Putin attacks the United States
(This is first of a two-part series. The first deals with the attack on American/NATO security and the second will deal with what, if anything, America/NATO can do about it.)
The Madman of Moscow has invaded Ukraine, but he has also attacked the United States – and the western alliance. In the first wave, Vladimir Putin has attacked the stock market and put the Biden inflation on steroids. If those are not hostile acts, I do not know what would be. But there is more.
While President Biden is basing American policy on wishful thinking rather than sound judgment, Putin has forced the United States and NATO to bolster the eastern border of the Alliance with thousands more troops at great expense – putting military personnel on the front line of defense instead of being home with their families. If the invasion of Ukraine was not perceived as an attack on the Alliance, why all the defensive military preparation?
Putin is also attacking America’s national security in a number of ways beyond the stock market and inflation. Thanks to Biden’s incredibly stupid anti-fossil fuel policies, America is no longer energy independent – as we were before Biden took office.
Biden has moved America from oil independence to a reliance on foreign fuel. America currently gets seven percent of its fuel from … Russia. Putin has us helping pay for the invasion of Ukraine and the attacks on American security. How sweet is that?
President Trump opposed the second Nord Stream pipeline to Germany because he thought Germany relying on Russian oil was a bad policy. Biden reversed the policy and gave the green light to the expansion of the Nord Stream pipeline.
Should Russia take over Ukraine, it will shift enormous natural resources from the western nations to Russia. Ukraine is rich in a broad range of natural resources – including rare minerals essential to technological growth.
As an ally, Ukraine holds a strategic position and was host to the American military – which Biden withdrew under the threat of invasion by Putin. This could have, should have and would likely have been expanded to a more permanent military presence – such as airbases and intelligence facilities. Ukraine already provided an intelligence platform closer to Russia. As in Afghanistan, the United States will lose those intel resources should Putin succeed.
The option for Ukraine to join NATO – as it should have — has been another defeat at the hands of Putin.
By exposing America’s weaknesses, Putin also shifts the power balance in the world. He has openly said that his long-range strategy to realign the power from the American/NATO bloc to the old Communist bloc – an existential threat to American security interests. Add this to America’s impotent responses to election meddling and periodic cyber-attacks, Putin signals to other adversaries – most notably China, North Korea and Iran – that Uncle Sam is an aging old man with diminishing capacity.
Putin is shattering the NATO alliance – a key component to American leadership and security in the world. Oh … I have heard all the kiss-butt commentators talk about how Biden has shored up NATO.
Then how do you explain Germany’s tepid response – no military aide to Ukraine and a temporary pause in the construction of the new Nord Stream pipeline. Italy opposes using oil as a sanction – because they get so much from Russia. The President of Hungary is almost an ally of Putin. France is not looking like it is firmly committed to the harshest sanctions. If Putin succeeds in Ukraine NATO will be weaker and more divided … period.
Those who think the United States has no security interests in what is happening in Ukraine are – to put it simply — damned fools. And those – on the right and left – who think we should just let Ukraine go or align with Putin because of his raw power are the political clones of those in America who pandered to Adolph Hitler before World War II.
Putin has made no secret of his desire to bring down the United States. What we have seen has been the opening battles of a strategic attack – one that America is losing for lack of effective and appropriate response. If we do not understand what is happening, that bright light on America’s horizon is a setting sun.
So, there ‘tis.
I’m sorry, wasn’t this a story about Russia attacking our stock market and causing our inflation? How do they do that?
How does the United States have control over a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany? Do we own anything there?
And our giant purchase of Russia. Is that the total balance of trade between Russia and the United States?
The story does not make sense, it seems as stupid as the author.
But I did realize that Biden made the ruble collapse. Biden made thousands of Russians take to the streets and protest. Biden made a multitude of Russian sports figures and entertainers formally protest. I didn’t cover any of that did you?
Ben… you sure need a lot of explanting. In “attacking” the stock market, I was writing metaphorically. It was a secondary impact of the invasion … as was the spike in gas prices (inflation). In terms of your last paragraph … are you saying that I failed to give Biden credit for all those good things. I didn’t because I do not believe it was a direct reaction. I also had to laugh that you call me “stupid” after repeatedly complaining about ad hominin attacks. See … the beauty of free speech. You can roll out your hypocrisy in full view.
Went in room Larry, you stupid conservative idiot. I don’t know how you can say the stock market is a direct effect, and the crushing blow of the ruble in the other things I mentioned were not. Except that your brain loses focus when it comes to your Pardison politics. And, since you wrote this today, apparently you haven’t seen that the stock market get 800 points the next day after your article. Yeah, you are that stupid.
Hey I’m, of course, you can a certain that your recommendations would not have caused any of that. Ha ha ha ha. That’s just funny.
Sorry about not being able to have real conversations anymore. But like I said, I give up, time to go with the flow. If your buddy Joe is just not gonna have any guidelines, any class, any consistency in his moderation, and all of this is just for the buck, then who cares. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just entertainment now.
Biden is INCREDIBLY stupid on ALL fronts . . . and THIS looks incredibly SUSPICIOUS. Maybe he should be sent to FEDERAL PRISON for SEDITION and TREASON as well as DERELICTION of DUTY. GITMO will do, as he can see all of hid TERRORIST “buddies”. One Enlightened And SUSPICIOUS Patriot.
Larry, you are such a spinmeister. Oil is a complex economic issue. You leave out the fact that in 2020, US oil demand fell considerably due to the pandemic which Trump did not adequately address. So, as easily as you claim this is all Biden’s fault, although you provide no facts as to why that, I could just as easily say it’s all Trump’s fault using your same spin techniques.
Also you leave out the fact that oil production fell to its lowest levels of years and has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. That’s not an artifact of Biden policies, that’s an artifact of industry production and start up time. It is not new wells that have failed, it is that existing wells are not operating at pre-pandemic levels yet.
Meanwhile, you harp on the fact that we import some oil now whereas we became oil independent for a very short time mostly due to the pandemic, which I guess you can claim Trump is responsible for. Nice job Larry.
You also leave out the fact that we net export all petroleum products which has only grown under Biden. Again, this is not due to Biden policies, this is due to supply and demand.
There is no doubt when you ostracize the second largest oil producer in the world, there will be worldwide effects. Would you have expected such effects to be lessened by putting troops, missiles, and maybe even nukes in Ukraine? What would happen if Russia put nukes in Cuba? Oh yeah, I remember now. Would you have expected them to act differently? And NATO is not about protecting the entire world, it’s about protecting NATO. You spun that one too.
So, complex issue that you have decided to spin to make your political points in a pugnacious fashion.
Trump is the hero and Biden is the devil. I just wish it was that simple, as simple as you are. I suggest you look at some facts, actually print some facts, grasp the big picture, and quit cherry picking factoids in order to prove your political points. Sometimes, it’s not just about Democrats and Republicans, there are actually economic factors that overwhelm any political party . You are an idiot. Worse yet, you are spin Meister.
Frank Stetson. I see you have come out from behind your phony screen names. Rather than go point-by-point with you on your many misstatements, I thought it would be useful to point out the weaknesses in your entire approach. While you CLAIM to by a thoughtful and informed person who avoids personal attacks, you are not. I have taken your recent comment and highlighted in uppercase all that is merely your opinion … debatable points …inaccuracies … ad hominin attacks .., and irrelevant statements. What is left is any factual information — and even those few words are of little value to the discussion. You are peddling poop. Of course, that is only my opinion.
“LARRY, YOU ARE SUCH A SPINMEISTER. Oil is a complex economic issue. YOU LEAVE OUT THE FACT THAT IN 2020, US OIL DEMAND FELL CONSIDERABLY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC WHICH TRUMP DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS. SO, AS EASILY AS YOU CLAIM THIS IS ALL BIDEN’S FAULT, ALTHOUGH YOU PROVIDE NO FACTS AS TO WHY THAT, I could just as easily say it’s all Trump’s fault using your same spin techniques.
Also you leave out the fact that oil production fell to its lowest levels of years and has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. THAT’S NOT AN ARTIFACT OF BIDEN POLICIES, THAT’S AN ARTIFACT OF INDUSTRY PRODUCTION AND START UP TIME. IT IS NOT NEW WELLS THAT HAVE FAILED, IT IS THAT EXISTING WELLS ARE NOT OPERATING AT PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS YET.
MEANWHILE, YOU HARP ON THE FACT that we import some oil now whereas we became oil independent for a very short time MOSTLY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WHICH I GUESS YOU CAN CLAIM TRUMP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. NICE JOB LARRY.
YOU ALSO LEAVE OUT THE FACT THAT WE NET EXPORT ALL PETROLEUM PRODUCTS WHICH HAS ONLY GROWN UNDER BIDEN. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT DUE TO BIDEN POLICIES, THIS IS DUE TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
THERE IS NO DOUBT WHEN YOU OSTRACIZE THE SECOND LARGEST OIL PRODUCER IN THE WORLD, THERE WILL BE WORLDWIDE EFFECTS. WOULD YOU HAVE EXPECTED SUCH EFFECTS TO BE LESSENED BY PUTTING TROOPS, MISSILES, AND MAYBE EVEN NUKES IN UKRAINE? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF RUSSIA PUT NUKES IN CUBA? OH YEAH, I REMEMBER NOW. WOULD YOU HAVE EXPECTED THEM TO ACT DIFFERENTLY? AND NATO IS NOT ABOUT PROTECTING THE ENTIRE WORLD, IT’S ABOUT PROTECTING NATO. YOU SPUN THAT ONE TOO.
SO, COMPLEX ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE DECIDED TO SPIN TO MAKE YOUR POLITICAL POINTS IN A PUGNACIOUS FASHION.
TRUMP IS THE HERO AND BIDEN IS THE DEVIL. I JUST WISH IT WAS THAT SIMPLE, AS SIMPLE AS YOU ARE. I SUGGEST YOU LOOK AT SOME FACTS, ACTUALLY PRINT SOME FACTS, GRASP THE BIG PICTURE, AND QUIT CHERRY PICKING FACTOIDS IN ORDER TO PROVE YOUR POLITICAL POINTS. SOMETIMES, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, THERE ARE ACTUALLY ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT OVERWHELM ANY POLITICAL PARTY. YOU ARE AN IDIOT. WORSE YET, YOU ARE SPIN MEISTER.”
Now Frank, if I were to take up your level of discourse, i would close by saying … you are a moron. If course, I would never do such a thing. Not my style.
The iul stuff came from EIA reports, moron.
And I am not Frank. I am frank though.
FYI; if Joe decides to act responsibly, so will I. ,
HAHAHAHA!!!! Nope, you are a moron. Larry may not call you that, but I will, and so will most Americans.
Theodore. Seems we are getting a lot of anger …. nastiness … and even AKA screen names to hide their names. That is a sure sign of one thing. They cannot compete at a civilized level. They are losing … and they know it.
Frank …. at least you admit you are acting irresponsibly. And while I do not agree about your opinion of the site or Joe, I guess your mother never taught you that the first failure is to act like people you do not like. You really are acting childish.
That’s because you’re a fool, Larry. You say I’m acting like a child. And then you accuse my mother of improper upbringing. What a dumb FCK. It’s just free speech, Larry., get over it. It’s a commercial website., these are the rules. This is the general fare around here. Suddenly, you don’t like it directed at you. How do you think we liberals feel when it’s 100 to 1 odds at being directed to us. So man up, Larry you pussy. And get with the show. Or fix it once and for all. It’s entirely within your power. You can easily ban me and create your Better echo chamber. Or systemically fix it for everyone. And make a better site. For everyone. And still include free speech, just drop the gutter talk for a start.
Wow Frank. You have really lost it. Maybe you nee a time out. Your veil of civility seems to have fallen away. Go back and read your comments of just a couple months about and tell me you have not had some sort of emotional breakdown. Or was your past civility only a smokescreen for what I see you writing today. I wonder … would your mother be proud of your last post — your all-out ugly, crude and, yes, childish, ad hominin attack? Do you really think your silly-ass insults reflect well on your? They may be direct on me — and have no real impact — but everyone else reads them. Do they think “Boy, that Frank is a smart, descent and well spoken person.”? Think about that.
Frank… and why would we ban you when you are making liberals look like arrogant fools? Your side does not understand the First Amendment. Youi allow people to speak and let other decide what they think about it. Censoring you would only conceal your liberal persona. That is the beauty of free speech. You are allowed to make a fool of yourself.
Putin is draining the swamp.
The largest contributions to the Clinton Foundation was Ukraine. Pelosi, Kerry, Romney, & Biden had kids being paid millions from Ukraine. These are he same people who impeached Trump.Ukraine is the money laundering center for the cabal. Soros operate out of there. Putin hates Soros.
Putin is draining the swamp. The world will be a better place as a result.
Damn straight. Putin is the man putting Soros, Pelosi, Cheny and Biden where they belong. Poland in next. Yipppeee. PBP tells the truth, gotta love free lies, fabrications, propaganda, and disinformation. Free, free, free at last.
The Russians will walk into Poland backwards and the polish people will think they are leaving. Then the polish will throw dynamite at the Russians and they will light the fuses and throw it back
You are an idiot, ben ,innocent women and children being murdered under false pretenses. Wake up putin is in it for the power and will not stop at ukraine. Since you sre such a fan of his move to Russia please!
Timothy price …. you seem to be referring to the pre-Zelenskyy era, after the Putin puppet government was booted. That swamp was well on its way to being drained. When Putin controlled Ukraine, the swamp people were in charge.
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is a Communistic Anti-American A-HOLE who should be IMPEACHED/REMOVED from the Oval Office along with his Nazi-style Democrats. They all should be charged with the crime of HIGH TREASON, placed before of Military Court for TREASON, and everyone should be shot at Sunrise for TREASON against America