Our latest podcast looks at the fallout from the Trump-Vance mugging of Zelensky
And our most recent written piece warns that the Great Financial Crisis was just a dress rehearsal for what is coming soon
The financial crisis was just a rehearsal
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I’m not the only one to draw comparisons between last week’s Munich events and those that took place in the same city in 1938. Whether it was the British betrayal of Czechoslovakia, or the subsequent carving up of Poland, plenty of us think that history is at least rhyming, if not repeating.
Another piece looks at the dire state of journalism. How the major topics of the day so often miss the point
What Trump & Vance were trying to do to Ukraine economically last Friday in The White House, is the same as what Russia has tried to do militarily to Ukraine since 2014.
Trump and Putin both want to take Ukraine and give nothing back, such as a Security Guarantee.
Actually they did give a Security Guarantee before, in the Budapest Memorandum, in exchange for Ukraine giving up their nuclear weapons.
Britain and France are honouring this guarantee, Russia and the US, not so much.
The aim for the US seems to be to make money, even though this will weaken America around the world.
I’ve been listening to this podcast for 4 years mostly because of it’s even handedness on topics, but this entire episode was so hyperbolic it was nearly unlistenable.
I agree that Trump’s treatment of Zelensky was appalling, but the idea that the US will abandon Europe is nonsense. The administration has consistently and plainly stated that it will continue to back Article 5 and NATO (Trump, his defense secretary, secretary of state, national security advisor) have all repeated this and it is enshrined in US law, with overwhelming bipartisan support. Even if Trump wanted to leave, it would take a decade, time Trump doesn’t have.
Nevermind that Trump has been quite friendly to European leaders such as Macron, Meloni, Mertz and Starmer (it was quite shocking that trump not only repeatedly praised Starmer, but publicly backed most of Britain’s ask on Trade and the Chaigos Islands and doesn’t care about Britian’s trade deficit). The Trump administration has also consistently reassured and praised Poland. (https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7784/Artykul/3486715,update-polish-president-reassured-of-us-commitment-after-talks-with-trump-envoy
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/poland-bolsters-security-ties-with-us-amid-ukraine-crisis-206160). The reality is, the Americans are stretched thin in the face of the growing power of China and needs Europe to be more active in defense of Europe
There is a genuine split over Ukraine, but Ukraine isn’t all of Europe. And the idea that economic ties will rupture over this is patently insane - neither America or Europe could afford such a thing.
This isn’t to say one can’t be outraged by Trump’s treatment of Ukraine (I am), his cozying up to Russia (it’s disgusting). It’s to say that it’s been less than 6 weeks and much has yet to be determined. Politics still need to happen, and as Trump’s number continue to sink (he’s under water), and the economy continues to weaken, it’s likely that in 6 months time Trump will be severely weakened.
In the current reality where everything is governed by hyperbolic, sensationalized pronouncements, I hope that the Other Hand continues to be even keeled and clear eyed. Lord knows the world needs more of it.