Author Archena Posted on June 22, 2022June 22, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , , ,

Which is More Important, Ukraine or Taiwan?

Ukraine. Thanks for coming see you… Oh, you want the long answer, huh? Okay, here it is: Ukraine has actually been invaded, Taiwan hasn’t. Happy now? No? Man, you’re a tough crowd. Taiwan produces semiconductors. Ukraine produces food. Semiconductor shortages result in a lot of complaining on social media; food shortages result in riots and starvation. Just because America doesn’t need Ukrainian grain doesn’t mean that countless millions don’t. Massive uprisings abroad do nasty things to supply chains so Taiwan … Continue reading “Which is More Important, Ukraine or Taiwan?”

Author Archena Posted on June 4, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , , , ,

Cracks Forming in NATO?

Short answer: No. See y’all next time… Okay, okay, long answer: No, it’s just politics as usual. Frankly, I’m amazed it took this long. The problem is the leadership vacuum. There really isn’t a leader on the NATO side. Biden is, well, Biden. He has trouble getting his dog to follow him. Johnson is as close to a leader as NATO has right now as he’s gotten in front of a lot of the stuff that needed doing. He’s not … Continue reading “Cracks Forming in NATO?”

Author Archena Posted on May 26, 2022May 26, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , , , ,

Y’all Do Know We’re Winning, Right?

The most incredibly frustrating thing is listening to conservatives I normally agree with go off the rails over the Ukraine War. I don’t mean that they disagree with my position – that’s fine. I try not to listen to people I never disagree with because I’m probably not really listening. But opposing support for Ukraine because you want NATO members to meet their obligations and run their own business is just so so so D-U-M-B. The Ukraine crisis is literally … Continue reading “Y’all Do Know We’re Winning, Right?”

Author Archena Posted on May 11, 2022May 11, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , , ,

Gnocchi and the Threat to Europe

Imagine for a moment that you are a grandmother, sitting in her little cottage outside Warsaw, finishing the last of your gnocchi and listening to the radio. It’s a lovely sunny day in Poland and you are just reminiscing about your life, remembering what it was like to grow up in a Warsaw Pact nation. Well, your momma’s gnocchi was a lot better than yours. Little wonder – she made it almost every day. You were married before you knew … Continue reading “Gnocchi and the Threat to Europe”

Author Archena Posted on April 18, 2022April 18, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , , ,

Define Win

Before you start the game, make sure you know what the objective is and how to win. Also a good idea to make sure everyone agrees on what those things are – I once ‘won’ a chess game against a seeded player. I stink at chess but I defined ‘win’ as ‘not losing in ten moves or less’. I kept him busy for thirty minutes – then he figured out that I didn’t have a winning strategy, just a stalling … Continue reading “Define Win”

Author Archena Posted on March 28, 2022March 28, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , , ,

Ukraine Versus Russia: What it Means to the US

Short answer: if Ukraine falls it will predicate a geopolitical realignment that the US will have very little say in. The reason: Biden. If Ukraine survives, there will still be a geopolitical realignment but to a lesser degree and US power will remain in play. Probably despite Biden. Conclusion: If you don’t like military conflicts with Russia, don’t vote Democrat for the next decade or so. Now, for those who prefer some meat on the bare bones, there is no … Continue reading “Ukraine Versus Russia: What it Means to the US”

Author Archena Posted on March 24, 2022March 24, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , ,

Ukraine Invasion – Initial Assessment

Originally written 2/25/22 I admit, I didn’t expect Russia to go in after leaving their troops in plain sight for weeks. In my very non-expert military opinion that was stupid – and I thought the Russians were a bit brighter than that. What I think happened is Russia saw a chance at low hanging fruit and went for it. A weak US president with an already horrendous foreign policy track record coupled with weeks of no real significant response out … Continue reading “Ukraine Invasion – Initial Assessment”

Author Archena Posted on March 2, 2022March 2, 2022Categories CurrentTags , , , , , ,

The State of the Union – Snooze Fest 2022

Let’s be perfectly fair – the State of the Union is ALWAYS a snooze fest. It’s the nature of the beast. But given the Freedom Convoy and that little war in Ukraine, maybe it shouldn’t be. Be that as it may, the state of the Union gives a president time in the bully pulpit – a chance to speak directly to the American people and try to convince them. Often, it becomes a rally for the president’s base – easy … Continue reading “The State of the Union – Snooze Fest 2022”