This is one of your best editions! Thank you Robert.
I was watching Anderson Cooper tonight from Lviv. The two retired generals whom he interviewed gave good reasons for not putting a no fly zone over Ukraine along with the risk of World War 3. They said that the majority of attacks on buildings is coming from tanks and from ground missiles. They need radar to find out where the artillery is and missiles that can be fired from the ground.(I have no military experience and I don’t remember exactly how the generals described the military weapons, but you get the picture.)
Also, he showed video of three American veterans who went to Ukraine to train civilians how to fight like soldiers. How to clear a room or building, the use of hand signals. etc. They did not go as combatants, they went to train regular people. They had already left Ukraine before this video was shown. They gave out a call for other veterans who felt the call to do what they had done.
Women who have fled to Poland are now going back to Ukraine to fight alongside their husbands.
I am so amazed by the bravery of all of the Ukrainian people, men and women. I just hope that we can get them the weapons that they need to defend themselves and their country.
Grim GOP irony: Blustery soundbite of no-fly-zone “aid” for Ukraine after abetting Trump’s overt withholding of true US aid, all to suit his own ends. While an average citizen like me can learn why no-fly is not advisable, it seems elected members of our US legislative branch cannot be bothered. Biden deserves a real Senate majority. Bravo, Senate Circle!
You really nailed it! Besides the fact that it’s impossible to read Putin’s mind, we really don’t need to. We have seen over and over again exactly what he is capable of. I respect Pres. Biden for what he has done thus far, despite the probable damage to his poll numbers. Thank you for your clarity in writing about this.
I cannot claim to read Putin's mind either...but I can see what he's done in the past. He leveled the city in Chechnya (Grozny?) and he did the same in Aleppo. He doesn't fight a normal military engagement, where one military attacks the other side's military. Instead he destroys the village in order to "save" it. He goes after civilians and civilian targets...apartment houses, hospitals, schools, etc. That's what he's doing now in the Ukraine. I'm afraid that by the time this is resolved, most of Kyiv and large parts of other Ukrainian cities will have met the same fate.
HI, Suzanne. Given what you have seen of Putin in the past, what does that suggest to you about his willingness to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine if the US intervenes? That is the question that everyone is trying to answer . . .
If he feels cornered, he might do anything. However, I think we should keep one thing in mind. He is a bully. Bullies keep pushing until someone finally puts up resistance. And until now, he has always picked on those weaker than he is, i.e., Chechnya, Syria, and now Ukraine. What are basically easy victories for him., or should be. We fear taking him on directly, because of what he might do? Okay, keep walking a fine line, but, boy, I'd give the Ukrainians every damn weapon we have! (Okay, not the NUCLEAR ones!)
We have already given Ukraine 2,000 anti-aircraft Stingers and thousands of Javelin antitank missiles. Today, Biden authorized 8,000 more Javelins, 800 more Stingers, 100 Kamikaze drones, 30 million rounds of ammunition, and an unspecified number of grenade launchers and machine guns. We have given Ukraine every weapon they need.
We have pushed back against Putin mightily--up to the point of declaring war.
Hi, Kate. Thanks. I will check it out. I asked as rhetorical question yesterday --would we risk 15 years in prison as Marina did. I worry that I would not, but hope that I would . . .
Robert, Thank you for expanding the original scope of your newsletter to include Putin and his war. I'm grateful for your perspective and detailed information.
Here are links to some of the most perceptive and informed articles and podcasts I've found about the war:
But for the bravery of the Ukranian people, and the wisdom and doggedness of our President, Biden. Well said, Robert. Funny how the tone of conservative voices change when it's not their war, or their "war president." Very little "support the President," no bumper stickers; just criticism , political maneuvering, and damn-fool talk about assassinations. The loyal opposition is all opposition, and no loyalty. I do hope that Zelensky refrains from feeding the Republican sound-bite machine.
Good phrase -- loyal opposition is all opposition and no loyalty. Zelenskyy asked for a no fly zone in his address to Congress this morning. I respect him greatly, but not his ability to predict Putin's next move.
Perhaps his desperate wish to do no more, even everything, for his people limits his ability to see the infeasibility of a "no fly zone," as you explained it yesterday. As long as one side has vast air superiority as the U.S. did over Iraq, it's no-fly for the weaker side. For two comparable opponents, it's simply an air war., escalating to all-out conflict. I think it's fair to say that Putin is highly unlikely to back down from that.
Another fine letter. I like the balance between issues. Ukraine is critical in terms of world democracy but so are these mid-terms.
And your clarity about NATO compliments Heather's thoughts today. To over react is foolish beyond words. But I do think we should brace ourselves for the next escalation from Putin. It may not be strategic nuclear weapons - but it certainly could be chemical and/or biological. That would be consistent with his current strategy of murdering and terrorizing innocent civilians instead of fighting a military war.
Putin knows he is outmatched - soldier to soldier. So he slaughters families to demoralize. It has had the very opposite effect. He is a fool and hasn't learned the lessons of history. But he will not stop this genocide unless he sees an off ramp. This is where Zelensky will determine the future - via negotiation. He is working from strength, but he will need to feed the Russian bear some red meat he can roar about.
I say negotiate - whatever it takes. Putin is a walking dead man anyway. He is a "short timer".
US intelligence community is telling us that Putin will use chemical weapons. They are saying that because they have bugged his bedroom or his office or some other place that allows them to hear what he says in his most private communications. It must drive him to distraction . . . But worse is coming, and my unsaid fear is that Russia is using the negotiations to lull Ukraine into a false sense of security before engaging in a mass casualty event against civilians.
"Vladimir Putin is suffering from a brain disorder caused by dementia , Parkinson’s disease or ‘roid rage’ resulting from steroid treatment for cancer, intelligence sources have claimed. Citing sources close to the Kremlin, senior figures in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance – comprising Australia, Canada , New Zealand , the United Kingdom and the United States – believe there is a physiological explanation for the Russian president’s globally reviled decision to invade Ukraine. Pictured: Putin in February 2022."
Hi, Jim. Judd is doing amazing work. I need to write about the decision by the Koch Brothers to remain in Russia despite the war crimes agains the Ukrainian people.
Anyone who wants a more complete understanding of how Ukrainians feel about Russians should watch the movie "Mr. Jones". It is an eyeopening chronicle of a Welch journalist and advisor to former British PM David Lloyd George. Set in the early 1930s, it shockingly depicts how the Soviet Union under Stalin was presenting to the outside world a utopian vision of communism while Ukrainians were literally starving to death in their beds as their wheat harvests were confiscated and sent to Russia.
I have commented before on what the NATO (includes the US) and EU can do to defeat the Russian invasion. I favor a NFZ others differ. Today I have a suggestion that will help Poland, Rumania and the other countries taking in refugees. Today we have over 10,.000 troops in NATO states sitting on their butts or maybe doing some limited joint training. Why not give them a mission to set up refugee camps along the borders of NATO countries. The US forces have tents, engineers, and medical personnel to include field hospitals. They could partner with the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations to setup temporary camps to house Ukrainians who want to return to Ukraine as soon as possible. This would relieve the pressure on NATO countries who now state they are reaching their limits on finding living space for the refugees. I know that this is not a "military" mission. The troops are not trained for this. It is time to think outside the box and give our soldiers something to do other that cool their heels and get in trouble. We setup base camps for thousands in Vietnam overnight, we can do it again for refugees until they can return to their homeland.
"How many of us would hunker down in bombed-out buildings to defend our country against a vastly superior army? How many of us would risk fifteen years in prison for using the word “war” to describe a full-scale invasion of a neighboring country?" And how many of us would hand our country over without a word of protest and in fact welcome those who want to bring down the United States as we know it? Plenty of Republicans, including a few members of Congress and a particular Fox News reporter. War and destruction of our values can happen from within, as we have seen and continue to see. We have to fight, and in some ways the fight is harder because the opponents are our fellow-citizens.
We all need to focus on, and think very seriously about, the points made in the last paragraph of today’s newsletter; it is spot on. Thank you, Robert, as always for your wisdom and perspective.
Re donations for Senate races, I am confused and turned off because the more money I give through Act Blu, the more daily requests I get. With Adam Schiff, I couldn’t attend Wednesday. His requests seem to filter through Act Blu and say they are for his campaign. How do I give money to Adam for use on other senate races? I will give to Circle.
Hi, Sue. It is all very confusing and I agree that the deluge of additional requests is offputting. I will grab the link for other House races and be back.
This is one of your best editions! Thank you Robert.
I was watching Anderson Cooper tonight from Lviv. The two retired generals whom he interviewed gave good reasons for not putting a no fly zone over Ukraine along with the risk of World War 3. They said that the majority of attacks on buildings is coming from tanks and from ground missiles. They need radar to find out where the artillery is and missiles that can be fired from the ground.(I have no military experience and I don’t remember exactly how the generals described the military weapons, but you get the picture.)
Also, he showed video of three American veterans who went to Ukraine to train civilians how to fight like soldiers. How to clear a room or building, the use of hand signals. etc. They did not go as combatants, they went to train regular people. They had already left Ukraine before this video was shown. They gave out a call for other veterans who felt the call to do what they had done.
Women who have fled to Poland are now going back to Ukraine to fight alongside their husbands.
I am so amazed by the bravery of all of the Ukrainian people, men and women. I just hope that we can get them the weapons that they need to defend themselves and their country.
Exactly!
And help Ukrainians in other ways, with more ways identified by Timothy Snyder:
https://snyder.substack.com/p/helping-ukrainians-directly?r=6pp8t&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Like Don Winslow writes, "We need to show up for the 2022 midterms as if we were Ukrainians!"
https://twitter.com/donwinslow/status/1502820776302444545?s=20&t=8BeE0UgdmE4Vt73gRtwMFQ
Grim GOP irony: Blustery soundbite of no-fly-zone “aid” for Ukraine after abetting Trump’s overt withholding of true US aid, all to suit his own ends. While an average citizen like me can learn why no-fly is not advisable, it seems elected members of our US legislative branch cannot be bothered. Biden deserves a real Senate majority. Bravo, Senate Circle!
A shrewd assessment of Putin. A useful call for us to continued steady action.
Hi, David. Welcome to the Comments section. Join us often!
This is a time for strong and steady...But all of us need the "happy warrior" tone of what you are writing. thanks
You really nailed it! Besides the fact that it’s impossible to read Putin’s mind, we really don’t need to. We have seen over and over again exactly what he is capable of. I respect Pres. Biden for what he has done thus far, despite the probable damage to his poll numbers. Thank you for your clarity in writing about this.
I cannot claim to read Putin's mind either...but I can see what he's done in the past. He leveled the city in Chechnya (Grozny?) and he did the same in Aleppo. He doesn't fight a normal military engagement, where one military attacks the other side's military. Instead he destroys the village in order to "save" it. He goes after civilians and civilian targets...apartment houses, hospitals, schools, etc. That's what he's doing now in the Ukraine. I'm afraid that by the time this is resolved, most of Kyiv and large parts of other Ukrainian cities will have met the same fate.
HI, Suzanne. Given what you have seen of Putin in the past, what does that suggest to you about his willingness to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine if the US intervenes? That is the question that everyone is trying to answer . . .
If he feels cornered, he might do anything. However, I think we should keep one thing in mind. He is a bully. Bullies keep pushing until someone finally puts up resistance. And until now, he has always picked on those weaker than he is, i.e., Chechnya, Syria, and now Ukraine. What are basically easy victories for him., or should be. We fear taking him on directly, because of what he might do? Okay, keep walking a fine line, but, boy, I'd give the Ukrainians every damn weapon we have! (Okay, not the NUCLEAR ones!)
We have already given Ukraine 2,000 anti-aircraft Stingers and thousands of Javelin antitank missiles. Today, Biden authorized 8,000 more Javelins, 800 more Stingers, 100 Kamikaze drones, 30 million rounds of ammunition, and an unspecified number of grenade launchers and machine guns. We have given Ukraine every weapon they need.
We have pushed back against Putin mightily--up to the point of declaring war.
Hopefully it will be enough, but watching Russia do its usual number of leveling city after city is not exactly easy to stomach.
Superb column this morning, Robert. You're so right about the members of the GOP now howling for a no-fly zone after supporting Putin for so long. Below is an homage to the brave Marina Ovsyannikova by Steve Brodner. https://stevebrodner.substack.com/p/wednesday-31622-marina?r=gx0h&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Hi, Kate. Thanks. I will check it out. I asked as rhetorical question yesterday --would we risk 15 years in prison as Marina did. I worry that I would not, but hope that I would . . .
You would!!!
Robert, Thank you for expanding the original scope of your newsletter to include Putin and his war. I'm grateful for your perspective and detailed information.
Here are links to some of the most perceptive and informed articles and podcasts I've found about the war:
Timothy Snyder, excellent long view looking at history, ideas, Russia, Ukraine, w/ Ezra Klein podcast 3-15-22 - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-timothy-snyder.html
Fantastic New Yorker Radio interview w/ Steven Kotkin, 3-11-22 https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/putins-descent-into-despotism-and-jane-campion-on-the-power-of-the-dog
Jonathan Pie video re: Putin 3-11-22 - it's cathartic watching this: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/opinion/london-oligarchs-sanctions-putin.html
Putin's Road to War: Julia Ioffe (interview) | FRONTLINE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSNo2FPQDQw
Masha Gessen on Ezra Klein; https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-masha-gessen.html?action=click&module=audio-series-bar®ion=header&pgtype=Article
Hi,Laurie. I really appreciate the links, and will check them out.
But for the bravery of the Ukranian people, and the wisdom and doggedness of our President, Biden. Well said, Robert. Funny how the tone of conservative voices change when it's not their war, or their "war president." Very little "support the President," no bumper stickers; just criticism , political maneuvering, and damn-fool talk about assassinations. The loyal opposition is all opposition, and no loyalty. I do hope that Zelensky refrains from feeding the Republican sound-bite machine.
Good phrase -- loyal opposition is all opposition and no loyalty. Zelenskyy asked for a no fly zone in his address to Congress this morning. I respect him greatly, but not his ability to predict Putin's next move.
Perhaps his desperate wish to do no more, even everything, for his people limits his ability to see the infeasibility of a "no fly zone," as you explained it yesterday. As long as one side has vast air superiority as the U.S. did over Iraq, it's no-fly for the weaker side. For two comparable opponents, it's simply an air war., escalating to all-out conflict. I think it's fair to say that Putin is highly unlikely to back down from that.
Another fine letter. I like the balance between issues. Ukraine is critical in terms of world democracy but so are these mid-terms.
And your clarity about NATO compliments Heather's thoughts today. To over react is foolish beyond words. But I do think we should brace ourselves for the next escalation from Putin. It may not be strategic nuclear weapons - but it certainly could be chemical and/or biological. That would be consistent with his current strategy of murdering and terrorizing innocent civilians instead of fighting a military war.
Putin knows he is outmatched - soldier to soldier. So he slaughters families to demoralize. It has had the very opposite effect. He is a fool and hasn't learned the lessons of history. But he will not stop this genocide unless he sees an off ramp. This is where Zelensky will determine the future - via negotiation. He is working from strength, but he will need to feed the Russian bear some red meat he can roar about.
I say negotiate - whatever it takes. Putin is a walking dead man anyway. He is a "short timer".
US intelligence community is telling us that Putin will use chemical weapons. They are saying that because they have bugged his bedroom or his office or some other place that allows them to hear what he says in his most private communications. It must drive him to distraction . . . But worse is coming, and my unsaid fear is that Russia is using the negotiations to lull Ukraine into a false sense of security before engaging in a mass casualty event against civilians.
This was in today's "Daily Mail":
"Vladimir Putin is suffering from a brain disorder caused by dementia , Parkinson’s disease or ‘roid rage’ resulting from steroid treatment for cancer, intelligence sources have claimed. Citing sources close to the Kremlin, senior figures in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance – comprising Australia, Canada , New Zealand , the United Kingdom and the United States – believe there is a physiological explanation for the Russian president’s globally reviled decision to invade Ukraine. Pictured: Putin in February 2022."
Wonderfully sobering thoughts!
Koch is keeping his interests alive and well in USSR. See this morning’s edition of Judd @ Popular Information.
Hi, Jim. Judd is doing amazing work. I need to write about the decision by the Koch Brothers to remain in Russia despite the war crimes agains the Ukrainian people.
Charles Koch and the people and entities he supports are dangerous to American democracy.
I have a friend who knows him. Says he's a nice guy. A nice evil guy.
For clarity, here's a Yale comprehensive and updating list of the status of companies in regards to Russia re withdrawing, suspending, and continuing to support: https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-400-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain?fbclid=IwAR0MMcJo55PcEFIbBQbP1wQlq_sCsKmSOBkokaMWoK_5KnQcjUVYspkfgfc
Anyone who wants a more complete understanding of how Ukrainians feel about Russians should watch the movie "Mr. Jones". It is an eyeopening chronicle of a Welch journalist and advisor to former British PM David Lloyd George. Set in the early 1930s, it shockingly depicts how the Soviet Union under Stalin was presenting to the outside world a utopian vision of communism while Ukrainians were literally starving to death in their beds as their wheat harvests were confiscated and sent to Russia.
Thanks, Charles. Other readers have suggested that movie. I will check it out.
I have commented before on what the NATO (includes the US) and EU can do to defeat the Russian invasion. I favor a NFZ others differ. Today I have a suggestion that will help Poland, Rumania and the other countries taking in refugees. Today we have over 10,.000 troops in NATO states sitting on their butts or maybe doing some limited joint training. Why not give them a mission to set up refugee camps along the borders of NATO countries. The US forces have tents, engineers, and medical personnel to include field hospitals. They could partner with the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations to setup temporary camps to house Ukrainians who want to return to Ukraine as soon as possible. This would relieve the pressure on NATO countries who now state they are reaching their limits on finding living space for the refugees. I know that this is not a "military" mission. The troops are not trained for this. It is time to think outside the box and give our soldiers something to do other that cool their heels and get in trouble. We setup base camps for thousands in Vietnam overnight, we can do it again for refugees until they can return to their homeland.
That's a good suggestion. I hope someone is listening, and or thinking about that.
"How many of us would hunker down in bombed-out buildings to defend our country against a vastly superior army? How many of us would risk fifteen years in prison for using the word “war” to describe a full-scale invasion of a neighboring country?" And how many of us would hand our country over without a word of protest and in fact welcome those who want to bring down the United States as we know it? Plenty of Republicans, including a few members of Congress and a particular Fox News reporter. War and destruction of our values can happen from within, as we have seen and continue to see. We have to fight, and in some ways the fight is harder because the opponents are our fellow-citizens.
We all need to focus on, and think very seriously about, the points made in the last paragraph of today’s newsletter; it is spot on. Thank you, Robert, as always for your wisdom and perspective.
Thank you for your newsletter. Much appreciated.
Re donations for Senate races, I am confused and turned off because the more money I give through Act Blu, the more daily requests I get. With Adam Schiff, I couldn’t attend Wednesday. His requests seem to filter through Act Blu and say they are for his campaign. How do I give money to Adam for use on other senate races? I will give to Circle.
Hi, Sue. It is all very confusing and I agree that the deluge of additional requests is offputting. I will grab the link for other House races and be back.