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."