You cannot deny Trump’s enthrallment any more
I don’t know how to express the depth of my disappointment and disgust with the display in the Oval Office today.
It reminded me of nothing less than a doddering, wilfully uninformed grandfather lecturing his grandson about the younger man’s ingratitude for the revocation of his inheritance. Meanwhile, the useless heir-apparent, who has contributed nothing to anyone his whole life other than sycophancy, joins in the scolding.
I am, of course, talking about the press conference on 28 February in the White House, where Donald Trump scolded Volodymyr Zelensky. “You’re gambling with World War Three,” the orange-dyed ignoramus said.
Trump and his eye-shadowed Vice President JD Vance appeared to be incensed over Zelensky’s lack of gratitude for the so-called “deal” for Ukraine’s mineral wealth.
But more, for Zelensky shamelessly pointing out facts. Uncomfortable facts, like Russia is responsible for the war in Ukraine. Like that JD Vance has never set foot in Ukraine and does not know the situation there. Like the fact that Putin has killed tens of thousands of innocent people and refused any negotiation.
Zelensky tried to make clear what the world, including Trump, Vance and American right-wingers know well:
- That Putin sent the Russian forces into Ukraine without any provocation or justification
- That the Russians have kidnapped 20,000 Ukrainian children, and is now brainwashing them
- That Russian soldiers have committed millions of war crimes
- That Russia violated treaties like Minsk and Budapest that it agreed to.
Trump just shouted out the talking points from Russia: “Ukraine is responsible for the war, and it could lead to World War III.”
“Your honour, the victim assaulted my fist with her face.”
Good for Zelensky for walking out without signing the one-sided “deal” over mineral rights. It would not have done Ukraine any good. I’ve read the “deal,” and you can, too. You’ll see there is nothing in it for Ukraine. The U.S. gets half the proceeds from the mineral wealth. Ukraine gets … nothing.
But according to Trump and Vance, Zelensky was supposed to be grateful for this.
The other deals
Washington has been working on other deals at the same time. Russia has proposed a deal for rare earths and other minerals—minerals situated on Ukrainian territory now illegally occupied by Russian bullies.
If there ever was any doubt about Trump and his cronies being completely in the control of Vladimir Putin, it’s gone now.
Pity Ukraine. And admire Ukraine, for standing up to the evil that is Putin’s Russia. For speaking the truth to Putin’s toadies, Vance and Trump.
And people of the U.S., I don’t know what to say. I know many of you opposed Trump and his minions. I know many of you are as appalled as I am. But there is a streak in your culture, a bully streak, an anti-intellectual streak, a streak of desire to hear that which makes you feel better even if it denies patent truth.
That mean streak won last November.
I hope that other leaders can step up and oppose Putin.
Polish PM Tusk says Ukraine ‘not alone’ after Trump-Zelensky clash
‘There is an aggressor, which is Russia,’ says Macron after Zelensky-Trump clash.
But that’s a pale light in the looming darkness.
I fear what is coming is what George Orwell wrote in 1984.
I know, it’s an analogy that’s getting worn by overuse. But bear with me for a paragraph or two.
1984 predicted a world run by three autocracies, which pretended to oppose each other as one way of controlling their respective populations. And that is where Trump, Putin and Xi are taking us. The model will, I believe, look like this:
The Americas dominated by the far-right that has duped the people of the U.S., from Greenland to Tierra del Fuego. The U.S. Congress, if it persists, will be as relevant as the Senate in the Roman Empire.
Canada will be easily consumed by the U.S. Voters here have demonstrated their growing preference for right-wing politics, and no matter what Dougie Ford and Pierre Poilievre spew, they will not stand up to American domination. No, they have told us many times already how much they want it.
Russia under Putin’s successors will control Europe.
No more free media, anywhere. Your expression controlled by the rulers.
No more freedom of expression. No more experimental art of any kind. No more protest songs.
No more democracy beyond a sham.
And the rest, Asia, Africa, Oceania, probably also Australia, will be thoroughly controlled by China.
Yes, admire Ukraine for making the last stand for freedom.
And pity the coming generations who will inherit the poverty and oppression that the Baby Boom generation, the inheritors of the wealth and freedom hard-won over five centuries, had brought into this world.