BETRAYAL

 

Now the MAGA voters will see what they have wrought.

And, for most of them, they will not mind. They may not love it, but they won't mind, because what's the death of a distant democracy against the price of eggs?

And now Trump is stopping whatever arms and money the US was going to send to Ukraine, because, you know, President Zelensky did not wear a suit. 

HEY, BUDDY! WHERE'S YOUR SUIT?

It is difficult to know what pressures Mr. Zelensky may face at home, what the calculus for his military logistics is. 

Perhaps, without U.S. money, his cause is hopeless.

But maybe, the Europeans can fill in the gaps.

Although, looking at the Finish minister talk about how Zelensky can always go back and make up with Trump, the Europeans may be in deep denial, at least if one Finn is any indication.

Was North Vietnam dependent on Russian aid to defeat the United States? Or can a people dedicated to self determination and determined to not be enslaved simply soldier on, for as long as it takes?

What Mad Dog would dearly love to see is Zelensky giving Trump the middle finger, moving on and slogging through and eventually wearing down Putin in Ukraine as the Soviets were worn down and eventually left Afghanistan.

And, with the war won, President Zelensky can keep his rare earths and mineral rights and charge America ten times what they charge the Europeans, and they can reap the profits of their own extraction, rather than having to pay reparations to the United States for all that aid which President Biden provided.

Freedom Fighter

The problem is, Ukraine is just next door to Russia,  and Ukraine has towns and cities and a people who have lived in the 21st century, unlike the Afghans, who had less to lose, and who were living in more remote circumstances. That country, unlike Ukraine, was not "target rich."

Mad Dog can fantasize that Europe will congeal and step up, but the EU has never shown much capacity for resolve and concerted action.

Canada may do better. If the premier of Ontario is to be believed, he can make Trump suffer for those tariffs kicking in tomorrow.

Trump is all about deal making and eschewing moral stances for simple bottom line thinking. If Ukraine shows too little return on investment, maybe Canada can show how the wrong choices can backfire.