American Republicans and Canadian Conservatives are shafting Ukraine. Michael Harris writes:
The politicians whom the Ukrainian president trusted to have his back in his country’s existential struggle against Russian invaders have betrayed him.
While European countries have ponied up 54-billion euros for beleaguered Ukraine, the dysfunctional United States Congress is withholding $60-billion.
In what should be an all-hands-on-deck moment in the West, the Republicans are instead wallowing in a twisted version of domestic politics. While Vladimir Putin pounds Ukrainian cities, killing civilians and destroying the country’s infrastructure, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is complaining about border security.
The Republicans’ bottom line? No border security, no money for Ukraine. The consequence? No money for Ukraine, no Ukraine—at least not as a democracy, rather than a vassal state.
It’s worse than it looks.
The Conservatives are no better:
Here in Canada, though Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remains steadfast in his support of Ukraine, not everyone agrees. The Conservatives recently voted against the refurbished free-trade deal with Ukraine.
Far more troubling is the recent Angus Reid poll that shows that amongst Conservative voters, support has plummeted for supporting Ukraine two years into the invasion.
Those Conservatives are not only losing interest in the conflict, but they also believe that Canada is doing “too much” to assist Ukraine. Coincidentally, similar polling results are showing up in the America. Republican voters are also showing attention fatigue with the Ukraine War.
They're paper tigers -- full of hot air and nothing more.
Image: The Hill Times
24 comments:
It has always come down to Conservative/republicans attitude with "there's no such thing as a free lunch". The idea of charity just drives them mental. They have become so twisted that they can't recognise the idea of helping a besieged country although past rhetoric has always been the opposite. Remember the oft heard phrase,"if it wasn't for us you'd be speaking German"? I guess the next thing will be tiring of the support of a genocidal regime but that would carry too many stigmas.
We stop supporting Ukraine at great peril to ourselves.
GDN
They are simply hypocrites, zoombats.
It's that simple, GDN.
The problem is the Republicans and Canadian Conservative parties have more in commonn with Putin than with Ukraine. Trump el al wants a dictatorship. PP doesn't have much of a plan, except to oppose anything the Liberals are for. Don't forget PP was part of the harper regime which passed 9 pieces of legilsation which theyy were told violated the Canadian Constituion. Passed them any how. All 9 were over turned by the Supreme Court of Canada as various individuals and groups challenged Harper and PP's attempts to subvert our democracy.
Their supporters are feeding on the "its not my problem" line and why spend money on Ukraine, its not our problem.
For those who don't remember or don't know much about WW II, it was most unpleasant and millions were murdered and killed in battle. Cities and countries destroyed and millions died of starvation. If Putin wins in Ukraine, millions will leave for other countries. Putin then will move on to take over Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and then move on to the Scand. countries. from there its Netherland, Belgium, etc. Now Putin may be able to make some sort of deal with France and then move on to Spain and Portugal. Then they'll go after Germany. Once accomplished, they will take a run at Japan, Canada, U.S.A., etc. I'm confident Trump would make a deal with Putin and that would be the end of democracy as the Americans know it. Canada doesn't have a military to fight back with, so...........
As the old line goes we all hang together or we all hang alone.
Those who can't see the danger are fools, e.a.f.
You might find Empty Wheel by Marcy Wheeler an interesting read given the topic of your blog today.
Thanks for the tip, e.a.f.
'They' shafted Ukraine in 2014 by inciting and managing a phony color revolution. All the stuff since then is fallout.
Oops forgot to initial. NPov
It was more complicated than that, Anon. Please initial your next comment.
I had you in mind when I answered your comment, PoV.
The politicians whom the Ukrainian president trusted to have his back in his country’s existential struggle against Russian invaders have betrayed him.
I believe George Santayana said something like “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Clearly Zelensky and associates know little or no US history. Mind you, it was fairly clear by ~ 26 Feb. 2022 that, absent a miracle, Ukraine had lost the fight.
I remember seeing a retired Cdn colonel, who I think was on RMC's staff, making that point on CBC.
It's a question of "Pay me now or pay me later," jrk. We like to put off paying the bills.
It's a question of "Pay me now or pay me later," jrk. We like to put off paying the bills.
I must say I do not understand the response.
We pay for the consequences of our decisions, jrk. Unfortunately, we try to delay those consequences. But the bills always come due.
I am sorry Owen but I still don't get it.
My argument is that we should not pour money into a failed scheme nor should the Ukrainians keep being killed as US proxies, (mercenaries?).
I really do not see further support as paying for our decisions as much as doubling down on stupidity and killing more people.
The problem, jrk, is that we disagree on this one. I understand your position on U.S. involvement in the war. But the situation is such that Putin -- like Trump -- would remake the world order. That order is far from perfect. But their alternatives would be much worse.
Okay, I think I see your "world view"
The thing is that Trump is irrelevant in international terms. US presidents come and go; US foreign policy has remained the same. Whoever gets elected as US President is a minor issue.
US wars in Vietnam, Granada, Panama, Libya, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and who knows where else, plus support for genocide in Gaza do not make me a fond supporter of the USA.
I could not care less about what the USA does in internal affairs. I really don't care about US internal affairs unless their policy affects us.
Putin, and the Russian Federation have already changed the world order. Whether or not it is worse is arguable. I think we may get an inkling in 30 years.
If you look at BRICS or the the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) you see the "West" is in disarray.
The World Order has been wrecked, we just do not know what is coming.
The world order that was constructed after World War II has been wrecked, jrk. What worries me is that Putin claimed in his interview with Tucker Carson that Poland started World War II because it didn't cooperate with Hitler.
Those who refuse to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
What worries me is that Putin claimed in his interview with Tucker Carson that Poland started World War II
Clearly, you have not watched the interview. See The Vladimir Putin Interview
Putin was extremely critical of Poland but he did not say that Poland started WWII.
This from Newsweek, jrk:
According to a verified translation of Putin's remarks during the Carlson interview, the Russian president claimed that Poland "forced" Hitler to invade by being "uncooperative" with Nazi demands to take territories including Polish city Gdańsk, then known as Danzig.
"[Poland] rejected Hitler's demands," Putin said. "Since [Poland] did not give up the Danzig corridor, the Poles nevertheless forced him. They got carried away and forced Hitler to start the Second World War against them first."
"Why did the war start on September 1, 1939 precisely against Poland?" he continued. "Because it turned out to be uncooperative. Hitler had no choice but to implement his plans, starting specifically with Poland."
Selective editing?
I usually find your topics quite informative but on this issue i think your getting to much info from cbc the Ukraine cause is infected with nazi type terrorist activity the info is out there just have to look for it. Watch the interview don't take someone else's view they are mostly an opinion.
nbdude
I quoted from the text of the interview, dude. The opinion is Putin's. I recognize that the U.S. is not pristine. But, in matters like this, the choice is always less than perfect.
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