{"id":9427,"date":"2021-04-15T17:14:15","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T21:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/?p=9427"},"modified":"2021-04-15T17:17:13","modified_gmt":"2021-04-15T21:17:13","slug":"is-the-us-backing-down-in-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2021\/04\/is-the-us-backing-down-in-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the US backing down in Ukraine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a sign of escalating tensions, US President Biden announced sanctions against Russia<\/a> and expelled several Russian diplomats today. Both sides are talking tough and hurling threats at each other. Putin, of course, promises retaliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the Biden Administration also announced that the two US warships en route to the Black Sea (where the Russian navy is holding live-fire exercises) are turning back. This is a welcome development. Inserting US ships into the Black Sea at this time increases the potential for catastrophic missteps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/span>In the Studio Oct. 14 2012<\/span><\/a><\/div>

One thing that worries even casual observers like me is the ad hoc and contradictory nature of US foreign policy. While the Administration is ratcheting up tensions with Russia, it recently announced its decision to withdraw from Afganistan<\/a>. Declaring that there is no military solution to the problems in Afganistan, the Administration is bringing the troops home this Fall. (Actually, September 11, 2021.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the decision is welcome and overdue, my question is: are the moves in Afganistan a cover for the moves with Russia or vice versa? In other words, is the Administration ending the Afganistan entanglement to better engage with Russia? Or is the Russian aggression designed to provide cover for the disengagement in Afganistan. After all, the President faces a lot of criticism from his own party for his Afganistan decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/span>In the Studio—10\/28\/12<\/span><\/a><\/div>

For more background, read yesterday’s post.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a sign of escalating tensions, US President Biden announced sanctions against Russia and expelled several Russian diplomats today. Both sides are talking tough and hurling threats at each other. Putin, of course, promises retaliation. At the same time, the Biden Administration also announced that the two US warships en route to the Black Sea […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":9431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[470,254,1],"tags":[476],"class_list":["post-9427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","category-politics","category-uncategorized","tag-war"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ukraine-map.jpg?fit=474%2C235&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9418,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2021\/04\/dark-clouds-gather-in-ukraine\/","url_meta":{"origin":9427,"position":0},"title":"Dark clouds gather in Ukraine","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"April 14, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I wrote about my fears of a US-encouraged war between Russia and Ukraine, the news has gotten darker, Russia sent troops to the Russian-Ukraine border. Many are now echoing my warning about war. Both sides--Russia and Ukraine--have only hardened their stance amid calls of de-escalation. Ukraine, prodded by the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "current affairs"","block_context":{"text":"current affairs","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/current-affairs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/missle.jpg?fit=474%2C304&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10663,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2022\/06\/wwiii\/","url_meta":{"origin":9427,"position":1},"title":"WWIII?","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"June 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"After a bitter and scandal-filled election and with an increasingly divided nation, you might think that the Biden administration would move with circumspection and try to heal the country. Not at all. 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The current US administration seems to be hellbent on war. Ukrainian President Zelensky, by singing decree No. 117\/2021, has virtually declared war against Russia. US Secretary of Defense Austin, a former board member of Raytheon, promises unwavering\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "current affairs"","block_context":{"text":"current affairs","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/current-affairs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/biden.jpg?fit=474%2C355&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11340,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2022\/10\/so-war-it-is\/","url_meta":{"origin":9427,"position":3},"title":"So, war it is","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"October 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"When I was a kid, we lived near a SAC base (Strategic Air Command) where the nuclear bombers were stationed. Depending on the prevailing winds, the noise from the B-52's flying over was so loud that it rattled the windows and shook the house. 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Several defenders were killed and others captured. In a separate incident in Pul-e-Alam, 30 people were killed by explosions. What makes these attacks ominous is that they occurred on the day when US and NATO troops began their official withdrawal. When President Biden pushed back\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "current affairs"","block_context":{"text":"current affairs","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/current-affairs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/afgan1.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/afgan1.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/afgan1.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4625,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2015\/01\/oil-brush-update-13015\/","url_meta":{"origin":9427,"position":5},"title":"Oil brush update 1\/30\/15","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"January 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I've bought brushes marketed as 'Russian-made sables' at different times and from different vendors. The actual manufacturer is obscure. Their only identifying marking is the distinctive logo, which you can see in the accompanying photo. In addition to the logo, the brushes have long, mahogany handles. They are excellent brushes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "materials"","block_context":{"text":"materials","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/materials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Russian-made, long-handle sable brush","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/sable-russia.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Gw6F-2s3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9427"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9435,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9427\/revisions\/9435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}