In 2022, a Ukrainian-American spoke out passionately to me about his country's efforts to defend itself from Russia. Today he offered a very different take.
Good post Alex. I was wondering where you were going with this at first, but I'm glad your reader from the Ukraine is realistic.
My one thing about Trump- is he narcissistic- yes. But is he doing all this for himself? I don't think so. Getting shot at and having a second potential murderer close to you weeds out those in it for themselves.
The biggest narcissists in politics and government are- John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Shumer, Gavin Newsome, and the retired dr fauci. All in it for themselves.
Trump may have started out for himself, but his fight is for others now.
Trump has never been out for himself in the world of politics. From the beginning he saw the corruption and suffering that was unfolding. The press has successfully stained the minds of so many, urinating on the truth while smiling with self satisfaction at their evil deeds. Wish people who do not get Trump would seek a mind wash to cleanse the stink of MSM Propaganda.
I feel for your Ukrainian reader his email from 2022 stating the MSM narrative shows that he is actually clueless as to what America actually did in 2014 when it funded the overthrow of the Ukrainian government Trump has it absolutely right. There is zero national security interest to America in Ukraine. It matters not if Russia leaves Ukraine as Ukraine or invades and makes it part of the greater Russia empire that everyone claims about Putin. We owe Ukraine nothing and we should never be there and we should not be wasting anymore money there. If Zelensky wants to get back in good graces with Trump give us the truth about Biden’s corruption. IE how much and who else is involved.
Yes. At the same time, I'm pretty sure he also knows that The EU turning its back on democracy and free speech is a national security risk.
My 8th grade twins could figure that out. Allies that don't believe in the foundational principles of democracy and free speech will eventually become our adversaries.
Sitting here alone applauding like a fool. Bravo! Even the simplest truths about this situation are a rare elixir in a world gone mad. Poor Boris did not realize those shooting the Maiden protesters were the ones who organized the protest. The evil of Soros knows few bounds.
The spoils of war. Those on the inside, those involved in the grift, take their rewards as thousands lie in cold ditches bleeding out. Big Time Evil. The people of this world need to be bitch-slapped into waking up to the Evil they have allowed to prosper in their midst.
He also forgot to mention that "free elections and freedom of the press" no longer exist in Ukraine. He said Ukraine had fairer elections than the US in his first email. At least we have elections.
My wife also has family in Ukraine. They paint a very different picture of the country, with it being very corrupt. They also call this a CIA war and want nothing to do with it. They want peace. They realize the eastern side is mixed with both Russian and Ukrainian people and they need to find a way to get along.
This sounds much more like what Jeffrey Sachs had to say in his excellent speech to the EU parliament last week. He said many things, difficult truths about the US and the EU. He stated that the CIAs entire existence is to create and propagate regime change wars and conflicts. When the current administration tries to go after their reason for existing, they will not be changed, redirected, or downsized without a fight.
The Ukrainian government's suppression of rival political parties, media organizations and religious institutions, not to mention using martial law for over 3 years to block elections shows the true colors of those in power in Ukraine. The people of Ukraine don't have any power at all, and are stuck fighting a war they cannot win. Sadly the saying of absolute power corrupting absolutely seems very apt to this situation. This war needs to end, as soon a possible. I fully support President Trump's efforts to bring all sides to the table, where I hope and pray a real and lasting peace can be achieved. I can't support a war where everyone loses and we are funding an unending war of destruction and death.
"He and his advisors believe that relationship needs to change — in part because in the long run European dependency doesn’t help Europe either, it has led to a creeping rigidity in European culture, politics, and business that is hollowing out the continent"
This is what happens when you become a "welfare" recipient. Without self reliance you can not be free. Any society that is not merit based ends up rotting in incompetency/indolence, and devolves to anti-merit.
What does this sound like?
Yes that's right; exactly what has happened in our country with a population (41%) that has been dependent on Government.
The EU will bring about its own destruction faster than Putin could ever do
Dependency eventually leads to bondage 100% of the time. Bondage is default, and we would be wise to study history and remind ourselves of that.
The Founders could not have made it any more clear. And because a large portion of our country has forgotten this it allowed for a blitzkrieg against our civil liberties far faster than Nazi Germany during the scamdemic.
We were on the road had it not been for the very few who knew they had to fight back immediately, lest we just become another history lesson.
This is what happens when you believe the constitution is a "living" document and put your trust in government by eschewing self reliance. And its precisely why proto-totalitarianism was implemented so fast here in the US.
It can happen here and will if we do not remember the lessons of the past.
Trump knows this and that's why he dispatched Elon and JD to Europe within a couple weeks of each other to give the freedom loving people in the EU hope.
Im glad Trump is being proactive and understanding the urgency. The EUs slide into dependency and their about face on free speech and democracy is a national security risk of the highest order.
I believe Trump knows this and views it as a potential long term threat...and therefore he's playing the long game.
What you just wrote has really helped me see what has been going on more clearly. So much is coming into sharp relief - just hope enough Americans can follow the plot line and not get distracted or confused.
Agree. I think there's just too much coming out for the middle to ignore the broad strokes and arc. Seems like that's why there's such a high percentage of support for Trumps policies even if they didn't vote for him.
Literally every word of both of those messages is word-for-word exactly what any American Republican neo-con looking to get reelected would have said on exactly that timeline. This might be authentic but I find it VERY hard to believe.
The problem is the Ukrainians got brainwashed by the media, and they are very gullible- who in the right mind would believe the Americans who walked away from all their previous fiascos (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan). Ukrainians never heard (or understood) the saying by Kissinger: to be an American enemy is dangerous, but being a friend is deadly...
You noticed Lindsey's pivot too? Here in SC people who supported him in the past are fed up with his push for funding the Russia-Ukraine war. I think he will definitely be primaried.
haha, I think he has to be a "R"epublican who knows he's getting primaried if he doesn't get onboard. I'm sure Schumer is still happy to sacrifice untold Ukrainian and Russian men at the altar of energy markets / delaying the BRICS banking system
That would be my guess - but I've also spoken with enough friends and colleagues who also NPC this entire situation word for word from MSNBC's most recent segment that it's perfectly possible this person living in the US for this long is just consuming media propaganda and representing it as fact. When the US is VERY open about participating in the overthrow of Yanukovych (the MIC still brags about it) and a reader says it was "100% authentic" my radar goes up. Possible his family lives in Kiev (where the propaganda is even worse than it is here) and his family is entirely "Ukrainian" (hard to be when you're that young of a country, but possible) and not a relative of any of the Russian regions of Ukraine and so actually feels that way (inevitably persuaded by the media, as we all are), but I'm skeptical
Zelensky is backtracking today as fast as possible. He now believes in peace talks, wants a reset with Trump and agrees he made a massive mistake last week. Liberals everywhere are going white in their faces now that he is no longer the giant they thought he was. In another few days this will all have come to an end. Amazing how powerful the US money is...
“Ukraine is a democracy”?? How about state corruption and massive money laundering? Lots of real life examples where people on the ground believe they know the truth about what their government and other governments are really doing, but they don’t. Boris wrecked his credibility.
Since Ukraine elections were halted ‘due to the war,’ Z is not a democratically elected President. Also, I seem to remember Victoria Nuland admitting the US has bio labs in Ukraine. She would know. Maybe that’s another reason Putin is unhappy? Also, why would Putin want NATO on his border when he was promised “not 1 inch”?
In the first email, I was a little surprised at how clearly and succinctly he summarized Ukrainian popular opinion into the current narrative. Which makes the reversal all the more interesting. Bravo Boris.
(We may never know If this is a real Boris or some USAID paid Boris who now sees the money running out so might as well speak his mind.)
I don’t really care if Zelensky wants to get back in Trumps good graces. That’s the past.
This is a great time to end support for Ukraine and let the Europeans put their big boy pants on and stand behind all their talk. More funding is just more death now.
Boris resembles many of his new countrymen here in the States. He was fed propaganda and lies. He did not see Ukraine as it really was. He was unaware of the true story unfolding, as it was so rotten and evil a human being does not want to admit its truth. But time has a way of stripping off the deception. And now we are staring at raw evil in the form of a little man, a punk, who aided massive corruption paid for with the blood of Ukraine's citizens. Now we know that those controlling the fate of Ukraine were doing so for personal greed and out of their psychopathic mindset. Now we know the only path forward is the path of an unusual and historic person who declares "Peace, we must have peace" before the entire world. It is painful to come to grips with the fact that one has been conned.
Very nice to see people change their views and say so publicly. I certainly have changed many, thanks to Covid.
I appreciate your resolve to stick with “proven facts” but I have read enough, from varied sources inside and outside of Ukraine, US, and UK to believe that his first email was a bit naive.
One thing I don’t get is how people can see through all the propaganda related to Covid … yet cannot extrapolate that to many other areas. The CIA (and MI6 and Mossad and others) have been spewing lies for so long and in so many directions. It is difficult to find the true story of anything. So best we can do is read and learn from people we agree with AND disagree with.
Emotions, that's why. Logical thinkers identify the template, the pattern, but emotional thinkers are polarized by their emotions and their personal experience, which can vary situation to situation even if the template is the same.
Good point. The Midwestern Doctor has said similar as far as looking for the high level pattern. He has successfully predicted and planned for medical ‘emergencies’ this way.
I still don't like Volodymyr Zelenskyy; I don't trust him. You would think he would dress in a suit and be grateful for what our government leaders are doing for him. I still want to know about those parcels of land that have minerals, and why Americans are not getting a share.
Good post Alex. I was wondering where you were going with this at first, but I'm glad your reader from the Ukraine is realistic.
My one thing about Trump- is he narcissistic- yes. But is he doing all this for himself? I don't think so. Getting shot at and having a second potential murderer close to you weeds out those in it for themselves.
The biggest narcissists in politics and government are- John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Shumer, Gavin Newsome, and the retired dr fauci. All in it for themselves.
Trump may have started out for himself, but his fight is for others now.
Trump has never been out for himself in the world of politics. From the beginning he saw the corruption and suffering that was unfolding. The press has successfully stained the minds of so many, urinating on the truth while smiling with self satisfaction at their evil deeds. Wish people who do not get Trump would seek a mind wash to cleanse the stink of MSM Propaganda.
Maybe add Jill to your list.
That's Doctor Jill.
(barf, so glad that nightmare is behind us.)
I knew immediately. 😂
Truth- there are definitely more, i didn't want to spend more time irritating myself. 😂
I agree. That may be what seems like today being so much different than ‘17.
I feel for your Ukrainian reader his email from 2022 stating the MSM narrative shows that he is actually clueless as to what America actually did in 2014 when it funded the overthrow of the Ukrainian government Trump has it absolutely right. There is zero national security interest to America in Ukraine. It matters not if Russia leaves Ukraine as Ukraine or invades and makes it part of the greater Russia empire that everyone claims about Putin. We owe Ukraine nothing and we should never be there and we should not be wasting anymore money there. If Zelensky wants to get back in good graces with Trump give us the truth about Biden’s corruption. IE how much and who else is involved.
Zelensky can't do that because he's the one involved in the corruption.
Yes. At the same time, I'm pretty sure he also knows that The EU turning its back on democracy and free speech is a national security risk.
My 8th grade twins could figure that out. Allies that don't believe in the foundational principles of democracy and free speech will eventually become our adversaries.
Sitting here alone applauding like a fool. Bravo! Even the simplest truths about this situation are a rare elixir in a world gone mad. Poor Boris did not realize those shooting the Maiden protesters were the ones who organized the protest. The evil of Soros knows few bounds.
so Biden draped a medal on Soros, and on his dear friend Hilary
The spoils of war. Those on the inside, those involved in the grift, take their rewards as thousands lie in cold ditches bleeding out. Big Time Evil. The people of this world need to be bitch-slapped into waking up to the Evil they have allowed to prosper in their midst.
Most of us owe Ukraine nothing.
They were paying Hunter Biden millions for his - uh - I guess business savvy.
At any rate, that debt is paid in full and then some by now, so it's time to end it!
He also forgot to mention that "free elections and freedom of the press" no longer exist in Ukraine. He said Ukraine had fairer elections than the US in his first email. At least we have elections.
My wife also has family in Ukraine. They paint a very different picture of the country, with it being very corrupt. They also call this a CIA war and want nothing to do with it. They want peace. They realize the eastern side is mixed with both Russian and Ukrainian people and they need to find a way to get along.
This sounds much more like what Jeffrey Sachs had to say in his excellent speech to the EU parliament last week. He said many things, difficult truths about the US and the EU. He stated that the CIAs entire existence is to create and propagate regime change wars and conflicts. When the current administration tries to go after their reason for existing, they will not be changed, redirected, or downsized without a fight.
I wonder what Boris thinks about free elections and freedom of the press now...
The Ukrainian government's suppression of rival political parties, media organizations and religious institutions, not to mention using martial law for over 3 years to block elections shows the true colors of those in power in Ukraine. The people of Ukraine don't have any power at all, and are stuck fighting a war they cannot win. Sadly the saying of absolute power corrupting absolutely seems very apt to this situation. This war needs to end, as soon a possible. I fully support President Trump's efforts to bring all sides to the table, where I hope and pray a real and lasting peace can be achieved. I can't support a war where everyone loses and we are funding an unending war of destruction and death.
When the US ships tens of billions of dollars to the most corrupt country in Europe, what can you expect?
He didn’t have time for that did he lol.
"He and his advisors believe that relationship needs to change — in part because in the long run European dependency doesn’t help Europe either, it has led to a creeping rigidity in European culture, politics, and business that is hollowing out the continent"
This is what happens when you become a "welfare" recipient. Without self reliance you can not be free. Any society that is not merit based ends up rotting in incompetency/indolence, and devolves to anti-merit.
What does this sound like?
Yes that's right; exactly what has happened in our country with a population (41%) that has been dependent on Government.
The EU will bring about its own destruction faster than Putin could ever do
Dependency eventually leads to bondage 100% of the time. Bondage is default, and we would be wise to study history and remind ourselves of that.
The Founders could not have made it any more clear. And because a large portion of our country has forgotten this it allowed for a blitzkrieg against our civil liberties far faster than Nazi Germany during the scamdemic.
We were on the road had it not been for the very few who knew they had to fight back immediately, lest we just become another history lesson.
This is what happens when you believe the constitution is a "living" document and put your trust in government by eschewing self reliance. And its precisely why proto-totalitarianism was implemented so fast here in the US.
It can happen here and will if we do not remember the lessons of the past.
Trump knows this and that's why he dispatched Elon and JD to Europe within a couple weeks of each other to give the freedom loving people in the EU hope.
Im glad Trump is being proactive and understanding the urgency. The EUs slide into dependency and their about face on free speech and democracy is a national security risk of the highest order.
I believe Trump knows this and views it as a potential long term threat...and therefore he's playing the long game.
Excellent analysis as usual! Thanks for that!
What you just wrote has really helped me see what has been going on more clearly. So much is coming into sharp relief - just hope enough Americans can follow the plot line and not get distracted or confused.
Agree. I think there's just too much coming out for the middle to ignore the broad strokes and arc. Seems like that's why there's such a high percentage of support for Trumps policies even if they didn't vote for him.
Well said.
Is “Boris” Lyndsey Graham?
Literally every word of both of those messages is word-for-word exactly what any American Republican neo-con looking to get reelected would have said on exactly that timeline. This might be authentic but I find it VERY hard to believe.
The problem is the Ukrainians got brainwashed by the media, and they are very gullible- who in the right mind would believe the Americans who walked away from all their previous fiascos (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan). Ukrainians never heard (or understood) the saying by Kissinger: to be an American enemy is dangerous, but being a friend is deadly...
You noticed Lindsey's pivot too? Here in SC people who supported him in the past are fed up with his push for funding the Russia-Ukraine war. I think he will definitely be primaried.
I thought Boris was Chuck Schumer?
haha, I think he has to be a "R"epublican who knows he's getting primaried if he doesn't get onboard. I'm sure Schumer is still happy to sacrifice untold Ukrainian and Russian men at the altar of energy markets / delaying the BRICS banking system
Are you saying Alex was punked?
That would be my guess - but I've also spoken with enough friends and colleagues who also NPC this entire situation word for word from MSNBC's most recent segment that it's perfectly possible this person living in the US for this long is just consuming media propaganda and representing it as fact. When the US is VERY open about participating in the overthrow of Yanukovych (the MIC still brags about it) and a reader says it was "100% authentic" my radar goes up. Possible his family lives in Kiev (where the propaganda is even worse than it is here) and his family is entirely "Ukrainian" (hard to be when you're that young of a country, but possible) and not a relative of any of the Russian regions of Ukraine and so actually feels that way (inevitably persuaded by the media, as we all are), but I'm skeptical
Victoria Nuland is so proud of that coup she bragged about it.
Zelensky is backtracking today as fast as possible. He now believes in peace talks, wants a reset with Trump and agrees he made a massive mistake last week. Liberals everywhere are going white in their faces now that he is no longer the giant they thought he was. In another few days this will all have come to an end. Amazing how powerful the US money is...
Or, after the public photo op with the Euro leaders hugging and smooching, they went behind closed doors and ripped him a new one.
Hopefully his staff keeps his coke away from him until *after* the meeting this time!
Sure he isn't faking it like he faked playing the piano as a comedian?
“Ukraine is a democracy”?? How about state corruption and massive money laundering? Lots of real life examples where people on the ground believe they know the truth about what their government and other governments are really doing, but they don’t. Boris wrecked his credibility.
Since Ukraine elections were halted ‘due to the war,’ Z is not a democratically elected President. Also, I seem to remember Victoria Nuland admitting the US has bio labs in Ukraine. She would know. Maybe that’s another reason Putin is unhappy? Also, why would Putin want NATO on his border when he was promised “not 1 inch”?
Fascinating turn of events.
In the first email, I was a little surprised at how clearly and succinctly he summarized Ukrainian popular opinion into the current narrative. Which makes the reversal all the more interesting. Bravo Boris.
(We may never know If this is a real Boris or some USAID paid Boris who now sees the money running out so might as well speak his mind.)
Are they referring to 'Boris' from The Wire who was quite the bad-ass, or would this be Boris Badanov, Bullwinkle's nemesis?
Eh, he was from the big city and his family works for the government - it's not a stretch to think they have libtards there, too.
However now that most of the country boys are dead and they are conscripting from the cities, it's suddenly a great time to sue for peace!
I don’t really care if Zelensky wants to get back in Trumps good graces. That’s the past.
This is a great time to end support for Ukraine and let the Europeans put their big boy pants on and stand behind all their talk. More funding is just more death now.
Boris resembles many of his new countrymen here in the States. He was fed propaganda and lies. He did not see Ukraine as it really was. He was unaware of the true story unfolding, as it was so rotten and evil a human being does not want to admit its truth. But time has a way of stripping off the deception. And now we are staring at raw evil in the form of a little man, a punk, who aided massive corruption paid for with the blood of Ukraine's citizens. Now we know that those controlling the fate of Ukraine were doing so for personal greed and out of their psychopathic mindset. Now we know the only path forward is the path of an unusual and historic person who declares "Peace, we must have peace" before the entire world. It is painful to come to grips with the fact that one has been conned.
Very nice to see people change their views and say so publicly. I certainly have changed many, thanks to Covid.
I appreciate your resolve to stick with “proven facts” but I have read enough, from varied sources inside and outside of Ukraine, US, and UK to believe that his first email was a bit naive.
One thing I don’t get is how people can see through all the propaganda related to Covid … yet cannot extrapolate that to many other areas. The CIA (and MI6 and Mossad and others) have been spewing lies for so long and in so many directions. It is difficult to find the true story of anything. So best we can do is read and learn from people we agree with AND disagree with.
This book, from a UK writer, was of course labeled misinformation by the mainstream there. Worth a read. https://www.amazon.com/Hubris-American-Origins-Russias-against/dp/0674299078/ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Emotions, that's why. Logical thinkers identify the template, the pattern, but emotional thinkers are polarized by their emotions and their personal experience, which can vary situation to situation even if the template is the same.
Good point. The Midwestern Doctor has said similar as far as looking for the high level pattern. He has successfully predicted and planned for medical ‘emergencies’ this way.
Very interesting Alex. I appreciate this guy's honesty and willingness to share how wrong he was several years ago.
I pray for all the soldiers. Heartbreaking. And truly... for what.
I still don't like Volodymyr Zelenskyy; I don't trust him. You would think he would dress in a suit and be grateful for what our government leaders are doing for him. I still want to know about those parcels of land that have minerals, and why Americans are not getting a share.
Very pragmatic and in tune with reality. But Zelensky is no Castro. Not even close. I know first hand.