The ambition of Russia's tiny tyrant, despite his rhetoric, is sheer imperialism. The methods he is using to impose that imperialism are inhumanity--crimes against humanity. As VP Kamala Harris made clear last week:
"No nation is safe in a world where one country can violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another where crimes against humanity are committed with impunity, where a country with imperialist ambitions can go unchecked," Harris said.
And we understand and have understood* that Putin's aggression if Ukraine is lost may well turn elsewhere in Europe.
Today, considered Presidents' Day in the US, President Biden took the incredibly symbolic step of visiting a nation at war to demonstrate the faith he has in the people and government of Ukraine in their struggle to preserve their sovereignty and their democracy. This was an example of true American exceptionalism--to demonstrate leadership in the cause of freedom because this is a value we want to share with the world.
And it upstages the hell out of Mad Vlad's upcoming speech, he of the bunker mentality, long tables, and probable aversion to windows and stairs. Putin thought he would win over Ukraine in a long weekend--a year later, it is his country that is struggling. President Biden called ahead to advise that he would be in country to "deconflict"--that is to say, he sent word what the Russians were not going to do while he was there, and they didn't.
That's fucking confidence.
Republicans, to their shame, have suggested he needed to be in Ohio, for some reason. Does he love Ukraine better than small town Amurrica? What is the president going to do? Personally test the water? Personally test the soil? We have the EPA for that, and they are there. This isn't to shit all over their plight but fuck it: What about the cause of freedom and democracy? What about standing up to the evil of tyranny?
Maybe those are things Republicans don't care about anymore, and maybe we can see they are transparently making use of a domestic disaster to fan grievances because they know perfectly well they don't represent those things. Today, former President Trump echoed his Helsinki sentiments and the House GOP's shadow Speaker, MTG, suggested Civil War. Their actual Speaker of the House dropped hours of 1/6 video into the lap of a known propagandist (a 1/6 fabulist and Russian apologist, Tucker Carlson). They have little room to criticize when their leaders are, frankly, hot steaming trash.
Today, as with every other day, Joseph Robinette Biden demonstrated what being president of the United States means. And they are so warped by partisanship they hate him for it. Which is something a president must also be willing to endure.
*Click that link for surprises.
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