Facts: Yes They Are Inconvenient, But Oh So Nice To Counter Leftist NeverTrumper Disinformation

FACT: Trump Administration Imposes New Sanctions on Putin Cronies
If President Trump were truly a tool of the Kremlin and Putin, one would think that he would be more conciliatory toward Putin's supporters. Instead he is hammering them with sanctions.

FACT: US May Become World's Biggest Oil Producer in 2019, a First Since Cold War Era
Russia's economy is heavily dependent on oil sales, because let's face it, Russian products stink, they have no significant exports except oil, nerve gas, polonium tipped umbrellas and weapons. So any decrease in oil prices is a significant blow to Putin and Russia and his plans, whatever they may be. Yet President Trump is a loud and proud believer in American energy independence, and supports the oil and coal industries in very concrete ways. If he were a Russian stooge, one would think that he would try to limit American energy production to raise the price of oil on the world markets.

FACT: Poland signs offset deal for US Patriot missiles Strengthening a traditional foe of Russia doesn't seem to be the behavior of a president who is supposedly in the pocket of the Russians, yet here we are!

FACT:Pentagon to give Ukraine $200 million more in military aid The Russian backed separatists won't be happy about this...

FACT:Trump slams Germany over Russian gas pipeline, calling it 'a horrible mistake'

"I think it's a horrible thing that Germany's doing. It's a horrible mistake. How can you be working for peace and working from strength when somebody has that kind of power over you," the US president said. "You've given up all of your strength. I think it's very bad for Germany. It's very bad for the German people. And I don't think it's very good for NATO, if you want to know the truth."

As Ace so ably discussed a few days ago, foreign policy realism often trumps* the moral high ground. Would I like President Trump to do something about Russian expansion into their former republics? Absolutely. Would I like him to push back on Russian hijinks all over the world, which includes the time-honored Russian tradition of murdering its enemies? Absolutely. Would I like him to stop their forays into American politics (also a time-honored tradition)? Sure!

But any solutions to these ancient problems must be respectful of American blood and treasure, so it is a bit complicated. It took 70 years to end Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and that required trillions of dollars and many thousands of American lives, and it would not have happened were it not for a few great men who arrived on the world stage at exactly the correct time. The current incarnation of the Russian Bear is not nearly as dangerous, and simply doesn't require the same amount of political, financial and human capital, because we are not in an existential battle with it.

Shall we talk about China?

*I'm here 'til Thursday...try the veal!

posted by CBD at 01:45 PM

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