This comparison isn't about differences but about similarities.
The first country in this comparison is North Korea, otherwise known as the Hermit Kingdom. It is a country ruled by an insecure, fearful man who controls everything within his country. He has a penchant for lobbing missiles to prove his and his country's relevancy and strength. He wants to be noticed, to be feared, to be thought great.
The second country is Russia. Recently, if you have been watching the news, you will be aware that Russia has amassed a large amount of troops around the borders of Ukraine, its small neighbor. No one would make the mistake of thinking that Ukraine was any sort of threat to Russia. And yet, there they are, sitting like vultures, seemingly waiting to attack. Why? Some people speculate that Russia's president is trying to prevent Ukraine becoming part of NATO. Or that he is trying to prove that Russia is a great power. I am not quite sure how bullying your neighbor proves greatness, but there it is.
There is no comparison between the capabilities of the two country's military power. Russia could run rings around North Korea. Russia is a participant in the international community to an extent that North Korea would never choose to be. Yet their behavior is eerily similar. Both want to be noticed, both want to show they are relevant and both want to be thought great.
I can only speculate that the similarity lies in the character of the leadership. But what neither man sees is that acting out of insecurity and fear do not equate with greatness.
59 comments:
"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."
William Shakespeare
Kind of like a self fulfilling prophecy.
Somehow not having a horse in the race makes the Super Bowl more fun to watch.
"Somehow not having a horse in the race makes the Super
Bowl more fun to watch."
I did not find that to be so.
Good game though; good football.
The better team won. There should have been a facemask call on that Bengal touchdown.
At least it was close, though.
"…There should have been a facemask call on that Bengal touchdown."
Yep. Clearly so.
So Trump's former accounting firm has just disavowed ten years worth of financial statements that it had compiled for him. Not a good sign for Trump. Not at all.
And the Russians are still loitering around Ukraine, breathing down its neck. Wouldn't you think they would have something better to do? I hear omicron is swamping that country. I noticed that when Putin was meeting with Macron and later one of his deputies they used a verrrrryyy long table to keep a safe distance. I see that Putin isn't taking any chances with the virus.
"…ten years worth of financial statements…"
This suggests that ten years is the applicable statute of limitations.
Metaphor: Rats, ships, etc.
It does seem to me that it's perhaps a little late to be disavowing. But, they may be working on the 'better late than never' theory.
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"…the Russians are still loitering around Ukraine…"
The Biden administration claims they've actually been surreptitiously adding troops, perhaps as many as 7,000, to the force stationed around the Ukraine; Putin's claim to be reducing the number of troops there notwithstanding.
Nevertheless, I'm stickin' with my last evaluation. The odds of an invasion have gone down significantly. I judge it more likely than not that Putin leaves Ukraine uninvaded, although he very well may engage in some sort of mischief on the margins.
Biden has outmaneuvered him--so far.
It does seem to me that it's perhaps a little late to be disavowing
I was kind of thinking the same thing. Yes, rats and sinking ships did come to mind.
I hope you are right about Ukraine. But it has come to the point where either side could accidentally step into a war. Twitchy trigger fingers come to mind.
Or perhaps not so accidentally.
Kim Potter, the police officer convicted of killing Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, was given 2 years.
"Kim Potter…was given 2 years."
But only 16 months of those are under confinement. The remaining eight months are on 'supervised' release ('supervised', yeah, right, like that's gonna happen). The judge openly crying at the utter injustice of it all was not a good look. The prosecution had asked for 7 years, in accord with Minnesota's sentencing guidelines for 1ˢᵗ degree manslaughter, first offense; judge gave her 16 months dressed up to look like two years.
The victim's family is outraged; but, they're probably lucky she got any time at all. Her lawyer inexplicably neglected to plead the gimme defense of 'fear of a black man' (a/k/a "qualified immunity")--which almost universally entitles any cop to walk away untroubled by the law for the shooting of any black man under any circumstances.
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Biden seems convinced that my prior estimate of odds for the Russian invasion of the Ukraine is proving to be incorrect.
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I wasn't aware of it until last night, but Donald J and Melania Trump's personal tax returns are due in in four (4) days. (Having been extended from last April 15ᵗʰ.) Given that their historical accountants have quit on them and disavowed the last ten years of accounting statements and tax returns, the Trumps may have some difficulty in hiring a tax preparer on such short notice, or, at all. (George T Conway III, writing in the New York Times)
However, President Zelensky of Ukraine seems to agree with you.
Maybe you are both right and Putin is running a con to make Biden look crazy or out of touch.
You never know.
The Potter case was a tragedy all the way around. A man was killed and a police officer with a good record will have to live with the fact that she killed him. There is something to be said for intent in determining a sentence.
I don't feel that she had the malice of a Derek Chauvin. But I don't know what would be a fair sentence. Be it 2 years or 7 Daunte Wright is still dead. Maybe this one should be left in God's hands.
"There is something to be said for intent in determining a
sentence."
Under Minnesota law, intent to kill is not a necessary element of 1ˢᵗ degree manslaughter. It is enough that the perp intended to illegally inflict 'bodily harm' on the victim (i.e. intended to commit an illegal bodily assault) and that the victim died as a result of that illegal assault.
At best, Officer Potter intended to inflict a little torment and torture on Daunte Wright. That's at best.
Tasers are sold as 'less lethal' defensive weapons. link They are not magic lassos for mythical Wonder Women to use to capture the cartoon bad guys. They're potentially lethal defensive weapons.
But, Wright wasn't attacking anybody. There was nothing going on there that she could have been viewed as properly defending against with the use of that taser.
But, he was black, so whack him with a taser for non-compliance, why not? Just 'cause ya can.
The jury didn't seem to agree with that thinking (although the judge sure seems to have).
"Maybe this one should be left in God's hands."
And then again, maybe not. I'd be in among those voting 'not', myself.
But, I would agree that she did not display actual malice on par with Derek Chauvin. So, I'd have been okay with seven years for her as opposed to Chauvin's twenty years plus.
Wright wasn't attacking anybody, no. He appeared to be trying to flee police. He did have an outstanding warrant of some kind, so I presume that was why they were trying to stop him. I don't know, I wasn't in the courtroom to hear whatever reasoning the police used for their actions.
I do know that she shot him once, unlike other cases where the victim was shot multiple times. So that makes me think she truly thought she was using a taser and when she realized she wasn't did not continue to fire the weapon. Her intent was not to kill.
The amount of jail time is debatable. I hope that after she is released she uses the leniency shown by the judge to try to, if not atone, at least live a life of service to better her community and help those she injured. It will not bring back the man she killed, but it would seem a better use of her time then sitting behind bars.
I am curious on your take on the various incidents reported by our government officials and employees concerning the possible attacks by some kind of microwave electromagnetic device? At least that is the type of device they think may cause the types of injuries they are experiencing.
It would seem to cross a line, almost into the realm of warfare.
"He did have an outstanding warrant of some kind…"
It was a morning after complaint by a young woman who'd spent the prior night with him (his place not hers) and had been turned out in the morning without breakfast.
"…she truly thought she was using a taser…"
Which she had no business drawing in the first place. "I was just gonna light him up for non-compliance" is not a valid defense here. It would not have been an appropriate response to the situation she faced, even if he had not died as a result.
________________________________
"I am curious on your take on the various incidents reported
by our government officials and employees…"
If it were 'microwaves' (loosely defined), I think we'd have collected firm evidence for it by now. Receiving and recording equipment should be reasonably inexpensive. Such detection equipment could be left on for days and days and months and months on the cheap. (And I'd reckon that's already been tried.) Yet they seem to have found nothing.
Probably something else going on.
(I'm at least entertaining the possibility that we're looking at the State Department's very own 'alien abduction' phenomenon.)
And, just by the way: Daunte Wright was subjected to a pretextual stop in the first place. Air freshener hanging from his rear-view mirror. White folks don't get stopped for that.
White folks also don't get a warrant sworn out for their arrest (then held in reserve and never served so's to allow the cops to roust them around any damn time the cops feel bored) on the fairly preposterous allegations of a overnight honey left pissed in the morning.
Perhaps I should remind you that it was just such a warrant that led to the maiming of Jacob Blake?
And then, of course, followed the protests and Kyle Rittenhouse bringing his AR-15 in from Illinois.
It looks like Putin will recognize the separatist areas of the Donbas region of Ukraine. It sounds a bit like he is nibbling away at Ukraine.
But it also sounds like Ukraine doesn't have much interest in those areas.
I don't know anything about a woman being involved in the Daunte Wright warrant. It looks like a weapons charge of some sort. Anyway, it looks like a training stop gone very bad. The air freshener wouldn't have normally been a real issue.
(I'm at least entertaining the possibility that we're looking at the State Department's very own 'alien abduction' phenomenon.)
I would take it more seriously then that. It has been going on for multiple administrations. The victims aren't stupid or crazy. The symptoms are real. One even recorded the sound that accompanies the symptoms.
They will continue to look and, hopefully, respond accordingly when they find out what has been occurring.
"It looks like a weapons charge of some sort."
Not the warrant. It was a misdemeanor warrant for failure to answer a summons which had been mailed to somebody else's address. (The court clerk said it was 'the address they had on file', which means they made no effort to confirm the address.) The cops on the stop would have been informed that it was a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear in response to a summons (mailed).
"One even recorded the sound that accompanies the symptoms."
Microwaves don't make sounds. (I'm less categorical and less certain about symptoms making sounds.)
"The air freshener wouldn't have normally been a real issue."
It's never a real issue. It's used as a pretext. It was used as a pretext in that case as well.
"But it also sounds like Ukraine doesn't have much interest in
those areas."
That's debatable. Nevertheless, those areas have much interest in the Ukraine. The vast majority are Ukrainian citizens (even among those who primarily use the Russian dialect). The large majority doesn't want to secede from Ukraine nor to live under the junta currently in charge there (on the other hand, the minority military junta installed by the Russians does want to secede because they'll be the first beneficiaries of the graft and corruption after secession).
"It looks like Putin will recognize the separatist areas of the
Donbas region of Ukraine."
As I read it, he already has. It's a done deal.
If there is an outstanding warrant they were required to make an arrest, even if it was just for failure to appear. There was a bill introduced to have the police just inform the person of an outstanding warrant and have them sign a form saying they were informed of their court date. This is already being done in two of our counties and seems to work well, lowering the temperature in a stop. And most of the people signing the form did actually show up.
No, microwaves don't make noise. But the device being used may.
"If there is an outstanding warrant they were required to make an
arrest…"
Doesn't change the standing policy prohibiting the 'tasing' of a suspect on account of him (or her) trying to flee. Nothing happening there justified her drawing that taser against Dante Wright. In fact they got specific rules against use of a taser in that situation. She was training her new charge in how to break those rules and get away with it (as long as the victim is black; nobody expects to get away with doing that to white folks). Victim died as a result.
She shoulda got the seven years.
The large majority doesn't want to secede from Ukraine nor to live under the junta currently in charge there...
Then I presume there will be some who will fight.
So I haven't heard much about the Crimea lately. How are they getting along under Russia's thumb?
Sanctions on Russia should be sanctions on Putin and his oligarchs not the Russian people.
"But the device being used may [make noise]."
A noisy secret device? You may be reachin' a little there.
"…haven't heard much about the Crimea lately."
They're not being starved to death this time. (That did happen to Ukrainians, on purpose, under Stalin.) But last poll I heard 'bout had a majority of them wishing they were still under Ukrainian jurisdiction.
I see that Putin has announced the disposition of Russian "peacekeepers" to the Ukrainian breakaway provinces in the east.
No surprise here. I was expecting just this sort of compromise with his real desires.
("[Putin] very well may engage in some sort of mischief on the
margins.")
Lee C. @ Thu Feb 17, 05:50 am ↑↑
Putin wants all of Ukraine under his thumb, but Biden's outmaneuvered him so far, made that grab look too costly. So we get this mischief on the margins instead.
Now Biden's gotta answer this move. One would hope he's also been expecting it, or something similar, and has a planned response ready to roll out in short order. He already rolled out some new, target restricted sanctions, but they're mostly ineffectual, worthy as symbols of quick reaction, but not much more. Of course, Putin's announcement was also mostly symbolic as well. The breakaway Ukrainian provinces were already hosting Russian regular troops in full uniform. Renaming them as 'peacekeepers' is mostly a symbolic move.
"Then I presume there will be some who will fight."
Most of 'em just been putting up with it to date. Putin's announcement of a name change for the Russian troops already there (renaming them as 'peacekeepers') don't change much. Likely they'll continue to just put up with it for the foreseeable future.
Germany has 'halted' the certification process for the Russians' Nord Stream 2 pipeline. NYT Been a lot of whining from the Republicans about Biden not 'sanctioning' the pipeline, but it looks like not pissing off the Germans was a good idea after all.
"Putin's announcement of a name change for the Russian
troops already there…don't change much."
Putin 'clarified' his intent this morning. He's declaring that his 'peacekeeping' troops will take control across the entirety of the two provinces wherein there exists smaller 'breakaway' regions already under his control. In essence, he's claimed dominion over areas the Ukrainian government still controls (and where they have combat troops deployed, defending that control).
This does change much.
It does look like Biden & Co have been anticipating Putin's grabbing all he can get and along with our allies have come up with a schedule of counter moves.
This does include sanctioning the elites in Russia as well as the institutions financing the Russian military.
Of course, the wild card is China. Not for nothing did Putin go to the Olympics to cozy up to Xi. His boredom at the opening ceremonies was quite apparant. Russia will be looking for financial help from them if the sanctions start to bite.
I always thought the pipeline was a mistake. Never trust Putin.
But last poll I heard 'bout had a majority of them wishing they were still under Ukrainian jurisdiction
Maybe that is something that should be taken advantage of.
I think Putin may have miscalculated. He seems to have thought that he could take the Ukraine in small bites and not trigger a painful retaliation and a gathering of Europe against him. That hasn't quite work out for him.
And he doesn't usually put his gains at risk. But, he has here. He'd already taken back Belarus as a Russian dependency (and without firing a shot too) and he's put that at risk now. An insurgency in Ukraine stands a pretty fair chance of igniting a spin-off insurgency in Belarus against both Putin and the local tyrant, Alexander Lukashenko.
Of course, risk doesn't assure a loss. Putin may yet come out of this with what he wants. But, if he doesn't get what he wants he might get trouble at home. I've been reading of an opposition rising in Russia, opposition to the very notion of going to war against Ukrainians. If he starts his war and then has to back down without tangible territorial gains that opposition will harden into anger directed at Putin. He may get the same anger if Russia does take substantial territory but also gets a prolonged guerrilla war from Ukrainian patriots (which is lookin' fairly likely).
But all that's down the road a piece. Putin's soldiers are moving into the Ukraine now, and his next moves will be adapted to a much shorter schedule than are NATO's responses to date.
(China's already on record as opposing Putin's adventure against Ukraine. Hard to say how they'll gauge their own interests in light of Putin's adventure. Won't make them turn against Russia, but they may not be interested in bailing Putin out of a financial jam. However, Putin has prepared the Russian economy for further sanctions; isolated it to an extent and built up a large sovereign wealth savings fund.)
I am sure you have seen that both McConnell and Trump have weighed in on the subject of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, McConnell suggesting that our withdrawal from Afghanistan showed such weakness that it emboldened Russia, and Trump lauding Putin's "genius" at snatching bits and pieces of Ukraine, going so far as to suggest they do the same at our southern border.
I understand some Texans' desire to secede, but I wonder do they really want to learn to speak Russian?
I think Putin may have miscalculated.
I think so. And now he is trying to brazen it out, Trump style, not backing down.
I saw a poll somewhere that said half of Russians would agree that using force to prevent Ukraine becoming part of NATO was justified. So, hence the pretense that Putin has been using that this was to prevent Ukraine becoming part of NATO. As one Ukrainian put it, it was never about joining NATO for Putin. He just wants Ukraine, reliving the "glory" days of the Russian Empire.
Putin has gone on Russian TV and announced the opening of military operations in Ukraine.
According to NBC News the video showed him wearing the exact same clothing as he was wearing in the video released two days ago, wherein he announced the disposition of "peacekeepers" to Ukraine. (Same desk and same knickknacks on the desk and same background features as well--looks like the two videos were recorded at the same time; one right after the other.)
Explosions heard in Kyiv by western journalists. Reports coming in of both cruise and ballistic missile strikes against the city.
"I am sure you have seen that both McConnell and Trump
have weighed in on the subject of Russia's invasion of
Ukraine…"
McConnell's critique was, like most Republican critiques, directed at domestic politics and domestic foes rather than to foreign policy. He can criticize the withdrawal from Afghanistan because that was negotiated by Trump, and Biden went through with it. So McConnell gets to hit at both of his domestic political foes.
Trump's critique was mostly just incoherent. Trump is clearly in with the pro-Putin Republican bloc (the public appearance of which is something of a surprise to me). But his rant is still incoherent for all that.
"I saw a poll somewhere…"
Polling's kinda hard to get right in Russia, where openly expressing disaproval of Putin's adventures is usually met with official notice and often with an official investigation.
But, yeah, it's not so much about NATO (Ukraine wasn't much interested in joining NATO--not before Putin spooked 'em anyway); it's about Ukraine joining the E.U. That might have actually happened. That's what's put Putin on edge. That may even be what drove him to seize Crimea when he did. (The seizure of Crimea meant that Ukraine failed to meet one requirement for E.U. membership--that it be in clear and effectively uncontested sovereign control over all areas within its claimed borders. Ukraine would have had to release its claim to Crimea, or take it back from Russia by force, to get around that disqualification. Neither of those things were gonna happen after Russia took Crimea by force and by guile)
Promising that Ukraine could not join NATO wouldn't cause Putin to back off. For Putin it's about Ukraine joining the E.U., but that won't sell well back home, hence the NATO fiction.
Yes, it does look like the invasion has begun. There are reports of casualties as a result of the missile attacks.
Putin's remarks appear to be well planned and as someone said, chilling. He appears to threaten not just Ukraine but anyone who would dare attempt to help them.
One wonders if Putin really wants war with the West?
President Zelensky has declared martial law and asked people to stay home.
It sounds like Belarus is joined with Russia in the attack on Ukraine.
It was never just the breakaway areas of Ukraine that were Putin's goal.
"One wonders if Putin really wants war with the West?"
I suppose we'll find out soon 'nuff.
I wonder if FoxNews will continue to shill for Putin? (Trump will, of course. Which means they may have to as well, or risk pissing off an audience no longer fully under the Murdocks' control.)
The two frontline prosecutors in the New York case (state court criminal case) against Trump and Company have resigned. Rumor is they're frustrated with the new Attorney General's as yet unannounced decision to wrap up the investigation without charges.
I suppose we could say that Russia has been at way with the West ever since Putin came to power. He has just been subtle about it. Or not so much.
People are right about one thing, Afghanistan should be a lesson. Just maybe not the way someone like McConnell or Putin thinks.
Biden says the world will hold Russia respondible. I say, no, the world should hold Putin and his supporters resposible.
"I saw a poll somewhere that said half of Russians would
agree that using force to prevent Ukraine becoming part of
NATO was justified."
Lynnette @ Wed Feb 23, 02:14 pm ↑↑
Putin's favorable rating inside Russia--69% as of October '21 (and rising at a fairly steep clip). This is while he was increasingly threatening to correct the 'mistake' of Ukrainian sovereignty and independence from Moscow. Statista
"Afghanistan should be a lesson."
I don't see how botching the withdrawal from Kabul can be blown up into a provocation to tyrants and autocrats.
The decision to withdraw would seem to be what tyrants and autocrats might look at if the withdrawal actually were an incitement, not the fact that our military and intelligence sources misjudged (or misrepresented) the probable time span for the Afghan government's collapse.
The argument that botching the withdrawal is what incites tyrants and autocrats makes absolutely no logical sense. (Which makes it conform with many other partisan Republican arguments.)
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