Friends, this week's Newsmaker Show marks V-E Day and contemplates the overall significance of WWII, in addition to President Nixon's decision to expand the war in Vietnam to neighboring Cambodia. In terms of current events, we also ponder the game of chicken currently taking place between DJT, blabbermouth extraordinaire, and Judge Merchan in NYC. In addition, we analyze the state of the war in Ukraine, Russia's resilient finances and energy sales, RFK, Jr.'s proposed "no spoiler pledge", Kathy Hochul's racial faux pas, and Mike Johnson's political gymnastics.
It's a good show, and as Grand Poobah of Radioland I invite you to partake of it!
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-may-8-2024-dr-nick-waddy/
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In other news, the Biden Administration is "pausing" the delivery of certain types of armaments to Israel, in an effort to distance itself from the civilian casualties that Israeli operations in Gaza are producing. In all probability, this is a stance that will irritate all sides, and please no one.
The Kennedy factor in the 2024 election remains ambiguous, with both Democrats and Republicans sweating about his potential to play the role of spoiler. The best evidence we have thus far, however, still suggests that RFK, Jr. draws support roughly equally from both major party candidates.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/may/7/robert-f-kennedy-jr-campaign-barges-into-trump-ter/
Finally, check out this analysis of the coming demographic collapse in East Asia, which, the authors claim, could make problematic China's ambitious plans to dominate the world, and could also breathe new life into the Pax Americana. The key word here is "could". Modern societies are already more geriatric than anyone could have imagined a generation ago, but that hasn't forestalled economic growth or continued improvements in the standard of living. Plus, in a future in which wars are fought by drones, which are, in turn, manfactured by robots, does the number of human workers available to a major power even matter anymore? Bottom line: we're about to find out!
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/east-asias-coming-population-collapse
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Imagine President McClellan, in March 1865, with Grant ready to seal the deal, arrogating to his whim the cessation of hostilities. Israel is ready to bring this terribly necessary war to a conclusion yielding the benefit it has sought, the destruction of subhuman Hamas in Gaza. But no, Joe and the cadre who control him are displeased here thousands of miles from besieged Israel. The indefatigable Israelis will succeed despite his denial to them of important weapons which, after all ,they did have reason to expect to be theirs presently; there is no quit in them. Of course, more IDF will die as Joe thereby attempts to appease the campus brats and their apologists. I think it most unwise, as well as intensely shameful, to betray a country as courageous as Israel.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: I would hold that Pres. Nixon did not expand the war into Cambodia. The Vietnamese Commies did by invading Cambodia and using it as a base from which to flank American forces at their convenience. The passive unfortunate Cambodians were incapable of preventing this. Pres. Nixon could not deny to our forces in Vietnam the ok to defend themselves.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: I think: Israel has resolutely and heroically built a civilization centuries ahead of the proximate atavistic jackals which besiege it and, in the very 21st century, actually purpose its physical extermination, after the model exemplified by the primitive Mongol hordes. The suffering of innocent Gazans is fully and solely attributable to the Hamas savages who have enslaved them even unto very forcefully sheltering themselves among those terribly unfortunate people . These passionate youthful do gooders on American campuses should , had they an iota of the enlightenment they arrogate to themselves and any perception of their naive manipulation by murderous marxist professionals , "encamp" ,if they will, AGAINST rather than FOR Hamas. They are fully entranced and mesmerized by the woke contagion , and its professional prescribers , to which they have submitted at the cost of 60 to 90 thousand per year on their exalted campuses. And our President, in a pathetic and ignoble effort to sate their wrath, withdraws significant material support for noble Israel. The action itself speaks for itself. What counterintuitive mindlessness and reflexive madness demonstrates therein its appalling grip on our country.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Re: your latest Newsmaker broadcast: good point about the Dems seeing electoral advantage in the revelation of salacious details in the "trial". This may be an ancillary part of their strategy of lawfare ruination of DJT, with a conviction as their main goal.They may have to settle for the not at all certain benefit of perceived scandal. These people actually still front the belief that Slick Willy was tasked for his amorous adventures rather than the reality that he was deservedly tried for perjury and denial to a citizen of a meaningful day in court. "Payback is a b---h "and all that you know. They are digging themselves ever deeper into a political punji stake trap which they appear unable to avoid. PP: Should they yet succeed we must expect an onslaught of lawfare having as one of its by then reachable goals the guarantee that this will be America's last true electoral choice. But America may well be, as you suggested , fed up with their disingenuous amorality.Should they fail, I expect of them frenzied paroxyms of apocalyptic outrage manifested by their promotion of the social disorder which is their customary response to insolent public rejection.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: The dem treatment of RFK Jr. reveals once again, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, their fundamentally vicious and vindictive attitude to all dissent. How can we doubt that this is how they would rule?
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Hochul's obvious abject intimidation by the woke police , manifested in her summary apology for her shameful blasphemy, demonstrates yet again the stranglehold the doctrinaire far left has on "progressives". That manner of vindictive and dictatorial threat would surely be extended to us all should they ever take over.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Ukraine - Russia: The central verity of this tragedy has changed not a whit from the day Russia attacked: Russia, a country unimaginably savaged by German invasion within living memory, will NEVER tolerate Ukrainian membership in obviously antiRussia Nato(especially as it includes Germany). Their geographic and historical connection to Ukraine makes it unthinkable for them. Picture the visceral outrage such a prospect understandably arouses in Russia. If it thinks such an alliance is in the works, as it did just before it attacked, it will stop at NOTHING necessary to prevent it. To so corner a nation as brutal, rugged and well possessed of ultimate weaponry is tragically insouciant folly. We must take warnings from Russia very seriously; they are already intensely provoked by our involvement and are surely resolved to protect their fundamental national security no matter the cost. We've gotten ourselves in a rare old mess and a completely unnecessary risk to our own national security. We have made a strategic statement by bringing hard fighting Finland and Sweden into Nato and Russia has countenanced it. We must let it go AT THAT! We must push Russia no further lest we trigger a nuclear holocaust . To recognize this onerous reality, even in the light of Russian barbarity in Ukraine is regretably necessary common sense, which should have guided us from the start.
ReplyDeleteJack, I would guess there is zero chance that Israel's military strategy will be altered by Biden's "pause" in the delivery of certain weapons. I would further guess that Biden knows this. I would assume, therefore, that Biden's actions are mostly window dressing designed to insulate him from criticism due to Israel's aggressive tactics. Now, if Biden ACTUALLY wanted to bend Israel to his will, I suspect that kind of pressure would be applied behind closed doors. And maybe it has been, and we simply don't know.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Jack -- it was the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese who decided to transgress international boundaries, not us.
Jack, it's hard to imagine that any leftist could be so naive as to imagine that a derelict sex scandal could take down the likes of DJT, but these people sure can grasp at straws!
Good point that, if DJT won the election, riots would almost certainly ensue.
Jack, I totally agree with your view re: the folly of our policy in Russia and Ukraine...but how would you propose that we extricate ourselves, and the poor Ukrainians, from this mess? It won't be easy.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: We meant well in aiding Ukraine and it would be hard to demonstrate that we belatedly understand our mistake. That would of course be seen as weakness but that is better than continuing toward catastrophe. We must give Russia a plausible guarantee that should they end their assault , we will never vote for Nato membership for Ukraine; period. Then we must offer to help rebuild Ukraine. It would take moral courage to do all this and I hope we can summon it.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Your view of Biden's apparent betrayal of Israel (and perhaps also his calling out of the "international law" hue and cry on Israel) may well be just as you have described it. But what about the encouragement it may afford Hamas? Could it be that we have warned them against this and would it be believed if we did? Israel will win, I'm sure, despite all the world's execration. They have endured worse. They may even give us the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Nixon had to be concerned with foreign reaction to the Cambodia incursion. But, incredibly, he had also to harbor equal caution about the domestic threat posed by the radical boomers and their old left controllers with their shameful and treasonous antiamericanism which was soon summarily and violently expressed.
ReplyDeleteAgreed -- an ironclad commitment on all sides to a NEUTRAL Ukraine, never in NATO, would be the beginning of a resolution to the current conflict. Unfortunately, that, in itself, probably wouldn't be enough.
ReplyDeleteJack, Hamas, as we know it, is doomed. The Palestinian people, and the Palestinian "cause", however, cannot be so easily eradicated. I would personally be shocked if whatever came next in Gaza was not equal to, or greater than, Hamas in radicalism.
True: the main obstacle to victory in Vietnam and Indochina as a whole was domestic!