A couple days ago Elon Musk suggested a possible path to peace in Ukraine – the nutshell of it was free and fair elections in the ethnic-Russian areas and everyone abides by the result. It is to be doubted that Putin would ever agree to it even though such a vote would probably result in a win for Russia…but likely not an overwhelming win and he’s certainly not about to allow free and fair elections in the Donbas when he won’t allow them in Moscow.
But what amazed was the fury which greeted Musk’s suggestion – even Ukrainian government officials piled on. The same officials who were grateful a couple months ago to Musk for providing Starlink for free after the Russians have pretty much zapped the entire Ukrainian communications network. Musk was roundly condemned as a Russian agent and the very thought of peace was scorned.
People around me long enough know that my basic belief about war is that if you get into one, you apply the maximum power you can muster against the enemy until he quits. This, of course, is a very American perspective because we are so powerful – generally, a full application of American power means the other side loses (this is why we’ve been forbidden to apply our full power since 1945). Even in our current state of decline, we’re still vastly more powerful than anyone else out there. But what if you aren’t the strongest power?
It still holds in my view: you apply the maximum amount of power you can muster. But with a thought towards obtaining peace as soon as possible because if you are the weaker side, then a long war only has one ending for you: defeat.
As I noted early on, the path to a clear-cut Ukrainian victory was for them to be able to mount a serious offensive into Russia right at the start. Think Six Day War: you drive deep and fast to entirely disrupt the enemy plans and, hopefully, get him to panic and willing to talk peace at just about any price. Absent that, the second best option was to trade space for time – and sell territory at a usurious blood price: hopefully that would get the Russians to quit. As it turns out, Ukraine did neither – it was, in fact, Ukrainians who were ground up defending every inch of ground in positions good, bad and indifferent as the Russians systemically used artillery to bludgeon their way forward. Now the Ukrainians, re-equipped by NATO, are taking the offensive again and they are gaining ground…but mostly it looks like ground the Russians are giving up, unwilling to spend blood to hold it…and, once again, Russian artillery is exacting a high blood price for each Ukrainian advance.
So, in my view (and, apparently, Musk’s) it is time to talk peace. It is unlikely that Ukraine, unaided on the ground, will be able to expel the Russians from all Ukrainian territory. If they are finally able to do so, the price will be high and the further they advance, the more heavily Russian the local population is. And, of course, the Russians get a say: if Putin fully mobilizes Russia for war, he’ll have overwhelming weight on his side and he will prevail…perhaps conquering the whole country. So: smoke a peace pipe.
But, we can’t have that, it would seem. I guess our Ruling Class can’t think of anything else to do. And they are making money off it.
In other Musk news, he’s once again saying he’ll buy Twitter. As soon as word of this came out, everyone’s follower count dropped – some by many thousands. I only lost 12 because I don’t let bots follow me. So, it seemed pretty clear that Twitter was getting rid of bots before Elon takes over and shows that their algorithm is entirely self-dealing and their traffic and trends are manufactured.
Herschel Walker – I’m sure you’ve talked about it. As for me: I refuse to condemn based on an uncorroborated story. Walker denies it. Unless and until stand-up-in-court proof is presented, I will discount the accusation. A lot of us on the right are taking this basic position and the left is getting mighty irritated with us – but what is making them scorching mad is when we say that even if they prove it, we won’t withdraw support for Walker.
The funny part about this is that I’m sure their strategy went like this: “Hey, they’re a bunch of white, racist Christians who hate anyone who sins. They’re only backing Walker because they think he’ll do as he’s told. So, we tell them that Walker paid for an abortion and their Christian bigotry, supported by their racism, will do Walker in!”. Don’t doubt me on this: they really think we’re like that. As if we Christians don’t believe that the blood of Christ covers all sins. And in addition to that, it won’t make us help elect a man committed to the Democrat’s position: federally funded abortion on demand to the moment of birth.
What pleased me most when the story broke is how few bedwetters on the Right emerged – discounting all Never Trump (which has morphed into Never Republican), of genuine conservatives only a few lent the story any credence, and most of them said it made no difference given Walker’s opponent. We’re learning! We’re no longer falling for the Left’s drivel. This is good and bodes well for the future.
Blogs For Victory 
And they are making money off it.
And there you have it. This is a military industrial complex war by proxy. It’s the best case scenario. We don’t have boots on the ground so no bloodshed thus no body count and negative public reaction, but the check book is open and the amounts are unlimited. So it’s the perfect war and they don’t want it to end.
Re: Herschel Walker (btw, one of my all time favorite running backs), … all men are fallen. Every single one of us. And it is the fallen, who are contrite and repentant, who are some of the best people on earth. I hope we are all held to the Christian standard, because if we truly are, people like Herschel will be embraced, and people like Mitt Romney will be expelled. And every Christian knows exactly what I am talking about.
Re: the Democrat Left, who the f**k cares what they think. I don’t know why conservatives/Americans/decent people even have conversations with these satanic morons. They have proven themselves to be unworthy of conversation or even acknowledgement. Let’s just take over the country and act like they don’t even exist.
NO!
I am opposed to abortion in all cases, except to save the political life of the father.
Mark,
I think you are misreading the situation in Ukraine. The Russians are falling apart. They have lot more men than the U.S. did in Viet Nam. That and the amount of equipment they have lost. There is no reason for Ukraine to make a deal that gives up any territory to Russia.
So maybe Russia isn’t the threat Democrats make them out to be … ever thought of that Cap?? If Russia can’t overtake a small, non nuclear country like Ukraine, how do you suppose they infiltrated Americas election system to guarantee a Trump victory?
This requires critical thinking though Cap. You won’t find the answer on MSNBC
Apples and Oranges, cluster. The Russian military was never a threat to our country and it’s turned out to be in far worst shape than most of us expected. Their security apparatus is still top notch and has worked to subvert democracies round the world.
And reality would affect the Dem narrative…how? When the goal is to foment panic, the facts behind the curtain don’t matter nearly as much as what is being said out front, with the intent of stirring up more panic. The breathless warnings of a new “covid surge” are being ignored, and there is a desperate need to come up with something that will provide enough of a distraction.
Russia did try to subvert our democracy, kind of, but aside from hiring out an intelligence agent to Hillary Clinton to help write her “dossier” on Trump, it’s been pretty much restricted to straight propaganda. And while propaganda promoting Leftist narratives and ideology has impressed a few, like you, it always bumps up against clear thinking, historical literacy and common sense in enough Americans to have to keep scrambling to find better footholds.
Their security apparatus is still top notch and has worked to subvert democracies round the world.
Wow, Putin is obviously an extreme danger … but only in the fevered minds of Democrats thankfully. To the rest of the world he is a failing authoritarian with a third rate Army.
We’ve been over this for years and yet you keep believing what the TV and the overall Establishment MSM tells you.
I’ll repeat: the MSM lies. It lies all the time. It lies about everything. It lies even when the truth would serve it better.
They like to lie. It is fun and profitable. They yuck it up at the bar afterwards about how the suckers keep believing them even after scores of blatant lies.
Stop believing them.
What is happening in Ukraine? Who in heck knows? The Ukrainians, aided by the West, have by far the better press operation and so they were first telling you or heroic Ukrainian defense…as the Russians advanced 150 kilometers. They are now telling you of heroic Ukrainian advances…of about 5 kilometers (absent an area northeast of Kherson which seems to have been voluntarily given up by the Russians; but even that only works out to about 15 kilometers).
Maybe the Ukrainians are winning – but the proof will have to be in the pudding on that…lets see if they can at least push the Russkies back to the start line before we pop the champagne.
And it is time for peace – for both sides. The least likely outcome is a complete Ukrainian victory. The far more likely outcome is the Russians put their heads down, mobilize what is necessary, and just bludgeon the Ukrainians into submission. Peace now means something useful for Ukraine can be accomplished and before a whole bunch of youngsters you don’t know or care about are killed.
Pretty accurate description of where we’re at today:
About sums it.
The subterfuge continues.
HHS just bought an historic amount of drugs approved to treat a vaccine-induced blood disorder, a vaccine-induced disorder linked to the most widely-used vaccine in history, a vaccine-induced disorder easily diagnosed by a standard blood test.….and our own government paid billions for this toxic imperfectly tested brew, has spent additional millions trying to get people to continue taking it after making mandatory for several employment categories, AND at the same time has provided legal protection for the drug companies making it.
No wonder they need a distraction. The Mar-a-Lago raid petered out in too much of a hurry to do much good, the melodramatic public arrests of Trump supporters and hauling them away in chains only got fleeting attention (till the investigations and lawsuits start anyway) and even Hurricane Ian didn’t do the job thanks to DeSantis and his amazing preparation and recovery work.
During the trial of Hunter Biden, do you think we will learn who the Big Guy is?
If Tony Bobulinski can stay alive long enough to testify, there’s a good chance we will. I think he’s got pretty good survival skills to have lasted this long, after his 2020 interview about the Bidens—but then he had the feds and the media (sorry for the redundancy) covering up what he said and hiding it from the public, so he might not have been too much of a target.
SHE WAS FULLY VACCINATED
https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/17-year-old-daughter-of-congressman-dies-of-heart-attack/
Apparently not getting vaccinated isn’t such a good idea. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-death-rates-higher-republicans-democrats-why-rcna50883
You can do whatever you want with “studies”…and you can get them peer-reviewed in glowing terms provided you have the right connections. But, this is obvious bullsh**, Casper – there would be no way to do such a study.
Mark,
Did you rad through the study? If so, what part(s) of the study do you think is flawed?
Apparently you are still locked into Agenda Media messaging.
But given the proof that the drugs still called “vaccines” not only do not prevent contracting illness from the virus, when taken in multiple doses actually diminish resistance, how do you explain this alleged difference?
Personally, given the choice of possibly contacting illness due the virus and being able to treat it promptly with various therapeutics or running the risk of death or lifelong neurological, cardiac or circulatory damage I’d always choose the virus.
But—–did you bother to read the “study”?
….the June study suggested that Covid vaccine uptake explained just 10% of the partisan gap in the deaths. Those researchers suggested that compliance with other public health measures such as mask use and social distancing was a significant factor. This seems to get even farther into the weeds, though, as it has been proved that masking is ineffective. Staying out of the range of airborne viruses might be a factor.
And then, buried deep in the story, is this: Both papers come with limitations. The study from Sehgal’s team looked at counties, not individuals, which makes it difficult to determine whether other demographic factors — such as education level, proximity to health care services or the share of older residents — played a role in the trend.
Oh—so it might be “vaccines” though we now know that even the developers of these drugs knew all along they would not prevent contracting the illness, or maybe it would be wearing rags on our faces, though it has been proved that masks do little or nothing, or it might be staying away from people, OR it might be age, or other health factors, or lack of prompt therapeutic care (maybe banning proven drugs after Trump said they were promising?) or….?
In other words, it’s guesswork.
I notice the study didn’t address the deficiencies in health care related to doctors being threatened with losing their licenses if they used non-approved treatments.
Am I the only one who picked up on a smug sense of superiority and satisfaction at the study claiming to show that more Republicans than Democrats died from Covid? You know, that nasty smirky schadenfreude attitude?
It’s kind of interesting to see someone feeling smug and superior over buying into the biggest scam ever perpetrated on the American public, one that will resonate for decades and possibly even generations if it turns out that the “vaccines” affect fertility or cause birth defects.
Right now we are looking at two generations——1-25 and 26-50——most heavily affected. These are the generations upon which the nation must build its productivity and its national defense. We still don’t know how long-lasting the heart damage will be, though doctors say myocarditis is not curable. We do know that the drugs concentrate in the reproductive organs, but we don’t yet know what that will mean in the long run. We don’t know how long it will take for the neurological damages to appear or level out.
And now the government is pushing—-pushing very very hard—-to inject the youngest among us, tiny children and even babies—with drugs proven to be dangerous, while using taxpayer dollars to enrich the companies making those drugs, while providing those companies with legal protection so they can’t be held liable for the damages they cause.
And Casper appears to be applauding this. At least he seems to be proud of the “fact” that maybe, just maybe, fewer Dems died because they took the drug. Not that this has been proved, of course, but it seems to be the theory that prompted him to post his link.
Here is a link to the study itself. https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w30512/w30512.pdf
Granted, it hasn’t been peer reviewed yet.
Given all the negative information that continues to surface about the vaccines, how does pointing out that fewer Republicans are vaccinated than Democrats contribute to the conversation?
Here’s how to respond to the cancel culture.
OK, this explains a lot.
Gas is on the rise again. We’ve gone from around $3.50 to $4.29 in the last couple of weeks. It’ll be interesting to see which is more important to voters in 31 days, driving to work or killing babies.