President Trump and Russia’s Putin will meet to negotiate peace in Ukraine in Alaska on August 15. Yes, August 15, in Alaska.
Exactly 90 years ago (Aug. 15, 1935), Will Rogers and Wiley Post died at Point Barrow, Alaska when Wiley’s airplane lost power on takeoff and crashed, nose first, into a few feet of water along the coast.
You might wonder what clout Trump has over Putin and Ukraine President Zelensky? Putin’s Army controls about 22% of Ukraine territory. And Zelensky says he will not give up any territory to Russia. None!
Trump mentioned a possible “swap” between the two countries. But what is there to swap? Putin is determined to eventually take back all the Eastern European countries that were behind the Iron Curtain after WWII, including Ukraine. I’m sure he’s mad that his predecessors, in 1867, sold Alaska to the U.S. for a pittance, only $7,200,000. He may try to convince Trump that that payment barely covered the value of the barren land, and Russia actually kept the mineral rights to the oil and gas.
President Trump has used the economic power of the U.S. to force peace between other warring rivals. In this case, he has indirect influence over the amount and price of oil that Russia exports because 40% of it goes to India. Trump figures he can convince India to stop buying Russian oil through increased tariffs and other trade restrictions.
Back to Zelensky’s point… Since Russia invaded Ukraine and is singularly responsible for the billions in damages and loss of life, why should they get to keep ANY of Ukraine territory. After WWII, did Germany get to keep a piece of France? Did Japan get the Philippines? Of course not.
Let’s go farther. Ukraine should get to take over an area of Russia equal to the 22% of Ukraine that Russia has occupied, and largely destroyed. Land adjoining Ukraine is some of the best farmland in the world. Seems totally fair compensation. Of course, this common horse sense solution will never be accepted, or even proposed.
Texas Democrats are in a quandary. To keep Republicans from redrawing Congressional district boundaries to favor Republicans, they flew off to Illinois, California and New York. Those 3 states are experts at Gerrymandering district lines to favor Democrats.
Democrats have traditionally been better at Gerrymandering than Republicans. But look at Oklahoma today. Kamala Harris got 36% of the vote but not one of the 5 Representatives in Congress is a Democrat. Every county voted for Trump, meaning it would take some incredible manipulation of boundaries to make up a majority-Democrat district. Maybe a couple of my Democrat friends can work on that for 2030.
In case you are wondering, my recovery from heart surgery on July 15 is pretty amazing. No pain. I’m walking 30 to 40 minutes a day. Driving a little, and should have no driving limits in a week or so. Still being cautious so my chest bone gets welded back together. Even my scars are nothing to brag about.
Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
“This Alaska is a great country. If they can just keep from being taken over by the U. S., they got a great future… There is only 30,000 white people in Alaska and there is seventy commercial planes operating every day, in winter on skis… There may be some doubt about the Louisiana purchase being a mistake, but when Seward in ‘67 bought Alaska for $7,000,000 he even made up for what we had overpaid the Indians for Manhattan Island.” DT #2815, Aug. 13, 1935
“Well, we had a day off today and nothing to do, so we went flying with friend Joe Crosson, Alaska’s crack pilot, who is a great friend of Wiley’s, and Joe Barrows, another fine pilot. In a Lockheed Electra we scaled Mount McKinley, the highest one on the American Continent. Bright sunny day and the most beautiful sight I ever saw… Flew right by hundreds of mountain sheep, flew low over moose and bear down in the valley.” DT #2816, Aug. 14, 1935