Back during the 2008 presidential campaign, John McCain called out Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Georgia an “act of war” and said the West would regret it if we did not stand with Georgia against this act. When Putin declared he was acting to protect the Russian ethnic minority from the majority of Georgians, McCain compared that with Hitler’s initial aggressions during the 1930s, in which he said he was acting to “protect” ethnic Germans in the Rhineland and reunited them with in 1936, when he took Austria in March 1938 through “Anschluss,” and with his :last territorial demand in Europe,” to protect the Germans in the Sudetenland that fall. His reason for invading Poland in 1939 was the “mistreatment” of ethnic Germans in western Poland, a region that had been part of Imperial Germany before 1918.
Thank you TCinLA for this invaluable background reminder. I remember those 13 days. Why does my imagination usually fail in the face of Trump and Putin? It has something to do with hope, and thinking that surely reason will prevail, while both men are clearly insane. You’ve written so clearly about Trump’s evil (I printed that column.) and now, Putin’s. It’s a reminder how lucky we are that right now only Putin has the red button. OMG, this is a terrifying situation. ❤️🤍💙
In 2010, I visited the nation of Georgia with a delegation from the state of Georgia. We went to the border where the Russian tanks were still lined up and pointed towards the capital Tbilisi. I'll never forget what it felt like to tour a country that was still filled with graffiti that said, "Fuck Russia" in English. If Ukraine falls, we all fall.
I guess all of us should begin reading the memoirs of political leaders - bad guys and gals for sure. I mean - Hitler wrote one in prison. If only the Austrians had admitted him to art school. That might have slowed him down. The world changed on February 24, 2022 - like it did on September 11, 2001. Maybe this situation finally will be the wake up call about the whole matter of "economic development" and "economic integration" of bad actors. I watch with dismay how Israel's government says nothing because of their own political situation against Syria and having Russian money investments (maybe soon non-existent). It is strange because Assad is Putin's long time partner. How can Israel be Putin's partner especially given the Orwellian language of the attack on Ukraine to "denazify" it? It makes absolutely no sense. There needs to be a complete change of position related to national / international business, which, as we all know, make money from wars and from peace time. The problem is no one wants to look too closely at what they're doing which often supports the bad actors instead of the democratic values a majority of the world's peoples want for themselves and for the future of their families as well as nations. Unfortunately national leaders look aside while putting checks into their Credit Suisse accounts. I guess Lent reminds me that there is a great deal broken in the individual human being and some of that brokenness plays out in the sick mind of dictators and autocrats - even would be autocrats who keep praising Putin. But it plays out in business, whether national or international. Being safe for business is a political stance that promotes Fascism at the end of the day.
That entire interview with Fiona Hill was enough to keep one awake at night. Yes, He WILL do "the thing" despite all of us finding it unimaginable. He's a lunatic with an arsenal and itchy fingers to boot.
Thank you TCinLA for this invaluable background reminder. I remember those 13 days. Why does my imagination usually fail in the face of Trump and Putin? It has something to do with hope, and thinking that surely reason will prevail, while both men are clearly insane. You’ve written so clearly about Trump’s evil (I printed that column.) and now, Putin’s. It’s a reminder how lucky we are that right now only Putin has the red button. OMG, this is a terrifying situation. ❤️🤍💙
In 2010, I visited the nation of Georgia with a delegation from the state of Georgia. We went to the border where the Russian tanks were still lined up and pointed towards the capital Tbilisi. I'll never forget what it felt like to tour a country that was still filled with graffiti that said, "Fuck Russia" in English. If Ukraine falls, we all fall.
I guess all of us should begin reading the memoirs of political leaders - bad guys and gals for sure. I mean - Hitler wrote one in prison. If only the Austrians had admitted him to art school. That might have slowed him down. The world changed on February 24, 2022 - like it did on September 11, 2001. Maybe this situation finally will be the wake up call about the whole matter of "economic development" and "economic integration" of bad actors. I watch with dismay how Israel's government says nothing because of their own political situation against Syria and having Russian money investments (maybe soon non-existent). It is strange because Assad is Putin's long time partner. How can Israel be Putin's partner especially given the Orwellian language of the attack on Ukraine to "denazify" it? It makes absolutely no sense. There needs to be a complete change of position related to national / international business, which, as we all know, make money from wars and from peace time. The problem is no one wants to look too closely at what they're doing which often supports the bad actors instead of the democratic values a majority of the world's peoples want for themselves and for the future of their families as well as nations. Unfortunately national leaders look aside while putting checks into their Credit Suisse accounts. I guess Lent reminds me that there is a great deal broken in the individual human being and some of that brokenness plays out in the sick mind of dictators and autocrats - even would be autocrats who keep praising Putin. But it plays out in business, whether national or international. Being safe for business is a political stance that promotes Fascism at the end of the day.
Just reading this morning’s post scares the $&@t out of me, TC.
That entire interview with Fiona Hill was enough to keep one awake at night. Yes, He WILL do "the thing" despite all of us finding it unimaginable. He's a lunatic with an arsenal and itchy fingers to boot.