Ukraine

[oddoneout]

.....Peace, with an enormous amount of background noise....

....Bad news today ref halting US arms shipments....hopefully a bluff of some kind to bring VZ to neg' table....surely VZ would want to be there anyway....but to be brought back with different objectives (different limited /more limited)....the contents on the table a mutant mix ....who ever heard of a Peace Deal where the fascilitator wins top prize....and the Peace table discussion having the threat of halting arms again hanging over head...and what has Trump been offering Putin behind the scenes...

And I hear that one of the things affected by this "offensive cyber halt by USA DD" is that it will affect Ukkraine Electric Power as US cyber was attacking Russian hackers into Ukraine power grid/ communications

I had wondered if Ukraine would be caught in the cutting overseas aid offensive, and then thought that even if not originally on the list the White House incident would bring it into play,so wasn't surprised to read the latest on that front.
Coupled with the news of looking at lifting US sanctions on Russia, I don't think that negotiation will be much in evidence in any future Trump/Vance versus Zelensky encounter.

[Serial_Apologist]

.after a long standoff the money changers come back with a HP agreement for Jesus to buy back the Temple, with a great deal of interest included....but with the caveat they still can use the entrances....

Jesus' one act for handing on for future anticapitalist values!

[eighthobstruction]

Ethan Bearman with a short tough view ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Js-yaf6Ycg

I was musing on the way to Aldi that conceptually or contextually (take your pick)....this is a bit like Jesus in the Temple with the money changers - He has after much muchj money changing, thrown over the tables, and stands there being pushed and bludgeoned and yet to get the deal, yet to inherit enough authority to cast them out, they still have their thugs and corrupt priests....blaa blaa....after a long standoff the money changers come back with a HP agreement for Jesus to buy back the Temple, with a great deal of interest included....but with the caveat they still can use the entrances....

And a Game Changer from EU 04/03/25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-ApqrF3FnE

The Eu has had some longterm plans for arming Ukraine....several intiatives for artillery pieces and ammunition based on Czech no how and Eu sponsorship....https://czechoslovakgroup.com/en/new...nition-ukraine

[Serial_Apologist]

From a Guardian article:

Perhaps I'm being overly cynical here - or just ignorant - but how likely is this? If Russia did invade, would the US let it so long as it could keep the deal on the income stream?

A point made by a phoner-in to a TV chat show this morning was that Russia could be the sole beneficiary of any deal over mineral rights that leaves their occupation intact.

[Serial_Apologist]

Defense Secretary Hegseth orders U.S. Cyber Command to cease operations against Russia....

Really? What does that mean?

More and more Russian scamming of Trump supporters, if there's such a thing as poetic justice!

[eighthobstruction]

Not forgetting Bezos who has ordered that Washington Post op eds be limited to pieces “in support and defense of … personal liberties and free markets” (the opinions editor has resigned). Elsewhere, it's mooted that pressure on Netanyahu to declare a truce will give Trump a second go at his Nobel Peace prize claim :-/

.....Peace, with an enormous amount of background noise....

....Bad news today ref halting US arms shipments....hopefully a bluff of some kind to bring VZ to neg' table....surely VZ would want to be there anyway....but to be brought back with different objectives (different limited /more limited)....the contents on the table a mutant mix ....who ever heard of a Peace Deal where the fascilitator wins top prize....and the Peace table discussion having the threat of halting arms again hanging over head...and what has Trump been offering Putin behind the scenes...

And I hear that one of the things affected by this "offensive cyber halt by USA DD" is that it will affect Ukkraine Electric Power as US cyber was attacking Russian hackers into Ukraine power grid/ communications

[french frank]

but during this second term there is Vance and Musk there too + all the other many appointee's and billionaire cabinet supporters/ advisers [sic].....

Not forgetting Bezos who has ordered that Washington Post op eds be limited to pieces “in support and defense of … personal liberties and free markets” (the opinions editor has resigned). Elsewhere, it's mooted that pressure on Netanyahu to declare a truce will give Trump a second go at his Nobel Peace prize claim :-/

[eighthobstruction]

....quite honestly there is a great deal of the inadvertant going on; both in domestic and foriegn 'policy'....some of it is a shell game, some of it a bran tub, and some of it just plain revenge/malice....but during this second term there is Vance and Musk there too + all the other many appointee's and billionaire cabinet supporters/ advisers [sic]....

One thing for sure on the domestic front his lawyers/visioaries are winning from the point of view that - by the time all these actions are litigated, and finalised the institutions will be crippled for foreseeable future....

[oddoneout]

From a Guardian article:

US vice-president JD Vance said that the best way to protect Ukraine from another Russian invasion is to guarantee the US has a financial interest in Ukraine’s future.

Perhaps I'm being overly cynical here - or just ignorant - but how likely is this? If Russia did invade, would the US let it so long as it could keep the deal on the income stream?

[Dave2002]

yep, weird numbers eh? no matter how often you show approx actual numbers....this last 24hrs - Defense Secretary Hegseth orders U.S. Cyber Command to cease operations against Russia.... last week JAG 3 top officials dismissed....today Trump bans several mainstream Media from Press Corps....A Hollowing Out of entire US Government process....Checks and Balances Disappearing....Podcasters in charge of the FBI....Tulsi Gabbard Trumps Intelligence advisor (seemingly pro Putin)....30 odd people in the cabinet a mixture of Conspiracy Trolls - Billionaires - ex Trump lawyers - favour doers - Money Givers - Right-wing US Redoubters....etc etc....

,,,,I don't usually read Bloomberg as a source, but they have been good on the weekend Euro Summit....Finish PM Stubb has been very good (and very good English) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc6YWZs7vmo

Defense Secretary Hegseth orders U.S. Cyber Command to cease operations against Russia....

Really? What does that mean?

[eighthobstruction]

Allies? Well Putin, for one. It seems surreal that one should be envisaging a sci-fi world dominated by two malignant despots, but plausible. China has managed its smooth transition from "bureaucratic centralism" to bureaucratic capitalism successfully and can carry on as it will while keeping internal dissidence under firm control without fear of external threat, whereas Russia did not. I don't know if America now keeps up its patrols of the western Pacific; I recall that even back in "better times" America was not interested when China began progressively reneging on its democratic promises for Hong Kong - our ex-colony; I would imagine that Trump would also rationalise Taiwan as being within China's sphere of interest, arguing ambiguity over its hegemonic claim as possibly in China's favour, based on history. True to its Stalinist heritage China does not appear expansionist beyond what it regards as its legitimate claims, namely Taiwan and a few small islands and stretches of ocean.

[Serial_Apologist]

I think China is the only country that frightens Trump. If we flirt with thr Chinese, I think Trump
will be less bullish. It will be interesting to see which company breaks rank with Trump first. I have a funny feeling it will be a country like Canada. Four years of this and America will not have any allows.

Allies? Well Putin, for one. It seems surreal that one should be envisaging a sci-fi world dominated by two malignant despots, but plausible. China has managed its smooth transition from "bureaucratic centralism" to bureaucratic capitalism successfully and can carry on as it will while keeping internal dissidence under firm control without fear of external threat, whereas Russia did not. I don't know if America now keeps up its patrols of the western Pacific; I recall that even back in "better times" America was not interested when China began progressively reneging on its democratic promises for Hong Kong - our ex-colony; I would imagine that Trump would also rationalise Taiwan as being within China's sphere of interest, arguing ambiguity over its hegemonic claim as possibly in China's favour, based on history. True to its Stalinist heritage China does not appear expansionist beyond what it regards as its legitimate claims, namely Taiwan and a few small islands and stretches of ocean.

[eighthobstruction]

....Ian, your analysis is so far off the mark....are you sure you are not reading your sources sideways on....your view of China and flirting???....what sort of flirting??.... give us some flesh to your adjectives and adverbs....The idea that you know what Trump thinks....and he is frightened of China....frightened of what??.USA will have allies, people are scrambling behind the scenes trying to keep USA as an ally....Mid-terms 2026 will be a turning point....that is if there is any unhallowed out govt institution by then, if tricks and turns fall in the more Liberal side of the court ...and if checks and balances hold....If USA stays in NATO, then it will have 30 allies; who badly need USA in Ukraine....in all USAA is likely going to remain in NATO....I believe Trump does want peace ....but he also wants Kudos, status, heritage, money, celebrity till death, etc etc. His method is stir it up as many times as needed - see what comes out - stir again....I suppose it might be called a method, but with many many messes to wipe up and no conscience about colateral damage....I have to admit a great deal of stirring was needed, shame it had to be done chaotically and devisively...

[Ian Thumwood]

Really? I think the first term was the dry run where he discovered what was possible. Second time round he was able to hit the ground running.

As for any sort of rapprochement with China ... Frying pans and fire?

I think China is the only country that frightens Trump. If we flirt with thr Chinese, I think Trump
will be less bullish. It will be interesting to see which company breaks rank with Trump first. I have a funny feeling it will be a country like Canada. Four years of this and America will not have any allows.

[french frank]

I have to say that I am really surprised how much worse Trump is than last time...

Really? I think the first term was the dry run where he discovered what was possible. Second time round he was able to hit the ground running.

As for any sort of rapprochement with China ... Frying pans and fire?