Thanks for including me, Cassidy! This is so impressive! I am so proud of you! GG

I just came from watching the new Stephen Kotkin interview on Ukrainr. Frankly, this session here is academically and historically shallow, and I think it rests its analysis too much on intuition instead of clearly stated and justified assumptions.

@stephenlight647

Жыл бұрын

Kotkin is an amazing writer, thinker, and speaker.

John Mearsheimer would have been a good counterpoint to this neoliberal panel.

What a boring "competition" between bad PowerPoint presentations. Even now, in 2022, professionals have not learned how to visualize their speech.

Correction: We are not in the mood to sacrifice for the public good (if the rationale is obviously bullsh*t). Under circumstances which align with all American values, the public has consistently banded together. We should probably start victory gardens up again soon...

By whom are they paid???

@Johnconno

Жыл бұрын

The paying is done by whom?

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I could write a chapter on this panel, but I will keep it short. This is a panel that fairly represents the neoliberal consensus in American Foreign Policy. This is the same collection of views that has resulted in decades of failure. The US has been able to afford failure because US citizens seldom pay a high price for mistakes. That may change in the future. In the meantime it is a mistake to continue to believe that the US mission in the world is to spread liberal democracy without massive commitments of troops and money sustained over decades of efforts. Are the Americans ready for that? Afghanistan proved otherwise. Further in an age of nuclear proliferation it is foolhardy to engage in every corner of the world. The consequences are obvious, yet the consensus view seems unaware of the likely future costs. In the specific instance of Ukraine, the Russians are not a problem for the US to solve. This is a European issue. Europe is a wealthy continent with more than enough resources to respond. However, as long as we are the ultimate provider of defense expenditures, they will not. In addition, Russia is not a threat to the United States. The United States is drawing down stockpiles of weapons that cannot be replaced quickly. Do you think our adversaries in China and Iran do not notice this vulnerability? We invite their opportunistic leaders to advance their aims with our reckless subsidies in Europe. Our foreign policy elites, including the views of this panel, never think a move ahead. Destroy Iraq, the ONE regional counterbalance to Iran? Brilliant! Antagonize Russia by pushing NATO and the EU to their borders in Ukraine and Georgia? Equally brilliant. We just made Russia an ally/vassal to China. This is a master class in clumsy diplomacy. The one panelist with some view based in reality was the Armenian American. Why? Because he had experience in the Middle East and his cultural heritage still has a memory of the reality of power politics and real consequences. Finally, the counter punch by the Professor who attempted to squelch Mearsheimer’s views by saying “this is not the time” has, in my view, a weak point. Mearsheimer has had a consistent Realist view for decades. Putin has made it clear that a NATO aligned Ukraine is not acceptable. You might consider that unfair and evil, but it should surprise no one that this was going to be the result of the EU/NATO expansion. Does the bulk of US citizenry support spending tens of millions for Ukraine for an unspecified amount of time? We are about to find out. How about if the Russians decide a tactical nuclear weapon is their last chance? What then? Has the Foreign Policy establishment shared with the American people how far they are willing to go? Not so far.

its the west who underestimated Russia. 60 billion - just in US spending - so far and Russia is managing. Some countries like Turkey are not participating in sanctions. Leaders in the uk and italy are leaving. Russia was supposed to have an economy smaller than Italy. but its resources are badly missed. it looks like the war could continue for a few years. it looks like the west had no plan aside from arm the Ukrainians with weapons. Germany's economy is as bad as Russia's.

p̴r̴o̴m̴o̴s̴m̴ 😀

black propaganda Zelenskiy back out to NATO now you now western don't want Russia Ukraine conflict stop? and having peace ..

She is terrible.What’s her point other than telling Biden what he needs to do and say LOL