Lots of angst in my little corner of the world as it relates to Ukraine.
First, there is the US election. If Kamala Harris wins, there is every reason to believe that she will continue with Joe Biden’s cowardly, mealy-mouthed support for Ukraine – enough to stay in it but not enough to win it. “Do or do not. There is no try.” No wonder both Ukrainians and Americans are getting tired of a scenario where there is no clear plan for Ukrainian victory and certainly no clear plan for a just and lasting peace.
On the other hand, if Donald Trump (along with his virulent anti-Ukrainian running mate, J.D. Vance) wins, his “relationship” with Vladimir Putin will almost certainly put an end to Ukraine’s quest for sovereign statehood and a just peace. In fact, his election will likely even mean an end to the hope for peace in Europe entirely, as the US – who is already seen as a weak ally – will be unlikely to come to the aid of the next country that Putin and his ilk attempt to coerce back into the fetid imperialist “Russian world”.
“I’ll end the war in 24 hours,” Trump has said. Sure, by giving Putin everything he wants, including all of Ukraine. For any American voter who cares about Ukraine, you are indeed on the horns of a dilemma.
Then, you can add Germany to that mix of angst. Olaf Scholz, with his “no Ukraine in #NATO” nonsense, makes Biden and Harris look like the ultimate warriors. “Fear of escalation, blah, blah, blah…” The only thing Germany, the rest of Europe, and indeed the rest of the world should fear is the continued existence of the top “sh*thole country” in the world, namely #Russia. Russia’s escalating every day by bringing North Korean troops into the fray and killing Ukrainian civilians daily, but Scholz doesn’t seem to get that.
Maybe his next step will be for Germany to sign another non-aggression pact with Russia of the 1939 type. That’ll show ‘em.
Because the West is so weak and cowardly, Russia is making gains both on the battlefield and in the high offices of the world. Putin is loving this. Thirty years from now, we’ll all be wringing our hands again and moaning, “Never again!” and it’ll ring just as hollow then as it does now.
Angst indeed.