Good factors:
She additionally notes:
These democrats need “a brand new European safety association acceptable to all events that may enable for a sovereign and impartial Ukraine”. That is the issue. RUSSIA DOES NOT ACCEPT A SOVEREIGN UKRAINE. What number of occasions does this must be reiterated?
The ignorance of these writing and signing the letter is breathtaking. Typically it’s value shutting up and studying a factor or two earlier than talking. So as to add: earlier than the battle, Ukraine agreed to neutrality. Russia didn’t care, as a result of this has by no means been about NATO or Russia’s safety—take a look at how they shrugged off Finland’s NATO bid.
Seems to be like these progressives are getting hammered.
The assertion is empty. It means nothing. It does not reply any of the substantive critiques of their authentic assertion, and it gained’t cease the Kremlin from utilizing it of their propaganda all week. They handed Putin a victory for no freakin’ sensible purpose in any respect.
Any time you end up on the identical aspect as Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Inexperienced, you may need to suppose exhausting about continuing. In a letter to President Joe Biden, 30 Home progressives need the US to “negotiate” with Russia to finish the battle in Ukraine.
Given the destruction created by this battle for Ukraine and the world, in addition to the danger of catastrophic escalation, we additionally imagine it’s within the pursuits of Ukraine, the US, and the world to keep away from a chronic battle. For that reason, we urge you to pair the navy and financial help the US has offered to Ukraine with a proactive diplomatic push, redoubling efforts to hunt a practical framework for a ceasefire.
That is past naive, silly and irresponsible. Allow us to depend the methods:
- That is Ukraine’s battle with Russia. The concept that the United States can waltz in and dictate phrases to a overseas nation would validate each accusation that Ukraine is America’s puppet, and validate tankie claims that the US is an imperialistic energy that may dictate the world order. Very ironic, certainly, from a caucus that payments itself as dedicated to anti-imperialism.
- The USA and Biden, together with our European allies, engaged in a robust diplomatic effort to forestall this battle from beginning within the first place. An absence of Western and American diplomacy isn’t what’s preserving the battle going, it’s that Russia has zero curiosity in something resembling honoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity. It has actually “annexed” 4 Ukrainian provinces it doesn’t even occupy, together with Crimea, which it annexed again in 2014. You suppose Russia goes to willingly give up territory it considers a part of Russia itself?
- Russia doesn’t honor agreements anyway. See this thread for extra.
- Russia would kill for a ceasefire proper now. The truth is, it’s actually doing that because it targets civilian infrastructure. Russian troops are being pushed again in three (and perhaps 4) of the oblasts (provinces) it at present occupies. They’re so bereft of armor, that it has appropriated Belarus’ previous shit tanks and armored personnel carriers for itself (in addition to ammunition). It’s begging Iran for suicide drones, rockets, and physique armor and helmets. It has mobilized round 300-500,000 Russians and is delivery them to the entrance traces with little and even no navy coaching. A ceasefire would enable them to lock in present good points—good points that it’s dropping every day—in addition to prepare, equip, resupply, and arrange higher defenses.
In different phrases, a ceasefire would mark the top of Ukraine’s means to retake its lands, and condemn its civilians behind enemy traces to rape and homicide.
The letter finally will get to its level:
The battle has additionally contributed to elevated fuel and meals costs at house, fueling inflation and excessive oil costs for Individuals in latest months.
Goddam fuel costs are the basis of evil. The day once we can get off that godforsaken dead-dinosaur juice would be the day that tyrants like Vladimir Putin and the Home of Saud can now not maintain the world hostage to their depravities.
Significantly better use of their time would’ve been to push extra loudly for a windfall tax on oil firms celebrating report earnings.
Exxon alone reported a revenue of $17.9 billion – the best quarterly revenue reported by any oil firm in historical past – whereas Chevron reported $11.6 billion, Shell reported $11.47 billion, and BP reported $8.45 billion. These are record-shattering figures for the businesses and the results of them reaping monumental earnings on the backs of hardworking households.
For context, in all of 2020, Exxon had earnings of $8.9 billion, and $23 billion in 2021. And right here it’s, incomes $17.9 billion in a single three-month quarter. However positive, blame Ukrainians preventing desperately and dying for his or her lands and, much more importantly, for its individuals trapped behind enemy traces.
The MAGA crowd like Boebert, Taylor Inexperienced, J.D. Vance, and Donald Trump should be thrilled that Home progressives are giving Putin support and succor as his military desperately clings to their ill-gotten good points. They have to all be thrilled that the battle criminals within the Kremlin are getting help as a result of, you understand, fuel costs are excessive. (For the report, pure fuel costs in Europe are decrease now than they had been a yr in the past, and nothing has been extra instantly impacted by the battle than European pure fuel costs.)
The letter was signed by Reps. Pramila Jayapal (WA, main the pack), Earl Blumenauer (OR), Cori Bush (MO), Chuy Garcia (CA), Raul Grijalva (AZ), Sara Jacobs (CA), Ro Khanna (CA), Barbara Lee (CA), Ilhan Omar (MN), Ayanna Pressley (MA), Sheila Lee Jackson (TX), Mark Pocan (WI), Nydia Velazquez ( NY), Gwen Moore (WI), Yvette Clark (NY), Hank Johnson (GA), Rashida Tlaib (MI), AOC (MA), Mondaire Jones (NY), Peter DeFazio (OR), Jamaal Bowman (NY), Marie Newman (IL), Alma Adams (NC), Chellie Pingree (ME), Jamie Raskin (MD), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Mark Takano (CA), Andrew Carson (IN), Donald Payne (NJ), and Mark DeSaulnier (CA).
These are all nice Democrats, however they’re extremely incorrect on this subject. [Edit: Actually, Ro Khanna is terrible. The others are good.] One Home progressive who didn’t signal the letter was Rep. Ruben Gallego.
Certain beats becoming a member of the MAGA caucus to provide Putin what he desperately must get away together with his murderous invasion. At a time when he’s beneath intense home and worldwide strain, this should have him giddy.
Watch Russian state TV have a propaganda subject day with this letter.