Tag: Vladimir Putin

Compare and Contrast

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I listened to Putin’s speech and then I listened to Dementia Joe’s mumblings.  I know I’m prejudiced against Biden but it wasn’t even close.  Putin spoke almost off the cuff.  He related the history of Russia as honestly as it can be put.  He complained about the outrageous tactics that Lenin and Stalin used to create the various “ethnic” states.  The wholesale mixing and matching territories to prevent any threat to the central authority by ethnic groups.  It’s the speech of a pragmatic and confident ruler telling the outside world why he’s making the moves he is and why he feels justified in making them.  He’s not asking permission.  He’s explaining why no one had better get in his way.

Listening to Joe is painful.  Watching him try to read off the teleprompter but still stumble every few minutes is annoying as all hell.  Plus, it’s all bluster.  He’s going to impose sanctions that sound like mostly refusing to loan Russia money.  From what I’ve read Russia isn’t in debt.  We on the other hand are in debt to China for trillions of dollars.  Somehow, I think Russia can underwrite its growth out of the boundless oil and gas revenues it receives.  A real leader would try to find some modus vivendi with Russia.  Theoretically, we should have an easier time dealing with Russia than China.  Also, the realities of Russia’s relationship with Europe would warrant careful consideration of the practical aspects of maintaining mutually beneficial policies.  But not Joe.  He’s probably more worried about how Burisma will be affected by these changes.  After all, if Hunter stops getting paid how can the “big guy” get his twenty percent.

Now let’s talk about morality.  Vladimir Putin is a ruthless autocrat.  He uses whatever tactics get him what he wants.  The cruelty of the tactics that were used against the Chechen rebels were horrific.  The fact that Putin used Chechens to destroy their fellow Chechens in no way excuses the hideousness of the policies.  But it does indicate the intelligence that Putin brought to his actions.  He fought fire with fire.  Putin is someone to be feared and respected because he is competent.

What exactly are the moral advantages that Joe Biden brings to the table?  He is an inveterate liar.  He lies about his personal life.  He lies about his official actions.  He seems to lie without any thought to how transparent the lies are.  He plagiarizes the words of other men.  There is credible testimony that he sexually assaulted a woman on the streets of Washington D.C.  And as for his financial dealings, he’s been peddling his government influence for as long as he’s been in public office.  And when he became Vice President, he became an international influence peddler.  He was able to collect millions of dollars in China and the Ukraine through the help of his bag man; his junkie, pervert son Hunter.  And all of this is documented on a laptop that Hunter idiotically left in a computer repair shop and ended up published in the pages of the New York City tabloid the New York Post.  And finally, just watching video of the man as he interacts with women and children is repulsive.  He sidles up behind women and grabs their shoulder and sniffs their hair.  He’s like Suetonius’s description of the depraved behavior of Tiberius.

Say what you will about Putin’s ruthlessness, at least the things he has championed for his country are essentially wholesome.  He defends Christian religion and Russian culture against such outside influences as LGBTQ organizers and globalist NGO agitators.  Compare this to Biden who has opened the US borders to criminal aliens and defended the murderous rioters, looters and arsonists who ran amok during the 2020 George Floyd insurrection.

Looking at these two men it’s hard not to see an imbalance.  Biden is an empty suit.  He’s just the chair warmer for a ruling elite that controls all the levers of power so the puppet doesn’t have to be very impressive.  Putin is a leader, not a democratic leader, more of a dictator but still a popular leader.  Regardless of the differences in circumstances and world opinion it’s hard not to be impressed by Putin and hard not to be disgusted by Biden.  Just my impressions.

Update

TomD’s comments 

It’s like a horror story, the Dims are failing so badly and obviously at everything that seemingly any rational person on earth would think they need a basic reappraisal of their goals and methodology. But not this group, No Sir!

One of the many horrors of the Biden “Administration” is there is no way out for at least 3 years. Look at the attached “order of succession”. To quote the Lady, “It’s turtles all the way down.”

order of sucession.jpg
order of sucession.jpg

 

Putin, Europe and Biden

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Vladimir Putin looks to be taking a couple of more bites out of the Ukraine.  First, he reclaimed the Crimean Peninsula along with its warm water harbor for his navy.  Then he supported his Russian allies in Eastern Ukraine to give them autonomy.  Now he’s declaring those eastern areas independent.  They’ll have two separate names, Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic, but the reality will be that for all practical purposes they will be part of Russia.  As far as Western Ukraine goes, I assume what Putin will do is declare NATO membership as a flash point that would trigger invasion and occupation of the rest of the Ukraine.

I don’t think anyone in NATO who is being honest with himself is at all surprised with this outcome.  With the United States in disarray and Western Europe a laughing stock militarily I don’t see how Putin would hesitate to use the excuse of NATO encroachment to reclaim hegemony over the Ukraine and Belarus.    Some people are probably wondering about the status of the Baltic States; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.  These countries have significant Russian ethnic populations and it wouldn’t be shocking to hear these groups might start making noises about being oppressed.  The difference is these countries joined NATO back in 2004.  If the Russians rolled into any of them this would be grounds for NATO military action which theoretically extends all the way up to nuclear war between Russia and the United States.  Now there’s a highly interesting point!  Would the Russians attack the Baltics and would we go to nuclear war if they did?  According to the book, we would.  But would we?  You know, we might.  I think Putin isn’t looking at the Baltics right now.  I think he realizes that occupying the Baltics would be like invading Poland; a step too far.

But he won’t let the Ukraine or Belarus go.  And he doesn’t have to.  The balance of power in Europe is shifting because of the weakness of the West and the improving economic position of Russia because of its oil and gas revenues.  Germany and Eastern Europe need Russian energy supplies.  They’ll develop closer relations with Russia and hope to “civilize” Russia as they hoped to with China.  But I’m not sure it will work that way.

When the Soviet Union imploded in 1991 and Russia reached a low ebb, I remember thinking that all of the newly independent states like the Ukraine and Belarus would one day take their place as parts of Europe.  They would be free and prosperous nations and chart their own destinies.  But the reality of these places is an entirely different thing.  The political dysfunction on display is shocking and characterizing these places as gangster states is not an exaggeration.  The Russians have an intimate knowledge of the power centers and major players in these corrupt states and they can manipulate public opinion and bring enormous military and economic pressure to bear on any group that works against their interests.  These states may have been declared independent but they are for the most part puppets of the Russian government.

Knowing this to be true, I think it is naïve to think we can detach these places from Russian hegemony.  We’re not going to send troops into the Ukraine or Belarus.  We’re not going to fight a nuclear war with Russia over these areas that we have no commitment toward.  And the Russians know it.

So, we’ll threaten sanctions.  Maybe we’ll enact sanctions and then the Russians will use that as an excuse to take the rest of the Ukraine.  Then they’ll cut off the natural gas to Germany and Eastern Europe.  Then Europe will end the sanctions.

Now we get to the philosophical stuff.  Back when it was the Soviet Union versus the West there was a very clear distinction morally between the oppressive communist regime that held all of Eastern Europe in virtual slavery and the relative freedom of the West.  Here in the United States, we had our problems but in the 1980’s we were a truly free people who enjoyed our lives and did as we pleased.  But looking at the West today, especially after the COVID lockdowns, BLM riots, 2020 election fraud, CRT school propaganda and all the restriction on free speech and other freedoms by the surveillance state it’s extremely hard to pretend we have any moral superiority over Putin.  If Putin is a thug, then what is Biden?  Is the successor to the KGB any worse than the FBI and the Justice Department as they run gulags for the victims of their January 6th false flag exercise?  In fact, if you look at Putin’s stance on LGBTQ, I have to give him the advantage of being on the side of religion and family and against celebrating depravity and mental disorder.

I think Putin will have his way with the Ukraine.  Biden will make a lot of noise and then do not very much.  But it will be his chance to try to distract Americans from the disaster he has created at home.  Somehow, I doubt it will accomplish very much.  The cost of chicken is a little more important than the status of Kiev.

Trump vs Twitter Ban

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Dramatis Personae:  President Trump – (PT);   Melania Trump – (MT);    Vice President Pence – (VPP);    Mad Dog Mattis – (MDM);    Rachel Maddow – (RM);   Kim Jong Un – (KJU);   Russian President Vladimir Putin – (RVP);  Rosie O’Donnell – (ROD);  George Will – (GW);  Warning Announcer – (WA)

 

Scene 1: White House West Wing; 8am Friday; First Family living quarters

PT – Schmoopey!  Schmoopey!  Schmoopey where are you?  I need your help more than ever before.

MT – I’m right here Schmoopey, do not despair.

PT – Schmoopey, this is a national emergency, Twitter has banned me.

MT – Schmoopey, is this indeed an emergency?  Twitter seems to me to be not an emergency.

PT – Of course it is.  Without my twitter feed how will I get out the truth?  The failed New York Times and fake news networks will lie unopposed and Americans will fall into panic.

MT – This is true.  How can I help you in the saving of the nation.

PT – I need an idea to force them to restore my Twitter account.

MT – But you are the great leader.  They must obey or you will crush them like ants under your giant feet.

PT – Sadly, that is not how it works.  Apparently, the US government is not allowed to assassinate US citizens except if a Democrat is President.

MT – Too bad.  That would be convenient.

PT – You’re telling me.

MT – Yes, I am telling you.

PT – (sighs heavily) … Anyway, I can’t do that so I need a good idea to fix this.

MT – You must speak to the very wise men of government. President Vice Mike and the Mad Dog.

PT – You’re right again Schmoopey, those guys have been sleeping on the job long enough.  I’ll put a fire under them and get something useful out of them for a change.  After all I can’t do everything all alone.  And I’ll get Putin and Kim Jong Un working on this too.

MT – Get them, get them.  Make them fix this.  Go Schmoopey, you are truly wonderful, Mr. Leader.

Scene 2; White House Bunker, Teleconferencing Area; Same Day 6 pm.; President Trump, Vice President Pence and Defense Secretary (Mad Dog) Mattis are seated in virtual conference seats with life sized images of Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un facing them.

PT – Okay, so that’s the problem.  I’ve been banned from Twitter and I have to get back on.  What are my options.

VPP – Mr. President, what seems appropriate is a strongly worded editorial in the major daily newspapers, the Times and the Post, declaring the unfairness of this decision by Twitter.

PT – Low energy, Pence.  Next.

KJU – Nerve gas attack on Twitter owner’s dog.  Get message across with small gesture.

PT – Interesting, but let’s hold the nerve gas in reserve right now.  There’s a whole treaty about that sort of thing plus PETA can be a bear to deal with when they get antsy.  Next.

RVP – The correct play is hack their servers and block all other feeds but yours for two weeks and then demand a billion dollars in cryptocurrency to restore their service.  Plus special forces should occupy the first three floors of their headquarters and annex it to the Russian Federation.

PT – Also interesting.  But none of that annexing jazz.  Americans are pretty attached to the territory.

RVP – Suit yourself.

PT – Next.

MDM – Mr. President, I think I’ve got an idea that should provide you with the short-term ability to get out your message and long-term will force Twitter to restore your account.  And my plan has the added advantage that it allows you to work within the confines of the US Constitution and all other applicable US laws.  Plus, no humans or dogs will be terminated.

KJU – You must really be mad dog if you so picky about nerve gassing them.  You big baby.

RVP – Why so boring Mad Dog?

PT – Kim Jong Un, Vladimir, thank you for your help.  If we need a backup plan I’ll be in touch.  (the images of Putin and Kim disappear but not before Kim flips Mattis the bird)  Alright Mad Dog you put together your team and Mike try to be helpful to the team.  You know, I can’t do everything myself!

Scene 3:  The following Monday evening;   The Set of the Rachel Maddow Show; Rachel Maddow is at her desk and facing a large television screen on which appear the various guests she interviews.

RM – Hello everyone, we’ve got our usual line up of inspiring progressive stories and tragic conservative stories but before anything else we need to jump onto the biggest story of the week.  Donald Trump has been banned from Twitter, permanently!  I’ve assembled a panel of brilliant and objective thought leaders to objectively explain to you why it’s perfectly reasonable for Twitter to decide that Trump is too racist and evil to be allowed to tweet.  My first guest is an esteemed former Republican and originator of the bow tie and glasses look that I myself envy so much, the estimable George Will.  (Will appears on the screen looking both pompous and ill at ease at the same time)

GW – Thank you Rachel.  And if I may preface my remarks with a quote by the great Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige, “Avoid fried meats which angry up the blood. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.”

RM – I believe that is cultural appropriation.

GW – If it is, I’ll warrant I can lay it at the feet of the Trump presidency or hacking by Putin.

RM – Probably.  Okay, continue.

GW – What Satchel said about fried foods is the advice that Twitter is acting on.  Trump is the irritant like the fried food and Twitter has removed it and that will pacify our blood and give the nation cool thoughts.

RM – That’s fascinating coming from a conservative.

GW – Obviously, Rachel you’re still working under the fallacies of the old paradigm.  After the conversion to the new Will paradigm shift all of these seeming paradoxes disappear.  For instance, under the old fallacious viewpoint my opposition to the Republican president would appear to be unconservative.  But once you shift your point of view to the Will perspective you realize that real conservatism is what you find on MSNBC.  Real conservatives conserve the values that thrive in the new conservative universe.  The universe of Twitter and Facebook.  And once you embrace this new knowledge you realize who the real leader of the conservative movement truly is, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

RM – I always suspected as much.

(suddenly a federal emergency interruption flashes across the screen and a warning announcer speaks)

WA – We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important message from the President of the United States.

PT –   Rachel Maddow is a nincompoop who really needs a better haircut and wardrobe.  Very unfair and fake news.  Also, very boring and unattractive.

WA – That concludes this warning of the emergency broadcast network.  We return you to the regularly broadcast program already in progress.

RM – What the (bleep) was that?

GW – Apparently Donald Trump has lost whatever tenuous grip he had on reality and is now satisfying whatever impulse his id dreams up with complete …

(suddenly a federal emergency interruption flashes across the screen and a warning announcer speaks)

WA – We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important message from the President of the United States.

PT – George Will is a pompous doofus who couldn’t play golf on his best day but pontificates about it endlessly.  His breath is horrible and he farts on TV all the time.

WA – That concludes this warning of the emergency broadcast network.  We return you to the regularly broadcast program already in progress.

GW – What the (bleep) was that?  (Will disappears off the screen leaving a test pattern in his place.)

RM – We seem to be having technical difficulties but let’s bring on the next panel member, Rosie O’Donnell.

(O’Donnell appears on the screen in an outfit that resembles a slightly tight fitting burlap sack.)

ROD – Hello Rachel.  It seems like it’s been a long time since you invited me on the show but let’s stay on point.  Donald Trump is a dangerous maniac and removing him from Twitter is the least that can be done to stop him from destroying the world and even the universe.  He is responsible for global warming, ozone depletion, overpopulation and hate crimes against all at risk groups.

(suddenly a federal emergency interruption flashes across the screen and a warning announcer speaks)

WA – We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important message from the President of the United States.

PT – Rosie O’Donnell is undeniably the worst human being to appear on the View and considering how awful most of the broads on that show are that’s saying a lot.  She is so filled with rage that in order to transport her to events she must first be put in the Hannibal Lector restraints with the mask and straight jacket and the two-wheeler.  And she’s gotten so fat that she can no longer bath indoors but instead needs to be hosed down outdoors in the Bronx Zoo elephant paddock.  But the elephants must first be removed to avoid panicking them.  Hello Rosie.

WA – That concludes this warning of the emergency broadcast network.  We return you to the regularly broadcast program already in progress.

ROD  – (bleep)ing Trump I’ll (bleep) (bleep) the (bleep)ing (bleep) (bleep) (bleeeeeeep)!!!  (Rosie is last seen attacking the camera with her teeth then the feed goes dead followed by static.)

RM – We’re going to take a break now and go to commercial when we come back I’m sure we’ll have all this sorted out.  (once the cameras stop Maddow drops her head to the desk and sobs uncontrollably.)

Scene 4 – White House Bunker, Teleconferencing Area, Tuesday 6pm, President Trump sitting at the control board of the audio-visual system watching various feeds from the network and cable news shows and scribbling down some notes for his announcement rebuttals.  Next to him is a very tired and disheveled Mike Pence.

PT – Mike what rhymes with Tapper besides crapper.  I’ve already used that one.

VPP – Mr. President I can’t even think straight anymore.  It’s been more than twenty-four hours since we started this.  Can’t we take a break to sleep.

PT – Not yet Mike.  We’re very close.  I can tell they’re ready to cave.  I heard Jim Acosta is in the rubber room over at Washington General Hospital.  Apparently, he wandered in saying something about not being the enemy of the people.

(the phone rings and Mike Pence answers it)

VPP – Mr. President, it’s the CEOs of Disney, NBC-Universal, CBS, Time-Warner, Netflix, Amazon and the Home Shopping Network.  They want to surrender unconditionally.  Well except for HSN, they want to see if they can extend your subscription for three years at a really good rate.

PT – You tell those nitwits that the only way I’ll stop is if they reverse my Twitter ban and reinstate all conservatives they’ve banned in the last four years.

VPP – They’ve agreed.  Bezos purchased Twitter and fired the whole department in charge of persecuting conservatives.

PT – Good.  Oh, and tell them no more limit on the number of characters in my messages.  It’s really very lame.