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On the brink of bloody disaster

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Last month, David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker and a journalist of decades of experience, wrote, “It is not a sure thing that Putin will invade Ukraine. What is certain is that any attempt to occupy that nation will provoke resistance and lead to bloody disaster.”  

Russia, Putin, President Biden, all the leaders of Europe, are at the brink of another in the series of  cascading catastrophes of this 21st century:  9/11, the Global Financial Crisis and Great Recession, the Covid pandemic. 

And now – facing the biggest land war in Europe since 1945.

We do not know how it will end, but we know it will be agony. 

For President Biden, already staggered by the persistence of Covid and the inability of the United States to get back to something near normal, by rampant inflation and the economic insecurity it instills, by paralysis in Washington on his legislative agenda, and by tensions that are testing the vitality of American democracy itself, the aftermath of a Russian invasion of Ukraine will be brutal on his presidency.

Vice President of the United States Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 10, 2011. The talks in Moscow are expected to focus on missile defense cooperation and Russia’s efforts to join the World Trade Organization. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Over the past 60 years, when a foreign policy crisis first hits, presidents generally benefit from Americans instinctively standing with their leaders to face the challenge – even when news is one of failure. 

John F. Kennedy in the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, Jimmy Carter in the attempt to rescue the American hostages in Iran, George W. Bush in the aftermath of 9/11:  all received a bump in approval as the country moved to unite and see the crisis through.  And when there is unvarnished success, a president’s standing can soar, as with George HW Bush in the first Gulf War.

When Russian missiles, troops and tanks invade Ukraine, will the country rally to Bush’s call for condemnation and resolve, or will there be a bitter debate on “Who lost Ukraine?” – with the president in its crosshairs.

America’s political culture has degraded over many years, most especially under Trump’s presidency. 

Partisanship is rampant but Republican extremism has metastasized and the cancer is everywhere.  There is significant sentiment among “America First” Trumpist Republicans that Ukraine is not America’s fight and there is no need to mess with Putin – even as he messes with the future of Europe and all the Western allies.

David Brooks of the New York Times, a conservative and a Republican, over the weekend captured what is at stake on the PBS NewsHour:

“I’d say the stakes are this. From 1915 to 1945, we had a culture and a regime in Europe which was the law of the jungle, the strong nations get to conquer the little ones. In 1945, after 150 million deaths and two World Wars, we set up a rules-based order, where strong nations do not get to take over little ones, that we have some sort of global international order, with NATO and the U.N. and all sorts of organizations making it a much more peaceful place.

And we have enjoyed a peaceful, peaceful land. And, if Russia is allowed to take Ukraine, that would destroy, that would shred that international order.”

In 1968, when the Soviet Union sent tanks and troops into Czechoslovakia to crush a democratic uprising, Europe shook, and the Cold War hardened, but there was no threat of direct war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. 

Biden has made clear there will be no US troops in Ukraine:  Russia and America will not face off.

But the tensions between Russia and NATO will escalate.  War is hell and the fog of war invites disaster.  Everyone’s fingers are on their triggers.  And there are nuclear weapons across the continent.

The threat of catastrophic mistakes is real.

When they met last weekend, Putin and China’s Xi issued a lengthy declaration that each supported the other’s ambitions. 

SHANGHAI, CHINA – MAY 20: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jingping (R) attend a welcoming ceremony on May 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. Putin is on a two day visit to China (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images)

If Putin succeeds, and endures the sanctions, and can tolerate the Ukrainian peoples uprising, and enjoys a resurgence of pride and glory across Mother Russia, Xi may want to copy that playbook for Taiwan.  And sooner rather than later.

In their Saturday call, Biden warned Putin of “swift and severe” costs to Russia

They discussed substantive security issues that Putin wants resolved in his favour.  But with continuing movements of Russian troops, there is no sign thar diplomacy will prevail.

For President Biden, the costs of war to confidence in him by the American people are likely enormous – to his leadership, his prestige, his strength at home and in America’s standing and effectiveness in the theatres of conflict now playing across Europe and Asia.

But if Biden, at this dark hour, is successful is deterring Russia from taking Ukraine, the dividends are equally enormous.

Bruce Wolpe is a Ticker News US political contributor. He’s a Senior Fellow at the US Studies Centre and has worked with Democrats in Congress during President Barack Obama's first term, and on the staff of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. He has also served as the former PM's chief of staff.

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Prayer app Hallow takes #1 spot on Apple App Store

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A new Catholic prayer app recently beat out major social media apps in global downloads.

The company says, Hallow passed 10-million downloads and 225-million prayers prayed around the globe, becoming the largest prayer app in the world.

Hallow has also become the first faith-based app to ever crack the top 10 apps in the App Store coming in at #3 overall–and beating Netflix, Spotify, Instagram, Amazon, Tiktok, and YouTube.

The Cofounder and CTO of Hallow Erich Kerekes joins Veronica Dudo to discuss. #IN AMERICA TODAY #featured #apps #prayerapp #socialmedia #Applestore #business

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Google’s take on AI search to shake market direction

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Search Generative Experience (SGE), is the latest innovation from Google Labs

This cutting-edge feature, recently announced by Google, is set to transform search results for a select subset of queries and a small portion of U.S. search traffic.

With SGE, instead of the traditional top-10 results, users may encounter AI-generated responses prominently displayed at the top of the page.

This shift has significant implications, as it pushes both ads and organic results further down the page. Stay tuned for updates on this groundbreaking development in search technology.

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The battery set to change Electric Vehicles and Tesla’s market share

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The world’s biggest battery maker announced this week they’re working with Tesla to making cheaper batteries.

Recent developments in the electric vehicle (EV) market raise essential questions about its trajectory.

Cost cuts by the world’s largest battery maker could impact EV prices, potentially boosting their competitiveness. Meanwhile, advancements in mileage, power, and charging times are driving increased adoption.

However, considerations about downsides like battery disposal and resource extraction are pertinent. Nonetheless, the broader implications for climate change efforts and the automotive industry underscore the transformative potential of EVs in creating a more sustainable future.

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