Traveling to Europe for the past 10 days I got back to the US thinking something in the news would change. What I found was the Fox pundits, Hannity, Ingraham, etc still spend most of their time attacking anything Democrat and Biden. Are they employees of Trumpian “Republicans” or what? And the “extreme right wing” that still spouts Putin talking points and are shown regularly on Russian state TV? One would think with all the bad news we hear about Ukraine, everyone would focus on that without trying to score political points all the time or double down on support of ideas which we can all see are utter nonsense. — Still find it strange people who should know better are talking about an “off ramp” for Putin. Biden said it well “this man cannot remain in power”. Russians I know tell me they wake up each morning hoping to hear that Putin has been overthrown.
Whatever the US Government public position is on “regime change” the reality is that the world would be better off if Putin was eliminated. And it is the only realistic way to end the war in a way that gives Russia an off ramp, and allows Zilensky to have more maneuverability as well. There is no way that after entire cities have been destroyed, millions turned into refugees and displaced, not to mention all the deaths that letting Putin off the hook is a remote possibility. To imagine so is dreaming.
Looking at the Russian invasion of Ukraine from a long term view of what is the best outcome for the United States and the countries to the west of Russia, it is important for Putin and if there is such a thing as “Putinism” to be clearly defeated. It is NOT in anyone’s interests, not Russian, the US nor Europeans including Ukrainians for Putin to win. The Europeans need Russia to be brought back into the fold, for Russian oil to be available, as well as grain, fertilizer etc and Ukrainian agricultural goods such as wheat. Putin’s idea that Russia must be separate from Europe has to be defeated once and for all just like Germany was after world war two. A Putin defeat will also cause the Chinese to think twice about invading Taiwan.
All the criticism about Biden’s supposed gaffe calling for “regime change” is bullshit. Of course what we want is regime change, not just for US interests, European, Ukrainian but also for Russian. Free the Russian press. Free Navalny and allow opposition, and bring back McDonalds! Putin’s world view is way out of date. We also have to put the idea of a nuclear exchange potential back in the box or we will one day have to face it for real. Putin has opened that door, the world has to close it again and fast before the idea catches on.
Another bit of news I found interesting were the revelations about the wife of Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas. Always thought he was a kook, but his wife it turns out is REALLY the kooky one. Referred to as a “conservative activist” I cannot see how overthrowing the US Government can be considered “conservative”. She is no Republican nor a Conservative – just a nutty and dangerous kook in a position to influence an important arm of our US government.