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toomuchbaloney · Feb 12

mtmkjr said:

The majority once cheered for the wrong side of history

Even in that historical example, some had to learn the hard way.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 13

Let's Buy California from Trump – Denmark's Next Big Adventure

PENNLIVE 2/12/25

Danish petition to buy California attracts hundreds of thousands of signatures

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...An online petition seeking to have Denmark buy the state of California from the U.S. has garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures....

As of Wednesday, the petition has a little over 221,000 signatures.

"Have you ever looked at a map and thought, 'You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates.' Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality.“ the petition reads. "Let's buy California from Donald Trump!”...

Crusades · Feb 13

mtmkjr said:

The majority once cheered for the wrong side of history

So when Biden received the most votes ever,(the majority) does that apply to him?

I thought the Nazi/Trump fear mongering was finally going to at least ease up a little bit considering the same old played out rhetoric didn't succeed in keeping Trump from winning the election.

That played out propaganda has only lead to the devaluing and significance the word.

Crusades · Feb 13

toomuchbaloney said:

Even in that historical example, some had to learn the hard way.

It seems the ridiculous Nazi narrative didn't prevent Trump from winning the election including the popular vote. Which means the dems learned the hard way but at the sametime, didn't learn anything at all.

toomuchbaloney · Feb 13

Crusades said:

So when Biden received the most votes ever,(the majority) does that apply to him?

I thought the Nazi/Trump fear mongering was finally going to at least ease up a little bit considering the same old played out rhetoric didn't succeed in keeping Trump from winning the election.

That played out propaganda has only lead to the devaluing and significance the word.

My guess is that you think those who supported Biden were on the wrong side of history.

You thought wrong. Buckle up, it's going to be a long presidency for you if hearing about fascists is the worst that you will experience during this administration.

toomuchbaloney · Feb 13

https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2025/02/13/trumps-opening-gambit-to-end-war-shakes-ukraine-and-stirs-russia/

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Ukrainians refused to despair over ominous first comments from the White House on how it plans to end Europe's biggest war since 1945, as Russia hailed new US president Donald Trump as a man with whom the Kremlin could do business.

Trump spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday and said he wanted talks to end Russia's invasion of its pro-western neighbour to start "immediately".

More worryingly for Kyiv, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine could not expect to regain all occupied territory, receive Nato membership or secure US peacekeepers as part of any settlement.

His comments boosted Russia's hopes of achieving two key goals of its invasion, and left Ukraine to reflect on how Trump and his team were just stating bluntly what his predecessor Joe Biden had wrapped in vague pledges to help Kyiv "for as long as it takes".

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Opens in new window

EuropeAnalysis

Trump's opening gambit to end war shakes Ukraine and stirs Russia

Washington's intervention has boosted Russia's hopes of achieving two key goals of its invasion

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Traditional Russian wooden dolls depicting Russian president Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump on display in a souvenir shop in Moscow on Thursday. Photograph: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA

Daniel McLaughlin in Kyiv

Thu Feb 13 2025 - 13:10

Ukrainians refused to despair over ominous first comments from the White House on how it plans to end Europe's biggest war since 1945, as Russia hailed new US president Donald Trump as a man with whom the Kremlin could do business.

Trump spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday and said he wanted talks to end Russia's invasion of its pro-western neighbour to start "immediately".

More worryingly for Kyiv, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine could not expect to regain all occupied territory, receive Nato membership or secure US peacekeepers as part of any settlement.

His comments boosted Russia's hopes of achieving two key goals of its invasion, and left Ukraine to reflect on how Trump and his team were just stating bluntly what his predecessor Joe Biden had wrapped in vague pledges to help Kyiv "for as long as it takes".

READ MORE

Trump's opening gambit to end war shakes Ukraine and stirs Russia

Trump's call with Putin 'not a betrayal' of Ukraine, US defence secretary Hegseth says

European nations must be involved in Ukraine peace talks, leaders say after Trump calls with Putin and Zelenskiy

Donald Trump says negotiations will begin 'immediately' to end war in Ukraine after call with Putin

"We have always lived in this reality – we just didn't want to admit it. The difference between Biden and Trump is that Trump says out loud what Biden was thinking and doing about Ukraine,” said Tymofiy Mylovanov, head of the Kyiv School of Economics and a former Ukrainian economy minister.

"Biden was against Nato expansion, against providing Ukraine with enough support to retake occupied territories when it was still possible, and against strong sanctions on Russia. Trump is just making it explicit,” he added.

Crusades · Feb 13

https://www.allsides.com/story/donald-trump-trump-and-putin-hold-phone-conversation

This is a great example if media bias and slant.

And a great start by Trump to ending the war.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 14

Crusades said:

https://www.allsides.com/story/donald-trump-trump-and-putin-hold-phone-conversation

This is a great example if media bias and slant.

And a great start by Trump to ending the war.

I don't think both examples of reporting are not telling what it true, but it is interesting how different organizations report the same story. I used to read a story on CNN and then see how Fox News was reporting it and post about it here, until I was told that Fox News was renting too much space in my head. Both weren't reporting falsehoods.

Putin is a dishonest murderous dictator but I am glad to see that unlike Biden, Trump is willing to talk and meet and try to end the war. They have a prior relationship to fall back on.

I'm glad his support for Ukraine is there. Russia is going to want some territory from the Ukraine but Trump indicated he would not let Ukraine join NATO and their borders won't be the same, but no talk of what Russia's concessions will be.

Ukraine wants to make sure that they are included, as so other European nations that have contributed to Ukraine's efforts, it's shouldn't be a deal between Trump and Putin that is forced on Ukraine. There does seem to be a riff between existing NATO and the US right now. There are accusations of making concessions before peace talks have started and that Trump betrayed Ukraine. I'm sure it can be negotiated. Trump obiviously gives zero *** about what NATO or the EU thinks.

Trump has a lot of leverage as the highest donor to Ukraines efforts and threats to with hold it can bend Ukraine. Tariffs are unlikely as we have a trade surplus with them.

I would give high props to Trump for helping to end the war there. That will be a happy day.

toomuchbaloney · Feb 14

Is "portrayal of Putin as a 25-year ruler who has "killed, imprisoned, or exiled" his opposition" a biased or inaccurate reporting on who Putin is?

mtmkjr, BSN · Feb 15

Tweety said:

I would give high props to Trump for helping to end the war there. That will be a happy day.

Yes it is always good when war comes to an end. However I I think you're giving Trump undeserved props.

Hegseth is totally out of his league, making concessions before negotiations even start - totally out of his league

The whole thing feels like Ukraine is being abandoned.

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Trump team makes confused start to Ukraine diplomacy

By Simon Lewis and Steve Holland

February 14, 20256:22 PM ESTUpdated 40 min ago

*Ukraine statements from U.S. officials appear contradictory

*Calls to start negotiations blindsided allies

*Approach could lead to 'good outcome', says analyst

WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - This was a disorienting week for those anxious over how the new Trump administration will fulfill Donald Trump's vow to end the Ukraine war.

As the U.S. president took his first steps toward diplomacy over the nearly three-year conflict, comments from his top officials left many unsure what he has planned for the biggest security crisis to face Europe in decades.

Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy by phone on Wednesday and tasked officials with kickstarting negotiations, adding that a summit with Putin in Saudi Arabia was likely.

The calls blindsided European allies already wondering what to make of comments from Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth told NATO allies earlier on Wednesday that it was unrealistic for Ukraine to join the alliance as part of a negotiated settlement with Russia, that Kyiv's hopes of restoring its 2014 borders were an "illusionary goal," and that the United States would not send troops as part of a security force in Ukraine.

He appeared to backtrack on his own remarks the next day, telling a press conference that "everything is on the table" for Ukraine war negotiations.

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance sowed more confusion, suggesting in a Wall Street Journal interview that the U.S. would reserve options for pressuring Moscow, including sending U.S. troops to Ukraine, which would be a major shift from former President Joe Biden's policy of keeping American forces off the battlefield there.

Vance later said on X the Journal had twisted his words, saying "American troops should never be put into harm's way where it doesn't advance American interests and security."

Ambassador Daniel Fried, a retired U.S. diplomat now with the Atlantic Council think tank, said the administration's messaging had been contradictory but that officials had left themselves room to negotiate an acceptable outcome with Russia.

"They're all over the map, they have trouble getting a disciplined line, but they haven't ruled anything out. They've covered the position in a cloud of ambiguity and uncertainty," he said.

CONCESSIONS TO PUTIN?

The administration's comments left the impression among some European allies that the Trump administration was making concessions to Putin before any negotiations had taken place.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Friday called the administration's approach "clumsy" and "a mistake." Putin had "not budged an inch" on his negotiating position so it was not in the West's interests to do so, he said at the Munich Security Conference, where defense officials and diplomats gathered this week.

"It would have been much better to talk about possible NATO membership and territorial changes at the negotiating table," Pistorius said.

Republican U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate's Armed Services Committee, slammed what he called a "rookie mistake" by Hegseth to apparently cede Ukraine's border before negotiations have begun, adding he was "puzzled" and "disturbed" by Hegseth's comments.

"Everybody knows ... and people in the administration know you don't say before your first meeting what you will agree to and what you won't agree to," Wicker told Politico on Friday.

There were also questions over who would carry out Trump's Ukraine policy. He named in a social media post negotiators including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who flew to Russia on Tuesday to conduct a prisoner swap, but leaving out Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.

The White House later clarified that Kellogg was still involved in Ukraine policy.

Fried said that despite the confused messaging, Trump's priorities on Ukraine were coming into view and could lead to a "good outcome" for Ukraine. Those priorities appeared to be securing a ceasefire quickly, that Ukraine must have security guarantees and that European rather than U.S. troops would be on the ground to secure the peace, Fried said.

"A good outcome means the war stops, 80% of Ukraine is free, and there are security guarantees for Ukraine sufficient that Russia won't start the war again. That is a strategic victory for Ukraine," Fried said.

https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-team-makes-confused-start-ukraine-diplomacy-2025-02-14/

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 15

mtmkjr said:

Yes it is always good when war comes to an end. However I I think you're giving Trump undeserved props.

Hegseth is totally out of his league, making concessions before negotiations even start - totally out of his league

The whole thing feels like Ukraine is being abandoned.

Yes. Ukraine is being thrown under the bus because we've financed them and they don't have a choice.

mtmkjr, BSN · Feb 15

Which "officials"? Musk?

Trump officials fired nuclear staff not realizing they oversee the country's weapons stockpile, sources say

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Sources told CNN the officials did not seem to know this agency oversees America's nuclear weapons.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/14/climate/nuclear-nnsa-firings-trump