Delusional

Ray: Assure Putin that we would keep Ukraine out of NATO? That’s so stupid that only Trumputin would have done that, - if for no other reason than preventing embarrassing details about Trump’s Moscow visits from being made public! Of course, Putin would have benefited by having Trump in the WH, but perhaps he thought that the 2020 election was rigged enough in Trump’s favor, like in 2016. Remember, Trump has always insisted that the election was rigged! He probably knew about Putin’s efforts.

Jorgian logic... 100%. So, according to you, Trump and Putin are pals. So, I'll ask again... ever wonder why Vlad didn't make his move on Ukraine while Trump was in office? Vlad did move into Ukraine when his pal "I can be more flexible" Barack was president. If the 2020 election outcome had been different, you would not see Russian troops in Kyiv. Maybe Putin moves after 2024 if the Dems are in the WH... We'll never know... but we do know what's happening now.

Funny, how you have stated this week that you are not a member of the Democratic Party... I can't blame you.

Ray,

In your comment to Jorg you said “So, according to you, Trump and Putin are pals. So, I'll ask again... ever wonder why Vlad didn't make his move on Ukraine while Trump was in office?”.

Let me throw in a couple of Lincolns. I know you have heard the saying about why buy the cow when the milk is free. Trump has always been in Vlad’s pocket and Vlad has played him like a two-bit fiddle. Trump was supplying him with much more value by giving him classified secrets and info about the US and our allies, both by accident and on purpose, so that Ukraine took a back seat. We know that Trump talked with Vlad without American witnesses and when they were present he took the notes away from the note takers. On an occasion in May of 2017 meeting with the Russian foreign minister and ambassador he spilled the beans about secret info on the Islamic State that was serious enough that officials notified the CIA and NSA. I could go on with other instances but you get the picture. Once the cow went dry he went to his long time plan to rebuild the USSR.

We can see Taffy thinks Biden is doing a good job. Absolutely delusional. As is Taffy’s fervent belief in the fake news he repeats. Hey Taffy, perhaps you don’t remember, but our great President Trump knew how to handle Putin, as well as North Korea, Arab Muslim countries, the American economy, overcoming unemployment among Blacks, Hispanics, and women, the southern border, low crime, low inflation, etc. Need I go on? America First. Perhaps treasonous Biden can drop $80 billion at Russia’s doorstep and hope it appeases Putin. The Taliban seem happy, for now.

Hey, Tafhdyd...

Rel accused me of repeating "right wing" talking points when I mentioned real problems (exacerbated by Joe) currently facing Americans. He was clearly incorrect.

Hmmm... that being said... it does look to me like some of what you posted may very well be talking points from the left side of the aisle.

You wrote, "Trump has always been in Vlad’s pocket and Vlad has played him like a two-bit fiddle." Toro! Less than three months after the Donald was inaugurated, he was tested by Putin's sycophant, Bashar al-Assad. The result was 59 cruise missiles slamming into Syria and a much chagrined Vlad. Trump essentially told Vlad and the Russkies to step aside. Unlike Barack who talked about red lines in Syria, Donald actually rained steel on Assad for crossing a line. Funny, how Turkey supported the strike even though Russia opposed it. Vlad then goes on a full court propaganda press criticizing the Donald re: the airstrike. That's not the way you treat your pal, is it?

You also mentioned... "Trump was supplying him (Putin) with much more value by giving him classified secrets and info... " More Toro! Vlad accepted joining Trump in making ISIS our enemy. The US and Russia agreed to work together to defeat ISIS, and that included sharing intelligence about a brutal and murderous terrorist army.

Remember when Barack and Joe stood by while Putin moved into Crimea (part of Ukraine) in 2014? The question is still out there... why didn't Putin continue his conquest of Ukraine when Trump was in the WH? Perhaps the episode with the cruise missiles put Putin's invasion plans on hold. We cannot know definitively why Putin didn't move into Ukraine during Trump's term, but we know for sure it didn't happen. Maybe Vlad was waiting for a Democrat to reverse our energy independence so he could have a huge bargaining chip for further conquest. Maybe. Again, we cannot know definitively but we do know the leverage Putin now has as a result of Biden's energy policies. The other question that has not been addressed by anti-Trump DJ readers is... did Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal policy influence Putin's Ukraine invasion plan?

Putin has played Joe, but he could not be sure... due in part to the Donald's unpredictability... whether he could play Trump. Joe is still being played by Putin by not bringing the full measure of sanctions available to the WH. It looks like Putin is willing to wait it out. And letting Putin wait will be another mistake by a career politician with ostensibly nearly five decades of experience.

In the end... Trump is not Putin's pal. Vlad has no pals.

Ray,

Once again you have presented a thoughtful explanation of your disagreement of my position. Once again I disagree with your position, no surprise there.

The missile attack on Syria was, IMHO, just back room theater on both sides. Yes they hit some bunkers and airstrips etc. and followed it up with big talk about we won’t let them attack their own citizens etc. Putin on the other side gets to pipe up his wind machine and accuse the US of breaking international law and committing a serious act of aggression.

Did Biden’s Afghanistan policy influence Putin’s Ukraine invasion plan? Not in the least. Putin has planned to make Russia “Whole again” ever since he took over 20 plus years ago. That is not to say that if some short term opportunity presents it’s self, he won’t take advantage of it.

As for the full measure of sanctions, it is a two edged sword with repercussions that make it a bigger problem if it does not work. You know the Ruskies were involved with the cyber attack on the pipeline back East that shut it down for a couple of weeks. You know they can probably do the same to some other infrastructure like our power grid or communications. Better to use the boiling frog analogy. If you put him in boiling water he will jump out and try something else. If you put him in and slowly turn up the heat you will cook him before he realizes it.

In the end…You are right, Putin probably doesn’t have any pals, but Trump loves him and thinks he is his pal so Putin can still play him like a two-bit fiddle.

I have some errands to do so maybe more later. At least we can discuss the subject of the conversation even if we disagree, something the guy behind the curtain in a fantasy world with the tinfoil hat can’t do.

Tafhdydicus Maximus...

I enjoy our duologues. At the risk of chasing our tails, I offer two thoughts.

You wrote, "The missile attack on Syria was, IMHO, just back room theater on both sides." OK... one president says don't cross the line... or else. Then, the line is crossed and there is no "or else." Another president says don't cross the line, and when it is crossed, someone gets the "what for." If that's back room theater, the audience should be shouting for an encore.

You also remarked, "Did Biden’s Afghanistan policy influence Putin’s Ukraine invasion plan? Not in the least." Hmmm... while it's true Vlad has been dreaming of restoring Mother Russia to its former USSR glory for 30 years, he had to bide his time. Yes, Vlad's plans for expansion to the west have been tucked away in a file folder (to protect it from western hackers) probably for years, but it looks like the stars (and tanks) started to line up after Joe's inauguration. At a minimum IMO, Joe's Afghanistan debacle provided Vlad with some insight into what would probably be Joe's response when the tanks started to roll.

Ciao, comrade!

Ray,

Good points, except, (you knew that was coming) maybe the theater workers were late for work that day or maybe they couldn’t agree on what the second act was going to be.

I think the stars started to line up as soon as the cow went dry, he didn’t have to wait for the inauguration. Maybe Afghanistan offered some insight…or Joe said he would end the war and he did. Maybe that has Putin thinking, Hmmmmm, now what?

Time for dinner, Later

Ray: Yeah, right! But what does that have to do with my statement?

Nice irrelevant deflection.

Once again, tires screeching around the corner...

Similar to behavior described by GW at the Battle of Monmouth a long time ago. BTW... no one at Google was harmed by the GW reference.

Rel... I would not characterize inflation, crime, the border, etc. as right wing talking points. A majority of Americans... not just conservatives... are dissatisfied with the current administration's management of those problems. Joe's poll numbers are proof it is not only the right side of the aisle that feels he is not performing well.

And BTW... you can go back and reread my commentary with respect to Joe Biden. I acknowledged his November 2020 victory before the networks declared him the president-elect... I have not challenged the legitimacy of his presidency... ever. I have not mocked his lapses of cognition, but I have said more than once that I feel sorry for him. I do. I was willing to wait for the authorities to make findings about Joe and his family's foreign business entanglements... a wait and see perspective... until information about selling access to Joe became too obvious in recent months to ignore. And I have said more than once that I believe Joe is a good man... he is. However, his decisions and policies have been a disaster. Arguing against his effectiveness and failed leadership does not make me or anyone else a hater of "all things Biden."

I know it may make you feel better to conveniently wrap up in a nice, neat and pretty package any point of view that does not agree with your perspective. But unlike you and some other left leaning DJ readers, it would be more productive to focus on positions instead of personalities. The left side of the aisle prefers to rail against Donald Trump and in doing so, they lose sight of the impact of issues like inflation, crime, and the border crisis. That's kinda sad.

Jorg, the only point you ever make is your use of exclamation points. Those points are the closest thing to facts than any delusions you perpetrate. Thanks for proving me right!