Former United States ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice makes a good argument about what exactly is at stake with this swift pivot of the US into isolationism and emboldening adversaries, namely Russia and China.
I haven't written about this before, but what can be done in Ukraine? I've always said there was no defeating Russia on the ground, that was fantasy, but Russia could be held up and find itself unable to gain more ground. To do this requires European resolve, and requires those arms sent to Ukraine to go into service. Much of what gets sent does not arrive, I've seen estimates which put the depletion of arms at 80%, meaning only 20% of what is sent ends up at the frontline. The rest gets sold off by criminals in the Ukraine to buyers in Central and South America, and Africa.
Without the US, Europe can hold off Putin, but they'll need to get themselves organised, and reform Ukraine itself, which is the most corrupt country in Europe.
The question also needs to be asked; is Trump all there in the brain, or is he working for Russia? He certainly does not seem to realise what he is dealing with in someone like Putin (it is claimed Putin worked in Wellington, NZ selling Bata shoes, some people swear he was there as an intelligence officer - I'm not kidding, this is possible). Putin is well educated, probably even a nice guy to have a beer with, but he is also utterly ruthless. And Russians don't care how long it takes, or how many die, just so long as they get what they're after.
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