Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel: Biden’s treasure squandering trifecta

 Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel:  Biden’s treasure squandering trifecta

President Biden has a weapons supply problem. In 20 months of the Russo Ukraine war, also US proxy war on Russia, he’s blown $113 billion in US treasure desperately needed by the Homeland. , National health care, infrastructure, clean energy, border security, migrant aid relief, education, crime reduction among other issues, go wanting.

The repetitive requests for more, more, more are weighing on Americans who increasingly see it as the boondoggle for the weapons makers it is. While congressional Democrats completely support is Biden’s spending spree, a small Republican House contingent is pushing back, sensing public disgust with Biden’s giveaways as a means of defeating him next year. They’re holding up current spending requests with both their opposition and current legislative paralysis due to the vacant Speaker’s chair.

But no fool Biden senses this Republican opposition can be neutered by combining his weapons aid for Ukraine with that for Taiwan and now Israel, both countries of which are favored by the anti-Ukraine Republican claque.  

All three countries earmarked for endless weapons deserve US attention.

We should be negotiating an end to the Russo Ukraine war instead of sabotaging every diplomatic effort that could have ended it in the first 2 months. We blew an easy opportunity to save 400,000 Ukrainian lives simply to weaken Russia. Nuclear confrontation with Russia looms.

We need to go back to a One China policy that kept Chinese reunification with Taiwan on the back burner for 50 years till first Trump, then Biden, blew it to smithereens. Some military leaders fear we’ll be at war with China by 2025.

We need to be a broker for peace between Israel and Gaza Palestinians, not a weapons supplier and cheerleader for massive bombing and destruction of Gaza to avenge Hamas’ recent attack.  Israel, the dominant military power in the Middle East, needs not a single US weapon to prevent further Hamas attacks. They just need better intelligence. Conversely, US support for the current bombing and impending invasion puts every remaining hostage, including Americans, at risk of imminent death.

Too early to determine if Biden’s proposed Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel weapons trifecta will overcome taxpayer and Republican opposition. If it does, it’s the weapons makers and perpetual war promoters that will hit the Trifecta. Everyone else will lose….and thousands will die.

Where is the Trump family intervention?

 Where is the Trump family intervention?

People disintegrate mentally every day. When they do, family usually steps in with intervention to get their loved one proper psychiatric help. Outside of family and friends, few are aware of the unfolding personal drama.

But it is rare for one to disintegrate mentally at the peak of the public spotlight. That is what we are watching with horror every night on mainstream news as Donald Trump disintegrates mentally before our eyes.

Faced with the loss of this fortune, businesses, possibly even his freedom, he's lashing out in public, defaming and threatening the public judicial servants charged with bringing him and his dozens of civil and criminal charges to an orderly legal conclusion. Trump’s behavior is becoming so unhinged he risks being incarcerated to reduce the threat of violence to those threatened.

Throughout this unfolding public tragedy, the Trump family has been silent. One ponders when and how they will intervene to prevent further mental and possibly physical deterioration to their loved one. In doing so they would be performing a loving family service played out daily throughout America.

A Trump family intervention will not only serve the best interest of Donald Trump. It would serve the best interests of America

Ukrainians joining Americans in supporting negotiated end to Russo Ukraine war

 Ukrainians joining Americans in supporting negotiated end to Russo Ukraine war

Ukrainians are increasingly opposing the Kyiv government’s war goals of retaking Crimea and Donbas. Support for those goals has dropped from 70% to 60% according to a Gallop poll. Ukrainians seeking a diplomatic settlement has risen from 25% to 31% as well. This in spite of tight Kyiv control over media and targeting war dissenters.

This mirrors dwindling support for more war weapons and no negotiations among American voters. The US also exercises tight, tho subtle control over its media. It doesn’t target war dissenters; just ignores them.

Most distressing about dwindling support for a lost cause, squandering American treasure while hundreds of thousands in Ukraine die is this: The people are starting to get it; their leaders apparently, never will.

US bails on Ukraine…but doesn’t tell Zelensky

 US bails on Ukraine…but doesn’t tell Zelensky

In an astonishing statement at a press briefing Wednesday, National Security Department spokesperson John Kirby admitted the US is running out of interest in weaponizing Ukraine for the long term. Since Ukraine is on US life support to continue fighting their lost cause to recapture Crimea, Donbas and join NATO, it’s clear ‘game over’ for Ukraine looms.

“I think in the immediate term, right now, we can continue to support Ukraine – with the authorities in the appropriations we have. But, you know, we’re ... certainly running out of runway.”

Kirby then shifted from the runway metaphor to one even starker. “The US administration had the means to support Ukraine in the near term. But you don’t want to be trying to bake in long-term support when you’re at the end of the rope,” And on the Ukraine funding, we’re coming near to the end of the rope. I mean, today we announced $200 million, and we’ll keep that aid going as long as we can, but it’s not going to be indefinite”

Is Ukraine President Zelensky listening to Kirby’s ominous warning? If he had an iota of understanding of Ukraine’s rapidly deteriorating plight, he’d immediately partner with responsible countries such as Turkey to initiate negotiations with Russia to end the war. He did that 18 months ago, Marcy 31-April 1, 2022, inking a tentative deal with Russia to end the war without losing any territory in Donbas, albeit giving Donbas regional autonomy under Ukraine sovereignty. The agreement would also have ended Ukraine’s self-destructive NATO aspirations.

To sum up: The US provoked the war by championing Ukraine NATO membership and weaponizing their civil war that killed thousands in Donbas. When Russia invaded to prevent both, the US sabotaged every effort to end the war quickly and peaceably, prolonging it with $113 billion in weapons and other aid. Result? Hundreds of thousands of dead Ukrainians with no chance of victory.

It’s not just the US that is “certainly running out of runway” and “coming near to the end of the rope.” The US is moving on to enabling and supplying the ongoing destruction of Gaza. No more runway and no more rope are much more appropriate to the former comedian staring in ‘Tragedy in Ukraine.’

 Gloeckler

US should lead way toward Palestinian freedom, independence

 US should lead way toward Palestinian freedom, independence

It’s time for America to end its 76 years of enabling Israeli destruction of the Palestinian people.

During that time Israel has exerted an Apartheid form of colonial rule that keeps 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza locked up in the world’s largest open air prison. An Israeli blockade keeps out much food, water and health care that puts Gazans near starvation and inflicts devastated health. Gazans are frozen in place, allowed neither in nor out.

Inevitably, such abominable domination will produce blowback in the form of armed resistance such as we witnessed this past weekend. If Palestinians cannot choose the way to live…they can choose the way to die.

Even the UN General Assembly (UNGA)recognizes the right of people so oppressed to engage in armed struggle against such destructive rule.

• UNGA Resolution 3314 (1974) affirmed the right of self-determination, freedom, and independence for all “peoples under colonial and racist regimes or other forms of alien domination,” and affirmed the “right of these peoples to struggle to that end and to seek and receive support

• UNGA Resolution 37/43 (1982) reaffirmed the “inalienable right” of the Palestinian people “and all peoples under foreign and colonial domination” to self-determination. It also reaffirmed the legitimacy of “the struggle of peoples for liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, including armed struggle.”

Under the justification of R2P (Responsible to Protect), the US bombed Serbia for 46 days, killing over 1,000, to separate Kosovo from Serbia. The US led NATO forces in bombing Muammar Gaddafi’s Libyan forces for 7 months to prevent an imagined slaughter by Gaddafi of his own people, a charge wholly fabricated to proceed with regime change against Gaddafi.

But there is no Responsibly to Protect for the Palestinian people. Just the opposite, total erasure of the Palestinian people as suffering likely the worst, life destroying colonial rule worldwide.

The US should take the lead in first, preventing an all out Israeli invasion of Gaza. Then we must exert our moral leadership to bring Israeli to the court of world public opinion to both lift the Gaza blockade to bring to fruition a free and independent Palestinian state.

Anything less is a continued 76 year betrayal of every principle of human freedom and dignity that America was created to advance.

Peace a winning strategy for Democrats in ‘24

 

Many of my progressive comrades are terrified President Biden will lose reelection to Trump or other regressive Republican. So am I.

 

And rightly so. Biden narrowly defeated traitor Trump in ’20 by clawing back 5 swing states Trump won in ’16. The GOP nominee has a good shot at keeping the 25 states Trump won and clawing back those 5 precious states to retake the White House.

 

What not to do? For starters, close ranks behind Biden’s foreign policy, the worst foreign policy their lifetime. Progressives can’t brook any opposition to Biden’s provoking nuclear confrontation at opposite ends of the globe with Russia and China simultaneously. That is not progressive, it’s self-destructive.

 

While the possible confrontation with China over Taiwan is simmering, the US proxy war against Russia is on the big front burner and may boil over into mushroom clouds every day this failed war continues.

 

How failed? For the US homeland, $137 billion in treasure is gone, with the total likely to reach half a trillion bucks if the war ends today. Fageddabout that. Crazed US war planners led by Biden are planning for a multiyear war to topple Russia, making it our next trillion dollar plus war.

 

How failed? Ukraine has ceased to be a functioning country, kept on life support by the US/NATO and a couple others. 80% of the world’s 195 nations are either neutral or supporting Russia, in part to degrade US worldwide hegemony.

 

How failed? Upwards of 400,000 Ukrainians have died, almost as many as all US WWII deaths. US deaths? Zero. That is grotesque…and mostly on Biden.

 

What about the new Hitler, Putin? Had Biden implemented Minsk II and proclaimed “No NATO for Ukraine”, Putin would not have invaded. But Biden, Congressional Democrats and their sycophantic media, airbrushed that preface out of the US narrative, making the Russian invasion virtually inevitable.

 

What my progressive comrades appear to dismiss in their unwavering support for a monstrous foreign policy, is that public opinion is turning against US weaponing this war in perpetuity. If they would join us peaceniks in demanding an end to weapons and promoting a negotiated settlement, President Joe just might get the message. Biden promoting a negotiated settlement is not only the correct thing to do to keep Ukraine from completely collapsing while it builds more cemeteries, it will help him stay in the White House for another 4 years.

 

Come on my progressive comrades. Join the peace movement for Ukraine and send a message to President Biden that just might get him reelected. Maybe even a Nobel Peace Prize.

 

Helicopter moms driving around in cars

Helicopter moms driving around in cars

 

On a cold January 1950 day, mom walked me one block to Byrne School for my first day of Kinneygarden.

 

We had to cross Oak Park Avenue to get to Byrne, a few hundred feet behind our house. There was a crossing guard on duty so mom figured I’d be safe navigating Oak Park on day 2. She never escorted me to school again. I cherished that glimpse freedom at not quite 5.

 

I’m reminded about that introduction to formal education as I now live across Newton Avenue from Honest Abe School in Glen Ellyn. Around 2:45 every afternoon a fleet of SUV’s and minivans begins choking Greenfield Avenue in front of Honest Abe. The entire block is metal to metal behemoths. It even extends around the corner onto Regent Street. This goes on till school lets out at 3:30 and beyond.

 

Reducing fossil fuel pollution be damned.

 

Exercise? Fageddabout it.

 

Give Dick and Jane a little freedom from Helicopter Mom? Nope.

 

I’m more dismayed than angry. Life was simpler and less angst filled for parents back then. I can’t even claim I would revert back to 1950 parenting were I reprising that glorious experience today.

 

But if I didn't, I’d sure be using my pedal extremities instead of a climate choking gas guzzler.

 

Change of Ships

Change of Ships

 

From 2017 to 2021 Donald Trump was Captain of the Ship of State

Now he's Captain of the Ship of Fools

 

DuPage Winter Tennis Club has the disappearing tennis fairgrounds blues

 

DuPage Winter Tennis Club has the disappearing tennis fairgrounds blues

 

For the last 60 years the non-profit DuPage Winter Tennis Club has been a tennis gem in DuPage County. Playing in the pavilion at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, the DWTC has been one of the best kept health and recreation secrets in DuPage County. Open to tennis players of all skill levels, the club has access to the pavilion most weekdays.

 

On weekends the pavilion is usually home to a wide variety of hobbyist shows. Most of the thousands traversing the crowded floor don't notice the 3 tennis courts painted beneath their feet. But early Monday morning, after weekend show debris is cleared, the tennis nets go up and the players arrive, from 8 to 88 to get the best exercise and camaraderie around at a reasonable price. Even folks of modest means can afford to play, unlike that of the high-priced private tennis clubs.

 

The 'Winter' in our name doesn't quite do justice to our indoor tennis season which runs from early fall to late spring. Numerous clubs and hobby shows call the pavilion their home, but none come close to matching the six-decade tenure of the DWTC.

 

Every year previously, we heard rumors of possible expulsion from the pavilion but always managed to renew for another season of competitive tennis. 

 

But 2023 was not a rumor but an eviction. A private volleyball club offered Fairgrounds management a pile of dough to send us tennis players packing. Sixty years of helping fund the Fairgrounds meant nothing to the smell of more money. The private Future Volleyball Club even sent up their headquarters on the tennis courts we paid a cool twenty grand to refurbish last year.

The DuPage Winter Tennis Club, a tennis gem in DuPage County for 60 years, is no more. Apparently, money talks…and 130 non-profit tennis players walk.