Presiden Zelenskyy had a busy day at the Munich Security Conference. He met with Vance’s delegation, with a “bipartisan” congressional delegation (CODEL) from the House of Representatives, and sat for a press conference.
šŗš¦ Zelensky and the U.S. Vice President made statements after their meeting in Munich. J.D. Vance emphasized that Ukraine and the U.S. aim for lasting peace, not a new conflict in Europe in the coming years. Zelensky thanked the U.S. for its support and noted that a clear plan is neededĀ toĀ stopĀ Putin
ā WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Someone on the CODEL tried to get President Zelenskyy to sign over 50% of all Ukraine’s future mineral rights to the US.
there are so many things wrong with this
ā Adam Keiper (@adamkeiper.com) February 14, 2025 at 12:49 PM
He declined to acquiesce to their wishes.
President Zelenskyy also had this to say about Trump’s “peace” efforts:
Zelensky says āI donāt want to be person who helped Putin occupy my country.ā Says he needs the U.S. to support Ukraine, not to mediate between Ukraine and Russia.
Grandpa Winston would have been chasing them all in the streets of Munich right now, a broken chair leg in one hand, a cigar clenched between his teeth, cursing furiously under his breath.
ā Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:10 PM
JD Vance is actually right — Russia is not the biggest threat to Europe.
What’s even bigger as a threat is irresponsible and infantile demagogues running for quick and easy-peasy solutions to matters of war and peace.
ā Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Here’s the video of his press conference:
General views from Munich
– No indication that Trump team has a plan
– Broad concern over US posture in Europe becoming part of a Ukraine deal
– Fear that Trump might visit Moscow on Victory Day
– Scepticism about feasibility of European troops in Ukr, esp impact on NATO defencesā Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The other point is that there is scepticism among many well informed officials that Putin is willing to compromise on his maximalist demands from last June. Implication is either Trump gives him everything – which Ukr & Eur couldnāt accept – or talks fail. Trump could then abandon Ukr or up pressure
ā Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:02 PM
JD Vance, vice president of a regime currently overthrowing its own democracy, lectures Europe on the “retreat” from “some of its most fundamental values”.
He cites the Romanian Constitutional Court annulling its recent presidential election.
He doesn’t mention this was because Russia interfered.
ā Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 8:52 AM
JD Vance had dedicated his entire Munich speech to lecturing Europeans on “the threat from within” and maintaining “values”. He criticised Europe for defending the integrity of elections.
Let’s be clear. The Trump Administration is attempting to spread its populist authoritarianism across the West.
ā Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
JD Vance’s Munich statement was the most horrifying foreign policy speech of the Trump Administration to date.
He ignored the topic of Ukraine and instead spouted MAGA imperialist propaganda, telling Europeans to stop protecting their elections & welcome unregulated tech interference in democracy.
ā Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Boris Pistorius, German Defence Minister, responds to Vance:
“This is not acceptable… Democracy doesnāt mean that a vociferous minority will automatically be right. They cannot decide what truth is…. I am happy to live in Europe, where democracy is defended against internal & external enemies.”
ā Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I struggle to express just how *weird* Vanceās #MSC2025 speech was. This is a transatlantic security conference, happening while there is a war in Europe, and the US is announcing a partial withdrawal from European security. And the US VP speaks about (alleged) threats to free speech in Europe??
ā Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Like, really?!
“The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actorā
“What I worry about is the threat from within ā the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the USA.”ā Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:07 AM
He could have spoken on Ukraine. Or on the need for Europe to do more on defence (he was actually quite eloquent on this last year). Or on China. But he went for internal domestic European politics. Itās genuinely odd.
ā Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Spiegel: āSecurity policy, the topic of the conference, was virtually absent.ā
www.spiegel.de/ausland/j-d-…
ā Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reaction by German defence minister
bsky.app/profile/rike…
ā Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 11:31 AM
ā”ļø’It doesn’t advance American interests’ ā JD Vance walks back WSJ comments on US troops in Ukraine.
Even though Vance refused to say that deploying U.S. troops in Ukraine was off the table, he later accused the outlet of “twisting (his) words.”
ā The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 14, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Whether they sound like doves or sound like hawks, the first thing to keep in mind about the Trump administration is that it is led by incoherent fools that are incapable of formulating anything close to a strategy
ā Alexander Clarkson (@aphclarkson.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Is it January 2029 yet?
NPT’s fate was sealed with the Budapest Memorandum followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 10 years later in 2014.
Everyone learned a lesson: you cannot count on the West’s promises. If you give up nukes, (and all the rockets and planes Ukraine gave up), don’t be surprised if you’re invaded.
ā Toomas Hendrik Ilves (@ilvestoomas.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The message of the Budapest Memorandum: “If you’re a small state, obtain nuclear weapons as quickly as you can, and under no circumstances relinquish them.”
ā Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Georgia:
Day 79. New elections for 4 reasons: the electoral fraud, U-turn in foreign policy that runs counter to many regime supports, systemic torture, and the impossibility of solving this crisis otherwise. They have no economic or repressive resources to stabilize a dictatorship.
Someone showed up with š©šŖ.ā Marika Mikiashvili š¬šŖšŗš¦šŖšŗ (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
“We will not stop. Call elections!”
“Listen to the voice of the people. The people demand their voice be heard!”
“Georgia, rise up! Rebel!”
“We do not tolerate oligarchy, we crave democracy”
#GeorgiaProtests
Day 78ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 13, 2025 at 1:09 PM
New and new and new Chinese surveillance cameras all around Tbilisi, and in particular on Rustaveli. Soon the dictatorship will have live footage of our x-rays too. #terrorinGeorgia
ā Marika Mikiashvili š¬šŖšŗš¦šŖšŗ (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:27 AM
I spotted some Valentine’s spirit at the Rustaveli protest. #GeorgiaProtests
ā Marika Mikiashvili š¬šŖšŗš¦šŖšŗ (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
“False witness, executioner” ā Protesters brought mirrors to the rally on Rustaveli Avenue for police officers to look at themselves.
#GeorgiaProtests
Day 79
š·Basti Mgaloblishvili, Makuna Gochiashvili
ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:05 PM
āļø The court denied the motion to annul Mzia Amaglobeliās pre-trial detention. She remains in custody, hospitalized since February 4 due to deteriorating health.
āļø Today is the 34th day of her hunger strike.
#TerrorInGeorgia
#ProtestsInGeorgia
#MediaUnderAttackā Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) February 14, 2025 at 7:59 AM
1/ The Batumi City Court judge Levan Kolbaia did not accept for consideration the lawsuit in which lawyers requested the cancellation of Mzia Amaglobeliās pretrial detention as a preventive measure.
#TerrorinGeorgia
ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
2/ Mzia Amaglobeliās lawyers filed a motion to cancel the detention yesterday, February 13, citing several pieces of evidence.
ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
3/ Mzia Amaglobeli is accused of assaulting police officer Irakli Dgebuadze. Mzia slapped the Batumi police chief. She faces 4 to 7 years in prison for this.
ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
4/ In their identical testimonies, four police witnesses describe how the incident unfolded and how Irakli Dgebuadzeās ear and cheek turned red.
ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
5/ Mzia Amaglobeli has been on a hunger strike for 34 days, protesting injustice.
ā Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Gldani (Tbilisi) prison guards beat Davit Gujejiani, a man in a wheelchair, to his death, family reports. #terrorinGeorgia
ā Marika Mikiashvili š¬šŖšŗš¦šŖšŗ (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:02 AM
President Salome Zurabishvili having a conversation with Ukraineās Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at #MSC2025 š¬šŖšŗš¦
ā Katie Shoshiashvili (@kshoshiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:53 AM
106 years ago, on February 14, 1919, the first democratic, universal (including women), proportional Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia. 106 years, Soviet occupation, and continuous Russian takeover later, we are being tortured as we want free and fair elections.
ā Marika Mikiashvili š¬šŖšŗš¦šŖšŗ (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Back to Ukraine.
The cost:
“Today marks two years since my daughter Alisa was abducted and taken to the occupied territories. Two years without any news about her or direct contact. It seems like this is something you can never learn to live with or come to terms with. š
ā Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
The only thing that saves me is the fight. And justice will prevail. If not now, then years later.”- Oleh writes on Twitter. I just wanted you to read it
ā Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
ā”ļøUkraine secures return of 8 children from Russian-occupied territories.
āAll the children were separated from their families due to the war and occupation, and some lost their parents,” Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentās Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Feb. 14.
ā The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 14, 2025 at 6:58 PM
FromĀ The Kyiv Independent:
Ukraine successfully brought back eight children who had been forcibly taken to Russian-occupied territory, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentās Commissioner for Human Rights, reported on Feb. 14.
“Among the returned children are siblings,”Ā Lubinets wrote. “All the children were separated from their families due to the war and occupation, and some lost their parents. In general, we managed to return children from Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblast.”
Since February 2022, at least 20,000Ā Ukrainian children have been abductedĀ from Russian-occupied territories and sent to other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine or to Russia itself, according to a UkrainianĀ national database, “Children of War.”
LubinetsĀ estimated that Russia has unlawfullyĀ deportedĀ up to 150,000Ā Ukrainian children, while the Childrenās Ombudswoman, Daria Herasymchuk, puts the figure at 200,000ā300,000.
Ukraine considers these abductions a war crime and argues that they meet the U.N.’s legal definition of genocide. Russia often claims it is relocating children to protect them from conflict zones. According to the Ministry of Reintegration, the government has managed to return 388 children so far.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants forĀ Russian President Vladimir PutinĀ and Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, citing their involvement in the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. Russia dismissed the ICC’s decision as “outrageous and unacceptable.”
More at the link including pictures.
Make no mistake, if/when the Kremlin sees it canāt crush Ukraine in the foreseeable future, it will do whatever possible to inflict as much damage as possible to undermine Ukraineās ability to live on in the long run.
ā Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Even if/when the situation comes to a ceasefire, they will go on killing and killing, and killing Ukrainians till the last bullet, as long as they can, to further undermine Ukraineās demographics and make as many people as possible flee the country.
ā Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Russiaās war on Ukraine is full of nurtured, irrational, zoological hatred of the very idea of Ukraine as a country, so Ukraine will have to be erased in the long run, if not now, as a result of the war.
ā Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Todayās attack on the Chornobyl confinement is a grim omen of what else they might do if the free world doesn’t help stop them.
Nothing is impossible with that satanic pit clique of chauvinist KGB psychos persuaded of their messianic tsarist supremacy over nations.
ā Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
A lot of improvised Russian MLRS with installed RBU-6000 are destroyed at the front recently. t.me/nebesnamara/…
ā š¦Special Kherson Catššŗš¦ (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate has shared rare footage of the 155mm Ukrainian howitzer “Bohdana” in action! š„ Ukrainian artillery continues to strike Russian invaders. UAV operators spot targets, while the “Bohdana” crew eliminates the enemy.
ā WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Chornobyl:
Putin wants peace ā sure, if by “peace” he means wiping Ukraine off the map.
ā Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:09 AM
A gaping hole in the Chornobyl sarcophagus. Next to itāa scorched Shahed engine.
Thatās how Putin “liberates” radiation.
ā Kyiv Post (@kyivpost.com) February 14, 2025 at 4:00 AM
FromĀ The Kyiv Independent:
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the latest information on the attack.
A Russian attack drone struck the protective shelter of the destroyed 4th reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Feb. 14.
The strike damaged the sarcophagus, but the fire was extinguished and radiation levels remained stable,Ā accordingĀ to the president. Monitoring efforts continue to assess any potential risks.
“This is a terrorist threat to the entire world,” Zelensky said, adding that the damage to the shelter is significant.
“The only country in the world that attacks such sites,Ā occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) hasĀ confirmedĀ the explosion. The organization reported that a drone struck the shelter’s roof.
Chornobyl, the site of the world’s worstĀ nuclear disaster, remains a highly sensitive location. The explosion of the plant’s reactor on Apr. 26, 1986,Ā contaminated a vast areaĀ spanning Ukraine,Ā Belarus, andĀ Russia.
The sarcophagus was installed over the 4th reactor in the aftermath of the disaster to contain the uranium, plutonium, and radioactive dust at the site. The protective structure would only last 30 years, with the construction of a new sarcophagus completed in 2017.
“Ukraine is urging the international community to urgently intensify efforts in response to Russia’s unprecedented act of nuclear terrorism. The attack on the shelter of the 4th power unit at Chornobyl poses a threat to the entire continent,”Ā saidĀ Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Zelensky said the attack underscores Russia’s continued disregard for global security.
“Russia continues to expand its army and shows no change in its deranged, anti-human state rhetoric. This means thatĀ PutinĀ is definitely not preparing for negotiations ā he is preparing to continue deceiving the world,” he said.
Russia attacked the station’s protective shelter on the day of the Munich Security Conference. Zelensky is leadingĀ Ukraine’s delegationĀ at the conference, where U.S. President Donald Trump’s team is expected to outline its diplomatic strategy for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky’s office,Ā saidĀ Ukraine would provide the U.S. with detailed information on Russia’s attack on Chornobyl’s protective shelter.
More at the link.
Consiquences of the russian drone strike on Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant
According to Oleksandr Titarchuk, chief engineer of the State Specialized Enterprise “Chornobyl NPP”, if the drone had deviated by just 15-20 meters, it would have hit the old sarcophagus of the power unit, and
ā Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
the consequences would have been far worse.Titarchuk says that the drone pierced the confinement structure and exploded inside.
ā Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Odesa:
As I am forcing myself to listen to an American fascist in Munich and heās saying that Russia is not a threat, a siren starts howling: Russian drones are approaching Ukraine.
He proceeds to push for German fascist party.
š· Odesa celebrates Valentineās Day amidst attacks
ā Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:56 PM
The Kursk cross border offensive:
The Ukrainian Air Force destroyed a Russian platoon stronghold in the Kursk region with a precision strike near Yelyzavetivka. Drones used to attack Ukrainian forces in Sumy wereĀ locatedĀ there.
ā WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
In the Kursk region, Russian troops attempted to storm Ukrainian positions by loading soldiers onto armoured vehicles. However, the 156th Separate Battalion of the Territorial Defence of Ukraine had other plans. Using drones, they stopped the vehicles and thenĀ destroyedĀ them.
ā WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Kharkiv Oblast:
Ukrainian fighters from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion advanced on Russian fortifications in the Kharkiv region, hurling grenades into their positions. Overwhelmed by the assault, the enemy choseĀ toĀ surrender.
ā WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:08 PM
That’s enough for tonight.
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Open thread!
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
RaflW
There is a very strong narrative developing here. Acting deputy A.G. Emil Bove is pushing a transparently corrupt quid pro quo with Mayor Adams, with extra idiot frosting from Trump border czar Tom Homan saying the obvious part out loud, “If [Adams] doesnāt come through, I’ll be back in New York City and we won’t be sitting on the couch. I’ll be in his office, up his butt saying, ‘Where the hell is the agreement we came to?’ā
Now Republicans in Congress are doing an equally gross, demeaning and stupid attempt at a quid pro quo in Ukraine. They’re all two-bit mafia types, except so blinkered that they don’t have the common criminal sense to make the offer/threat in a sufficiently private or deniable way.
If we had a media culture worth a sh*t, this would be such a clear and obvious through line to which basically all Trump, and at least some Musk behavior could be woven to. I thought these media elite (derogatory) loved finding the narrative and going with it?
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Brava Zelensky & thank you Adam.š
Gin & Tonic
Toomas Ilves must be a B-J reader, because I have been saying here for years that non-proliferation is as dead as John Cleese’s parrot.
Adam L Silverman
@AlaskaReader: You’re welcome.
Gin & Tonic
On Chornobyl, the IAEA demonstrates that it is yet another toothless international agency, with a tweet that criticizes a “UAV attack” on the sarcophagus, with nary a hint of whose UAV it was. Big hint: not the country’s in which the plant is located.
Adam L Silverman
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: You’re welcome.
bbleh
Is it a silly question to ask whether JD and the people around him care very much at all about European security or the future of Ukraine?
From what I’ve seen and heard, it sounds like pretty much everything they said and did (or tried) was aimed at domestic politics and in particular at the needs and ears of the Audience of One.
Were I a serious European diplomat or leader, I don’t offhand know how I’d deal with such an apparently transparent abandonment of long-held faith, given how much power the US still wields.
And yes, almost nobody in the US pays any attention to this, and among the MAGAts even fewer, but it’s still kind of shocking — at once both sociopathic and naive.
Adam L Silverman
@Gin & Tonic: I’ve lost track of how many time I’ve written it into the nightly update.
Nukular Biskits
Finally off the treadmill (inside joke for Baud).
As always, Adam, kudos.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Also, too, having long been gob smacked at the lack of historical knowledge being displayed during current events, be it the War In Ukraine, the horror inflicted on Gaza & Lebanon, the on going ructionsĀ across the Russkiy MirĀ & even the Canadian & American historical relationship, I am now left stunnedĀ into breathlessness at the sheer stupidity on display by the bunch of riff raff currently trying to destroy the USA. In Munich of all freaking places. The sheer delusion of Vance’s speech. The gross assumptions on display. I could go on, but I suspectĀ dedicated readers of Adam’s updates don’t require it. At least I hope so.
J. Arthur Crank
Thanks for the rundown of Vanceās speech. Ā He is near the top of the list of test subjects for my army of nut-kicking robots (I am still trying to raise startup funds for this project).
Speaking of which, when are you going to break out the āthis asshole againā (paraphrasing from memory) Little Golden Books cover? Ā Ā I have a hard time deciding if I like that or the cat in overalls better.
wjca
The Trump team has no plan? Alert the media!Ā (Oh wait, Joshi is the media.)
Can anyone possibly be surprised by this lack?
J. Arthur Crank
@wjca:
He has the concept of a plan. I thought everyone knows this.
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
Jay
nitter.poast.org/joshrogin/status/1890450535083290803#m
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum
nitter.poast.org/jamesrbuk/status/1890475483906605238#m
Urza
@J. Arthur Crank: They’ll get around to the concept after destroying everything.
karen gail
I suppose we should “thank” Vance for showing the world just how much of an idiot he is and the level of delusion that so many of MAGA crowd operates under that somehow Trump is the most powerful man in “free world” and only he can deal with Putin.
Not only is US throwing the Ukraine under the “bus” but also the rest of Europe. I have no words for the level of stupidity to demand that Ukraine sign over rights to precious metals. Vance’s speech was just as idiotic as Hegseth’s was; good chance Hegseth was drunk while Vance is just a brown-nosing idiot.
wjca
YY_Sima Qian, update for you on the USS Truman collision:
USS Harry S Truman Hull Pierced | Heading to Port for Damage Assessment | What May Have Happened?
Or, if I messed up the link, google Sal Mercogliano (What’s Going On With Shipping) for this morning.
Jay
Some reports note that the Truman’s MCAS was turned off, so it couldn’t be tracked, and only seen via radar and Mark 1 eyeballs by the freighter, and the freighter’s nav systems would not have alerted that they were on a collision course.
Onion Soup
Jumping in here. Lurker.
I once wore a uniform but I know a ton of people at USAID, CIA, STATE, and it’s a slaughter.Ā Check linkedin and you’ll see it.Ā It’s getting bad.Ā Many are stating it’s due to the Trump admin which instantly removes them from contract jobs.Ā It takes effort to get the government job, and then to detonate your career after takes some brass.Ā My hands are tied on helping.Ā I contract in another area now but it’s brutal.
If you can check linkendin.Ā See if you know anyone associated with this who is now looking for work and help.Ā This is not a joke.
Chetan Murthy
@wjca: clicking that link got me a “your network is sending abusing traffic” page from GOOG.Ā Here’s a cleaner link: youtube.com/watch?v=ZBGytkUyZGY
Chetan Murthy
@Jay: I gotta wonder WTH the Truman’s bridge crew were doing — didn’t it have its radar on, and when the MV came on that radar on (haha) CBDR course, I’d have thought that they’d be doingĀ all sorts of shouting on the radio to get the MV to bear off.
YY_Sima Qian
The Europeans need to stop being shocked & dismayed at MAGA, there is no constraints this time around, & start to secure their own interests in this new reality.
The world is already multipolar, the ārules based/liberal international orderā (invented in the aftermath of the Cold War, in the U.S.ā brief unipolar moment) that never truly was is now well & truly over. There are different kinds of multipolarity. The MAGA crew is working hard to usher in the ethno-nationalist kind, & the TechBros & monied interests trying to leverage MAGA are endeavoring to achieve the Corporatist kind. But there is also a liberatory kind, which the EU & the middle powers of the world can still try to build, while the U.S. declines, before Russia recovers, & before the PRC & India become too strong.
YY_Sima Qian
@Chetan Murthy: This is but the latest in a series of at sea collisions & near collisions involving USN vessels. I would take it as further evidence of the long decline of the USN surface fleet, the result of the combination of failure to recapitalize the fleet (disastrous program failures & delays), inadequate maintenance & training due to the long budget sequestration, inadequate manning due to recruitment shortfalls, & over-deployment due to commitments under a strategy that is mismatched w/ the means,
Fair Economist
I think Zelensky should have offered the Congressional delegation *all* of the mineral rights – in Crimea and the pre-2022 occupied areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Jay
@Chetan Murthy:
Visual course tracking at sea is tricky. Then you have the “suction” effect. Get close enough, and the hydraulic effects suck both vessels together, like “drafting” behind a semi.
Jay
YY_Sima Qian
@wjca:
@Chetan Murthy:
Thanks for the links! Looks like a glancing blow as I suspected, & the carrierās hull form probably helped to prevent catastrophic damage.
YY_Sima Qian
@Jay: Can we call the MAGA crew Surrender Monkeys, yet?
But in this instance it appears to be misreporting from a single X account, & it spread far & wide because it is so believably in character.
HopefullyNotcassandra
@RaflW:
I believe the Republican Party has unleashed an extreme version of venture capital on itself and through their party us. Ā They produce nothing while looting everything.
The sane GOPāers have given all their seed corn to the grasshoppers in Aesopās fable. Ā The loonies have buried their heads in the sand and are pretending it is truly antifa pilfering everything, everywhere, all at once.
Then there are the GOPāers who showed up at conference today behaving like Calvera before the Magnificent Seven transform the town. Ā What to call the Calvera Group of GOPāers?
Locusts ?
This would make us the farmers, I suppose. Ā Interestingly, farmers all over the world are actually fierce when they stand tall and together. Ā Ā It is true. Ā We can read about that fierceness in this blog everyday.
Thank you, Mr. Silverman, for saving us from ignorance of the Ukrainians great struggle for freedom.
MomSense
It feels like we are careening toward destruction.
sab
Doesn’t it though?
I try to hide my horror from my stepkids. Thankfully IĀ couldn’t have actual kids. My husband is so concerned for his kids and there is very little we can do to fix things. We had a lifetime to do so and failed miserably.
YY_Sima Qian
JD Vance just met w/ AfD leader Alice Weidel at Munich, but did not meet Scholz or Merz. The interference in German politics, 2 weeks before federal elections, escalated from Trump associates such as Elon Musk to the heart of the Trump Administration itself.
Not sure it will prove beneficial to AfD‘s prospects, however, after Vance’s performance at the MSC.
Gloria DryGarden
imagine if Vance were to become president. Such direct rudeness!
so many appalling pieces to tonightās Ukraine news. Asking Ukraine to sign away half their mineral rights to a government that has no guardrails, nor competence, nor trustworthiness, let alone to anyone honorable!
Bombing the protective cap over Chernobyl seems so unbelievably irresponsible to the whole world. And terrifying. And dangerous. And treacherous. Who said it was terrorism? For sure, I agree.
Will we get the names of our precious congressional delegates who went with Vance as back up team? What an embarrassment! Itās rhetorical, Iām sure I can google their names if I have to.
so glad to hear Zelensky stood up to them and politely declined.. and to hear this German speaker say ānot acceptableā with such firmness.
Thank you Adam, for finding the words to present us with this latest jaw-dropping, bewildering news. This next layer just appalls me. Our USA leaders can go roll a big rock up a hill, very far from anyone else.
I canāt even read the whole piece about the children.
sab
@Gloria DryGarden: That is a real possibility. Trump is not healthy.
tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)
Thank you, Adam.
NotoriousJRT
Adam, thanks again. Trump and the assorted clowns in his despicable and insane posse just cannot find the bottom despite relentless, competitive searching. Ā I fail to breath when I read about their words and deeds.
Darkrose
@YY_Sima Qian: Just when I think nothing these fuckwits do can surprise me. He is the exemplar of the Ugly American. Shameful.
Gloria DryGarden
@sab: horrors! Layer upon layer of heaped on, dried up, caked on tomfoolery and harmfulness in more flavors than one had ever imagined. Depravity, even.
all the swear words in several languages !
am
Is is plausible the muted reaction so far is to avoid some parties claiming emergency powers as was the plan on 1/6?