Something's changed, it's not that I fear, but
Maybe it's that I took care of you too many times
And you grew weaker for a kindness
And sometimes kindness from a friend can break a man
--Rickie Lee Jones
Mad Dog has a plan which ought to make everyone (except maybe Putin) happy.
#1 NATO votes the USA out of NATO.
#2 NATO makes Ukraine a member of NATO
#3 The European Union forges a deal with Canada and Mexico to include them in a sort of EULite organization, allowing these countries to send their oil and lumber and avocados to European.
#4 The EU imposes 50% tariffs on US goods and services.
#5 The EU pursues cooperative ventures with China, including joint electric vehicle manufacturing.
President Trump ought to be pleased because now the Europeans are finally paying for their own defense. All those US military bases in Germany, England, Belgium and where ever can be closed and that overhead written off the books.
Europe can stop freeloading on America, and that is good for both countries, as Rickie Lee Jones noted, sometimes kindness from a friend can break a man, or a country.
How does the war game play out on this one?
Well, NATO forces from Finland to Poland to Ukraine move their troops to the Russian borders and they ready their nuclear arms.
Russia can then either withdraw from Ukraine or fire off some nuclear missiles: most likely target Ukraine.
NATO forces sweep across all the borders and warn Putin if he fires another nuke, they will fire their missiles.
Then either Putin backs down or we have nuclear Armageddon.
But, as Clemenza told Michael in "The Godfather," --this sort of thing happens every so often. Sort of clears out the bad blood. But you know, they shoulda stopped Hitler at Munich.
Let’s smoke Mad Dog out. Do you want to accept the nuclear destruction of world war 3 and that would include your New Hampshire defending Ukraine? That answer alone reveals the naivety and toxic aspect of idealistic leftist thinking. Or do you believe as I do that the defense of Europe and the USA is at the current NATO line as it has been since NATO was formed?
ReplyDeleteIt’s easy for mad dog to accept millions of dead in Europe from what was Biden feckless foreign policy but when he thinks of a Russian missile hitting New Hampshire hopefully he would realize the error in his naive thinking about war and defense of democracy. I suggest you read Guns of August about World War One to understand how foolish thinking can lead to needless death and destruction all under the illusion of defending western ideals.
ReplyDeleteAs Madeline Albright once asked: What's the use of a deadly military if you are not willing to use it?
ReplyDeleteI want my grandchildren to grow up and am not happy about the prospect of a nuclear Holocaust, but that old line about Munich is persuasive.
It's not Ukraine I'm thinking about defending.
It's my own country.
I have read Guns of August, BTW but think Margaret McMillan's "The War That Ended Peace" more instructive, not to mention her many youtube appearances.
ReplyDeleteEuropean nukes are less than 15 minutes from Russia, and if NATO fired a nuclear volley at Russia their missiles would arrive so quickly that by the time American missiles arrived, there would be few targets left to destroy. American missiles would be simply sifting through the ashes.
--Mad Dog
Kiev is not Munich mad dog. Warsaw is Munich. You simply don’t understand geopolitics and spheres of influence. It is sad and telling that you would be willing to sacrifice the people of New Hampshire in defense of Ukraine. I would posit that your views are far more dangerous that Trumps view which is to descalate and end this war quickly.
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not understand geopolitics, as, apparently, you believe you do.
ReplyDeleteAnd sacrificing my people in defense of Ukraine is not on the table. Never has been the goal of the USA to sacrifice American lives in defense of a particular country not the US.
We fight when it's in our own interest. And stopping Putin is just as much in our interest now as stopping Khrushchev was when Kennedy faced him down.
We need a Churchill now, not a Chamberlain.
--Mad Dog
"LONDON -- After more than two years of grinding conflict, Ukrainians are increasingly weary of the war with Russia. In Gallup’s latest surveys of Ukraine, conducted in August and October 2024, an average of 52% of Ukrainians would like to see their country negotiate an end to the war as soon as possible. Nearly four in 10 Ukrainians (38%) believe their country should keep fighting until victory."
ReplyDeleteMad Dog is very callous and comfortable sending Ukrainians to die.
As a learned man, I know you appreciate historical quotes. Here is one from Bismark: "The secret of success in politics, make a good treaty with Russia."
ReplyDeleteBismark? A German I believe. And how did that treaty with Russia work out for his country?
ReplyDelete