It starts with the willingness to dissent. To be able to disagree, to oppose, to not go along with something you do not favor. It is a quality to be nurtured. It needs to be exercised because otherwise it shrinks and atrophies. And to allow that is to allow for our gradual devaluing. In our eyes and in the eyes of others. You can be born with that precious quality or work to acquire it. Having it makes life immensely satisfying for you have an essential tool to shape your life. There are different kinds of courage. Physical, intellectual, emotional. A physically strong person may be able to assert themselves in a physical confrontation but not so in an intellectual or emotional one, while an intellectually or emotionally strong person may not stand up for themselves satisfactorily in a physical confrontation. But what sits at the center of courage? What feeds it? Four things come to mind: A willingness to set limits, to say, ‘I have before me the option of this or that but at this stage of my knowledge I set my limits here.’ The willingness to take the initiative on matters leading to our betterment, personal or professional. The willingness to trust our intuition. And the steady exercise of all the above. Courage’s ever present companion is risk. Without risk there is no courage. They go hand in hand. Courage can be built, if there is the desire. And it is most desirable for it makes life richer and fruitful. Courage can be public or private. Every one of us, in our personal lives, is always being asked by life’s circumstances to exercise a measure of courage. Everyday life presents to us a challenge. Most of those demands are for private displays of courage. Sometimes, though, they are public. If we have been thinking and acting on the matter, then we’ll be in a better position to meet the challenge. And if we don’t, then we should learn from it, thus preparing for the next occasion which, unless we’re hiding under a rock, is sure to come our way. Life is unsparing in that sense. It loves to test us. To incessantly ask us, ‘are you learning from what I bring you every day, or are you sleep walking through it?’ Pay attention. Lives are better lived when there is courage. Of course, as in anything involving courage and risk, there is no guarantee of results. Every day could be our last one. But such is life. A word about group or national courage. Today we are witnessing a special moment. Ukraine has chosen to stand up against Putin’s aggression. It is a remarkable time in history. Thousands of men and women have lost their lives in defense of their land and their right to choose their destiny. Russians and others that stand with Putin, notably China, should be ashamed of their stance. The rest of us should not forget this. Political leaderships that silence dissent are a threat to all of us, even to those thousands of miles away. And just like Russians and Chinese gave in to their leaders, we should be on guard that it doesn’t happen in our land.
Oscarvaldes.medium.com, anchor.fm, apple and google podcasts.
To have a center as a person, is to be doing something you enjoy, and that something makes you feel stronger and wiser. Having a center lets you manage your envy, accept that others have more than you do, if they do, and you don’t get rattled by it. You can say to yourself, ‘I have my power, they have theirs.’ If you perceive that you could be doing better at what you enjoy, then you double up on your efforts. That’s where ambition kicks in, a topic for another day. We can tolerate periods when we are not doing what we would most like to do, but the search for what is most desirable for us to do shouldn’t stop. A sense of reality is essential to temper expectations. If you want to be a famous anything and you’re not even working in that field, then that’s daydreaming. If you want to be in music and you don’t have a good ear, then that’s a tough hurdle to overcome. I suppose you could write songs. If you want to be an engineer or physicist, you have to be good at math. If you want to be a carpenter, you have to have good manual dexterity. So how do we discover what we enjoy? Sounds like a silly question but it’s important to ask. It takes freedom to follow your intuitions. Freedom and courage. Here’s where the task of parenting comes in. Providing such freedom. The courage part is up to you. Some years ago I had a dentist who had excellent manual dexterity. I noticed it right away and commented on it. There was a grace and fluidity to his movements. He’d always known it but hadn’t owned it. At university, he had been chosen to do demonstration videos, such was his skill. He went on to do other things in life for many years, until it became clear that what he most wanted to do was work with his hands exclusively. So one day he chose to quit dentistry and become a carpenter. It had been a hobby of his but now he wanted to do it full time. ‘That’s what I want to do,’ he said to me with proud assurance. He was probably in his late 50s or early 60s by then, but he still had time. All those years he had been searching for his center and finally had found it. I asked him if his father, who had been a dentist also, had ever commented on his excellent manual dexterity. He answered that the man had not. Which points up one of the essential tasks of parenting, identifying in their children what seems their most obvious talent. It doesn’t take a whole lot. All the parent has to do is pay attention to their child as he or she unfolds. The child may not know they have a talent. It takes an observant parent or interested adult to point it out. In doing so they validate it. Not long ago, another person I know commented on one of her children’s career choice. She added that she thought he’d do well because he was strong in math. In this instance, that critical interaction had taken place. The parent had conveyed to the child, ‘You have that. I see it. It’s up to you to do what you wish with it, but it’s there for you.’ Of course, there are instances when the talent of the child is so clear that it’s apparent to all. But those are the exceptions. Having a sense that one has a center is critical in daily interactions. There are lots of people in this world without a sense of purpose, drifting here and there, doing what they can to make ends meet, but not animated by a focus in life. Those are grounds for apathy, resentment and envy. Without a focus in life managing envy becomes harder to do and managing envy in life is a fundamental task. With a sense that one has a center, one is more tolerant of imperfections, our own and that of others. It leads to patience and kindness. When two people are attracted to each other, one may have a center and the other not. But centeredness cannot just be transferred, it is acquired by each individual. What a centered lover in a relationship with a not centered partner can do, is say, ‘this is what I perceive your gifts to be.’ And it’s up to the person to accept the feedback, work with it or not. But it is important to do so, for, in a couple, the non centered party will tend to suffer the most when a breakup occurs. And now to politics. Are there politicians more centered than others? Of course. Compare Trump and Biden. Since I don’t know them personally I can only judge them by their actions. Trump is not a centered person whereas Biden is. Why is Trump not a centered person? Because he cannot manage his envy. From this distant point, I ask, is Putin a centered man? He can’t be. A man so committed to depriving others of their freedom cannot be a centered man. His actions are motivated by envy. That is a central driving force in his invasion of Ukraine. Putin has not been able to lead Russia’s transformation into a first rate nation even though the country clearly has such capability. A free Ukraine would stand as a model for Russians to emulate, like West Germany was to East Germany after WWII, and the yearnings for freedom that would flourish from such contrast, would lead to the further fragmentation of what we today call Russia. Putin could not handle that.
Oscarvaldes.medium.com, anchor.fm, apple and google podcasts
He’s sitting at his desk in his office in Beijing. He’s going through reports of his subordinates’ performance. Some are as loyal as he wants them to be, some not so much. The latter are put on the heap for reassignment, i.e. demotion.
News of Nancy Pelosi’s (Speaker of the US House of Representatives) plane arriving in Taiwan flashes on a large screen on a wall across. He smiles. ‘Beautiful.’ He pauses as he takes in the landing of the plane, the sight of the welcoming committee waiting on the tarmac. ‘The more Americans challenge me on Taiwan, the more I can keep my people furious about their interfering with our sovereignty and the more they will accept the restrictions I impose on their freedoms. Freedom should be reserved for the leadership, the very accomplished and faithful to the ideas of the party. Freedom in the hands of regular people leads to chaos, like in the West, where freedom got Trump to be elected. And where they may elect him again.’ He laughs. ‘But what really gets my people to tolerate the harshest of restrictions on their liberties is the promise that one day soon, we will make our move for world dominance. And we’ll have Americans queuing up to learn Mandarin. Won’t that be a beautiful sight? I can’t wait.’
A voice through a speaker on his desk interrupts.
Speaker phone – Chairman, the cyberattack committee wanted to go ahead with targeting the list of American and English companies they sent you this morning. Have you had a chance to go through it? ‘I have. Leave company D out for now but proceed with the rest. We need their technology.’ Speaker phone – Indeed, Mr Chairman. ‘Thank you.’
He grows silent, a hint of worry on his furrowed brow.
‘That drone attack that killed the Al Qaeda leader in the center of Kabul has got me worried. I don’t think the Americans would ever try that on me. We would fire missiles immediately on them… but so would they on us. In the confusion, would Russians jump in, too?’
He returns to his papers, assessing the loyalty of his subordinates.
He pauses again.
‘Western businesses have been very good for us… and our forcing the transfer of technology has been essential to what we have become in so short a time. But they are growing more distrustful. Which is why we’re trying to extend our influence over other nations… but the idea of freedom keeps coming up. It’s hard to squash it, snuff it out, like we’re doing here in China. Maybe the Chinese are more pliant… more willing to tolerate structure… and surrender their personal dreams in the interest of the nation. That is what we’re banking on to build the new Chinese Empire. The pliant quality of Chinese citizens, willing to work hard for the good of the party and the nation, and willing to surrender their personal ambitions. In the meantime, I get to extend my rule… until I die… like Mao did. Oh, to die in power… what a wonderful idea. The whole nation grieving for me. The thought of it brings tears to my eyes.’
He dabs his moistened eyes.
‘And now this war in Ukraine. When will it end? Putin acts like he’s going to win… but it’s starting to look like he’s not. The West has got bolder… now committing to sending in fighter jets. And the Russian military may want a change in leadership… which may align with us or not. New leadership aligning with the West would be disastrous for us… which is an argument to assist Russia win the war… but if I do… western markets may close off to us. They’ve warned us, Biden has. Anyway, we’ve bought enough Russian oil. Putin should be bolder… send in a team to kidnap Zelensky… take him to Moscow and try him for crimes against humanity. I fear he’s running out of time. He may ask us for more drones, to attack Zelensky in Kyiv, like the Americans did in Kabul… but if one of our drones hit Zelensky… that would be a problem.’
He closes his eyes for a moment.
‘But I don’t trust Putin. Sooner or later, he’ll remind me that he has more nuclear weapons than I have… I know that’s coming. But what I admire in him is how he’s domesticated his people to do as he pleases. I should learn from him. And how he persuaded Donald Trump that he had nothing to do with interfering in America’s elections. That was beautiful to see.’
He returns to his paperwork, sorting out the most loyal from the less loyal.
Oscarvaldes.medium.com, anchor.fm, apple and google podcasts
The combative Boris Johnson, under much pressure from his party and fellow countrymen, decided to surrender his post while remaining as a caretaker until a new prime minister is chosen, which I read could take months. I was sad to hear the news. His flaws had persuaded electors to move on, yet to many, myself included, he had endeared himself by his full and unrelenting support for the Ukrainian cause. Mr Zelensky immediately expressed his regret at losing such staunch supporter. But there is the larger lesson here for the rest of the world and for Russia and China in particular. In Britain, bastion of democracy, proud heir to the great tradition started by Athenians, when you cease to approve of a leader you can make it clear and the person steps down. Not so in Russia or in China. Or in Myanmar and many other countries that merely pose as democracies. Even here in the US, on January 6th this year, a president obsessed with retaining power, posed a threat to the peaceful transition of power. Not so in Britain. England shines in this moment as it affirms the primacy of the will of the people. In a prison cell somewhere in Russia, Alexei Navalny, the most vocal critic of Putin’s regime, will probably remain incarcerated on false charges, as long as Putin is alive. He must be thinking of how long the road ahead for the country he so loves to one day mature politically and ascend to democracy. He may not live to see it. Lies in Russia have long become the rule. And because of it, Putin does as he wishes. Alexei Navalny criticizes his regime, then he goes to prison. To be out of prison in Russia means you have renounced your right to your own opinions. To walk the streets of any Russian city means you have willingly surrendered your right to publicly express how your country should be run. Instead, you have agreed to have Vladimir Putin decide for you. Does the great Vladimir want to order the destruction of a neighboring country, with which there are long standing ties, because they are now daring to choose freedom? Then let him do it. The great Vladimir knows what’s best for me. And the man or the woman choosing to entertain such thoughts will be allowed to continue on their walk. But it will be the walk of a diminished person. Lying and distortion of reality is Putin’s favorite tool. And he will keep working it. Until one day, something will spark in the hearts and minds of Russians who will ask themselves, why can’t we have at least moments like the English do? Why can’t we breathe politically? Political lying is a mighty tool, and it takes many people willing to join in the farce to make it happen. Even from distant countries. The other day, while reading the WSJ on the net, an ad emerged that kept flashing across the screen. It was a statement from a former vice premier of Thailand. In it, the regally dressed man told of how great a leader China’s Xi Jinping is. I don’t remember the details, but at the end it said something like, ‘And what is most impressive (about Xi) is the purity of his spirit.’ ????? A day or two before, in the NYT or WSJ or both, the heads of the top intelligence services in England and America made the public statement that the rate of cyberattacks by China on the West, to steal technological information, was steadily increasing (and going on for years). Did the vice premier in the advertisement know that? Of course he did. But in Russia and China the citizen doesn’t get a chance to object to a leader’s lies. And so people keep walking along, their heads a little lower every day. In England, you get thrown out of office. And the English, in spite of all their chaos and mistakes, can say to the world, ‘our voices must be heard, and flawed as they may sometimes be, they are priceless.’ Thank you, Britain.
Oscar Valdes, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts
He’s pacing in his office in his bunker. He looks a bit tense but controlled, mostly an enjoyable feeling. He’s just finished a half glass of vodka with his filet of salmon, done ‘a la Vladimir’ by his personal chef. He is careful with his drinking. Always has been. He remembers Boris Yeltsin very well, and how drink undid him. On the other hand, if it hadn’t been for Yeltsin, who handpicked him, he wouldn’t be where he is now. He thinks about freedom, how the West carries on and on about it. Absurd.
‘There’s no freedom on earth, not really, it’s all in heaven. Which is why I’m not disturbed by all the casualties I inflict, death merely passage to a great and fair world. I mean… sometimes it does occur to me that heaven is a useful fiction but… what are the chances of that? Minimal. Have to play the odds… and I’m a gambling man.’
He paces some more.
‘The thought of the cartel drug lord in Chihuahua, Mexico, enters his mind. ‘How interesting. The young fellow kills two Jesuit priests and gets the third one to hear his confession. He didn’t kill him, so the likelihood is the priest pardoned him. What was he going to do, staring at the two dead bodies in front of him? “No, you’re a murderer, I’m not going to pardon you.” Of course, he pardoned him. Then said a couple of prayers with him, to console and send him off. I would’ve done exactly the same thing. Save your skin. Oh, the power of the gun.’
He stops and takes another sip of his vodka.
‘I have thought of putting a military base in Mexico. Just to piss off the Americans. I doubt the president of Mexico would let me, but just the talk of it would be enough to rile the Americans, which I love to do. I can even talk of putting bases in other countries, too, say Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba. Just to keep the Americans guessing.’
On the TV monitors affixed to the wall, scenes of the destruction in Ukraine flash by.
‘I am the toast of the world. I am reviled in some sections, sure, but in others I am a hero. And I love the invitation to the upcoming G-20 meeting in November. Joko Widodo, the Indonesian president, personally extended the invitation. Just beautiful. I’d love to attend. By then I will have conquered all of Ukraine, or if not, at least destroyed most of their infrastructure, their schools, universities, hospitals, industries, malls, whatever. Turned them into beggars. Just so they never forget what it means to defy me. The West will soon forget them, anyway, worried as they are of having to pay more for gas and so on. And when I get to the meeting, there will be leaders of nations lining up to shake my hand and bow and have a photo taken with me. For posterity. Beautiful. Narendra Modi will be there, and Xi Jinping, and I’ll try to mediate between them. Wouldn’t that be wonderful, if India would join our bloc? They’re cooperating so far. Then it would be Russia, China and India, against the West. We would be invincible.’
He crosses to a mirror on the wall adjacent and looks at himself. He smiles.
‘I’m strong and fit, good for another 20 years in power.’
He thinks of Trump.
‘I’m sorry to hear about what he went through after his defeat at the polls. I can only imagine what it would be like for me. Of course, I’d never give Russians the chance. But I’m sorry for Donald because I like him. I wish there was some way… well… not now. I certainly hope he runs again. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have felt so certain that I could get away with invading Ukraine. I mean… I knew it wasn’t in him to rally the Europeans to oppose me… and he wouldn’t have started something on his own. Instead, he would’ve called me up and said something like, “Vladimir, you’re making me look bad by threatening to go in all the way like that… so in the open… instead, do it with stealth… get one of your people to run for president of Ukraine and get the comedian out. No military intervention, just infiltrate the government… meddle with the electoral process… and I’ll make sure NATO never makes Ukraine a candidate for membership. Be more subtle.” And just that thoughtfulness on his part, would’ve saved lives… Russian and Ukrainians both, and we would all be grateful. Of course, they wouldn’t be free… they would be part of my growing empire… but again, what’s all the fuss about freedom?’
He paces a little more.
‘This freedom thing is a ruse the Americans play on their people. Are people killing each other, free? Of course not. This freedom thing is a mirage. Opium for the masses. Hmm. I know that’s not original but sounds good. Can’t remember who said it. Must be the vodka. Are all those homeless people in America free? Right. All the poor people free, too? Sure. The only really free people in America are the ones with money. The rest don’t even vote or are too tired after work to think about it, which is why Trump stands a chance of getting elected and… if he plays his cards right, even getting the constitution changed so he can run again, for a third term, though he might be too old by then. But good for his successors. Anyway, he’s sure to beat Biden easily. Biden doesn’t have a chance, not with the drubbing I’m going to give Ukrainians and the relentless inflation. Hmm. The supreme court voided Roe vs Wade. The two term limit is next. Beautiful. Count on me, Donald, even if you can’t hear me. And, yes, I’d love to accept an invitation of yours to Mar-A-Lago and play a couple of rounds of golf. And do an appearance with you in your platform, Truth Social, and the world would be a more peaceful place. With fewer dead and ill. And Donald would let the Russian vaccine be used worldwide. Or talk to Xi, so he would use it in China. Not that their vaccine is bad. Just not as effective as mine.’
He opens his arms wide, a smile on his face.
‘Oh power, how grateful I am that I can hold you, how grateful that I will have you until I die.’
He frowns. His thoughts turn to the testimony of Ms Cassidy, a White House aide, on her recollections of what happened while the January 6th rioters were headed to the capitol.
‘That got away from Donald. If we had spent more time together, I would’ve made clear to him that he was in his right, as president, to have a gun on him, just in case, and when he got in the limousine to go to the capitol and lead the charge of the protesters in an unprecedented act of heroism, and the driver refused, he would’ve flashed his gun and made it clear who was boss. I bet the driver would’ve taken him… and the counting of the ballots would’ve been tampered with and Donald’s election would’ve been ratified by the conservatives in the supreme court and the world would’ve been spared the misery of Ukraine. Trump would have, single handedly, changed the course of history. But it got away from him. Not too late, though. There’s still time. Overturning Roe vs Wade is just the start. We have another election coming up. And Russians and Americans will become the best of friends.’
He smiles
‘I love me.’
Oscar Valdes, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts
We’re now in the thick of a struggle with China. A struggle for economic and technological primacy. China has proved itself a formidable opponent. One that challenges us to the core, which is good for us. Competition, with all its problems, has the advantage of pushing us to perform as best we can. Unless we go to war, the likelihood is that this contest will last a long time. Russia, for all its chest thumping in Ukraine and elsewhere, is not really part of this contest. They would like to be but, until they rid themselves of Putin and choose a different kind of leadership, they will remain a second level participant. But back to China and the US. This contest asks of us, which is the better social organization that can elicit the greater productivity from its citizens? We both are presently thinking the social organization we presently have is the best one. But that is now in question. China has shown a great deal of inventiveness and capacity for hard work. They acknowledged they needed to open themselves to other nations to promote internal prosperity, then did so and leaped forward in a spectacular manner in just 40 years. They have been called the factory of the world. Mastering the new information, they put it in their service. Their social organization managed the transition effectively. But will that same organization be able to address the complexities of the new environment they have created? Recently we’ve seen how the political leadership, in the interest of ‘managed prosperity’, has inserted themselves in the governing of businesses and large conglomerates. My bet is that this approach will backfire and reduce the efficiency needed to compete. The impulse of government to meddle in the running of successful businesses is ever present. We see attempts to do so here in America too, but in the end prove consistently detrimental to the creative and competitive impulse. It will take time for the Chinese to acknowledge that flaw. The reason is their limits on free speech and the consequent drowning of critical voices. We, in contrast, enjoy free speech, but are falling short on the discipline that must go with it. How come, for instance, we’ve allowed ourselves to fall behind in the production of advanced semiconductors and so become dependent on a factory in Taiwan, which lies so close to China? It is inexcusable. And it didn’t happen overnight. Too many voices in America? No. We need them all. But we must be diligent in the setting of priorities and that’s a task for enlightened leadership. Creativity is intimately connected to free speech. We need them both for ideas to fully flourish. And while China continues to steal technology from the West, it is astonishing to see how they will not acknowledge the connection that makes it happen. They know they have been enriched by trade with the West but are not willing to try and imitate the social and economic conditions that lead to such products, preferring to foist on the Chinese people a controlling system designed to preserve the elite’s political power at all costs. To see China today, is to see a nation taking advantage of material advances but shrinking from their responsibility to mature politically. The problem with immature political systems is that they turn violent on a whim. As is the sad case of Putin and Ukraine today. Both China and Russia stand as examples of leadership manipulating their citizens. As such they both should be subjects of study for all us here in America, since we also have witnessed recent serious attempts to manipulate us into believing false ideas. Such study will show us how much we have got right and how much that can go wrong if we’re not on our game. I would not want to live in any other political system than the one we have, but there is no doubt that we are a work in progress. Democracy is a fragile affair, easily undermined by those whose main interest is their personal power. Vigilance should be constant, and the journey worth every fight.
A quick aside: On my way back home the other day, I saw a man standing at a corner holding an umbrella. I went up to him and said, ‘You’re making a statement with that umbrella.’ ‘I am?’ he replied, amused. ‘Yes. You’re telling us that men also have sensitive skins.’ He laughed.
Good Night
Oscar Valdes, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple an google podcasts
The news today is not uplifting. Russia continues to gain against Ukraine in the Eastern regions, is now targeting grain terminals in Ukraine’s port of Mykolaiv (WSJ) to damage the country’s food exports, is increasing cyberattacks on the western alliance (WSJ), while Turkey goes on obstructing Finland and Sweden’s push for NATO membership (NYT). Meanwhile, the growing costs of inflation have spread widely and the rise in interest rates is slowing down the economy globally, all of which weakens the collective resolve of western nations to support Ukraine. How long before Ukraine stops getting what it needs and is then trounced by Russia? Not long. Not all countries in the EU have contributed equally to the war effort, Germany and France underperforming significantly, yet public shaming seems to go only so far. Nations are protesting they have limits. If we keep going at this pace, Russia will devour Ukraine. And everyone watching will shake their heads and say, ‘what a shame… but really… there’s only so much we can do. Now we just hope they won’t invade us. So let’s be nice to Putin and the Russians.’ Something like that. Do we want to live that way? Hell, no! If we do so, it amounts to a grand failure of leadership. We started out giving much support to Ukraine but have not gone all the way. Hasn’t Ukraine’s courage earned them the right to get all the arms they need? Do we allow all their suffering and lives lost to be in vain? Judging by the increasing protests of western nations, their economic concerns with the soaring price of energy, there is not much time left to act decisively. So the time to give Ukraine all they need is now. That may not assure a victory but it will say we did all we could. The slowing of the support given to Ukraine is a veiled effort to ask them to give up. But they will not. It is their land and they won’t have it. Which then throws it back in our face. Ukraine will go all the way, help or no help from the West. Are we expecting them to die in the battlefield and then live with the notion that we didn’t do all we could? That we didn’t give them the proper weapons? The idea that our giving Ukraine fighter jets to push back Russia is going to trigger a nuclear war is a farce. Putin may well be infuriated by it but we are as well armed as Russia and China combined. Acting decisively now by giving Ukraine all they need is allowing ourselves the chance of victory. Once victorious, sanctions should be lifted partly or completely, and the world economic crisis will begin to resolve. The sanctions have been only modestly effective and there is no way we can influence China and India to stop buying Russian oil. Why, even western nations are asking for exemptions from the sanctions on one or another commodity. We’re too interdependent to cut things off quickly and expect a powerful result. That will take time to plan. But a military victory today is possible. Which will then permit the lifting of sanctions. For us not to push for a military victory is a failure of courage. It is saying we allowed Putin to frighten us. Today, we stand awash in over caution, while letting Putin throw at Ukrainians everything he has. Let us act now, damn it! We should not back away from this confrontation without the sense that we gave it our best. And our best is to arm Ukraine to the fullest, short of nuclear weapons. Ukrainians are saying to us, here we give our lives, helps us! Who in recent history has said that loudly for all the world to hear? No one. So let us act. Putin should not be allowed to intimidate us. He needs to be confronted now.
Note to Mr Biden. You’re heading out to the Middle East in the days to come. Word is that you’re expected to meet with MBS (Muhammad Bin Salman) who, our intelligence agencies have determined, is responsible for the murder of journalist and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 after he entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Ankara, Turkey. He had been publicly critical of the Saudi regime. I understand that Saudi Arabia can play a role in stabilizing the tensions in the region and is willing to ally with us to counter Iran’s threats. As our president you need to look at the big picture. But that does not mean you have to bow to that nation’s leadership. It sends a bad signal.
Oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts.
The war rages on – almost 4 months now – inflation is hurting the world economy – food shortages are forecast – while Putin gloats in Moscow, ‘I made this happen,’ he says proudly. ‘I command the world’s attention. This is my moment. I have killed and killed Ukrainians and still millions and millions of people adore me and hold me up as a model. People in China, in India and all those smaller, peripheral countries destined to never amount to anything. All the while China and I have a lock on the United Nations. Interesting organization… yes… and toothless, too. A place where every country can come in and blah blah blah until they run out of spit but where Russia and my great ally China hold veto power in the security council. So if we say no, then it is no. Never mind the secretary general. Without us he’s nothing. The West talked about sanctions. I laugh. I have worked around them. I keep selling my oil and gas and our profits are growing. And I have done it all because I know how to scare people. I say I have nuclear weapons and most leaders pee in their pants, run around in circles crying, oh no, he will fire his nuclear weapons! Don’t confront him, he’s dangerous, please, he cannot be humiliated! Poor things. Afraid of a little inflation. Afraid of protests because the price of gasoline has gone up. I laugh. I would send the fire department with their water cannons to hose them down and wash them off the street and into the gutters, and those who insist on protesting I’d throw in a dungeon. That’s how you govern. And to be sure, Russians love my style. The want to be like me. Ha! On this war, America started out with enthusiasm, with determination, but now they’ve lost their oomph. Now they’re back to their citizens complaining about the price of gas and how they don’t know any Ukrainians and how they’re so far away and what’s in it for them. Of course, that’s when true leaders come in and set the record straight. Tell the complainers what needs to be done and why and enough with the whimpering. But they can’t do it. So it’s my game, all the way until I conquer all of Ukraine. All of it, damn it. All of it. And I’ll have Zelensky tried on charges of crimes again humanity. I’ll do it because no one will stand in my way. What a joke the West is. Promising missiles and this and the other. But it takes them forever to deliver. Meanwhile I gain more and more ground. I love it. Before long I’ll have all of Ukraine’s eastern region under my foot. Beautiful. Then we’ll finish off occupying all their coast. Then back to Kyiv. Then push West, all the way to the borders with Poland and Rumania, scare them and their NATO bullshit. I’m making the world my world. Slowly. This is the start of Putin’s world. And I’ve done it not with diplomacy but with bravado. With daring. With guts. With flair. While the mighty West shits in their pants.’
He laughs.
Now, if I were them… from the very start I would’ve said, Putin, you can’t do it. Don’t do it. You’ll be sorry. Look, we have intelligence telling us you’re going to invade. We’re going to give planes and missiles to Ukrainians so they can defend themselves. We won’t let you slaughter them. Don’t do it. But I can see how Ukrainians had not yet proven themselves on the battlefield. But they have now, so what’s the excuse to not give them all they need to fight me? What’s amazing in their story, is they’re willing to fight so hard for what they believe. That’s what’s amazing. I would love to have them on my side instead. The reason Ukraine is so important today is just that… the show of commitment in defense of what you believe. But the world is not getting it. The French and Germans are not getting it. The Poles, on the other hand, have got it. From the very start. In fact the French and Germans seem to be in a hurry to sit down to negotiate a deal to cease hostilities. And Macron wants France to be the mediator. Works for me, since Macron doesn’t want me to be ‘humiliated’ but if I were Zelensky, I’d choose the Poles to be the negotiators. Doesn’t matter to me that much who it is because in the end, if it’s not going my way, I’ll get up and leave and start shooting and bombing again. One of my greatest achievements, of course, is to have convinced Europe that they could rely on me for all their energy needs. Convinced them that I was not just a nice bear, but a teddy bear. And they fell for it. Mind you, all this time I have been teaming up with Assad in Syria to slaughter their opposition, so it’s not like I was hiding anything. We’re Europeans, not Syrians, it won’t happen to us, they told themselves. We’re so chic. Oh, so cultured. So distinguished. So unique. Oh, dear, you name it. Until it happened. Denial is the word for it.
He laughs.
I was born for this moment. As far as China is concerned, they’re stuck with me. Who else are they going to turn to? India? No. They can’t stand each other. China doesn’t have anywhere near the nuclear warheads I have, and I’ll keep close tabs on them. I’m going to keep building even more, and if they start to pile them up, too, I’ll give Xi a courtesy call, say Xi, you can’t keep building so many warheads. Look, we’ve been good friends but you got a whole lot more people than I have… so you could run me over… but so long as I have more weapons, you’ll have to chill. So please stall on the building of nuclear weapons. I know your politburo designated you a ‘historical figure’, but that’s the way it is. And they will do as I say because, in a confrontation between the two of us, they don’t have a chance. I have the upper hand and will keep it that way’ Life is beautiful… yes, indeed. As to the next American elections, haven’t made up my mind whom to campaign for, using my team of cyber experts. Not Trump, though. I think his time has passed. I liked him. But now I need someone with even deeper isolationist sentiments. Someone who wants to isolate into oblivion. Build a wall in the South, in the North, East and West. The more chances for Russia and my buddy Xi, to go deeper into Africa, South America, the Middle East, the rest of Asia.
Pause
But what could America do to counter me at this time’ Give planes to Ukraine? More missiles? Sure. But what they should do yet I know they won’t because they don’t have the nerve, is to make a commitment to Ukraine and say, we will give you anything you need, planes, missiles, anything – except troops, of course – because we want you to win. And if in the end you don’t win, we’ll settle for whatever land you were able to defend, and we’ll help with negotiations, even the lifting of sanctions on Russia and so on, and we’ll do what we say we will, because with your heroism, you have behaved like no other nation in recent history… and so earned a place in our hearts and minds. Forever.’
Please see Ifw-Kiel.de. Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Ukraine Tracker
Oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts
Yes, sell it to the American public. Sell it now. In this century there is no story as compelling as theirs. Take the bull by the horns. Do not underestimate the capacity of the American public. Maybe diehard isolationists will blow you off, but the majority will not. When they go to the pump and see the high price tag, they just might think, ‘we’re doing it for Ukraine. A sister nation that is being massacred, not just pushed around, but massacred by Vladimir Putin, the man you rightly called ‘a killer, a war criminal’. No other leader had the guts to call Putin that. You did. So, please, concentrate your efforts. We need you now more than ever. Putin has been trying to scare us with the threat of a nuclear war. We cannot afford to be scared into inaction. Cannot afford to let his threat of firing his nuclear weapons keep us from arming Ukraine with the best weapons we have. You have placed the restriction of not sending in American troops. I agree with that. But Ukrainians urgently need to have war planes to stop the wholesale destruction Putin is inflicting on their people and push Russians back and out of their land. A while ago Poland stepped up and offered to give Ukrainians Mig jets, aircraft Ukrainians are familiar with and so could put to use right away. Poland was right. The Polish people have distinguished themselves for the enormous assistance they have provided in the war effort. Unlike Germany or Hungary. The story of Ukraine is unique. Sell it to us, Mr Biden. There are no assurances Ukraine, even with all the war planes we give them, will beat back Russia, but they will put up a fight unlike anything we’ve seen. So let us help them now. Giving Ukraine war planes will anger Putin. He will cry out loud that he has weapons he can fire at us. But so do we. He is not crazy. He and Russia has everything to lose in this confrontation but so far, he has got the upper hand because he has made us fearful. There is no room for that. Arm Ukraine fully, Mr Biden. Do it now. We will not regret it. Ukraine is not a distant nation anymore. With the blood they have poured on the battlefield they have become one of us. Mr Biden, go in front of the cameras and tell us their story. Again and again. If you are fearing that inflation is going to beat the democratic party in November, think of Ukraine’s story and their possible victory as providing the momentum to help democrats win instead. Stand up for Ukraine fully and the American people can put the inflation woes in context. You have the courage. This is a unique opportunity to shine, Mr Biden. Do not let it pass. You will regret it dearly if you do. By the way. I think it was Putin who came up with the idea that if we helped Ukraine, we would be seen as co combatants. So be it. We should not let that stop us. As far as your upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia is concerned, I understand that you’re doing it in the interest of our nation benefitting from their oil producing capacities. But as our representative, please do not bow to them. Not only do they not deserve it but bowing is a bad habit to get into. We should bow to no one. King, Queen, God, Pope, whatever. We are a creative and industrious people who are not afraid of hard work. Trust us. We are behind you. Lead us.
Good luck
Oscar Valdes oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts.
Putin – I may seem calm outside, but I’m suffering inside. The war has impacted me greatly. The only solace I get is from my religious conviction. The belief that I’m doing the right thing. I went to the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and asked, is the war justified? And he said, yes. And from that moment on I’ve had no more doubts. We are fighting for a better world. I am convinced of it. I see all the destruction caused by our weapons in Ukraine, the lives lost, and at first I am deeply saddened… but then I remind myself that the dead have gone to a better place, a place where there is eternal comfort… so the ache in my heart is soothed. And I remind myself I am a humble servant of God. It is not easy to be a world leader. I have to constantly deal with the envy of others, people dissatisfied with their lives who worship the false god of freedom. And so it was that I became alarmed when Ukraine began to speak loudly and aggressively of their desire for freedom. They are a courageous people, Ukrainians are, I grant that, but they have lost their way in the world. At first I thought it was a passing infatuation, seduced by decadent Americans, but then I realized that they had truly abandoned the path to heaven. Freedom is not the path to heaven but the path to perdition. Then Ukraine began insisting they wanted to join NATO, and then I realized they had crossed the line and had left me with no option. For how can Russia allow itself to have a NATO loving country so close to Moscow, to St Petersburg? No. I would not have that. Fortunately, through great sacrifice and determination, we had prepared for such possibility and built great weapons and a strong army. It was not an easy choice to invade Ukraine, for I knew we would anger Americans and the West. But I reminded myself of our obligation to help people who have lost their way. Why is freedom so toxic to humanity? Because it does not respect the natural order of things. So people get confused and then frustrated and then turn to violence. Violence against anyone who disagrees with them. Life in America today is filled with chaos. Nearly everyone can own a gun and nearly everyone does. And they fire them when they are upset. By contrast, here in Russia we have a sense of order. And it is my task to make sure it stays that way. That is my duty to God and to all of you. Respect for the natural order of things help us live a better life. If I had allowed Ukrainians to follow their path to perdition and freedom, they would have set a terrible example for the rest of Russia. I could not accept it. But it is not only us in the world who have embraced the belief that God is our guide to govern ourselves. Other nations have done so, too. China, for instance, although they have no traditional religion, they have come to accept that government doctrine is their religion, and under the exemplary leadership of Xi Jinping, they have done remarkable things in a short time. Do they sacrifice free speech? Yes. But look at all they get in return. Stability. Pride. Honor. Prestige. So, too, with us. We now have an alliance with China. Together, we will one day soon rule the world. And America and the West will bow to us. The war with Ukraine, as painful as it may seem, is a necessary step to the success of our system. China now understands clearly what they need to do to annex Taiwan. We have shown them the way. And Russia will support them when they make the move, just like they have supported us in our invasion of Ukraine. Today, I predict the end of the West as we know it. Our conquest of Ukraine will have far reaching consequences. It will tell all nations that Russia and China have the discipline, the capacity and ambition to rule the world. And that such world will a better one. The notion of freedom that America and the West embrace is a sinful notion. What we in Russia and China have, instead, honors humanity and its noblest yearnings. The war in Ukraine is a battle for the hearts and minds of mankind. That we are winning tells it all… if God had been with America and the West, they would have seen clearly what help Ukrainians needed and not hesitated to give it. But they did not. Instead, America and the West remain confused and divided. God took sides… and chose us. Thank you
Oscar Valdes oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts
Oscar Valdes 