re: #171 jaunte

[Embedded content]

The Ukrainians had their land taken from them by a bullying neighbor. I spent some time last summer in Northeastern Slovakia since I was visiting family that still lives there. This part of Slovakia borders Poland and Ukraine. Family legend even says that my mom’s maternal grandfather went to work in Siberia at a young age. The World Wars and Soviet times really impacted this region. It is a pro-democracy and pro-western region. I don’t know what Putin’s ambitions are beyond Crimea but he’s definitely trying to expand Russia influence by bullying pro-western and democratic neighbors. And hell until 2016 officially even the GOP got that. They saw that Ukraine was an important partner. Trump and his guys didn’t care that Ukraine is in a difficult situation and they attempted to pressure a new President to do their dirty work. And the GOP reps like Collins don’t care because their base doesn’t care because their base is completely a okay with Trump’s disdain for allies and yes democracy itself.