A week later Democrats appear to be ignoring 64 million voters who told them "Peace Now"

A week later Democrats appear to be ignoring 64 million voters who told them "Peace Now"

Even President Trump, Vice President Vance and other Republicans are admitting their disastrous rejection by voters was fueled by rising fuel prices caused by Trump's failed Iran war.  Trnmp pulled his punches, "I think a part of it was Iran." Vance delivered a haymaker:  “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night… everyone knows why we lost.”

Voters concurred. Nearly two thirds polled said the decision to attack Iran was wrong and over 90% cited the high cost of living it imposed on the country a crucial factor in their vote against Republican rule. 

Likely Democratic congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Shumer are promising that affordability will be Agenda One in the Democratic led Congress beginning January 3. But while they bleat 'affordability, affordability, affordability,' the need to shut down the Iran war on Iran's reasonable terms as the victor dare not speaks its name. 

1. Complete end to US military opeations 

2. Lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports

3. Removal of US economic sanctions on Iran

4.  Release of upwards of $100 billion in Iranians assets held worldwide

5. Compensation for war damages

6. Reduction of Us military presence in the region

7. No future military attacks on Iran

Democrats cannot bring down the cast of gas, diesel and all the commodities fuel delivers to consumers without confronting the failed Iran war head on. But Democrats are loathe to do this. 

Why? Democrats have been locked into demonizing Iran as the No. 1 enemy of Israel which is America's partner in dominating the Middle East. Democrats refused to condemn Trump's February 28 Iran war as being instigated by Israeli simply to rid Israel of its last hegemonic rival. Democrats refused to call out Trump's delusional war rationale Iran was imminently close to acquiring a nuclear weapon and was prepared to use it on California cities. Democrats refused to call for Trump to be charged wth war crimes for launching a war of choice that killed thousands in a failed attempt to please his master Netanyahu in Israel. 

After 47 years of calling Iran the great enemy of America for taking 66 hostages in 1979, Democrats simply cannot bring themselves to admit Iran has never been an enemy of the US, has never sought a nuclear weapon and has never deserved two dastardly unprovoked attacks in 7 months.  

With Trump refusing to return to the June 17 Memorandum of Understanding he signed which would have ended the war on Iran's 7 sensible terms, there will be no end to the oil shortages fueling unaffordability in America and worldwide. 

And until Democrats stop ignoring the wishes of the American people who gave them a mandate to make peace with Iran to truly make life affordable, there will be no relief from the Democrats in 2027 and beyond. 

For Democrats its not the economy stupid...it's the war stupid. 

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coaliton, Glen Ellyn IL 

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The first duty of the new Congress is to restore its constitutional authority over war and its power of the purse to ensure that US forces are not sent back into combat in Iran or anywhere else on the whim of a president and the behest of domestic or foreign lobbies. Trump must of course refrain from restarting the war, which was never remotely necessary or justified. Remember that on February 28, the day the US and Israel launched the war, Oman’s foreign minister, who was mediating the U.S.-Iran talks, had said that a deal was within reach.

The Democrats should not imagine that the anti-war lesson applies only to Republicans. Kamala Harris lost in 2024 because voters held the Biden administration responsible for the costs of its own wars. The energy shock that followed the escalation of the Ukraine war in 2022 drove up inflation, and gasoline topped $5 per gallon for the first time in June 2022. Biden twice rejected negotiations that could have ended the conflict: in December 2021, when his administration refused to negotiate on NATO enlargement in response to Russia’s draft security treaty, and in April 2022, when the Istanbul talks were abandoned at the behest of the US and UK.

The Gaza genocide also cost the Democrats directly. Among Americans who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 but not for Harris in 2024, 29 percent named ending Israel’s violence in Gaza as the main factor in their decision, the most frequently cited issue. The party’s voters have moved far ahead of its leaders. A New York Times/Siena poll in May 2026 found that roughly three-quarters of Democratic voters oppose US military and economic assistance to Israel.

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Virulent US Russophobia hindering Trump from ending Ukraine war destroying Ukraine

 Virulent US Russophobia hindering Trump from ending Ukraine war destroying Ukraine 

Now that he's a Lame Duck with nothing to lose, President Trump should ignore the rampant Russophobia infesting US politics and end Russia's war in Ukraine. 

The war was provoked by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden in February 2022. It was a despicable foreign policy initiative, totally avoidable, that has consigned Ukraine to failed state status. Nearly five years on Ukraine is near collapse to further Biden's lust to complete the destruction of Russia as a viable rival to America for supremacy in Europe and beyond. 

Now upwards of seven million Ukrainians are fled, wounded or dead. They've lost over a fifth of their best land never to be returned. Capitol Kyiv is becoming unlivable and may be a ghost town this winter with no power to heat homes or businesses. 

After Biden squandered over $150 billion of our precious treasure to salvage his failed proxy war involving only Ukrainian blood, Trump signaled he'd end the war on day one of term two. But the Russophobes who control the levels of power in the national security state: the military, intelligence agencies, the weapons makers, war loving, anti-Russian academics, mainstream media, all ganged up to distract Trump from achieving his goal for 655 days now. 

Besides ferocious opposition from the Russophobes, Trump is bogged down in his lost criminal war in Iran that blew up the US economy and was the biggest factor in his massive congressional defeat Tuesday. 

But while he's completely paralyzed, unable to admit defeat in Iran to turn around the economy, he can end the Ukraine war with one phone call. He must ring up Ukraine President Zelensky and tell him all US support in weapons, intelligence, logistics, domestic aid is over. But Trump must go further and remove deep state officials working against his efforts to end the war. He must fire anyone in the CIA and military refusing orders to stop supporting Ukraine attacks on Russian oil and other Russian infrastructure. 

Without any further US support, Zelensky will be forced to end the war on Russia's sensible, non-negotiable terms. No NATO for Ukraine. Ukraine to be forever neutral between East and West, not a proxy puppet of the US to isolate Russia from Europe. No return of Donbas and adjacent oblasts. Security guarantees for the remaining Ukraine rump state. That is the best Ukraine can achieve short of complete destruction, which is what will occur if its end it not swiftly negotiated.   

Trump can do this unilaterally because Europe is essentially broke because they stupidly cut off cheap Russian energy when they joined Biden's crazed proxy war. Without US aid they cannot support Ukraine alone. European leaders are totally ut of touch with their people who want nothing to do with continuing their senseless, failed war destroying Ukraine. European leaders' approval ratings have tanked and they face removal from office by opponents promoting the people first. 

Russian President Putin is not the new Stalin or the new Hitler. Trump is not a Putin puppet or a traitor to Ukraine democracy. Ukraine betrayed democracy when they conspired with the US in 2014 for simply practicing Russian culture. They betrayed democracy when they believed joining NATO to weaken, isolate Russia from Europe was in their national interest. In doing so they've largely destroyed their country with no end in sight. 

In the US, the traitors to Ukraine democracy; indeed, Ukraine's very existence, are the US Russophobes ferociously promoting endless proxy war with Russia in Ukraine with the potential to go nuclear. Trump must ignore them and seek to end this madness forthwith. 

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL 

 

 

Trump kills loudly with bombs, Rubio kills quietly with sanctions

 

Trump kills loudly with bombs, Rubio kills quietly with sanctions

President Trump is once again publicly boasting about unleashing a massive bombing campaign to "destroy the rest of Iran". Meanwhile, his fellow war criminal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is quietly killing Cubans with his ghoulish sanctions designed to force them to overthrow their government to place Cuba under Rubio's control.

Installed as Trump's Secretary of State in term two, Rubio was charged with overthrowing the Communist regime of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, a US goal since Fidel Castro overthrew American puppet leader Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Rubio is the latest and worst in a long line of ghoulish US diplomates charged with destroying life for the Cuban people to force them to overthrow the Cuban government of a tiny country of 11 million peaceful peaple posing no threat to America whatsoever. In a bitter irony, had not Rubio's parents immigrated frm Cuba to America 15 years before Marco was born, he and his family might be suffering under cruel, murderous US sanctions at this very moment.

Marco has ramped up Cuban santions to murderous levels. He's cut off virtually all oil needed to sustain normal life. People are dying in hospitals due to energy shortages worsened by US cutoff of both Venezuelan and Mexican oil

While Marco kills silently in Cuba, his murderous, war criminal boss Trump still threatens military action to take Cuba by force. He's had the Pentagon place military assets in the region for a potential attack. Only one thing has stopped Trump. He's bogged down with his lost war on Iran as he prepares for a new attack after being pummeled during his 40 day war he launched February 28.

The current campaign to destroy life for the Cuban people in not new. Back in 1960 a secret State Dept. memo proposed making life so miserable for the Cuban people they would overthrow the new Castro government. It advocated "a line of action which, while adroit and inconspicuous as possible, denies money and supplies to Cuba, decreases wages, bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of the government."

Not much has changed in 66 years...except that under Marco Rubio more Cubans are dying so Marco can realize his dream of becoming Potentate of Cuba.

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL

Democrats avoided peace issue in campaign, victory speeches; likely in governance next year

 Democrats avoided peace issue in campaign, victory speeches, likely in governance next year

If you followed the Democrats' campaign and victory speeches, you'd have no idea Trump committed massive war crimes in his second term.

While they did criticize his lost, criminal war on Iran that killed over 3,400 innocent Iranians, they couched their criticism solely on how it's made gas and diesel more expensive for cash strapped Americans. But they said nary a word that the war was a monstrous crime targeting a peaceful nation posing no threat to America whatsoever. 

Nor did Democrats urge Trump to return to the Memorandum of Understanding he signed on June 17 signaling his surrender on Iran's sensible terms that would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz and brought down oil prices. Why? Democrats, like Trump, can never admit America loses a war, especially when it signals defeat for Israel to whom Democrats largely remain in lockstep support. Their support of Israel's three year long genocide in Gaza is an irreparable stain on Democrats' concern for humanity. Upon election Democrats issued a blizzard of prescriptions to reverse Trump's destructive domestic policies, but not one to end his war crimes against Iran.   

Trump's war criminality was not limited to Iran. He continues to commit mass murder bombing little unarmed boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific on the pretext they're smuggling drugs. Since September 2025, he's dispatched 72 boats, sending 243 hapless innocents to Davy Jones Locker. Instead of of being silent about his mass murder, Trump glories in it. 

In another false drug related war crime, Trump killed over 100 Venezuelans in seizing Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife to face trumped up drug charges in America.  

In a just world, Trump would face life in prison for these above war crimes. But for Democrats, it's 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' regarding Trump's criminality. 

Conversely, Democrats display even more support for senseless war than Trump when it comes to the failed US proxy war in Ukraine to weaken, isolate Russia from US European hegemony. It was Democratic President Joe Biden who provoked that proxy war in February 2022 resulting in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While Biden squandered over $150 billion in US treasure to wage war, Trump wisely largely pulled back most US support to promote a negotiated settlement. Instead of supporting that wise policy to end Ukraine's impending collapse, Democrats spent the campaign demonizing Trump's pullback weaponizing Ukraine as treasonous. They've signaled that once back in power they will resume the weapons spigot, squandering endless more billions on what is clearly a lost cause having no connection to US security interests. They are oblivious the American people want our precious treasure spent to provide affordable health care, higher education, infrastructure, all the necessities that improve life in America.  

Most ominous of all regarding Democrats' refusal to focus on ending the wars in Ukraine and Iran? Both have the potential to go nuclear. If that occurs, their cherished landslide Tuesday will be a Pyrrhic victory. 

Democrats' campaign strategy did a marvelous job delivering a massive Democratic victory to regain control of Congress. Tragically, it didn't serve the cause of peace, likely just the continuation of America's addiction to endless war. 

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL  

    

 

History may not repeat itself...but sometimes it sure rhymes

 History may not repeat itself...but sometimes it sure rhymes

"My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule." 

.....Gerald R. Ford, August 9, 1974…

'44 Vice Presidential pick haunts cause of peace 82 years on

 '44 Vice Presidential pick haunts cause of peace 82 years on 

 

May 8 marked 81 years since Victory in Europe Day. That victory kicked off the 46 year long Cold War against our great WWII ally Soviet Union (now Russia) underpinned by the NATO alliance.

 

 

Sadly, the 1991 end of the Soviet Union didn't spell the end to NATO and full economic and political integration with a now harmless Russia. Just the opposite. It spurred NATO expansion thru former Soviet satellites right up to Russia's borders to weaken Russia and isolate it from the European political economy. America decided to use its sole superpower supremacy to keep Russia subservient forever.  What good is a trillion dollar military, the world’s largest, if you do not have a monstrous enemy to justify it? 

 

But proposed NATO expansion in Ukraine beginning in 2008 was an existential threat too far for Russia who worked assiduously for 14 years to prevent it. When the Biden administration rejected Russia's pleas out of hand, Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 

 

Nearly five years on, Ukraine is near collapse. The US, bogged down in its lost war against Iran, has largely bowed out. Europe remains bellicose in Ukraine's defense but has neither the weapons nor money to mount any defense that will save Ukraine from defeat. In fact, European nations face economic ruin and domestic chaos themselves flushing hundreds of billions of Euros into a lost cause while constituents go without. 

 

 

This Cold war, now hot war history might have been avoided except for arguably the worst vice presidential pick in American history.

 

 

Every American today knows about Harry Truman but few know his vice presidential predecessor Henry Wallace. Wallace, a great 20th century American visionary, was shoved out of the vice presidency in 1944, denying him the presidency upon the imminent death of FDR, and changing America and the world for the worse.

 

 

Henry Wallace has been largely written out of the American Story told to succeeding generations of Americans by the protectors of the American Super Power Myth.

 

Born in 1888 to an affluent Iowa Republican farm family, Wallace increased family wealth with his Hi-Bred Corn Company. But the Depression turned Wallace into a zealous champion of the common man, landing him the Secretary of Agriculture post in FDR's first term. Possibly the most effective New Dealer, Wallace championed the broken American farmer using curtailed production and price supports to ameliorate rampant rural poverty. His unbridled Bernie Sanders like democratic socialism of the 30's garnered him FDR's reverence and the 1940 third term vice presidency.

 

 

Wallace transformed the vice presidency for the good, long before Dick Cheney transformed it for evil. FDR made him what journalists tabbed the 'Assistant President' in his role mobilizing war production during WWII and championing FDR's vision for a truly peaceful post WWII world working in partnership with critical war ally Russia and seeking end of European colonialism in Asia and Africa.

 

 

In 1942 he gave his famous "Common Man" speech, declaring the 20th century must celebrate the common man, not just, as Time publisher Henry Luce pompously postured, the American Century. In 1943, he joined with the black community following the Detroit race riot, arguing "We cannot crush Nazi brutality abroad and condone race riots at home."

 

 

His near FDR like popularity made him a lock for VP again on the '44 Democratic ticket. But with FDR fading mentally and physically, party leaders saw opportunity to dump him for a successor who wouldn't rock the boat. Wallace's peace proclivities threatened their continuation of a war economy to combat their imaginary new Hitler in the form of Joseph Stalin.

 

 

They closed the late night convention session on the brink of re-nominating Wallace for a second term. That garnered time to make deals with the other candidates to move the pliant Harry Truman from last to first in the final VP tally.

 

 

Three months into term four FDR died, thrusting Truman into the presidency for which he was woefully unprepared on foreign affairs. This set the stage for the Cold War due to Truman's capitulation to the conservative Russophobes of his day such as James Byrnes and Jimmy Forestall who demanded a fresh enemy to keep the emerging Military-Industrial Complex in business. The chance for a truly peaceful post WWII world with the Soviet Union was irrevocably lost.

 

 

The hardliners won out over Wallace, but undaunted he launched a 3rd party progressive campaign in 1948 to unseat Truman. The McCarthyite red smears and personal attacks on his progressive philosophy doomed him to just 3% of the '48 vote, ending his career. Also ended was any opportunity for America to retreat from senseless Cold War that haunts us till today with the hot war destroying Ukraine and senseless Russophobia back in fashion. 

 

At the Democratic Convention in 1944 Henry Wallace deserved better. America deserved better. The world deserved better.  

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition,  Glen Ellyn IL 

Third impending Trump, Netanyahu attack on Iran may bring worst defeat yet to world’s two worst war criminals

 Third impending Trump, Netanyahu attack on Iran may bring worst defeat yet to world’s two worst war criminals

 

All signs point to a third try by US President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to destroy the Iranian regime shortly after the November 3 US midterms, if not before.

 

US criminal War Secretary Pete Hegseth recently met in Israel with Netanyahu almost certainly to discuss upcoming attack plans.

 

In a rare meeting, Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, visited the White House on Thursday to brief President Trump on military options for attacking Iran. Joining Cooper were Hegseth and Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All three are virulent war hawks likely encouraging Trump who’s long boasted about destroying the Iranian civilization along with their Islamic leadership.

 

Senator Chris Murphy, after being briefed on the US plan to launch Iran war 3.0 made this astounding statement never before uttered by a US congressperson: “I'll just say this, their plan is insane, It will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law."

Forget 'destruction to the rule of law' for the US and Isreal. Both destroyed that decades ago attacking countries, changing out regimes like changing underwear, interfering in elections, and worst of all, cooperating on genocide destroying life for 2,2000,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

 

But it will surely bring 'devastating escalation' to US, Israeli efforts to continue ruling the world. Iran has had over four months to prepare for the near certainty of round three of the criminal US Israeli tag team to oust the only country standing between them and absolute rule in the Middle East and beyond. Iran will likely polish off what remains of US Gulf State bases, destroy most if not all of remaining Gulf State oil infrastructure and reap devastating damage to the now vulnerable Israeli nation. If that occurs, we cannot rule out Israel, even the US resorting to nuclear weapons to avoid catastrophic defeat.

 

What is truly remarkable is only one of 535 congresspersons even has their hair on fire over what Trump and Netanyahu may ignite within the next few days.

   

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

US, European leaders push war, economic ruin; constituents seek peace, prosperity

 US, European leaders push war, economic ruin; constituents seek peace, prosperity

The people of the US and Western Europe are mystified by their war crazed leaders.


In the US, President Trump promised peace and prosperity in term two. Instead, he embarked on criminal war on Iran murdering thousands, making life difficult if not unaffordable for all but the wealthy at home. Forty days of relentless bombing ended in failure that severely damaged all US Gulf State bases while choking off a fifth of the world’s oil supply and other valuable resources. Everything in the US and the entire world has become less affordable with no end in sight.


Trump’s boast about restarting the slaughter after the midterms next week has no chance of succeeding….and he knows it. With two more years of failed war to endure, the worst is likely yet to come for the American people utterly against the madness Trump unleashed upon them as well as the innocent Iran nation.


In Europe it’s the same story, just a different senseless war. Back in 2022, European leaders hopped aboard President Biden’s deranged quest to weaken, destroy the Russian regime by sending forth its Ukraine proxy to join NATO to allow NATO nukes on Russia’s border. Europe joined the US in training the Ukraine military to polish off the Russian leaning Ukraine Donbas separatists on Russia’s border as well. Both were existential threats to Russian security Russia had been warning the US and NATO about for years to no avail.


European leaders believed Biden’s boasts that US and NATO weaponry and economic sanctions, but not one drop of Western blood would collapse the Russian regime. They even ditched cheap Russian oil for high priced US liquified natural gas (LNG). Nearly five years on their Russian regime change plan is an utter failure as Ukraine nears collapse while their economies nosedive from skyrocketing energy costs as loss of Russian oil is exacerbated by loss of Middle East oil from Trump’s lost Iran war.


Both US and European leaders remain oblivious their constituents are fed up with senseless war degrading their living standard. Trump appears deranged when he says ‘”I can end the Iran war anytime I choose to.” If he meant that he’d end it today by returning to the Memorandum of Understanding he signed on June 17 which would have ended the war on Iran’s sensible terms to reopen the Middle East oil spigot. Now he faces likely loss of Congress and effective end to his presidency November 3.


Same goes for the leaders of the big 3 in Europe, the UK, France and Germany. While their economies decline, their leaders Burnham, Macron and Merz remain locked in senseless, delusional Russophobia that brooks no realistic diplomacy with Russia to end the Ukraine war on Russia’s sensible terms: No return of Donbas to Kyiv bent on destroying Russian culture there. No NATO for Ukraine. Neutrality between East and West for Ukraine going forward.


They know they are all running out of weapons and money to flush down the rathole of Ukraine’s lost cause. But they’ve spent years warning ‘The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.’ They cannot bring themselves to accept the reality of the economic and political self destruction their Russophobia has brought on.


In an odd difference between the US and Europe, Trump may be swept from power from the left which will likely renew weapons and other aid to prolong Ukraine’s suffering. Democrats preposterously charge if Trump seeks a diplomatic end to the war he must be a Russian agent so we Democrats will restore war funding to Ukraine. European leaders face removal from the right who promise to divert Ukraine war spending to neglected domestic needs.


The Iran and Ukraine wars reveal how leaders can embark on senseless war without regard to the wishes and needs of their constituents. Once begun, it shows how difficult, likely impossible it is to admit their catastrophic mistakes and do what is right for their people, their political future; indeed, for humanity.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Are mass murderers Netanyahu, Trump, planning more mass murder ahead of their October 27, November 3 elections?

Are mass murderers Netanyahu, Trump, planning more mass murder ahead of their October 27, November 3 elections? 

Both of these war criminals are hinting that renewed attacks on Iran may be imminent. Netanyahu is again dredging hup his decade’s long fantasy Iran is on the cusp of acquiring a nuke. He’s facing possible defeat for reelection next week. That’s two good reasons from his twisted mind to restart the war. A third is endless war on its neighbors is simply standard Israeli foreign policy.  

Donald Trump has been saying, bragging actually, he’ll not attack Iran before the November 3 election, but most likely will shortly thereafter. But with Netanhayu’s time frame more imminent than Trump’s, we cannot rule out Trump will join Isreal in a massive attack on Iran to help save his Israeli master from defeat and possible jail next Tuesday.

Some evidence is that non essential military personnel and families are being evacuated from the region. In Saudi Arabia, private pilots are working overtime spiriting Saudi Royals and prominent Saudis to safer climes.

Added to this concern is that the Trump administration has decimated the top ranks of professional diplomats and military leaders who could sensibly push back against senseless war. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled all the way to Israel to confer with Netanyahu. One guess what was Topic One on the agenda.

Renewed war will be catastrophic on many levels. It’s a war the US and Israel cannot win. Just like ahead of the Mass Murder Twins’ February 28 attack, Iran is preparing a robust defense. It will likely the collapse the Saudi regime and further destroy its oil production. Can you see $10 a gallon gas signs in your mind’s eye?

Worst of all? If the US and Israel face failure once again, will they reach for their nukes? Some sensible analytes are raising this ominous prospect. We cannot rule that out from leaders who are laser focused on Israeli hegemony in their region and US hegemony, in partnership with Israel, over the entire world.

Congress needs to light its collective hair on fire over the imminent prospect of renewed war. Republicans love the current war and may even welcome a renewed attack. Democrats, salivating bout regaining Congressional control, are simply playing politics. They’re charging the war is hurting Americans’ affordability but ignoring his grotesque murder and criminality. They offer not one word of concern Trump may be ready to light the fuse to renewed catastrophe. Shame on both parties.

Sadly, our future remains in the bloody hands of two demented leaders who care nothing about how many they kill and how much destruction they inflict on the world. We can only hope we’re still around when they are no longer in charge of our collective fate.

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL

It’s Bob Kustra, not Trump, who betrays Ronald Reagan’s Realpolitik on foreign affairs

 

It’s Bob Kustra, not Trump, who betrays Ronald Reagan’s Realpolitik on foreign affairs

 

In his Chicago Tribune commentary, ‘Donald Trump’s actions against Ukraine betray Ronald Reagan’ former Illinois political leader and current foreign affairs commentator Bob Kustra mis imagines how long deceased President Reagan would react to President Trump’s efforts to end the Ukraine war.

 

Reagan talked tough to the old Soviet Union telling them to “Tear down this (Berlin) wall.” But he negotiated with the Russians on issues of nuclear disarmament and avoiding hot war. When the Soviets shot down Korean Flight 007 killing 269 on September 1, 1983, Reagan howled in protest, then went silent. When 241 US soldiers were killed in the October 23, 1983, Beirut bombing, Reagan didn’t go in for revenge with guns blazing. He pulled out US forces, because he sensibly realized the US had no business there in the first place.  

 

Kustra implies, without stating explicitly, that Reagan would give Ukraine every miliary tool needed to prevail against Russia. Yet the only basis for that is claiming Reagan won the Cold War against the Soviet Union “with sharp ideological rhetoric, military strength and diplomatic skills.” That is an irrelevant word salad that has no connection to the current war in Ukraine. 

Kustra appears oblivious that Ukraine is careening toward collapse which will not be helped by US sanctions whatsoever. Kustra’s claim that Trump’s diesel fuel revenue "will bolster his (Putin’s) struggling war economy” is ludicrous. Biden imposed the ‘mother of all sanctions’ on Russia in February 2022 to achieve victory. Russia simply pivoted east and south, bypassing the West and is doing just fine financing their approaching victory.

 

Kustra follows the scrip of the entire pro Ukraine war clique that Putin is another Hitler: “Putin’s expansionist Russian strategy seems eerily like Adolf Hitler’s advances across Europe and certainly reminiscent of Soviet Russia building an Iron Curtain around Eastern European nations after World War II.” Utter hyperbole, Mr. Kustra.

 

Bob Kustra has no plan for victory over Russia besides sanctions and cancelling the diesel fuel deal. He doesn’t demand we squander another $175 billion in weapons and other aid which has done nothing to keep Ukraine from losing more territory and another million casualties. He doesn’t advocate sending American soldiers to fight alongside the disappearing Ukraine military. He does not advocate threatening Russia with nuclear annihilation if they do not cease hostilities.

 

If Kustra wants to invoke his beloved Ronald Reagan, then he should encourage President Trump to continue his negotiations with both Ukraine President Zelensky and Russian President Putin to end the war at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield. If he could pop in down from Conservative Heaven, that’s precisely what the Gipper would be doing.

 

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL

Thank you Mr. Presdient for cutting off most US treasure to fund Ukriane proxy war

 Thank you Mr. President for cutting off most US treasure to fund Ukraine proxy war

Former President Biden squandered upwards of $175 billion in direct and indirect aid to Ukraine in America’s senseless proxy war to weaken, destroy Russia.

Back in November, 2021, Russian President Putin reached out to President Biden one last time to avert military action against Ukraine massing troops to finish off Ukrainian Donbas separatists seeking autonomy and peace from their Kyiv masters. Included was Russia’s security demand that Ukraine not join NATO, a Russian red line it had been warning the US not to cross since America’s 2008 NATO membership pledge to Ukraine.

Biden’s response? Russia’s security concerns regarding Ukraine NATO membership and Donbas autonomy were not even on the agenda. Biden knew that meant Russia would launch an invasion which occurred 3 months later. He cared not one whit how many would die, believing that Russia would self destruct from US aid to Ukraine like Russia did in Afghanistan between 1979 to 1989.

Biden left office 3 years later with Ukraine in ruins with no chance of prevailing, Russia stronger than ever, and $175 billion of precious US treasure squandered on death and destruction in furtherance of America pretending it still ruled Europe, indeed the world.

Trump began his second term boasting he’d end the war on Day One. Six hundred forty days in, Trump still flails around seeking an end to Biden’s insane Ukraine proxy war so he can concentrate on polishing off Iran to please his Israeli masters.

But thankfully, he has largely cut off squandering endless tens of billions for the lost cause of defeating Russia to please the Russophobes that infest both the Republican and Democratic Parties, the military, the CIA; virtually the entire national security state. They are all supported by mainstream media which totally censures any pushback to the madness of continued war in Ukraine till the last Ukrainian soldier is dead.

There are many reasons to revile President Trump. But his cutting off squandering our precious treasure to continue the destruction of Ukraine in order to weaken, destroy Russia is not one of them.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Zelensky still the most dangerous man in the world

 Zelensky still the most dangerous man in the world

 

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing all out war between the West and Russia since the Russian invasion of February 2022. And ‘all out’ only has one inevitable outcome…nuclear war.

 

That’s a long time to be put under threat of nuclear annihilation by a former comedian. Zelensky used his celebrity to win the Ukraine presidency in 2019, promising to make peace with the Russian leaning Ukrainians in Donbas on Russia’s border being brutalized by the ultra nationalist Kyiv government for years preceding Zelensky.

 

The Kyiv deep state quickly disabused Zelensky of reproachment with Donbas Ukrainians and Russia. With the US and NATO cheering Zelensky on, this made the Russian invasion nearly 3 years later inevitable. 

Zelensky went along, foolishly believing Western aid would defeat an overwhelmingly more powerful Russia that Ukraine had no chance of defeating single handedly.

 

But right at the start, President Biden, most responsible for provoking the war, declared no US troops or long range weapons for Zelensky because ‘that would lead to nuclear war.’ That essentially sealed Ukraine’s fate, a truth Zelensky could not comprehend.  

 

How right Biden was then and how wrong Zelensky was and is today, demanding endless long range NATO weapons that are reaching deep into Russia.

 

And European NATO countries are following Zelensky down the rabbit hole of possible nuclear war by giving him the missiles that Zelensky hopes will launch the all out war between NATO and Russia that will save Ukraine’s bacon.

Alas, Zelensky appears oblivious his bacon will be incinerated along with possibly all of us if that hoped for war breaks out.

 

Russia has not taken Zelensky and NATO’s bait. While they have justification for attacking NATO countries responsible for long range missile attacks, most recently on St. Petersberg, they are laser focused on collapsing the Ukraine military and government, making further NATO involvement moot.

 

Zelensky could have ended the war a month in with the March 2022 Istanbul Peace Talks that would have left Ukraine intact and neutral between Russia and the West with no NATO membership. But delusional, power hungry Zelensky fell for US/NATO promises to keep fighting till Russia was defeated with US/NATO help.

 

Four and a half years on Zelenski, ruling Ukraine as an unelected dictator for the past two and a half years, continues to demand endless billions in NATO weaponry and governing aid for a nation entering its death throes. He’s oblivious that Europe is going broke funding his lost war. Out of touch European leaders have lost credibility and approval as political unrest will likely sweep them from office. Look at France to see what's ahead for the others. They will be replaced by nationalist governments that will use dwindling treasure to uplift their people instead of shoveling it down the rathole of Zelensky’s lost war.

 

Zelensky’s last, desperate hope is that NATO will go ‘all in’ against Russia. Too many European leaders have hopped aboard that death train. If that happens the rest of us may go ‘all out.’ That is why Volodymy Zelensky is still, after four and a half years, the most dangerous man in the world.

 

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL

Democrats, not Trump, betraying Ukraine by promoting endless war destroying Ukraine

 Democrats, not Trump, betraying Ukraine by promoting endless war destroying Ukraine

Democratic office holders and candidates are pounding the campaign trail and haunting mainstream media with their hair on fire over Trump’s easing of sanctions on Russia to scoop up Russian diesel to drop US diesel under $6 a gallon ahead of the election. 


“Trump just gave Putin the best birthday gift he’ll get this year. By giving the Russian economy life support, Trump’s deal with the devil keeps getting dirtier.


“There’s nothing America First about Trump caving to Putin and exempting Russia from US sanctions.”
Democrats are unanimous in support of continuing the war in Ukraine in furtherance of retaking control of Congress November 3.

Once back in power, Democrats will likely rejoin NATO in ramping up sanctions and weapons deliveries targeting of Russian assets none of which will save Ukraine from being utterly destroyed by overwhelming Russian military and economic might. But Democrats will not offer one drop of US blood to save Ukraine from impending defeat. For Democrats it's all bluster and virtue signaling. 


An unintended consequence is that it could make general war between Russia and the West break out that could easily go nuclear. European NATO nations are already at war with Russia by supplying missiles, logistics, targeting and intelligence inflicting significant tho non strategic damage to Russian resources. Even the US CIA continues to provide targeting assistance in spite of Trump’s directive to cease and desist. The US deep state simply cannot be controlled by Trump.  


Russia ignores the West’s war on them to concentrate on completing Ukraine’s collapse. However, If Democrats follow thru on their deranged promise to reengage in the lost Ukraine war provoked by Demorcrat Biden in 2022, all out nuclear war becomes increasingly likely. 


President Trump in is no friend of peace. He’s killed many thousands in criminal warfare in Somalia, Syria, Nigeria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, and most recently, his catastrophically lost war against Iran he cannot quit. He’s taken ghoulish delight like a kid in a shooting gallery blasting little unarmed boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific to smithereens, killing hundreds.

But Trump has little interest in further destroying Ukraine to satisfy the bloodlust of US and NATO Russophobes. For some inexplicable, bizarre reason, Democrats have not learned that sensible lesson. 


Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL

Freedom, democracy in Ukraine sure a bit bizarre

 Freedom, democracy in Ukraine sure a bit bizarre

The recent Trump, Putin diesel fuel deal designed to drop diesel under $6 a gallon ahead of the election has got the endless Ukraine war crowd promoting Ukrainian freedom and democracy as the cause they're fighting for.


But these folks, shielded from the reality of political life in Ukraine, are oblivious how unfree, undemocratic Ukraine is, and how unpopular acting President Zelensky and his endless war against Russia are.


Zelensky’s 5 year term expired May 20, 2024 but he’s cancelled elections while he rules Ukraine dictatorially under martial law. He’s banned all opposition media and rivals, even jailing and torturing some. Over 7 million Ukrainians have fled the former Ukrainian democracy. Running out of troops to serve as cannon fodder, young men and teens are scooped up off the streets while their wives and mothers beg for their release.


No wonder Zelensky’s approval and trust ratings hover around 40%. Three quarters of Ukrainians want immediate negotiations to end the war destroying all vestiges of life in Ukraine with no hope of reversal.


And in alleged despotic Russia? Putin, in his third year as duly elected Russian president, enjoys approval and trust ratings over 70%. Thousands of recruits flock to enlistment centers monthly to complete pushback to NATO expansion to put nukes on Russia’s borders in Ukraine and prevent further destruction of Russian leaning Ukrainians in Donbas.


Supporters of continuing the war in Ukraine till the last Ukrainian soldier is dead can use thousands of words in their support. But freedom and democracy are two words that should be left out.


Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL

Advocates opposing Trunp’s easing Russian sanctions to buy Russia diesel will do nothing to prevent impending Ukraine collapse

 Advocates opposing Trunp’s easing Russian sanctions to buy Russia diesel will do nothing to prevent impending Ukraine collapse

Joel R. Levin and Mariya Dmytriv-Kapeniak got one thing very right and one very wrong in their Chicago Tribune commentary ‘President Donald Trump throws a lifeline to Vladimir Putin’.

In criticizing President Trump for easing sanctions on Russia to allow sales of Russian diesel to the US, they correctly argue the purchase “will have little, if any, effect on the price of diesel.” The ‘if any’ is much more likely. We don’t even know if one barrel of Russian diesel will arrive stateside to keep US diesel from hitting $7 a gallon.

That’s because Ukrainian Presisdent Zelensky has ignored Trump’s demand to stop bombing Russian oil refineries which may end the Russian surplus Trump covets. Another reason? Trump endlessly fanaticizes foreign deals to boost his electoral fortunes that never come to pass. How many times has he boasted about imaginary Iranian deals to submit to US victory in the Middle East?

What Levin and Dmytriv-Kapeniak get terribly wrong is that Trump’s easing of economic sanctions on Russia to purchase diesel “comes in the wake of newly authorized sanctions that have the potential to throttle the Russian war machine.”

When it comes to fantasy, Levin and Dmytriv-Kapeniak, like all those supporting Ukraine remaining in a war that is systematically destroying the Ukraine state, believe that economic sanctions will win the war.

That is nonsense. When Russia invaded Ukraine February 22, 2022, the US and NATO pledged the ‘Mother of all sanctions, but not one drop of US/NATO blood’ to achieve Ukraine victory. Russia simply retooled their economy to avoid Western sanctions and have created a massive war machine that is unstoppable.

With Ukraine nearing collapse, it’s time for Joel R. Levin and Mariya Dmytriv-Kapeniak, along with all well meaning supporters of Ukraine’s cause, to acknowledge that economic sanctions on Russia are utterly meaningless. They need to embrace Realpolitik…and leave fantasy to President Trump.

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL