It is in Russia's best interest to slow walk end of war.

 EU AND UKRAINE NOT READY FOR LASTING AGREEMENT

RUSSIA OWNS THE CLOCK

While we see Trump and the U.S. hoping to negotiate an imminent end to the Ukraine conflict, others are still not ready for a lasting settlement. We should expect this conflict to continue far into 2026. 

Trump is till battling the naysayers in the U.S. who still can't comprehend that Ukraine has lost and that as time goes by they will have little leverage for negotiation.

We still have those in the EU, with military forces that cannot in reality come to the aid of Ukraine and economies declining by the day. still talking of war, preparation for war and even pre-emptive strikes on Russia.

In Ukraine, Zelensky is becoming a lame duck that may not have the ability to negotiate an end to this conflict, there still ae many who want to fight on. Ukraine should be in the process of preparing for elections, it would give any possible negotiation more credibility. The problem is that most opposition have been exiled, imprisoned or worse and it would take many months to actually have an election.

Russia has been clear as to what is needed for lasting peace and the opposition is still not ready to accept defeat or any compromise. The EU and Ukraine have hopes of winning the peace by preparing for more war in the future. This reality will prevent any end to this conflict in the near future.

I suspect that Trump understands that an end to the Ukraine conflict would open up may possibilities for peace in other areas. It would allow Russia and China to cooperate in exerting strong influence on Iran to begin the process of lasting peace in that area. Again there are forces who do not want peace in that region. 

The reality is the western European countries are moving into a period of volatile economic, and social uncertainty, which will make them less likely to be able to wage war on Russia. Ukraine is physically exhausted and its supporters are near exhaustion, economically and in there ability to supply weaponry, They all have serious domestic political problems at home. Again, Russia owns the clock and the longer it keeps ticking the less likely of war against Russia. While Russia has suffered greatly from this conflict, it is in their best interest for its opponents to to decline until they are ready for a lasting peace agreement.

U.S. can't afford war anywhere.

 WAR WILL BE END OF TRUMP'S HOPES

DOMESTIC ISSUES BIGGEST THREAT

While it seems Trump has put Ukraine off of his priority list and also realizes that war with Iran will most likely cause a severe disruption of oil prices or worse, he is now in a lose, lose situation in Venezuela. Has he finally been trapped by those who desire an end to his presidency? I suspect it is a long list of those who hope that Trump fails, maybe even some in his administration.

The economic realities of deficits, debt and diminished manufacturing capacity are the biggest threats to the United States, that and the desire to keep the corrupt gravy train going as long as possible. The United States and Trump cannot afford war anywhere, it will trigger a far greater economic crisis that is brewing and smoldering, just waiting for such a match to blow it all up.

Now Trump has listened to his foreign policy geniuses who has assured him that threats and intimidation will send Maduro packing and that Venezuela is hoping to embrace him with waiting arms if he just squeezes them a little more. It is a familiar story that we have heard about Iraq, Syria and of course Russia, a repeated story that has cost the U.S. trillions and  involved millions of deaths. 

Now it seems Trump is sort of boxed in, just what his enemies want, attack Venezuela and set off an economic tsunami or back off and look weak and indecisive. It may be too late to expect Venezuela to save the day by some sort of negotiation and a narrative of victory. Time is running out for Trump to either pull the trigger on Venezuela and risk economic ruin or back off and focus on things where he has the power to make some positive gains.

He may be forced to show a little humility, a hard nut for Trump to swallow.

There is no savior of the country on the horizon.

 BETTER TO HOPE FOR THE BEST WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

COUNTRIES PROBLEMS CANNOT BE CURED BY ANY ONE MAN

It is now still 2025 and we see speculation on who is going to save the country in 2028. No man, is going to save this country from itself. There is no magic candidate, no reversal of present policies will save us. Most hope to just continue on the unsustainable path we are on, hoping to keep the things going, at least till they are done breathing.

Before we get to 2028, it will be made clear that the economic policies of many decades have led into a crisis with no magic way out. By 2028 we will see that we can no longer intimidate the rest of the world to submit to our desires or mandates. By 2028 we will find that we can no longer provide the benefits promised by many decades of selling votes for promises. In reality, all that is happening right now, if willing to see the situation, in a clear objective light.

So, forget about 2028, while Trump has been handed a plate with a myriad of insoluble problems, it will only be far worse for anyone who should want the job in 2028. Maybe only the delusional will even want the job in 2028.

I suspect that time is running out and 3 more years without any progress, inflamed by partisan lust for power, will lead to a situation of survival after the collapse caused by decades of failed policies.

A better plan would be to do the best that we can, with what we have, while often not what many would like, it is the only thing we have for the time we have left. Time that is ticking away. I hear lots of criticism, but I hear few solutions, because it is easier to blame others for insoluble problems, than to offer real solutions, especially when there are no painless solutions to be had.

Thanksgiving, truly an American holiday.

 STILL RELEVANT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

WE ALL HAVE MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR

Another thanksgiving, for some the only time that family is all together and no matter the peril being experienced by some, we can all find many reasons to be thankful. It is a time to take a pause and count the blessing we have all experienced.

While the country may have many challenges in the near future, for now, we are all blessed to live in these United States. We can still worship as we are led, we can still pursue our dreams and hopes for the future. We have the ability to speak our mind as no where else on earth. We have all been blessed, probably more than we deserve.

As in the tradition of those who really had the reason to be thankful for their survival, we can in some way be empathic to understand how they understood to  offer up thanks.

For all Americans and also all our brothers and sisters around the world,  give a little prayer of thanksgiving for those blessings you have received, no matter how small.

Economic Strangulation goal in Venezuela.

 NAVAL BLOCADE, SANCTIONS AND TARIFF'S

$10 MILLION A DAY COST TO U.S.

While military attack may not be on the menu, unless Venezuela can be provoked into retaliation, economic death seems to be the goal. With an armada of warships discouraging ships from servicing the country and tariffs on anyone who does business with Venezuela, it may be a very hard future for the people of Venezuela.

With the excuse of labeling the country both a drug cartel operation and now a terrorist organization, I suppose we are all to demand the end of the government of Venezuela. This is nothing more than a warmed up John Bolton plan from the first Trump administration. It is obvious that the originators of the Bolton plan are still working within this administration.

The original Monroe Doctrine was meant to keep European influence out of the western Hemisphere, with the acknowledgment that the U.S. would stay out of European disputes. It was later modified by Theodore Roosevelt into "Speak softly and carry a big Stick" Now we have mostly given up on the soft speaking in our relations with others, in this hemisphere, as well with the rest of the world.

While, maybe, military action is not the goal, death and destruction by economic strangulation will still be the result. While residents of Washington and Wall street can rejoice at their win with the accompanying access to a largess of resources, I suspect the people of Venezuela will most likely not be better off. 

If this continues, and now may be irreversible, we can expect a new forced migration in the region, hostility from any country now effected or fearing they will be next. It will further add to decline of the image of the U.S. around the world.

One must wonder if this is now the alternative prize with the least risk by Washington after failing in Ukraine and deeming war with Iran too risky. It is like a predator choosing the victim who has been weakened by years of deprivation and is now an easy kill.

Perot & Buchanan's prophetic 1992 presidential campaign.

  REVILED AT THE TIME, THEY WERE RIGHT

TRADE AND DEBT WERE THE WARNINGS

The 1992 U.S. presidential campaign was a prophetic warning for the nation. In the Republican primary, Pat Buchannan warned of trade deals that would hollow out the U.S. economy, destroy the manufacturing base and pressure the middle class. He predicted what would later materialize and provide Donald Trump with some of the main issues in his campaign. He also warned about unlimited and lax immigration enforcement. After a strong challenge in New Hampshire, he was assaulted with  overwhelming accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. George Bush won the primary 72% to 23%. Bush 's popularity was weakened by his former pledge of " No new Taxes" which he quickly broke and his boasting of some kind of "NEW world Order" which raised alarm bells in some circles. Was this onset of the lone remaining super power ideology and endless war?

In the general election, Ross Perot, a Texas businessman,  ran as an independent, Bill Clinton was the Democrat and Bush. Perot was surprisingly very competitive, even rising to the top the of polls at one point. It was an indication of the growing discontent with the candidates from the entrenched parties. Perot was famous for his description and prediction of the "giant sucking sound" of jobs leaving the nation. He also was hoping to pay off the debt and stop deficit spending. When it seemed that Perot could actually win, he suddenly withdrew from the race claiming that his daughters life had been threatened, something that seemed outrageous at the time, but certainty not by today's standards.

While Perot reentered the race, his momentum had stalled and he ended with winning 18% of the vote, Clinton 43% and Bush 37%. some accused Perot of throwing the election to Clinton by his candidacy, but it seemed he was very sincere in hoping to move the nation in a new direction. 

Both Buchanan's and Perot's analysis of the direction of the country was very accurate, maybe they were just too far before their time and it was in an era were the media was of one mind and no alternative available. 

Clinton went on to approve NAFTA and GAAT that globalized trade and contributed to the decimation of the U.S. manufacturing ability. He pretty much did the same things that one could have predicted from Bush, regime change war in Yugoslavia, NATO expansion, and the policy of U.S. power expansion in the name of expanding democracy. He did cooperate with the opposition party to nearly erase the budget deficit and reform welfare, but in trade and foreign affairs he was like many, probably not in control of the ship.  

While Trump capitalized on the crisis of immigration, loss of manufacturing and regime change wars whose seeds were formed at the time of the 1992 election, it has now all blossomed into a myriad of problems that under the best circumstances will take decades to correct.

West on Ukraine: Out of sticks, and have no carrots.

 COMPROMISE OR GO TO WAR

TIME TO SUCK IT UP AND MOVE ON

We now have a 28 point peace plan, one that the West wants to negotiate and Russia will express interest, while devastating what remains of Ukraine's army. The reality is that NATO expansion has failed and any attempts to declare victory in defeat is just going to add to the costs. While many are looking for ways to declare victory, it will be a hard sell.  

While Russia has suffered greatly from this conflict, its suffering does have an expiration, when this conflict ends. One can expect the suffering in Eurozone will not expire but continue to decline into unpredictable internal problems. The entire west is suffering from unsustainable debt and deficits far into the future. Then in the Eurozone there is the inability to fuel their economies in a competitive way. Their green policies have devastated their economies and their savior, cheap Russian energy, may never come back. Then there is their massive immigrant problem that will be compounded by those same problems.

As for Russia, it has been able to forge new economic and even military alliances due to the wests obvious attempt to punish everyone who has either sided with Russia or even attempted to remain neutral. The political and economic damage will last for decades. Russia's position in the rest of the world has been enhanced and the BRICS economic union will thrive far into the future.

While the West has used up most of its sticks, except for outright war, which would be even a worse disaster, its attempts of offering carrots are now, too little, too late. Russia, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, hoped to become an equal economic partner in the global economic system. It was at first subtly rejected and then transparently rejected and offered the choice of submission or destruction. 

At this point, Russia understands that there will not be any cooperation, just a temporary peace until another opportunity for destruction is available. Offers of increased trade with the United States and a seat in the G7 are all without much attraction. There is now a better and more reliable economic union on the horizon and it will not be discarded for some fake offers of entry as a partner in the existing economic order as a inferior partner.

While the global south and most of Asia now have high hopes of a new economic order, it hopes to co-exist with the present system, much as one would with an ex-spouse, tolerance and accommodation when possible, an end to hostility, but mostly just a hope to keep it all at arms length.