In the comedy sketch world which is the brain of Donald Trump, and which his Republican allies ape because they believe that therein lies their ticket to glory, a few very simple facts get left out.
- Trump and the right-wingers are trying to sell the fantasy to America that Vladimir Putin was too shaky kneed, quivering scared of Trump to mess with Ukraine;
- No. Putin had Trump — and the U.S. — where he wanted them both. Putin was waiting to see how badly Trump messed up the country and I’m sure he was very pleased.
- Putin’s issue with Ukraine today is that he hates Ukraine and John Kelly will explain the reasons why.
The bottom line is that Putin doesn’t want a functioning democracy like Ukraine on his border. It gives him the willies. His idea of a nightmare is a world which is mostly democratic republics and he’s one of the few dictatorships in the world.
That’s the issue in a nutshell. Trump and the rest of the clowns in the Republican party and of course, Fox News, can go on and on about their bombastic vision of what the confrontation in Eastern Europe means but what it really means is that Putin misses the old days. His insane speech a few days ago said everything you needed to know. It was all Soviet Firewater, 200 proof.
I’m glad John Kelly spoke out. I’m hoping that there are enough sane Republicans to rebuild the party back into something normal because dealing with Democrats v. Fascists is not something I want to see America do. But that’s where the looney tunes characters in charge of the GOP have been taking us since 2016. That’s part of the price tag for putting Trump on the ticket.
Way too little and way to late Kelly! All this Kremlin propaganda coming from the mouths of American conservatives is something YOU enabled. Not once, but twice you had every reason to, and if not for yourself then the honor of your family name and the Corps had every reason to stand Trump straight up with a slap across his ugly, orange painted face and then knock him on his ass and walk straight to the press corps and tell them why you did it and were resigning as of that moment because you wouldn’t serve such a vile, clueless and selfish President.
The first time was Memorial Day 2017 early in the administration. Trump probably grumbled about even having to do the traditional photo op placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier but he knew the PR value so he went over. Later, he got roped into sticking around and I guess press people were close enough to hear Kelly invite him (Trump) to accompany him to his (Kelly’s) son’s grave. Kelly’s son who was a young Marine officer was killed in combat in that mess Bush 43 created. Witnesses with them said at one point Trump said “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?” (and people wonder why when the horror the day after the election in 2016 set in I fell into deep depression due to the realization that in a country that would have so many people vote for someone like Trump my own service didn’t mean a goddamned thing. Worse, neither has that of so many who gave so much more including life and limb) How in the fuck Kelly could restrain himself in that moment, much less continue to serve Trump mystified me then and still does.
With that in mind fast forward to 2018 and the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that stopped WWI. Trump of course embarrassed himself and the United States and dishonored war dead buried above the beaches at Normandy. That was despicable, but as a Marine (ok, it was decades ago when I served) November 10 and what did and did not happen left both an outrage in my mind that wlll never go away and a hole in my heart that will never heal. Bear in mind the date, November 10 which is the Marine Corp’s Birthday. It’s our high holy day. If you aren’t a Marine or part of a Marine family you’ll never get it, but think Christmas an Easter combined on the latest Russian steroids. The next day of course would be the main ceremonial event, but a special ceremony was scheduled the day before. November 10. The Marine Corps Birthday.
Less than an hour’s drive by car and a short hop in a helicopter other world leaders made the trip even though the weather was dreary. Light rain and drizzel but if you know your WWI history the battle of Belleau Wood was a key turning point in the War. Marines weren’t the only ones who fought and died in it but it was the Corps that did most of the heavy lifting, fighting with a ferocity that not only drove the Germans back but led them to in awe (and fear) label us Teufelhunden. You might recognize the English translation as you’ve probably heard Marines referred to as Devil Dogs. That’s where it comes from. And as I said, the introduction of those Marine Regiments (the 5th and 6th – you can recognize anyone who has served in them since by the fourragere – that braided loop – on their left shoulder in recognition of the entire regiments being awarded the Croix de Gere ever since) that changed the course of things. To be fair there were some damned brave (albeit smaller) Army units but as I said it was the Corps that did the heavy lifting.
All Marines are taught the story, from the big picture all the way down to that iconic moment when Sgt. Dan Daly inspired a critical charge by turning to his men and exhorting them with “Come you sonsabitches! Do you want to live forever?” It is in that handful of truly iconic battles which have defined the Corps. At the base of the hill where Belleau Wood sits is forty or so acres where the dead of the battle are buried – Aisne Marne cemetery. It is as hallowed a place in the mind of a Marine as a place can be. Like others I dreamed of one day being able to visit it to pay my respects. To visit it on a November 10 would have been an honor I can’t put into words. Especially THAT November 10 with the whole world watching.
Trump didn’t want to go. He used the weather as an excuse. But you will never convince me that he simply didn’t want to go – in his own words he didn’t get what the big deal was and having to spend an hour or so on a stage pretending to give a shit wasn’t worth the effort to him. He’d have much rather been watching Fox and tweeting.
And the asshole even blamed the crew of Marine One for not going, claiming the weather made it unsafe to fly! (and as I said he could have gone by car – some of the other world leaders did!)
Once again John Kelly took the humilation and continued to serve Trump.
FUCK Kelly. As I said at the beginning his little spiel is way too fucking little and way too fucking late. He left in shame, and he should have stayed out of the spotlight for the rest of what I hope is a miserable life haunted by the shame and dishonor he brought down on himself, the Marine Corps, the Armed Forces in general, the United States and his own son, a fellow Marine who have his life in the service of the country and Corps Kelly didn’t stand up to Trump to defend.
Everything I ever heard about the Corps, there’s no such thing as an ex-Marine. Semper fi, Mac…and yeah, f*** Kelly.
I am bitterly disappointed in and ashamed my country over allowing someone like Trump anywhere near a nomination by a major Party or even a second line one like the Libertarians or Greens much less into the WH even if it took a Constitutional quirk. And I haven’t had the heart to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday since Nov. 10, 2016 but I hold out hope that before I die I will once again have enough faith in my country restored that I will again believe it was worth every bit of effort it took to earn and hold the title United States Marine. I will also say that while I have no wish to die anytime soon, if they would have me I’d be on a flight to Ukraine right fucking now to do what the Corps trained me to do – kill Russian tanks and other armored vehicles and the people in them with anti-tank missiles. That was my M.O.S. Alas, if I still lived near to DC and walked into the Ukranian embassy with my DD-214 and training materials I kept all these years to prove what I once was supposed to do (should it come to it) they’d take one look at my old, broken down fat ass and say thanks but no thanks. Like I said, while life sucks and is highly unlikely to be anything like the modest retirement I once thought I’d be having I don’t want to die. But for this, this situation I think it would be worth it just to give a personal FUCK YOU to Putin by killing some of his tanks/troop carriers and troops before they got the range and silenced me forever. Oh, and I’d ask for orange spray paint so that at each firing position I had time to prepare I’d write “FUCK YOU PUTIN YOU PIECE OF SHIT, and FUCK YOU AMERICAN CONSERVATIVES WHO CAN”T WAIT TO SUCK HIS DICK! And snap pictures and then for the first time in ages access my dormant FB page and post them since my hometown is Trump territory complete with a Sedition Caucus member in the House of Representatives. It’s not like the veterans groups back there would render honors at my burial so why not piss them off?
If it were up to me, he’d stand in front of the cameras & have his decorations ripped from his uniform. All U said is true, & any vet with any knowledge would stand with us. Don’t 4get how frump sent those soldiers into Chad, having pulled support from the area, & after they are killed, he shit on the young widow in Florida with the congresswoman sitting nearby listening & watching. Then Kelly pisses on his son’s grave by dishonoring himself by LYING about the widow & the congresswoman. Video shows him lying. Apologies? No. Crickets. You are just as much a traitor Kelly, if not more so, because YOU DISHONORED THE UNIFORM FOR CAPTAIN BONESPURS. Frump was, is, & always will be a pampered pimp. You, on the other hand, wear the uniform & title of military leadership. You & Flynn should be shot for what uve done.
I read this statement on that other site earlier “When asked about Trump’s and Pompeo’s recent compliments for the Russian president, state department spokesperson Ned Price replied, “I have no response. In fact, I have no words.””
Well, I have LOTS and LOTS of words for and about the RepubliKKKomrads that are praising Putin’s invasion of Ukraine! Most of them are unprintable! F*&^*%# TRAITORS is the first phrase that comes to mind! I could say a lot more but you get the idea.
I much prefer ex-GOP Congressman Joe Walsh’s words on the subject via Twitter: “F*** Putin.”
Mr. Kelly is shocked the G.Q.P. supports a dictator over a country trying to make democracy work? Really? Has he not been paying attention to their complete lack of desire to allow anyone other than white, x-tian, males any civil rights, voting rights, etc. He’s certainly old enough to remember when the G.Q.P. downfall started–over four decades ago with the election of that clown reagan: was he paying ANY attention then?
If Mr. Kelly is so shocked after watching the metamorphosis of his political party for so long, may I suggest he check himself into some facility that can watch over him 24/7? He’s obviously incapable of seeing what is and has been for a very long time, right in front of his face.
He’s a soulless fucking traitor who lent his uniform, name, & prestige to putin’s puppet.