There were many chances for the Kremlin to do things differently, but Putin has squandered that for a personal accumulation of power, writes Alexander Gabuev.
— Read on www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/russia-might-have-been
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A Republican plan to restrict the way history is taught at Florida’s colleges and universities is receiving outcry from academics, particularly historians, from across the U.S.
— Read on wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/politics-issues/2023-03-15/historians-express-horror-at-floridas-hb-999-they-say-it-threatens-academic-freedomif you don’t think it can happen here, it can and is.
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Joseph E. Stiglitz blames US policymakers and regulators for the collapse of a financial mainstay of Silicon Valley.
— Read on www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/predictable-silicon-valley-bank-collapse-by-joseph-e-stiglitz-2023-03 -
It must become clear to the West, however, that anything short of the full restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity will represent a catastrophic defeat for the United States and its European allies.
— Read on www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/russia-wants-long-war -
Death sentences are sanctioned by the government. We, the people, are the jurors, the final arbiters of that crushing, irreversible decision. And no one should be comfortable with the possibility that maybe, just maybe, we got it wrong.
— Read on www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/20/reckless-florida-death-penalty-legislation/ -
apple.news/A-Q_uMfUJQmOCzGWZPBnybw
Other pro-Russian messages focused on the economic costs of the war for the US have been echoed by Republicans in the powerful far-right House Freedom Caucus such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, Scott Perry and Paul Gosar, who to varying degrees have questioned giving Ukraine more military aid and demanded tougher oversight.
Bannon’s War Room podcast in February 2022 featured an interview with Erik Prince, the wealthy US founder of Blackwater, where they both enthused that Putin’s policies were “anti-woke” and praised Putin’s homophobia and transphobia.
Carlson revved up his attacks on US support for Ukraine claiming falsely that Biden’s goal had become “overthrowing Putin and putting American tanks in Red Square because, sure, we could manage Russia once we overthrow the dictator”.
Russia had an “interest in promoting authentic American voices expressing views that align with the Kremlin’s foreign policy goals. And that’s why you often see them retweet Americans that make these arguments.”
“Millions of people in the west understand they are being led to a real spiritual catastrophe,” Putin railed last month in a wildly hyperbolic speech that homed in on “the destruction of families”, and related themes.
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apple.news/AulwZXA50SHWnb-7fTlRRow
Oil export revenue in Russia fell sharply by nearly half in February compared with last year following a European Union freeze and price caps imposed by Ukraine’s Western allies
U.S. officials hosted the 10th gathering of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an alliance of dozens of nations supplying military equipment to Ukraine to combat Russia. “Russia hopes to grind down Ukraine in a war of attrition
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he would support a greater Russian military presence in Syria in an interview with RIA Novosti, after meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Assad, who has hosted Russian military forces in Syria since 2015, also signaled his support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,
The United Kingdom has pledged new funding for Moldova and Georgia to support their territorial integrity
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Blog Notes:
Bank Failure
This podcast by the Daily Podcast is the best explanation out there of the SVB failure.
Now, we have huge fees related to the SVB failure.
Bank failures, like train derailments, are the Republican, deregulated future.
This is an opinion piece by Elizabeth Warren. While, I deeply distrust Warren over how she handled her presidential run, I trust her judgement on financial issues (well, maybe, sort of, partly).
Ukraine
Ron DeSantis has made his position clear as part of the Russia lobby of the Republican Party. In addition, more Guantanamo detainees have tied him to torture and sadism.
Wagner Group
- It is being argued that Putin is throwing Wagner Group mercenaries into the battle in Ukraine in order to diminish Yevgeny Prigozhin’s influence.
- Oleksander Kovalenko, Wagner Group expert, is quoted as saying that Prigozhin lost Putin’s support when Wagner suffered “colossal losses” capturing Soldear, a salt mining town just north of Bakhmut.
- The Russian defense ministry claimed victory there in January of 2023, but the operation was widely criticized in Russia and was the beginning of a rift between Prigozhin and Putin.
- Prigozhin claimed that Wagner had been responsible for the victory.
- Lovalenko claims that Wagner has had responsibility for the conduct of hostilities in the Bakhmut region since the summer of 2022.
- “Kovalenko said Prigozhin’s failures have cost not only recruiting permissions and access to arms provided through the defense ministry, but now his forces are being used as “human shields” in the first line of defense for Russian military forces.”
- The ISW (Institute for the Study of War) has said that Russia’s defense ministry is deliberately trying to expend both elite and convict Wagner forces in Bakhmut.
- Prigozhin has also lost his access to Russia’s prisons to recruit new force.
- Last month, Prigozhin accused defense officials Shoigu and Gerasimov of “treason” for failing to provide Wagner sufficient arms.
- The Russian military is using Wagner forces as “living meat.”
- According to the ISW, Prigozhin has threatened to withdraw his forces from Bakhmut.
- Kovalenko maintains that Russia can afford to withdraw, or remove Wagner troops. He notes that they are not the only private military company operating in Russia. He notes PMC Patriot and PMC Redut as examples.
- Previously, according to Kovalenko, Wagner has priority and dominance in places like Syria, but Moscow is expanding their use of other mercenary forces and diversifying in places like Syria.
There is a Pentagon press conference today. They don’t seem to be saying anything new.
- Warning China not to send arms to Russia.
- Russia is going to other countries (like Iran) to help their war effort.
- Gen. Milley is speaking (he’s left handed). Austin is there as well.
- (Note: We must, must arm Ukraine for their offensive before the Democrats leave office. The Republicans will abandon them.)
- Austin is playing down the importance of Bakhmut.
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Russia’s defense ministry is using Wagner forces as “live meat” in the Bakhmut sector as it looks to eliminate the group after Yevgeny Prigozhin lost the trust of President Putin.
— Read on www.foxnews.com/world/russia-sacrificing-mercenary-forces-live-meat-wagner-group-warlord-loses-putins-trust -
The five-page document mentions a 1993 visit to the U.S. and a fantasy book the Russian mercenary leader co-wrote with his children.
— Read on theintercept.com/2023/03/02/yevgeny-prigozhin-hacked-resume/ -
Ireland has repeatedly advanced bills to ban the import of Israeli products, nearing success on multiple occasions only to have the U.S. State Department quash the country’s efforts
— Read on theintercept.com/2023/03/05/israel-benjamin-netanyahu-bds-boycott/
Law, Power, and Justice 