50 Days

Commander-in-Chief Bonespurs has set a deadline of 50 days for Vladimir Putin to conclude a peace with Ukraine. (That’s like, “forever” in Donnie time.) Given the Furor’s lack of adherence to self-imposed deadlines for diplomacy generally, tariffs and tariff deal-making, and 24-hour war-stopping, I don’t suppose Putin is overly concerned with Comrade Kompromat’s recent “change of tone.” Nor should he be. It is probably just the media jawboning of a compliant monkey who’d otherwise surrender outright if he could. Indeed, while he promised weaponry that should have been delivered months ago, he also proscribed using it on Moscow. How’s that for tough talk. 

On the other hand, it would be wonderfully ironic if the source of Donald’s newfound attitude were Melania’s early memories of the good old Soviet Union. There is hope, it seems, but always from where you little expect.         

Two Thousand Four Hundred and Forty Hours Later

On the campaign trail last year, Herr Trumpf claimed that if elected president, he could end Russia’s imperial war on Ukraine in twenty-four hours. He never explained how he might do that. Even surrendering unconditionally usually takes longer—which was my sense of his grand plan. His treatment of Ukraine and President Zelenskiy, so petulant and shoddy, his obsequious regard for Putin, and his hopes for post-war lucre in Russia all signaled a rather ignominious capitulation as the best that could be expected from Trumpist policy. He can’t even do that, thankfully. Two thousand four hundred and forty hours later, there is no peace, not even a cease-fire agreement, in Ukraine, with his Secretary of State threatening to walk out on peace talks. Peace, apparently, is harder work than anyone in this administration ever thought—if “thinking” is the correct term for the invertebrate neural processes that direct U.S. government activity these days.

Concern for Ukraine is as genuine and sustained among those of us who care as it has ever been, but Trump and his Republican gofers dither on Ukraine while they ramp up economic hostilities on the rest of our friends and allies. You are not alone, Ukraine. The U.S. soon may be.   

A Russian Asset

American history will know no more selfish and craven a traitor than Donald Trump. His Republican enablers and his voters have no shame, none. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriots have lost their lives in commitment to, and defense of, their country, a commitment and a defense that served American and western interests as well. In terms not only geopolitical and military, but moral and spiritual. And the President of the United States dismisses their heroic example and sacrifice as the consequence of having made a bad real estate transaction. He sickens. 

A Desperate Measure

In the contest between Putin, a proven autocrat, and Donald, the shambolic kiss-ass wannabe, the proven autocrat appears to have taken the upper hand. Apparently, kissing autocrat ass did not train Trump in autocracy. Go figure. Instead of inviting Canada to become the 51^st state or annexing war-torn Gaza, Trump could have offered Ukraine 51^st statehood, gained access to all those strategic minerals he craved for free, established Black Sea resorts to his heart’s content, and incorporated a valiant nation of proven heroes into a country whose virtue and intelligence appear to be flagging—if presidential elections are any clue.

Long Live Ukraine!