When Zelenskyy went to the Whitehouse

*Trump and Vance, I think, never really intended to have a conversation with Zelenskyy. Instead, they wanted to look tough on TV.*

That agrees with the conclusion I reached — that they planned to gang up on Zelenskyy two-on-one for a quarrel that Zelenskyy would inevitably "lose".

Those who wonder whether Zelenskyy used the best possible approach to the wrecker are misunderstanding the situation. When confronting arrogant bullies whose plan is to attack you, if you have responsibilities to people beyond yourself, no possible approach can reach a good outcome for them. Your choices are the bad outcome of an overt confrontation with the bullies, or the worse outcome of licking their boots. You must avoid the latter!

I wish I could think that the worst possible outcome was that the US would have no allies, but a worse one occurs to me: that Putin and Xi will be the allies of America in its Tr-ance, forming the Beijing-Moscow-Washington axis.

Robert Reich wrote, in an email for which I have no URL: "[the bully] isn't just trying to dismantle American democracy. He's gunning to destroy democracy worldwide."