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Cynthia Watson's avatar

Cliff, my concern is that personalizing gives false comfort that one-to-on negotiation will always win. You make interesting counter points. I am not defending Biden or anyone else but cautioning that personal expectations could give overconfidence. Thanks!!

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Cliff Krieger's avatar

I agree. Overconfidence is a danger with President Trump. A rocky four yers, for sure.

Cliff

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Cliff Krieger's avatar

When I read the title I flashed on my early 20s, when I read a little about Personalism [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personalism] (Jacque Ellul, Diem, Jacques Maritain). From the article I would add Dorothy Day and Pope John Paul II. My Mother liked Dorothy Day.

But, I figure that is not what you are talking about. President Trump isn’t interested in the Holodomor. He is focused on the deaths of men and women in Ukraine, and in Russia today. Even North Koreans. He is focused on the here and now and what he can do to fix the problem. Like you, I believe that the historic trail is important. President Trump just wants to fix the problem. Does that lead to an enduring solution? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Russia has been gnawing at Ukraine since right after the Budapest Memorandum.

Yes, he didn’t end the war the first day, but he is working on it. I am not sure President Zelenskyy is helping. President Zelenskyy is, and rightfully so, concerned about Russia cutting a deal and then coming back for another bite of the apple. And, he is concerned about how much territory an agreement will cost him. Both important. And, I think that when he came to DC the Democrats blew smoke up his skirt.

On the other hand, I am not impressed with the success of the Biden Administration in ending the war. I would call it’s efforts a failure. Unless, the secret goal was to keep Russia engaged in war and wear it down.

Gaza? President Trump’s silly proposal for a Riviera like solution did manage to get nations in the region to get together and talk about the way forward. That was movement. Maybe when the tariff thing goes quiet he will come up with another move to encourage the locals to solve this local problem.

Regards — Cliff

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