Posted on 03/06/2025 5:23:57 AM PST by MtnClimber
Trump pressured NATO, armed Ukraine, and imposed tough policies on Russia, while Europe postures without action—leaving real deterrence to the U.S.
Fable One: Donald Trump Is Appeasing Russia?
Who wiped out the Wagner group in Syria? Who sold offensive weapons to Ukraine first? Who warned Germany not to become dependent on the Russian Nord Stream II deal?
Who withdrew from an unfair missile deal with the Russians? Who cajoled and berated NATO members to meet their military investment promises made following the 2014 invasion of Ukraine?
In contrast, who originally conceived a Russian “reset” in 2009? Who publicly virtue-signaled pushing the red “reset” button in Geneva with the current Russian Minister Sergey Lavrov?
Which ex-European leader got a million euros a year working for Russian energy companies?
Of the last four presidents, under whose watch did Putin not invade another country?
Which American president, in hot-mic style, offered to (and did) dismantle US-Eastern Europe missile defense plans in exchange for temporary Putin quietude (“space”) to aid his 2012 reelection?
Fable Two: A Trade War?
Donald Trump is not wildly slapping tariffs on Europeans.
He is simply saying that 1945 is now 80 years past and that the asymmetrical tariffs that Europe imposes on U.S. imports should be corrected. The massive trade surpluses Europe accumulates each year should give way to fairer, more balanced trade.
If Europe does not want tariffs, then simply calibrate its own tariffs on what America places on European imported goods, and work down jointly to zero tariffs on both sides.
(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...
VDH Ping
We have to stop being so generous with other countries. We think it helps but all it does is makes them dependent and resentful. It’s like welfare, at some point there needs to be a cutoff so people stop being entitled.
Fable One: Donald Trump Is Appeasing Russia?
Fable Two: A Trade War?
Fable Three: America Is Bullying Europe?
Fable Four: Negotiating With Putin Is Selling Out?
Fable Five: Europe Is Going To Save Ukraine?
Interesting list. I mostly like his take on things.
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.
The truth is like cleansing sunlight to the leftist nosferatu.
As long as we have VDH, we do not have to remember all of the past details as to how we got to where we are today.
I liked his closing statement-—
“”Aside from all the present posturing and mock-heroics, the only way to save Ukraine is for the U.S. president, Donald Trump, to reflect joint Ukrainian, American, and European interests in stopping the war, forcing Putin as far back eastward as possible where he started in 2022, and creating a credible deterrent along with a DMZ/industrial corridor tripwire to stop another 2008, 2014, and 2022 invasion.
Anything else is empty carnival barking.”””
Gerhard Schröder
Excellent article. Bookmarked it.
"forcing Putin as far back eastward as possible" could mean a longer war. It's tricky to accomplish both goals simultaneously.
Gas Gerd, as he’s called in Germany.
It’s a good article. I followed it until the last paragraph. I get the point that Europe is just putting on a show. I don’t know what the US should do now.
After all the Euro-Democrat-Mr. Zelensky attempts to stab Trump (et tu FBI?), I’m ok with ceding some of the Ukraine to Putin. On t.v. at least, Caesar said he was not worried about his enemies. He was worried about his friends.
keep pushing for peace
eu increasing defense spending is a good thing
the eu is not doing anything without daddy warbucks
anything else is posturing
From the article:
“But where does such performance art lead after the cult hero Zelenskyy had gnawed the hand that gorged him?
To multitudes of European tanks, skies full of European jets, and division after division of crack European infantry now heading east to “back up” Ukraine—led on horseback by its new Joan of Arc, Ursula von der Leyen?”
Hansons grasp of the Ukraine Russia conflict history is poor
One of his failures which I can’t believe he’s ignorant but rather bending the facts to suit his narrative
And I listen daily to all his podcasts
Some stuff he is great on
But when he claims Zelensky destroyed the Russian column on Kiev and sent them packing Pell mell in retreat he’s running very loose with the facts
A Kiev hardly shelled and with power and water still on was hardly under “attack” in a meaningful way
He mentions Euromaiden but doesn’t emphasize it as it should be as a primary cause to this mess
However he does get some points right
I agree it’s about will Putin retreat a few miles of his gains so Zee and nato can save some face
I think that’s the main obstacle toof
Ol VDH was much more Ukraine sympathetic before Pres Trump47 got inaugurated. VDH is now all in with Pres DJT....
If Putin gets most of what he wants with Pres 47’s help.... Then Russia will move against Ukraine and East European nations and Poland again within 5 years. This future invasion depends on if Bad Vlad Putin is still alive or got deposed. And if Vlad’s successor is another krack smoking krazed Kremlin imperialist....
What favors more Russian conquest and imperialism, is that Vlad’s military has been on a steep learning and innovation curve ever since February 2022. That the Russian economy has become 100% war production oriented. A war economy. Not a defense economy.
VDH has normally been legit in the past... in the most recent weeks he has told a few whoppers which I have written him about on three occasions. I seriously doubt from the way he made the comments when spoke that it was his analysis but rather Trump talking points. I cautioned VDH to stick to what he knows and to not jump on any bandwagon simply to advance our cause. Propoganda is always bad in that it is untrue; telling the truth is the Golden Rule, e.g, the Gold Standard.
VDH ought to be taken with one eye open currently until his returns to talking about what he knows is true.
5 Ukrainian Myths Ping for Zeepers
Meanwhile…
https://x.com/dd_geopolitics/status/1897830831831605566?s=46
🇷🇺 WOAH! FULL HOUSE IN UKRAINE!!!
🔴 Combined Strike – Cruise Missiles, Ballistics & Drones
• Ukraine is under a full-scale combined attack involving cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and Geranium drones.
• Reports indicate high-speed targets are heading towards Ukrainian military and infrastructure sites.
• Nationwide air raid alerts activated.
🔴 Early Warnings & Launches
• Ten Tu-95MS bombers departed for launch sites in Saratov region, per Ukrainian monitoring channels.
• Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from the Black Sea, expected to enter Ukrainian airspace within 20-30 minutes.
• Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles launched by Tu-95MS strategic bombers were expected to reach Ukraine’s borders by 05:10 - 06:10 Moscow time.
🔴 Missile Trajectories & Targets
• Kalibr missiles recorded in Kherson region, heading towards Odessa.
• Another group of Kalibrs directed towards Krivoy Rog.
• Reported missile trajectories:
• Black Sea → Nikolaev region
• Kherson region → Nikolaev region
• Kherson region → Krivoy Rog
• Dnepropetrovsk region → Kirovograd region
🔴 Impact & Ongoing Strikes
• Explosions reported in Odessa as missiles hit targets.
• Missiles spotted over Kharkov and Poltava regions.
• Kalibrs flying over Alexandria towards Cherkasy and Poltava regions.
• A ballistic missile detected heading towards Mirgorod in the Poltava region.
• Several Kalibrs crossed Odessa region, moving towards Vinnytsia and Cherkassy.
This is the most significant salvo of 2025 yet.
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