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Showing Original Post only (View all)Thomas Friedman bashes Ukraine: "Ukraine was, and still is, a country marbled with corruption." [View all]
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Alas, we have to be alive to the fact that its not only the Russians who would like to involve us more deeply. Have no illusions, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has been trying to do the same thing from the start to make Ukraine an immediate member of NATO or get Washington to forge a bilateral security pact with Kyiv. I am in awe of Zelenskys heroism and leadership. If I were him, Id be trying to get the U.S. as enmeshed on my side as he is.
But Im an American citizen, and I want us to be careful. Ukraine was, and still is, a country marbled with corruption. That doesnt mean we should not be helping it. I am glad we are. I insist we do. But my sense is that the Biden team is walking much more of a tightrope with Zelensky than it would appear to the eye wanting to do everything possible to make sure he wins this war but doing so in a way that still keeps some distance between us and Ukraines leadership. Thats so Kyiv is not calling the shots and so well not be embarrassed by messy Ukrainian politics in the wars aftermath.
The view of Biden and his team, according to my reporting, is that America needs to help Ukraine restore its sovereignty and beat the Russians back but not let Ukraine turn itself into an American protectorate on the border of Russia. We need to stay laser-focused on what is our national interest and not stray in ways that lead to exposures and risks we dont want.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/opinion/biden-ukraine-leaks.html
Alas, we have to be alive to the fact that its not only the Russians who would like to involve us more deeply. Have no illusions, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has been trying to do the same thing from the start to make Ukraine an immediate member of NATO or get Washington to forge a bilateral security pact with Kyiv. I am in awe of Zelenskys heroism and leadership. If I were him, Id be trying to get the U.S. as enmeshed on my side as he is.
But Im an American citizen, and I want us to be careful. Ukraine was, and still is, a country marbled with corruption. That doesnt mean we should not be helping it. I am glad we are. I insist we do. But my sense is that the Biden team is walking much more of a tightrope with Zelensky than it would appear to the eye wanting to do everything possible to make sure he wins this war but doing so in a way that still keeps some distance between us and Ukraines leadership. Thats so Kyiv is not calling the shots and so well not be embarrassed by messy Ukrainian politics in the wars aftermath.
The view of Biden and his team, according to my reporting, is that America needs to help Ukraine restore its sovereignty and beat the Russians back but not let Ukraine turn itself into an American protectorate on the border of Russia. We need to stay laser-focused on what is our national interest and not stray in ways that lead to exposures and risks we dont want.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/opinion/biden-ukraine-leaks.html
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Thomas Friedman bashes Ukraine: "Ukraine was, and still is, a country marbled with corruption." [View all]
bluewater
May 2022
OP
Ukraine has a history of corruption. How does Thomas Friedman know it is still corrupt? NT
texasfiddler
May 2022
#5
...and you can likely find examples anywhere to try and say that the corruption is a problem
ColinC
May 2022
#15
I would Luke to remind everyone that Ukraine voluntary gave up thermonuclear weapons it had from USS
grantcart
May 2022
#17
US is doing what it agreed to do, the language is screwed up to no end but we're holding our end
uponit7771
May 2022
#19
+1, A sitting SCJ's wife enabled and stoked a damn insurrection and he didn't recuse himself when
uponit7771
May 2022
#18