Russian grandmothers, mothers, wives, girlfriends, and daughters, you can stop this war. You need only tell your father, husband, boyfriend, or son – who is a member of Putin’s jackbooted police force – that you intend to be on the frontlines of those protesting his war. He is not going to arrest you and, if… Read more.
Russia
Clarion Call for Westerners to Join Fight in Ukraine
Given the universal values at stake, I am dismayed that more Westerners have not joined the fight in Ukraine. I am reminded of the way writers Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, and Pablo Neruda led the brigade of those who not only sounded that clarion call, but rushed themselves to join the fight for democratic freedom… Read more.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Podcast Episode 67: History Repeating Itself in WWII Redux… Related commentaries: Putin humiliates spy chief… Read more.
Eyeing Ukraine Has Putin Acting Like a Bully
Russia is now poised for an invasion of Ukraine – just as North Korea has been for an invasion of South Korea for over 50 years. In fact, Russia’s menacing bully, Vladimir Putin, is just like North Korea’s menacing bully, Kim Jong-un … only with lots of oil and more nukes to leverage his mischief… Read more.
No German Weapons for Ukraine Is Pacifism Masquerading as Penance
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock insisted today that Ukraine will not receive any German weapons to defend itself against Russia. She explained that Germany’s role in WWII imposes a special duty to “seek other ways to secure peace.” Of course, it’s self-evident that Germany remains haunted by this past. But this smacks of an ironic form… Read more.
Russia Poised to Invade but Ukraine Insists There’s No Panic…
Only a cold-hearted, genocidal maniac (like Chinese President Xi Jinping) could fail to sympathize with the predicament of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, let alone with the looming fate of the Ukrainian people. On the other hand, I suspect I sympathize with both as much as anyone not born in Ukraine possibly could. And I can… Read more.
To Deflect from Retreat at Ukrainian Border, Putin Bullies Human Rights Group Inside Russia…
Since last November, pundits have been commenting on the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border as if Russia were poised to mount the kind of blitzkrieg invasion of Ukraine that Germany mounted to invade Poland in 1939. To be fair, though, no less an authority than The Washington Post gave credence to their… Read more.
Crises at Poland-Belarus and Ukraine-Russia Borders Make One at US-Mexico Border Look like Picnic…
Just weeks ago, Europe was hurling moral indignation at the migrant crisis America allowed to unfold under a bridge near the US-Mexico border in Del Rio, Texas. As it happened, I alluded to Russian mischief in the title to my commentary on that crisis, namely “Er, VP Harris, the Migrants Are Coming, the Migrants Are… Read more.
Podcast: Google and Apple Obey Putin’s Orders to Suppress Russian Votes
Episode 47: And May Obey His Orders to Suppress Our Votes Next… Related commentaries: Nicki Minaj… Sowing seeds… Listen.
America the Whale…
Remarkably, it seems rogue actors – from totalitarian states like North Korea to terrorist groups like the Taliban, drug cartels like the Sinaloas, and ransomware extortionists like Darkside – see the mighty United States the way parasites see big grey whales. Only this explains how it has become as normal for those actors to steal… Read more.