Hakuna Matata

Trump Outfoxes Europe Today’s session took place during the countdown to Donald Trump’s address to Congress tonight. Rumor has it that he will announce the U.S. withdrawal from NATO. If he does so, then his sense of theater timing will be proven to be extraordinary. I say this because withdrawal from NATO, which we may assume was always in his plans, normally would raise rancorous debate on Capitol Hill. However, by a stroke of luck, the Europeans this past weekend, set the stage for such withdrawal by repeating the disastrous mistake of Volodymyr Zelensky during his meeting with Trump on Friday. I have in mind the capital crime of lèse majesté. You cannot publicly go up against the explicitly stated will of the President of the United States and expect to survive politically. This is precisely what the 19 European leaders who convened in London at the invitation of Keir Starmer did: they embraced Zelensky warmly, after he had been thrown out of White House; they called for a cease fire that entails European boots on the ground and American back-up support, which Trump very clearly said on Friday will not be forthcoming. They positioned themselves very clearly as the ‘war party’ when Trump has positioned himself as the campaigner for a durable peace here and now. If Trump does call for withdrawal from NATO, I expect he will get enormous support from those who are incensed at the temerity of the Europeans going up against their President. Another highlight of this interview is our discussion of Trump the Realist, Trump the Internationalist, even if and when he pulls out of NATO.

He looks like Central Asian (Uighur, Afghani, Tajik, etc.). So, he is targeting only prostitutes, right? Because only a prostitute will agree to go with him to a room. This is a high risk profession, isn't it? Must have insurance,

Citizens of Georgia are definitely the winners. The country of Georgia should change its international name to Sakartvelo in order to avoid confusion with the state of Georgia in United States. Just like Turkey has changed its name to Türkiye in order to avoid confusion with the bird turkey.

Is this country list comprehensive? What about the following countries: United States United Kingdom Poland Ukraine Lithuania Do they need to obtain an entry visa prior to entering Thailand?

Black Lives Matter! Black Opinions Matter even more.

Day by day the blindness and obtuseness of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and of his French comrade President Emmanuel Macron reach new and unimaginable heights. This is perfectly clear from this morning’s Financial Times’ extensive report on the outcome of the meeting of 19 European leaders that Starmer convened in London on Sunday. Understanding that Zelensky is his own worst enemy in dealing with the new administration in Washington, Starmer and Macron have decided to speak to Trump on Ukraine’s behalf. They are proposing a one-month Cease Fire that will cover hostile actions in the air, sea and relating to energy infrastructure. They do not propose to watch the 1000 km long battlefront, presumably because that is beyond their capabilities. Putting aside the question about whether such a limited truce makes any sense on its own, they propose to enforce it by sending ‘boots on the ground’ from a still unspecified ‘coalition of the willing’ which their own armies would lead. Here it is stunning that they are not listening to the flat refusal of President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov in their public statements of the past week to allow any stationing of foreign troops in Ukraine as guarantors of security. The very notion of NATO member countries having troops in Ukraine goes directly against the reasons for going to war that Russia announced back in February 2022. Again, if Starmer and Macron had been paying attention, they also would have heard the Russians saying that such troops would be considered as co-belligerents and would be targeted for destruction, likely with tactical nuclear weapons. Anybody listening out there in London? But then again, Macron and Starmer are not listening to Washington either. They said yesterday that they require the US to provide air cover for the troops in their ‘coalition of the willing’ though last Friday Donald Trump made it perfectly clear that the USA will not provide any security guaranties to a peace in Ukraine. You have to wonder what world Starmer, Macron and the other fools who gathered in London yesterday may be living in. It is certainly not the one you, dear reader, and I share. As regards Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky, who was guest of honor at the gathering in London, he had a session with reporters at the conclusion of the talks and just before he flew back to Kiev. This was covered very nicely by the BBC television news this morning, including the lengthy question from their reporter on whether Zelensky was prepared to do what Team Trump had demanded on Friday and to make a full apology to the American president. Zelensky gave a rambling answer in line with the boorish remarks he delivered in the Oval Office. He said that the much-awaited deal on rare earth was still ready for signing, but quietly added that it had to include a U.S. security guaranty for his country after the war. Very good, but such a guaranty was explicitly refused by Trump. It is hard to imagine that any of these state actors will remain on the stage for more than a few months to come. Their mediocrity, nay, their rank stupidity would go unnoticed in ordinary times. But these are not ordinary times.

Yes, I think Nigel Farage would be much better. What do you think?

CNN and other major media are today carrying video clips on their youtube channels giving us a glimpse of the 19 or so European and transatlantic leaders who gathered in London to discuss with Volodymyr Zelensky how to continue their cooperation in defense of Ukraine following the debacle in the White House in Washington yesterday, when Zelensky was humiliated before the television cameras and was shown to the door. Among the 19 whom I counted when they posed for the obligatory group photo were Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Georgia Meloni, Justin Trudeau, Mark Rutte, Ursula von der Leyen. In the few introductory words delivered by Keir Starmer, we heard that their common mission is to provide for European security, in which defending Ukraine plays a vital role. They seemingly wish to arrive at a common position on defending Ukraine that they will later present to Washington. The problem with this is that they are knowingly running directly against the now crystal clear position of Donald Trump to wash his hands of Zelensky and to allow the Russians to finish up this war as they see best. The U.S. is about to cut off shipments of arms prepared by Biden in his last days and will surely not send any further weapons to Kiev out of its current budget. It is utterly bizarre that these stubborn Europeans think that they have some leverage with Trump. Their blindness is not merely to the obvious fact that absent the participation of the USA in the war effort consisting of materiel, money and critically important satellite intelligence to guide battlefield operations, the Ukrainian forces have no chance whatsoever of standing up to Russia. Europe’s possible aid will solve nothing. More to the point, when they speak of European security, they overlook the fact that without vibrant U.S. participation in NATO, NATO can fold its tents since it will be nonfunctional. It lacks the air lift, the armaments manufacturing capacity, most everything to sustain a war that will last more than a few days. By their present gathering, these leaders are setting the stage for a U.S. pull-out from NATO. They forget how the United States under any president, not just Donald J. Trump, reacts to defiance from allies. Just think back to 2003 when Germany, France and Belgium had the temerity to veto the U.S. drafted resolution before the UN Security Council approving the planned invasion of Iraq over alleged weapons of mass destruction. Within days, French wines were being poured out into the gutters, French fries were renamed ‘freedom fries’ and there was outrage and indignation across the land. No less will result from the stupid, pig-headed action of these European heads of government in London today. As for Keir Starmer, he must be the stupidest of the lot. When in Washington meeting with Donald Trump, he was offered a tariff free trade deal with the USA that his country has sought ever since Brexit. He failed to see that this was the deal: you get tariff free trade if you just shut up about Ukraine. But shut up this oaf could not do. As they say in Washington, there now will be consequences. On related news of the day, it appears that King Charles today gave an audience to his good friend Volodymyr Zelensky. And does he still expect Donald Trump to come calling for the state visit and private dinner with the King that Starmer delivered during his visit?

Update

https://youtu.be/BkE9jj1E3Jk https://youtu.be/xgNmexOZYhU https://youtu.be/_a2MAcE5DBk https://youtu.be/Q4Kc_O7JDgM https://youtu.be/jLTvIEIPhiY

CNN and other major media are today carrying video clips on their youtube channels giving us a glimpse of the 19 or so European and transatlantic leaders who gathered in London to discuss with Volodymyr Zelensky how to continue their cooperation in defense of Ukraine following the debacle in the White House in Washington yesterday, when Zelensky was humiliated before the television cameras and was shown to the door. Among the 19 whom I counted when they posed for the obligatory group photo were Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Georgia Meloni, Justin Trudeau, Mark Rutte, Ursula von der Leyen. In the few introductory words delivered by Keir Starmer, we heard that their common mission is to provide for European security, in which defending Ukraine plays a vital role. They seemingly wish to arrive at a common position on defending Ukraine that they will later present to Washington. The problem with this is that they are knowingly running directly against the now crystal clear position of Donald Trump to wash his hands of Zelensky and to allow the Russians to finish up this war as they see best. The U.S. is about to cut off shipments of arms prepared by Biden in his last days and will surely not send any further weapons to Kiev out of its current budget. It is utterly bizarre that these stubborn Europeans think that they have some leverage with Trump. Their blindness is not merely to the obvious fact that absent the participation of the USA in the war effort consisting of materiel, money and critically important satellite intelligence to guide battlefield operations, the Ukrainian forces have no chance whatsoever of standing up to Russia. Europe’s possible aid will solve nothing. More to the point, when they speak of European security, they overlook the fact that without vibrant U.S. participation in NATO, NATO can fold its tents since it will be nonfunctional. It lacks the air lift, the armaments manufacturing capacity, most everything to sustain a war that will last more than a few days. By their present gathering, these leaders are setting the stage for a U.S. pull-out from NATO. They forget how the United States under any president, not just Donald J. Trump, reacts to defiance from allies. Just think back to 2003 when Germany, France and Belgium had the temerity to veto the U.S. drafted resolution before the UN Security Council approving the planned invasion of Iraq over alleged weapons of mass destruction. Within days, French wines were being poured out into the gutters, French fries were renamed ‘freedom fries’ and there was outrage and indignation across the land. No less will result from the stupid, pig-headed action of these European heads of government in London today. As for Keir Starmer, he must be the stupidest of the lot. When in Washington meeting with Donald Trump, he was offered a tariff free trade deal with the USA that his country has sought ever since Brexit. He failed to see that this was the deal: you get tariff free trade if you just shut up about Ukraine. But shut up this oaf could not do. As they say in Washington, there now will be consequences. On related news of the day, it appears that King Charles today gave an audience to his good friend Volodymyr Zelensky. And does he still expect Donald Trump to come calling for the state visit and private dinner with the King that Starmer delivered during his visit?