Trump, Vance Repeat Putin’s Lies
To the Editor:
Little Donnie Trump’s record on foreign affairs is abysmal, having admired Tsar Putin and his thuggery for years. On multiple occasions, he praised the Tsar, including in February 2022 with the statement: “… he’s taking over a country for two dollars’ worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart.” Russia promised Ukrainian territorial integrity and independence, signing the Budapest Memorandum, in exchange for Ukraine giving up its large nuclear weapons arsenal. Little Donnie makes no effort to get Russia to honor its commitments, preferring to continue his bromance with Putin and parroting his lies.
While Donnie was President the first time, Russia beefed up its “little green men” military in the “separatist” area of the Ukraine to 14,000 troops and nibbled more Ukrainian territory. Russia also attacked and took possession of two Ukrainian gun boats and a tug in international waters. Little Donnie stood by allowing Russia to continue preparations for their third attack on the Ukraine, a general invasion.
Little Donnie previously bragged that from talks with Putin he knew that Russia wanted the entire Ukraine. Yet during his presidency, his primary effort in foreign policy was threatening NATO instead of fixing the number one problem. A skillful person simultaneously works to correct the problem of European addiction to American military welfare AND stopping the blood thirsty Tsar.
A major motivation for Little Donnie’s lies about the Ukraine is his anger at war hero Zelensky’s refusal to engage in American domestic politics when asked to dig up dirt on Joe Biden. This refusal led to Little Donnie suspending Congressionally approved aid and this criminal offense led to one of Little Donnie’s impeachments. Little Donnie’s personal grudges about those resisting his criminal acts pollute international affairs.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A good President would have pulled together the European nations and solidly armed the Ukraine starting on Day One to prevent the Russian invasion that Little Donnie knew was coming, as noted above.
Four years of accelerating the arming and training Ukrainian soldiers with tanks, fighter bombers and long-range missiles would have made all the difference in Putin’s thinking.
Little Donnie claims to be a miracle negotiator who can settle any difficult issue in 24 hours, yet he refused to use these supernatural abilities when it counted. Little Donnie is a strategic flunky.
The assistance to the Ukraine by both the USA and Europe is miserly. Realize that the GNP of Russia is LESS than Texas and about half of Germany. The population of the EU is more than three times greater than Russia and their GNP is over EIGHT TIMES GREATER.
The ENTIRE Russian military budget is roughly $150 Billion. (Arguments about purchase power parity do not work well concerning military equipment and technology due to the substantially better technology of the western nations.) It is obvious, given the combined economic clout of the USA, Europe, and other allies, matching even this entire sum annually to fund the Ukraine is a small impact on the economies of these countries.
Europe provides more aid to the Ukraine than we do, but let’s assume that we supply 50%, which is $75 Billion a year. Total federal spending in 2024 was $6,800 Billion. Consequently, $75 Billion is only 1.1% of federal spending, hardly a hardship in order to detour dictators and war criminals. Because most of this is for paying Americans to produce munitions, not much money leaves the country.
Despite Little Donnie’s lies about how much the USA has supported the Ukraine, the truth is shabby. In three fiscal years, 2022 through 2024, Congress authorized $182.8 Billion, much of which is NOT for military purposes.
However, only $83.4 Billion of this has been disbursed, which is $27.8 Billion per year.
Heroic Ukrainian defense to save their democracy from Russian vultures and war criminals deserves much better from draft dodger Little Donnie, who now has suspended aid to the Ukraine, again.
Edward Dykes La Grange