Let me just say this. The issues the Biden Administration has faced since taking office after an incompetent populous president is daughting. I firmly believe President Biden is the right president for this time in American history.

Media find him easy to pick on, because, he is less a politican and more a president. He is very different from previous presidents. I find his frank method of speaking refreshing. He and Secretary Blinken are not mincing words. I think they are great and brave, but, most of all sincerely concerned for our allies across the pond. That is not readily seen in past administrations.

To be a fly on the wall.

By the AP
February 21, 2022

Vice President Kamala Harris (click here) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet during the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday.

Munich -  Acknowledging "the real possibility of war," (click here) Vice President Kamala Harris wrapped up a weekend of outreach to European allies with a push to bolster the West's resolve in confronting Moscow with crippling sanctions as increasingly dire signs suggest Russia's Vladimir Putin plans to order an invasion of Ukraine.

In a burst of diplomacy at the annual Munich Security Conference, Harris tried to make the case to American allies rapidly escalating tensions on the Ukraine-Russian border meant European security was under "direct threat" and there should be unified support for economic penalties if the Kremlin invades its neighbor....

Of course, only Putin alone could do it.

February 22, 2022

By Bryan Metzger and John Haltiwanger

Left, Helsinki.

Former President Donald Trump (click here) praised Vladimir Putin in a podcast interview on Tuesday, describing the Russian president's justification for invading Ukraine as "savvy" and "genius."

In an appearance on the "Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," Trump said Putin's recognition of the independence of the Ukrainian breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk — two-thirds of which are controlled by Ukraine and are not recognized by most other nations but backed by Russia — was a smart move.

"I went in yesterday, and there was a television screen, and I said, 'This is genius.' Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine — Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that's wonderful," Trump said when asked about the news. "I said, 'How smart is that?' And he's going to go in and be a peacekeeper."...

February 22, 2022
By Carrie Johnson

Attorney General Merrick Garland (click here) said the Justice Department is aware that classified material has been found on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property but didn't explicitly confirm a federal probe on the matter is underway.

"[T]he National Archives has informed the Justice Department of this and communicated with it," Garland said at a news conference Tuesday. "And we will do what we always do under these circumstances: look at the facts and the law and take it from there."

Archivist David Ferriero notified members of Congress Friday that some of the contents in 15 boxes of presidential records at the Florida resort were "marked as classified national security information." Ferriero said the National Archives had asked Trump's representatives to continue searching for more materials....

This is from an article in "The Economist." It shows the extensive military build up that has occurred. This is far more power than is needed even for two areas of Ukraine. It is why President Biden states it is at least a military incursion and more aggression is suspected.

...Ukraine is essentially ringed on three sides, (click here) because of a large Russian build-up in Belarus. “Allied Resolve”, a hastily-announced Russia-Belarus exercise—more likely cover for troop movements—began on February 10th and is due to end on February 20th. As many as 30,000 Russian troops may be involved, according to nato. Some are alarmingly close to Ukrainian soil. Zyabrovka, around 25km from the border, is another disused airfield which has become a swarm of activity....

A march into Kyiv from Belarus is not difficult.

The map to the right clearly shows the two territories of Ukraine on the eastern border of the country. Yet, for as small a footprint of these two regions Russia is actively amassing armed forces around the entire border of Ukraine. Putin justifies all his actions by stating the post Soviet states are not sincerely sovereign countries because they were created by Russia.

Today, some Ukrainians are sorry the country disarmed from it's nuclear capacity after the Soviet Union imploded. Ukraine wanted to be a neutral power that Russia would never find as a threat. There is some regret the nukes are gone. That is why Putin cowers from Ukraine. He knows the scientific genius that lives there and knows all to well the technology for nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. This regret comes at a time when Russia has lost a lot of it's brain trust in the nuclear sciences because of repeated accidents and the deaths of scientists. Putin is afraid of Ukraine. The decrees Putin issues certainly doesn't appear to make a real assurtion of what he covets.

The nuclear scientists of Ukraine will not be safe. If Putin overtakes Ukraine he will press them into service to Russia. If they don't want to go to Russia, they should seek asylum with their families somewhere in The West.

October 28, 2017

Ukraine's military industrial complex (click here) resulted in an unsubstantiated claim that a leak occurred that benefitted North Korea's missile program. There are many unsubstantiated claims between communists and The West. Ukraine's capacity is no joke.

The Emporer of Russia has made two decrees without any input from Ukraine or a Minske agreement that is binding.

It is difficult to know what these documents state.

This is a violation of international law. Russia has literally put the imperial ruler back in power.

The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917 aftr WW I and the Russian Civil War  began in 1917 and ended in 1923.

During these conflicts there is estimated death of between 7 million and 12 million people. The Russian Civil War that occured after the Russian Revolution was interesting. It provided for a variety of governance to face off and determine who would lead this vast country. The square miles of what was the Soviet Union is daughting. In all honesty, a country that size is difficult to defend. Even Russia, the largest of the former Soviet States is enormous and difficult to defend. So when Vladimir Putin states he wants greater and greater national security for Russia, it is impossible to supply that except if he conquered the world.

I am absolutley sure Lenin in rolling over in his grave. Does he have a grave yet? Or is he still on display?

But, not to be glib. This is Vladimir Putin being in office forever and deciding unilaterally to take land away from a sovereign country. This is the second time he has done this, the other being Georgia. 

Russia, once again, has come full circle and has a czar by the name of Putin. 

Just put that into context. One man in Russia at the head of the government and military has ripped the map of Ukraine into pieces all because as he states, Ukraine is not a country, Russia made it. Amazing, the arrogance and elitism that goes along with the leadership in Russia these days. And are the people rejoying?

February 22, 2022

Rostov-on-don, Russiaa -  A court in Russia's southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don (click here) has handed prison terms to three individuals from the North Caucasus region of North Ossetia who took part in a massive rally in April 2020 against anti-coronavirus restrictions.

The Kirov district court said on February 22 that it found three men, whose identities were not disclosed, guilty of taking part in mass disorders and sentenced them to four years in prison each.

More sentences are expected to be announced against other people involved in the protests against measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in North Ossetia.

On April 20, 2020, police in North Ossetia detained dozens of protesters when about 2,000 people gathered in the central square of the regional capital, Vladikavkaz, demanding the resignation of regional leader Vyacheslav Bitarov.

The rally was violently dispersed by police.

The protest was initiated online via social networks by North Ossetian opera singer Vadim Cheldiyev, who permanently resides in St. Petersburg....