২৭ মার্চ, ২০২২

"With nine ad-libbed words at the end of a 27-minute speech, Biden created an unwanted distraction to his otherwise forceful remarks by calling for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be pushed out of office."

"'For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,' Biden said. It was a remarkable statement that would reverse stated U.S. policy, directly countering claims from senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who have insisted regime change is not on the table. It went further than even U.S. presidents during the Cold War, and immediately reverberated around the world as world leaders, diplomats, and foreign policy experts sought to determine what Biden said, what it meant — and, if he didn’t mean it, why he said it."

Write Tyler Pager and Matt Viser in The Washington Post, in "How Biden sparked a global uproar with nine ad-libbed words about Putin/By declaring that the Russian leader ‘cannot remain in power,’ the U.S. president seemed to suggest a drastic change in U.S. policy — prompting a scramble by White House officials." 

Watching the video, I can't understand the basis for labeling the statement "ad-libbed." Biden seems to be reading a speech, a bit robotically and on the edge of stumbling, and he slows down a bit and gets quite emphatic. He seems to build up toward that conclusion and fully intend it as a conclusion. I don't see how it's "an unwanted distraction to... otherwise forceful remarks." It's delivered in a manner that is more forceful than the surrounding remarks.

But how could it have been deliberately scripted? Some White House official — who? — reacted almost immediately and tried to make it go away with an incredibly lame argument that Biden just meant that "Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region."

So, the evidence that it was "ad-libbed" is merely that unnamed associates of the President are saying that after the fact. The WaPo writers assist the White House:

Biden’s line was not planned and came as a surprise to U.S. officials, according to a person familiar with the speech who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation.

I presume the WaPo writers are skeptical, but they see a dire need to help. We're living in the shadow of World War III.

In the immediate aftermath of the remark, reporters rushed to find Biden aides and seek clarity on the president seemingly supporting a regime change in Russia. But Biden aides demurred, refusing to comment as they scrambled to craft a response.

Reporters rushed and aides scrambled. This sounds like a description of the in-person scene. One of the article-writers, Pager, was there in Warsaw. I presume he witnessed chaos. This next part sounds like it's the scene back in Washington. The other article writer, Viser, reported from Washington.

White House officials were adamant the remark was not a sign of a policy change, but they did concede it was just the latest example of Biden’s penchant for stumbling off message. And like many of his unintended comments, they came at the end of his speech as he ad-libbed and veered from the carefully crafted text on the teleprompter.

Do you believe that? I don't. There is mind-blowing incompetence whether it's true or false. How can you have a United States President, giving the most high-profile speech on the most dire matter, and accept that he stumbles off message. It's his penchant. They had a "carefully crafted text," but he veered.

It likely signals to Putin what he already suspected about Biden’s true feelings, and it almost certainly will be used as part of Russia’s propaganda.

Our propaganda says whatever Putin says is propaganda.

“What it tells me, and worries me, is that the top team is not thinking about plausible war termination,” said Michael O’Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of the book “The Art of War in an Age of Peace: U.S. Grand Strategy and Resolute Restraint.” “If they were, Biden’s head wouldn’t be in a place where he’s saying, ‘Putin must go.’ The only way to get to war termination is to negotiate with this guy,” O’Hanlon said. “When you say this guy must go you’ve essentially declared you’re not going to do business with him...."

This is exactly what Trump would not have done. Mentions of Trump in the article: 0.

Over the past few weeks, Biden’s rhetoric on Putin — a man he once recounted telling to his face, “I don’t think you have a soul” — has become increasingly pointed. He has called him a “butcher” “pure thug” and a “murderous dictator.” So saying that he should be removed from power could viewed as the logical next step....

In other words: There can be no negotiation. Ad-libbed or not, he meant to say it. Whatever escaped from his mouth came from his brain.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agencies, “That’s not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians.”

I await the new Russian propaganda that weaves in Biden's outrage at our January 6th attempted "coup."

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Treeamigo বলেছেন...

It certainly looked like he was reading that comment off the teleprompter. No doubt that State didn’t want him to say it, but the WH gets the last word on the script.

Ukraine is the one area where Biden is polling well, and I suspect that his “war criminal”, “killer”, “butcher” and regime change commentary is designed to please his base at home for the midterms. Klain is diving Biden’s foreign policy more than Blinken is.

I doubt Biden cares whether this complicates things for Ukrainians. Did Joe care what happened to the Afghans?

Greg The Class Traitor বলেছেন...

Achilles said...
Greg The Class Traitor said...
Achilles : If Ukraine accepts neutrality and relinquishes claims to Crimea the war ends tomorrow.

Me: 1: Really? Putin's given up on the Donbas and Luhansk regions? Could you point us to where that's been agreed to?

Doesn't matter. Putin cannot afford for the war to continue.
I would guess the question goes to a vote in those regions and the residents of those regions vote 70-80% to join Russia.


Ok, so you've gone from "Ukraine accepts neutrality and commits to peace in Crimea. The war ends." to Ukraine accepts neutrality and commits giving up Crimea, Donbas and Luhansk. The war ends." All in the space of 1 post.

If "Putin cannot afford for the war to continue", then the correct thing to do is keep the war going until Russia loses, which is my position.

Damn you're stupid

Me: 2: Putin invades Ukraine. Putin gets to rip part of Ukraine away because of the invasion, and make it part of Russia, while also forcing Ukraine to give up any ability to have allies the next time Russia invades (that is what "neutrality" means here)
What's you're over / under for how long until the next Russian invasion? 2 years?

Entirely dependent on the price of oil. At 60$ per barrel Putin has no money.


Which is why the invasion happens in 2024, while we're still under a Democrat regime that drives the price up.
Which ANY Democrat Regime is going to do.

So, you're now at "they can have peace for two years or less, then get absorbed by Russia." Quite the bargain! I just can't imagine why anyone would take a pass on that!

Me: So yes, if Ukraine were just willing to unconditionally surrender their nation to Russia and Putin, the war would stop.
Of course, give it 10 years and you'd have the next Holodomor. But hey, they live next to Russia, what do they expect!?!
Right now Achillies you're a living example of the Dunning Kruger effect

It is pretty funny to watch you completely lose any objectivity or ability to think critically. You are whinging and blathering like a true drone.


Why yes, when given the choice between freedom and slavery, and slavery is what Ukraine will have under Putin, I choose freedom.

And since you've conceded all my points, clearly I'm a lot better at analysis than you are.

Greg The Class Traitor বলেছেন...

Achilles said...
This whole situation is not as black and white as you would like it to be. But idiots love morality plays and are the first to fall for propaganda.

Putin is evil. He's a KGB thug who's never stopped being a KGB thug, who wants to extend his thuggishness over as many people as possible. If that has "levels of gray" for you, you're horribly fucked up

Russia signed an agreement to repect Ukraine's borders. The agreement did not have an "unless Ukraine kicks out a Putin stooge" exception. Russia is in complete violation of the Budapest Accords, and needs to be forced back into compliance.
If you see any gray in that, you're a dishonest piece of shit

Joe Biden made this war happen through a series of blunders and actions. This was done on purpose. And this war is going to have effects all over the world.

Joe Biden wanted a play war. Zelensky refused to play his part and run away, and the Ukrainian people are refusing to roll over and play dead. THAT is why we're having an actual war.

If you think that the Administration that dropped sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline a month before Putin invaded, and that's trying to use Russia to get an "Iran Agreement" actually wants Putin to lose, you're even more stupid that I think you are.

In fact, what your'e demanding happen is pretty much exactly what the Biden Admin wants.

What do the people of Ukraine gain by joining Nato? The only people in the Ukraine that really benefit from that are the corrptocrats in Ukraine feeding of of the Washington DC money laundering operation in Ukraine.

They get freedom from being threatened by Russia, just like the Baltic States, Poland, Hungary got.

Or are you claiming that those countries all just joined so the corrupt could get richer?

If Ukraine had joined NATO in 2014, this invasion wouldn't have happened.

Right now the Russian people are getting screwed by sanctions and Putin is still getting his oil money. And Joe Biden has threatened Putin with the Khaddafi treatment.

Do you think Joe Biden doesn't want this war to continue?


Joe Biden is a demented fool who isn't running "his" Administration.
The people running "his" Administration are Obama retreads who were all in bed with Russia for 8 years, and want to climb back in.
No, they don't want the war to continue, they, like you, want Putin to win. Which is why they nuked the sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline a month before Putin invaded.

You are a blathering tool frothing at the mouth and gibbering. You have no idea how to look at this situation from multiple perspectives so all you do is raise the bloody shirt and scream for other people to fight the war harder.

No, shit for brains, I'm screaming for the US to back the people who are fighting for their freedom, so they can win.

I've looked at this from Putin's side, which is why I understand why Ukraine can't cut any deal and survive.

What I have not done, and will not do, is pretend that a KGB oligarch & dictator has ANY legitimate interests outside of Russia.

Because in a choice between the people of Ukraine, and the dictator of Russia, unlike you I'm not going to side with the dictator

You need to take a step back and think about what is going on.
Or you need to shut the F up and get your ass to Ukraine and fight yourself since you think this is the holiest of holy wars.


You NPCs really do need to update your script. I'm paying my taxes and calling for the US to turn that into Javelins and Stringers for Ukraine. I'm saying teh people of Ukraine have a right to determine their own destiny without bowing to Putin.

I'm opposing the Trudeau of Russia, while you're fighting for his victory.

Pull your head out of your ass

Greg The Class Traitor বলেছেন...

Treeamigo said...
Ukraine is the one area where Biden is polling well

Really? I what poll? Links?

I haven't seen a single poll where Biden was polling positive on Ukraine

Achilles বলেছেন...

Greg. You are dumb. You are dishonest. You are arguing in bad faith.

Nobody here is supporting Putin. You just can't be honest about what we are saying because it makes you look dumb.

These are the Ukrainians you are supporting.

Everyone else thinks you are stupid too.

I am just putting it in short small words so you get it.

If you ever want to actually deal with what I say let me know. For now I am just going to point out the obvious.

You are a dumb tool waiving a bloody shirt in a morality play dancing on the regime's strings.



Greg The Class Traitor বলেছেন...

Achilles said...
Greg. You are dumb. You are dishonest. You are arguing in bad faith.
I guess you're a leftist, since you're projecting yourself on me

Nobody here is supporting Putin.
You want him to NOT lose in Ukraine. if that's not "supporting" him, the word has no meaning.

You aren't indifferent to his victory, you are pushing for it

You just can't be honest about what we are saying because it makes you look dumb.
I've been entirely honest about what your'e saying, I've pointed out exactly why what you're pushing for is a total victory for Putin.

You've made no attempt to disprove my claim, you've just insulted me and hoped that no one would notice you failed to counter my argument

Sorry, I don't know what you've got on that video, but really don't care.

if you can't make your argument with text, I'm not interested.

If you're trying to argue that the Ukrainians are worse than Putin's secret police, then you're so stupid, ignorant, and / or dishonest taht there's no point in even trying to argue with you

Greg The Class Traitor বলেছেন...

Achilles said...
You are a dumb tool waiving a bloody shirt in a morality play dancing on the regime's strings.


This he writes, just after posting a pro-Putin "bloody shirt" video.

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