their own fate, then the Ukrainians had every right to toss Putin's sock puppet Yanukovych to the curb and join NATO if they wish.
2) If you believe great powers have "spheres of influence" that limit the sovereignty of neighboring states, then the Ukrainians acted foolishly and broke the "rules."
I would point out that Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua have not been invaded despite their obvious alliance with Russia and China.
I would also point out that even under #2, Russia is too weak to enforce its will on Ukraine if it is opposed by both Europe and the United States. Russia's performance as a "great power" is analogous to a situation where the US invades Mexico, almost takes Mexico City, but is beaten back to the northern provinces and then slowly advances but still can't win after three years. Pathetic.
There isn't any reason for the US to indulge Russia's great power pretensions.
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