Hi all — sounds like everyone is sharing the same worries — Six Turkeys, you asked about what sense I have in the US — so first of all, many Americans don’t really know anything about what is going on in Ukraine, beyond just that they have been invaded and it’s “terrible” — most could not find it (sadly) on a map.
There has not been much analysis in the media about HOW we got here — just a single message — that Ukraine is not part of NATO so we can’t help much. Lots of noise around sanctions, which are improving, but no serious talk about direct aid except from the stronger Rupublicans.
There is a worrying undercurrent that I can see that there really is concern that Putin would use his nuclear arsenal if pushed into a corner. And is that why we are so constrained or is it because we are worried he might pivot to China? And what’s China got going here? They abstained from the UN vote — my guess is they’d like to try it with Taiwan.
The real problem right now is we have an unbelievably weak President. This is what you get when the whole world’s media was screaming “anyone but Trump” at the last election. That’s exactly what we got — just “anyone”.
Biden is old and confused. He called the Ukrainians “Iranians” in last nights address — omg, it’s embarrassing but worse, it’s so dangerous.
I watch this and think — WHY would Putin start this and where is he going? There is lots of media theories that he is ill or has cracked under Covid lockdown. There is noise his own generals will kill him. Those ideas seem like fantasy to me — just a way to calm ourselves with our favorite blanket. He is killing people NOW and we are just standing by watching.
I wonder how this could happen in today’s world. I thought Covid had “reset” our universe — but this invasion is a whole new level of crazy.
Julia
