A Blunt Post On Trump, NATO, Ukraine, and Our Future

 Isolationism is possible where there is enough space to buffer us from the evil intents of others.

We have not had that buffer space since Imperial Germany started unrestricted submarine warfare; maybe we have never had it - the British did come here and burn the Capitol during the War of 1812

Now I need to get to work, so I leave you to consider these articles:

NATO’s New Strategic Conscience - by Mark Hertling (The Bulwark)

Before this month, I hadn’t visited the Baltics in more than a decade. What I saw and heard on my recent trip confirmed a shift that, like an earthquake, had been building for years: The Baltic states are no longer on the periphery of NATO. They are part of its new core. They are now NATO’s strategic conscience—small democracies preparing for the worst. With Russian oppression still a living memory, the Baltic governments are leading because the Baltic people are serious about their defense.

As I left my last stop in the Baltics, I reflected not just on the terrain and strategy, but on the people. These are nations that remember tyranny because their fathers and grandfathers lived it and fought against it. Their citizens have no illusions and are not divided about Russia’s intentions. And yet, their response is not panic—it is preparation. Quiet, determined, and unified.

We in the United States—and across the broader alliance—would do well to study the Baltics. If American leadership in NATO is waning (and it shouldn’t), I hope we reconsider and instead emulate the strategic vision and courage of those in the Baltics. 

 Trump Asked Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Shocking Question in Private Call (The New Republic) - but does he mean it?

On Tuesday, The Financial Times reported that Trump, in a July 4 phone call, asked Zelenskiy, “Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow?” and also inquired as to whether he could hit St. Petersburg, the second-largest Russian city.

“Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons,” Zelenskiy is said to have replied. Trump was apparently open to this, reportedly mentioning a strategy to “make them [Russians] feel the pain” to pressure Putin to negotiate a peace deal.

The Washington Post’s David Ignatius seemingly reported on the same conversation on Monday, writing that Trump had reportedly asked why Zelenskiy “didn’t hit Moscow,” and urged Ukraine to “put more pressure” on the two Russian cities in order to get Putin to the table.

sch 6:58 AM