To begin, links to three analyses, via Consortium News: Michael Brenner sees the war as part of the U.S. foreign policy establishment’s attempt to cripple Russia and oust Vladimir Putin as its president. Lawrence Davidson traces the Democratic Party’s cultivation of “connected” progressives into supporting Biden administration policy. And Jonathan Cook sees “tribalism” at work in some of the same ways as in Israel and Palestine. Finally, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; click on their names below for more. — MCM
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Last Tango in Washington? By Michael Brenner, a professor of international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Reality has a way of catching up to us. . . . The West has been inhabiting a fanciful world that could exist only in our imaginations. Many remain stranded in that self-deluded mirage. The more that we have invested in that fantasy world, the harder we find it to exit and to make the adjustment — intellectual, emotional, behavioral . . . READ MORE . . .
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The US Left & War in Ukraine, by Lawrence Davidson | TothePointAnalysis.com Matthew Duss is a leading figure on the American political left. However, the left is fragmented, and so we have to qualify this and say he is an important voice in one part of the left — the “connected” left. Duss is a foreign policy adviser to the independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. READ MORE . . .
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The Hierarchy of Tribalisms, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net Nothing should better qualify me to write about world affairs at the moment – and Western meddling in Ukraine – than the fact that I have intimately followed the twists and turns of Israeli politics for two decades. READ MORE . . .
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Russia frees captive medic who filmed Mariupol’s horror, by Vasilisa Stepanenko and Lori Hinnant | The Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia — A celebrated Ukrainian medic whose footage was smuggled out of the besieged city of Mariupol by an Associated Press team was freed by Russian forces on Friday, three months after she was taken captive on the streets of the city. Yuliia Paievska is known in Ukraine as Taira, a nickname she chose in the World of Warcraft video game. Using a body camera, she recorded 256 gigabytes of her team’s efforts over two weeks to save the wounded, including both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers. She transferred the clips . . . READ MORE . . .
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Zelenskiy vows Ukraine will prevail, Boris Johnson promises lasting support, by Pavel Polityuk and Max Hunder | Reuters * UK’s Johnson pledges support, warns of ‘Ukraine fatigue’ * EU summit expected to back Ukraine candidate status * Battle for Sievierodonetsk grinds on * Zelenskiy visits troops in south * More rocket strikes, shelling across east, central Ukraine | KYIV — With a blessing for its European Union ambitions and a pledge of unwavering support from Britain, Ukraine vowed today to prevail against Moscow as its troops battled the Russian assault near a pivotal eastern city and communities were pounded . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia is focusing on 3 key agricultural cities in Ukraine’s southeast. Reported by Peter Granitz | National Public Radio Russian forces are now concentrating their attacks on three cities in Ukraine’s southeast which are key to the country’s agriculture and logistics. Click HERE to listen and, another day, read.