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Rene St. Cyr's avatar

Excellent reporting and thank you. This proves how important it is for NATO to allow Ukraine into the organization and for Ukraine to win the war as soon as possible. The US needs to pass that funding bill to help secure victory.

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George Woloshyn's avatar

I hope, Diane, you are correct about your conclusions. I share them but not without some trepidation that the "rot" of Russian (and now China is getting into the game) infiltration and disinformation has taken hold so strongly that the forces of freedom and civility (such as yourself and your readers) are up against very strong headwinds.

Every day brings disturbing news that Trump is gaining more ground. Good people - including those who are both old and rich and have no business kissing Trump's ring (such as Gov. Burgum) are joining the "Hallelujah" chorus so as not to find themselves outside the Pale. Patriotic schools like Hillsdale are posting videos parroting the Russian line. Congressman McNaul is warning about pro-Russian sentiments taking over the Republican base, and Trump is raising $50 million from one event at Mar-a-Lago. Even Trump's hand-picked Judge in Florida is thumping her nose at Biden's Justice Dept.

The point, Diane, is this. Putting the "Russia Hoax" aside (it was no "hoax" but tacit collusion), if Trump is elected, he will give Putin free rein to drown in blood any thoughts of secession in Siberia and to (at best) reduce Ukraine to a vassal state not unlike Byelorussia but under greater supervision. Just think of what kind of mayhem Putin can do in Europe - already fearful of Russia - with Ukraine and its resources in hand. Consider the stream of politicians and diplomats quietly (at first) flying to Moscow to make separate "arrangements" for their respective nations and prepared to make amends for their support for Ukraine. Who will then receive the frozen Russian assets to rebuild?

We can only hope for a Biden re-election or, more importantly, a successful Ukrainian counter-offensive before the end of this year. Europe and Ukraine must take full advantage of the remaining time this year to build up sufficient strength and solidarity to be independent of whatever policies Trump may want to impose on Europe.

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