Article by Robert Kagan about Ukraine
Jan. 10th, 2025 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ndrosenRobert Kagan had an article in The Atlantic recently, “Trump Is Facing a Catastrophic Defeat,” warning that without adequate American aid, or even with it, Ukraine may be outright conquered by Russia.
Much of it made good sense to me (alas), but I will quote a pair of sentences which did not: “Many people, and not just Trump’s supporters, similarly assumed that the mere election of Trump would be enough to force Putin to agree to a peace deal. Trump’s tough-guy image and deal making prowess supposedly gave him, in the view of one former Defense official, ‘the power and the credibility with Putin to tell him he must make a just, lasting peace.’”
I certainly never assumed anything like that! Cadet Bone Spurs may have a tough-guy image among the ignorant, but I can’t think of any evidence that he has real courage. As to his credibility, someone may have misspelled “credulity.” We’re talking about the man who accepted Putin’s assurances over the assessments of America’s intelligence agencies, so I would be very much surprised if Putin does not see Trump as a weakling and easily bamboozled chump.
If, Lord forbid, Russia succeeds in conquering Ukraine, I see some possible good coming of it: Some of the less delusional MAGAts may see this as a blow and a national shame to the United States, and Trump’s support may erode. The real estate crash and national debt crisis which we are likely to see in another year or two may also discredit the would-be caudillo. I fear, though, that this could be a very painful and costly way for the country to learn a lesson.
Much of it made good sense to me (alas), but I will quote a pair of sentences which did not: “Many people, and not just Trump’s supporters, similarly assumed that the mere election of Trump would be enough to force Putin to agree to a peace deal. Trump’s tough-guy image and deal making prowess supposedly gave him, in the view of one former Defense official, ‘the power and the credibility with Putin to tell him he must make a just, lasting peace.’”
I certainly never assumed anything like that! Cadet Bone Spurs may have a tough-guy image among the ignorant, but I can’t think of any evidence that he has real courage. As to his credibility, someone may have misspelled “credulity.” We’re talking about the man who accepted Putin’s assurances over the assessments of America’s intelligence agencies, so I would be very much surprised if Putin does not see Trump as a weakling and easily bamboozled chump.
If, Lord forbid, Russia succeeds in conquering Ukraine, I see some possible good coming of it: Some of the less delusional MAGAts may see this as a blow and a national shame to the United States, and Trump’s support may erode. The real estate crash and national debt crisis which we are likely to see in another year or two may also discredit the would-be caudillo. I fear, though, that this could be a very painful and costly way for the country to learn a lesson.
