> This proposal turns the USA into an accomplice of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I could not agree more.

However, if you read the NYT, you might think that this was the most serious thing since aluminum tubes.

I prefer "half-court tennis."

However, given the terms of the agreement, both of our phrases appear to be far too nice.

There was some of that but a lot of blame the victim stuff "You don't start a war against someone 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles" etc.

That continues here with this basically Russian written proposal that they'll pause attacking if Ukraine will just stop defending itself.

The behaviour is more consistent with him being basically a Russian asset with them having bailed him out financially, probably have kompromat and helping him get elected president. He can't come out and say that because even the Republican party would probably object.

There was an interesting speculative theory the other day that the Russians are having him push this now because they are worried he'll lose some power after the Epstein info comes out.

The second time however, he learned his lesson. He's still a clown but he put his people, ranked by loyalty above anything else, in all key position. They are all knee deep in probably the most obvious and manifest corruption we've ever seen in a Western country. They won't oppose him in any way unless they are sure he's dead or gone forever.