Alex Vindman explains how Trump's coup attempt encouraged Putin's Ukraine invasion

[turbinetree]

By Chauncey Devega, Salon
Published February 28, 2022

It's worth remembering in this moment of global crisis that Donald Trump's first impeachment was the result of Trump's attempt to blackmail Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by withholding weapons and other military aid that Congress had already authorized. What Trump wanted was for Zelensky and the Ukrainian government to smear Joe Biden with false charges, potentially influencing the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

That crime was part of a much larger pattern, in which Donald Trump and his regime consistently acted as vassals for Vladimir Putin's regime and Russia's strategic interests.

Writing at the Washington Post, Colbert King reminds us of further history in this regard:

https://www.rawstory.com/lt-col-alex-vindman-how-trump-s-coup-attempt-encouraged-putin-s-ukraine-invasion/

[Lovie777]

1. It's worth remembering that the senate GQP acquitted shithole twice. .....

[Botany]

3. "It's worth remembering that" TFG as President withheld aid from a free nation as it was ...

... battling Putin in order to rig our elections and that Congressional and Senatorial republicans were
just fine with that. "It's (also) worth remembering that" both Trump supporters Flynn and Manafort
supported Putin, the downfall of a free nation and the rat fucking of our elections over our democracy.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

10. Vindman mentions all that, was as startled and alarmed and now perplexed as rest of us

why the Republican Party stuck with the organizer of an attempted coup.

Because Fox and Rupert Murdock were still firmly entrenched up their asses?

And still are I think.

[mobeau69]

2. It was not blackmail. It was extortion.

[zuul]

5. +1

[raging moderate]

6. Yes, you are right. It was extortion.

And extortion is a worse crime than blackmail.

[Lonestarblue]

12. And bribery--specifically called out in the US Constitution as an impeachable crime.

Attempted bribery counts. What Senate Republicans did in refusing to convict Trump was to say that any criminal actions of a Republican president will be ignored and we refuse to uphold the US Constitution. Had Republicans done their duty instead of blindly following Moscow Mitch’s orders, the 2020 election would have turned out the same, with Biden winning. But Republicans would have lost the millstone around their necks that Trump has become and perhaps would not have turned into the party of kooks and conspiracy nuts it has become.

[musclecar6]

4. As we all know

TFG is a despicable national disgrace on so many levels. What's much worse however is that a Republican Congress with a few notable exceptions have completely thrown in with that awful awful person. What they should've done when he started all his crazy bullshit is they should've come out with both barrels blazing defending the American people from this udder tyrant. They are the true cowards in this whole situation

[jaxexpat]

16. When I was young we had a milk cow.

It was certain that my father was an udder tyrant. " He and his dog, too." Muttered the holstein, lowly.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

7. Wow, what a fascinating read from a fascinating intellectual military officer. Thx.

Vindmans insights and opinions delivered from a platform of first hand knowledge and first class study are worth the longer than Twitter stuff read.

Ppl need to put down the Twitter and fb machines and take a peek at real news and real opinion, informed opinion, not gobblygoop, like this.

I nominate Zelensky and Vindman to rule the world.

[multigraincracker]

8. He'd make a great Ambassador to Ukraine.

At least.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

9. Here's a quote that caught my eye, among others...how fox and fascist republicans have done a 180...

Donald Trump has taken the Republican Party in a disastrous direction. Again, everything Trump touches dies. He's his own worst enemy. He is a stubborn ass who latched onto this idea that he will not criticize Putin. It's a test of his manhood. Trump is now going to continue to press that issue. It looks like the Republican Party is going to follow him.

……

In the time between Vindman saying that, a few days?, Fox and the fascist party have decided watching white people die at the hands of other white people not as useful for domestic division and discord as white people killing brown people…no hate value, so it ended.

I hate fascists.

[erronis]

11. WaPo link to Opinion: Putin has unfinished business in America

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/25/putin-biden-trump-2024-election-interference/

Archived copy: https://archive.ph/gxH02

[boyedav1969]

13. Can you imagine though...

...how different NATO's and the rest of the world's responses might have been with TFG (shudders) still at the wheel?

[Wounded Bear]

18. Yes I can, and it ain't pretty...nt

[niyad]

14. "I represent the public servant class of the military." says it all.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

21. Yes. And the entire article is full of truths so stark and nakedly laid out...article

should be mandatory reading for the select committee.

Maybe the liberal media, lol, will pick up on it?

Not holding breath…much longer.

[kentuck]

15. In some way....

I think Putin was emboldened by the actions of Donald Trump in this country. It gave him a false sense of superiority, in my opinion.

[Wounded Bear]

19. An opinion shared by many, inculding myself...

[3auld6phart]

17. WHY

in Hell is that orange So B traitor still walking free? His brand of poison os spreading up here. Gawd dammit do something .This legal shit is dragging out. Arrest the bastard. Stay strong Ukraine. .. Where are the flags?

[Auggie]

20. Massive K&R

[Kittycatkat]

22. Fantastic article. Thanks!