On Friday, White House doctors and advisers convinced President Trump that his bout of Covid-19 was so severe, he had to be helicoptered to Walter Reed Medical Center for intensive care. Trust me, this inflicted such a blow to his ego, they probably had to threaten to withhold his oxygen tubes to get him to… Read more.
Russia
Hapless America: US Intelligence Warns Russia or China Might Determine Outcome of US Election? WTF!
A defining feature of America in this age of Trump is the extent to which it has become an international laughingstock. Remarkably, nary a day goes by without his administration providing fodder for that stock. Only that abiding mockery of low expectations explains this head-scratching statement: The US intelligence community’s top election security official said… Read more.
In Russia, Protests Trickle Like Sand from Putin’s Iron Fists
Arguably, protests in Russia are like snowballs in Hell. This is why I’ve written so many commentaries over the years hailing democratic rebels with a lost cause. For example, I refer you to “Putinization: President Putin Reforming Russia in His Own Image,” March 25, 2005 “Vladimir Putin Sends Political Dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky Off to the… Read more.
Oh Right, the World Cup: Vive la France!
In “Trump, May, Macron: Don’t Bomb Syria. Withdraw World Cup from Russia!,” April 11, 2018, I pledged to boycott this World Cup. I honored that pledge. But I cannot resist sharing the following about France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia’s in Sunday’s final match: Immigrants, sons of immigrants and grandsons of immigrants bonded together with scions… Read more.
Helsinki Summit: Trump Hails Russian Propaganda, Rejects American Intelligence
At a joint press conference today, President Trump doubled down on his belief in President Putin’s denial that Russia launched cyberattacks on the 2016 US presidential election. This, despite his own intelligence agencies, which includes the CIA, FBI, and NSA, saying Russia did, and the Mueller investigation indicting 12 Russian agents for orchestrating those cyberattacks.… Read more.
Trump, May, Macron, Don’t Bomb Syria. Ban Russia from Hosting World Cup!
Scoring macabre political points is the only goal Western powers can accomplish by bombing Syria. This is why I’ve been decrying it for years. In fact, when Western commentators hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin for joining this priapic orgy of bombing in 2015, I wailed in “Bombing ISIS Smacks of Masturbatory Violence,” November 18, 2015.… Read more.
Skripal, Et Al: Russia Taunting Britain with Brazen Assassinations
President Vladimir Putin shocked the world in 2006 when he ordered a hit on former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. The shock was not that he ordered it, but that he had it done on British soil. After all, this was right under the noses of the then home secretary, Theresa May, and vaunted Scotland Yard… Read more.
Putin Hyping Nukes to Look Strong? That’s Weak!
The world had come to expect only North Korean President Kim Jong-un to bluster about nuclear strikes. Then came US President Donald Trump blustering about raining down nuclear “fire and fury.” And now comes Russian President Vladimir Putin blustering about this: Russia has tested an array of new strategic nuclear weapons that can’t be intercepted,… Read more.
In Finally Criticizing Russia re Syria, Trump Criticizes Himself
President Trump was obliged to hold a joint press conference when Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull visited the White House on Friday. This gave reporters an increasingly rare opportunity to question him in a formal setting. I feared they would waste the two questions Trump allowed to ask redundant ones about the Russia investigation. Therefore,… Read more.
IOC Ban Shows USA How to Deal with ‘Systematically’ Corrupt Russia
Russia’s Olympic team has been barred from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. … Any athletes from Russia who receive special dispensation to compete will do so as individuals wearing a neutral uniform, and the official record books will forever show that Russia won zero medals. That was the punishment issued Tuesday to… Read more.