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Biden Wants the War in Ukraine. Convince Me Otherwise.
There’s an interesting piece on National Review today. I have repeatedly argued on Ricochet that Mr. Biden is responsible for, and set up, the Ukraine war.
- Mr. Putin invaded former Soviet Socialist Republics under Mssrs. Clinton, W., and Obama, but not during Mr. Trump’s term.
- Mr. Biden’s destruction of American energy production enriched Mr. Putin and improved his international leverage.
- Mr. Biden’s fecklessness in Afghanistan proved us a paper tiger.
- Mr. Biden said out loud to an international audience that we would not respond to “a limited incursion” in Ukraine. I heard it myself.
Mr. Zubrin takes my analysis further and shows how post-invasion US policy has benefited Russia while giving Mr. Biden cover.
So, I say it again. Mr. Biden wanted this war, likely to cover up his crimes in Ukraine, and he has taken every possible action to allow it to happen and to prevent a Ukrainian victory. Every drop of blood shed in Ukraine is on his hands.
Talk me out of it.
Published in General
They asked. They didn’t apply. They didn’t want to go through the process. Link
I’m sure US arms manufacturers were relieved not to have them as competitors within the alliance.
You shock me.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/russia-tried-to-join-nato/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/04/ex-nato-head-says-putin-wanted-to-join-alliance-early-on-in-his-rule
Is it my towering intellect, super-human accomplishments, or my devilish good looks?
I did not know that the Soviet Union officially applied for NATO membership in 1954. When I looked into it, it seemed like a really crude attempt to take control of Western Europe. The Soviets were worried that West Germany was about to join NATO, and as a NATO member, Russia could simply veto any new members from joining. The Russkies also requested the ludicrous idea that the United States should be relegated to an “observer status” in NATO because they are not geographically near Europe., to which the Western European nations said “Hell No!”
Their laughable application was turned down with a blunt explanation that contained some blatantly obvious points:
“the Soviet Government does not attempt to remove the actual causes of European tension. Instead they propose a new collective security treaty which avowedly based on the neutralisation and continued division of Germany, while leaving un-changed the Soviet Government’s close political, economic and military con-trol over the countries of Eastern Europe. This can only prolong insecurity and division in Europe. These proposals, even when amended to permit United States participation, do not provide any foundation for genuine security.”
In other words, you guys just conquered all of Eastern Europe and now you want to join the group that formed in order to keep you from conquering more? There’s also this tidbit:
“The Soviet Government have also suggested that its proposed collective security pact should be accompanied by an extension of the Atlantic Pact through the adherence of the Soviet Union to the North Atlantic Treaty. It is unnecessary to emphasise the completely unreal character of such a suggestion. It is contrary to the very principles on which the defence system and the security of the Western nations depend. These nations have bound them-selves by close ties of mutual confidence. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is much more than a purely military arrangement, is founded on the principle of individual liberty and the rule of law.”
And this:
“The means of defence of its members have been pooled to provide collectively the security which they cannot attain individually in the face of the military preponderance which the Soviet Union has attained in Europe since 1945, and of the westward expansion of a political, economic and military system subject to its sole control. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is wholly defensive. There is free and full exchange of information between all its members. All its decisions are taken by unanimous consent. The Soviet Union as a member of the Organization would therefore be in a position to veto every decision. None of the member states is prepared to allow their joint defence system to be disrupted in this way.”
I’m voting for Devil may care attitude and panache!
I didn’t know about the Soviet application either until I googled for Russian interest in joining (that was Putin). Which might have been a good idea? Hindsight is 20:20.
Wolf-in-NATO-clothing is so last century.
I wonder @TBA. If Russia’s whole thing is a fear of being invaded then joining NATO might have really calmed it down.
And given NATO a border with China, which could have been useful.
The bear is historically pretty ravenous. I suppose we could chalk that up to an eat-them-before-they-eat-you attitude, but avarice and gluttony seem more likely.
Avarice, gluttony and fear can sit together. (Look at us!!!)
Russia has been an expansionist polity (Czarist, Soviet, and now again) – but it’s arguably driven by their geography. Doesn’t make it good, just understandable if you think in terms of invading or being invaded.
Edited to add:
Actually make that encouraged by their geography. Empires are by their nature greedy.
I’ll take any compliment I can grab!
I didn’t know either. Putin’s later suggestion to join NATO was, I think, not a serious inquiry. He never actually applied for membership and never brought it up again. He reportedly arrogantly told the head of NATO that he “didn’t want to wait in line behind less important countries.”
Other than the Nazis in 1941, there had been no country in the world that has ever threatened to invade Russia. Of course, Russians are oblivious to this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Russia
I was going to say. After all, we did it!
Polar Bear Monument, White Chapel Cemetery, Troy, MI — Memorializing the men of the United States Armed Forces who invaded Russia back in Wilson’s Administration.
You’re not ‘all that’, Russia. Get over yourself.
What about China? Isn’t there a dispute over land in Mongolia?
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18261/18261-h/18261-h.htm
I wrote inaccurately. What I meant to say was since the Nazi invasion in 1941 there have been no other countries threatening Russia. One of my favorite films is “Alexander Nievsky,” a Russian film about the expulsion of the Huns who invaded Russia in the 13th century. The famous film score was by classical composer Sergei Prokofiev. I once saw a showing of the movie outdoors on a giant screen with the musical sections performed live by the National Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
I do remember that there were some lighthearted comments about it back when Poland etc. were getting ready to join. Which side those comments originated with, I don’t know. Sorry, this is pretty vague, but the idea is not made up out of whole cloth. Back at the time I didn’t think it was a good idea, but it wasn’t anything to get alarmed about.
Why wouldn’t US arms manufacturers want a bigger market for their wares?
The whole purpose of Poland and other Baltic countries joining NATO was to resist Russian revanchism. At that time Poland was busy trying to make nice with Ukraine and was rallying its citizens to let old bygones be bygones, because it thought Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus should join together against future Russian aggression. It didn’t work out with Belarus once Lukashenko got in power, and the relationship with Ukraine was hindered by Russia-Ukraine corruption. But still, it hasn’t given up on Ukraine.
What good would the NATO alliance be with Russia on the inside? Mearsheimer is being silly if he thinks Russia would have been bound to any alliance with America. Even Turkey and Hungary don’t feel particularly bound by the alliance when it comes to dealing with Russia. They aren’t worthless, but they aren’t the most reliable allies. Russia as a NATO member would not now be sending arms to help Ukraine resist Russian aggression.
What has Germany done to help the USA in our NATO alliance? I’m not saying they have done nothing, but nothing they have done particularly stands out in my mind right now. The truth is, every country follows Trump’s America First policy, only with their own country being first. It has always seemed to me that Russia makes a more natural alliance with the West than the East.
National Review is catching up to Ricochet . . .
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/why-is-the-white-house-quietly-griping-about-zelensky-now/
Fits in with my view that Biden never expected Ukraine to fight back. Hence, the slip about the ‘minor incursion.’ They expected Zelenskyy to flee — even offered him an exit — and probably expected to put a new puppet in place after Putin got the Donbas. And then the money laundering would continue uninterrupted.
Also explains why Biden would rattle sabres at Putin one moment, then use Russia as a cutout for negotiations with Iran the next. Yeah, this all stinks, and I am not above saying “I told you so” when it all comes down.
The only time I recall Biden “rattling sabres” against Russia was on the campaign trail. Once he got into office he folded into the milquetoast weakling he always was.
His demand for regime change and “for God’s sake this man cannot remain in power!” comments I think count as sabre rattling.
He’s obviously Putin’s puppet.
By the way, I think Geraghty is wrong, and the Biden administration will not hang Zelenskyy out to dry. They will, however, downplay their involvement with the midterms coming up. No more proudly announcing how many tens of billions they’re throwing at Ukraine. They’ll keep it on the down-low. They also don’t want their actions to remind everyone of the dreadful Afghanistan pullout.
And amidst it all, the White House wants to negotiate a new arms treaty with Russia. You know, with the guy who Biden wanted gone and Lindsey Graham wanted assassinated.
Realism raises its dread face?
That was a slip of the tongue that was immediately backtracked by White House staff. Notice that there was no follow-up to Biden’s faux pas. He doesn’t have the guts to back up such pronouncements even if he actually believes them. No doubt his handlers read him the riot act behind closed doors and fed him his Ovaltine and medicine and sent him to bed.
I love the Russian Foreign Ministry’s response to this proposal:
“Is this a serious statement or has the White House website been hacked?”
They let our soldiers have bases there.
I’m sure you forgot to put the “sarc” sign up, but that was pretty funny!