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| Russia-Ukraine War: The Real Issues for the USA |
| 2022-03-15 |
| [TheDiplomad] Russia's invasion of the nation of Ukraine grinds on. It most certainly does not look like the blitzkrieg most of the world expected. Whether this is due to Ukrainian resistance, Russia incompetence, or just a slow deliberate methodical approach to the invasion, none of us outside of Putin's inner circle knows. From my vantage point, and with the scant knowledge I have, it strikes me as though Putin's plans might have changed at the last minute. It appeared that his forces were building up to launch an invasion of eastern Ukraine, protecting the "independent" republics in that part of the country, and, perhaps, firming up the Russian position around Crimea. It SEEMS--those more knowledgeable, please join the discussion--that the plan got expanded at the last minute, and a multi-prong invasion of Ukraine was undertaken. This new plan, it SEEMS (there's that word), was neither fully developed nor properly resourced; it had not counted on the resistance APPARENTLY shown by the Ukrainians, or the reported incompetence of the Russian logistical system. If this proves so, Russia risks becoming a puppet, a colony of the PRC. The reports coming out that indicate Russia seeks Chinese military equipment and economic assistance seem--that word--to bear this out. That process is underway, it SEEMS. I really don't know, and my speculation proves almost worth the price of admission to this blog. What makes it even harder to figure out what's happening is the almost total shut-down of information from Russia, not by the autocrats and yacht-set oligarchs in Moscow, but by the autocrats and tech oligarchs of the "Free" World. If one expresses an interest in hearing the other side of the story, one risks getting labelled a traitor, and getting de-platformed or otherwise shutdown. We see Senator Mitt Romney, for example, calling former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard a traitor because she's asking questions about the bio-lab issue. What? A "traitor"? A death penalty offense? The USA is not a belligerent in this conflict; it is between two foreign nations, neither an ally of the USA. How is questioning the official line "treason"? Is dissent now treason? We have to accept the government line or we are traitors? Just as with COVID, we see our masters using a crisis to stifle democracy and independence of thought at home. What happened to the slogan from just a few months ago that dissent is the highest form of patriotism? Boy, that shifted quickly. They have to make all this noise because they're the ones who empowered Putin to wage this war and desperately need no-one to notice. Ending the assault on freedom at home is issue number one. We also see that these new found "patriots" calling on us to rally around the president and the flag do nothing to protect the long-term interests of the USA--a country many of them openly hate. In fact, they actively work to undermine the position of the US in the world and destroy freedom and prosperity at home. I have said this before, sorry, but will say it again. The USA can only have security by restoring not just our energy independence, but our technical and industrial independence, as well. This is actually not that hard to do. On energy it's obvious: remove the absurd "green-powered" restrictions on oil, gas, coal, and nuclear development. On industry, takes a little longer, but we need to start. A combination of tax, regulatory, and tariff policies can go far in bringing industry home, stopping the hemorrhaging of our jobs and technical know-how. Sorry, but all those PRC-citizen students in our universities studying science and engineering, need to leave. This is not racist; this is common sense. We are fools to allow the PRC to mine our technical institutes and companies. The gravy train should end for those American tech moguls who get rich outsourcing key industries. It is absurd, for example, that we have become nearly 100% dependent on China and India for antibiotics, and becoming increasingly likewise dependent on China for microchips and other key components for civilian and military applications. Reestablishing our energy independence and industrial base is issue number two. I wish the Ukrainians good luck; I hate what is happening there. My overwhelming concern, however, is for the United States. No more foolish wars or endless expansion of our commitments, and so-called interests abroad. No more flag-draped caskets coming home. Isolationism? That maligned word? Yes, maybe.You might call it that. I, however, find the word less and less odious, and ever more endearing. |
| Posted by:Thing From Snowy Mountain |
| #7 Once again, I tend to agree with the Merrick/HBL nym. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2022-03-15 15:45 |
| #6 #1 for that to happen you'll need to decapitate the top levels of the services who forgot that their primary mission is to protect the homeland first. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2022-03-15 12:04 |
| #5 She's taking flak, and therefor is over the target. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-03-15 11:48 |
| #4 If America ever actually got serious about its borders, that would just make the rest of the world want in even more. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-03-15 11:46 |
| #3 The totalitarian impulse to shut down debate strongly underlines the weakness of the argument being protected. Senator Romney should be ashamed of himself. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2022-03-15 11:46 |
| #2 ^ This. Exactly so |
| Posted by: Hunter Bidens Laptop 2022-03-15 11:45 |
| #1 With the development of a narco-anarchy on our southern border and a Marxist tyranny on the northern border, we need our military to defend ourselves. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2022-03-15 11:34 |