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| Fortunately, President Biden thus far has rejected the most risky policies that hawks are pushing in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite being under intense pressure, he continues to rule out proclaiming a no-fly zone, and he flatly rejects suggestions (including from one close political ally) that he consider sending U.S. troops to Ukraine. However, even the policies the administration has embraced entail an unacceptable risk of entangling the United States in a military confrontation with a nuclear-armed power. The United States and some NATO allies are pouring increasingly sophisticated weapons into Ukraine to bolster that country's resistance to the invasion. Russia recently reiterated its warning that such shipments are legitimate military targets. In addition to lavishing arms on Ukraine, Washington is sharing key military intelligence with Kyiv. The United States is skirting very close to becoming an outright belligerent in an extremely dangerous war. It would be imprudent for US leaders to put America at such risk even if Ukraine were the most splendid, pristine democracy in history. It is utterly irresponsible to do so for an appalling corrupt and increasingly authoritarian country. Yet that is an accurate characterization of today's Ukraine. |
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| Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday vowed that the US will keep moving "heaven and earth" to send weapons into Ukraine as Washington and its allies are pledging to intensify military aid for Kyiv. The Pentagon chief made the comments at a conference at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany that was attended by military leaders from about 40 nations. "I would like this whole group today to leave with a common and transparent understanding of Ukraine's near-term security requirements because we are going to keep moving heaven and earth so that we can meet them," Austin said in his opening remarks at the conference. Austin, a former Raytheon board member, announced that a similar meeting on arming Ukraine will be held each month in a forum he dubbed the Ukraine Contact Group. "We're going to extend this forum beyond today," he said. "The group will be a vehicle for nations of good will to intensify our efforts, coordinate our assistance, and focus on winning today's fight and the struggles to come." |
| Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed without evidence on Tuesday that attempts by Iran to kill former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other former and current US officials are real and ongoing. Blinken told Congress he was confirming the details of a State Department report that was made public last month. According to the document, Blinken has decided to extend a taxpayer-funded security detail for Pompeo and Brian Hook, who served as a special envoy for Iran under Pompeo. "I'm not sure what I can say in an open setting, but let me say generically that there is an ongoing threat against American officials, both present and past," Blinken said. "We are making sure and we will make sure for as long as it takes that we're protecting our people, present and former, if they're under threat." |
| | "War is a racket, wrote US Maj. General Smedley Butler in 1935. He explained: "A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes." Gen. Butler's observation describes the US/NATO response to the Ukraine war perfectly. The propaganda continues to portray the war in Ukraine as that of an unprovoked Goliath out to decimate an innocent David unless we in the US and NATO contribute massive amounts of military equipment to Ukraine to defeat Russia. As is always the case with propaganda, this version of events is manipulated to bring an emotional response to the benefit of special interests. |
| Moscow claims Washington is making normal business at its American diplomatic offices impossible. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov says frozen bank accounts and threats restrict engagement between the world's nuclear superpowers. Antonov told the Russian outlet RIA Novosti, "the embassy is under blockade by US government agencies, the accounts of our two consulates general in Houston and New York were closed by Bank of America. We receive telephone threats, and letters come. At one time, even the exit from the embassy was blocked." |
| Russia's invasion of Ukraine is terrible and without justification. The United Kingdom's Lawn Tennis Association came up with a dramatic plan to end the war. It banned Vladimir Putin and his generals from playing at Wimbledon, as well as the grass court circuit preceding the venerable grand slam event. Oops, no. Tennis officials actually said Russian and Belarusian tennis players serving in the military, currently rampaging across Ukraine and committing war crimes against Ukrainian civilians, won't be able to participate. That punishment is widely seen as more draconian than a war crimes trial. Wait, no again! In fact, the British said that Russians who have neither participated in nor endorsed Moscow's attack will be prohibited from competing. As a result, men's world number two Daniil Medvedev will lose an opportunity to win another grand slam tournament. Women's number 15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will sacrifice a chance to break into the game's top ranks. Unfortunate, perhaps, but necessary to bring the Russian war machine to a halt! |
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