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While all this is certainly true, it misses the simple political reality: The deal exists purely as a distraction to justify cutting aid. This whole discussion

While all this is certainly true, it misses the simple political reality: The deal exists purely as a distraction to justify cutting aid. This whole discussion only benefits Putin and his assets in the white house. It doesn't even matter anymore if you believe Trump knowingly or unknowingly works for Russia, because it's clear he got played hard. There is no mystery. It's either corruption or incompetence. Maybe both.

breakyerself 2y ago
Definitely both. "Malicious stupidity" keeps repeating itself in my head every time I read anything about this administration. The first time around his stupidity made him accidentally staff the Whitehouse with people who have integrity like Mattis and Kelly. Which helped limit the damage he could do. Which helped him maintain his electability. This time around he knows better than to hire anyone who has a shred of decency if he wants to be unconstrained. So this term is already shaping up to be much more damaging than the last. I hope that after he's done wrecking everything and the true consequences of his ways are plainly visible that his ideas and attitude will become taboo, but I'm not holding my breath. So far his base has been impervious to reality.
- klipt 2y ago
  "Why are both establishment dems and reps both anti tariff? This is collusion! I'm going to vote for an outsider who really appreciates tariffs" one economic crash later "Oh, maybe that's why the establishment is anti tariff"
  - Nihilartikel 2y ago
    Or, more likely: "the wicked and deceptive establishment have yet again managed to sabotage the brilliant and noble efforts of America's best ever leader. The only way America can be saved now is to suppress these treacherous anti American rabble rousers so that they can't keep the real American heros down."
ZeroGravitas 2y ago
It misses a key point that affects this. If there were no or few rare earths and the deal only asked for 50% of this small/non-existant resource then Ukraine would have signed it. They didn't sign it in part because it asked for basically half the countries mineral resources, gas, oil, coal etc. Which makes more sense if, to your point, the deal was to make an unreasonable offer that couldn't be accepted, and use that to make the current Ukraine government look bad.
- 99_00 2y ago
  Ukraine did signed the deal.

breakyerself 2y ago

Definitely both. "Malicious stupidity" keeps repeating itself in my head every time I read anything about this administration. The first time around his stupidity made him accidentally staff the Whitehouse with people who have integrity like Mattis and Kelly. Which helped limit the damage he could do. Which helped him maintain his electability. This time around he knows better than to hire anyone who has a shred of decency if he wants to be unconstrained. So this term is already shaping up to be much more damaging than the last. I hope that after he's done wrecking everything and the true consequences of his ways are plainly visible that his ideas and attitude will become taboo, but I'm not holding my breath. So far his base has been impervious to reality.

klipt 2y ago
"Why are both establishment dems and reps both anti tariff? This is collusion! I'm going to vote for an outsider who really appreciates tariffs" one economic crash later "Oh, maybe that's why the establishment is anti tariff"
- Nihilartikel 2y ago
  Or, more likely: "the wicked and deceptive establishment have yet again managed to sabotage the brilliant and noble efforts of America's best ever leader. The only way America can be saved now is to suppress these treacherous anti American rabble rousers so that they can't keep the real American heros down."

ZeroGravitas 2y ago

It misses a key point that affects this. If there were no or few rare earths and the deal only asked for 50% of this small/non-existant resource then Ukraine would have signed it. They didn't sign it in part because it asked for basically half the countries mineral resources, gas, oil, coal etc. Which makes more sense if, to your point, the deal was to make an unreasonable offer that couldn't be accepted, and use that to make the current Ukraine government look bad.

99_00 2y ago
Ukraine did signed the deal.