Remember Murphy’s Law? That was an adage — much repeated in the 1950s and ‘60s, as I recall — that said that, in all probability, anything that can go wrong . . . will.

Well, guess what. It just did. Again.

The whole world was privy to yesterday’s boxing match at the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on one side of the ring, and the double-team of Donald Trump and JD Vance on the other. (I cannot bring myself to address the last two by their assigned titles because I just don’t believe they deserve them . . . but let’s not go there right now.)

To say that it was a complete debacle is a gross understatement. I had read various reports of the meeting, but did not want to rely on the viewpoint of any particular news source. So I watched the video, which I urge everyone to do in order to form your own opinion as to who disrespected whom. And if this were a high school debate, and I were the moderator . . .

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First, let me say that I have been trying to wean myself from further discussions of U.S. politics. But this White House meeting involved more than just Trump’s decimation of the U.S. government; it was truly a matter of the greatest international significance.

Am I somewhat prejudiced in favor of Ukraine . . . a sovereign nation that has been invaded by the Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin in an undisguised effort to reclaim former Soviet territories? Absolutely.

Am I naturally inclined to distrust an American autocrat who lies, cheats, and openly sides with Putin? You’re damned right, I am.

But in watching yesterday’s White House melee, I tried to see it from a more personal vantage point, rather than purely political. So you’re not supposed to raise your voice to the American president in his home . . . or so they say. And I say, why not, when you too are president of your country? Would Trump hesitate to argue with Zelensky if they were in Kyiv? Of course, he wouldn’t. He’s a bully, no matter where he is.

And what ever happened to mutual respect? Both Trump and Vance treated Zelensky as though he were a pauper begging in the street for alms. They talked down to him, they berated him, they ridiculed him, they accused him of being “unappreciative” . . . and they gave no consideration to the fact that this man has fought valiantly for three years to defend his country against a hostile takeover (a term that should be more than familiar to a rapacious businessman like Trump).

Was Zelensky emotional? How could he not be? He is physically and mentally exhausted. He is battling for the lives of his people. And he is, in effect, now being told that he has no right to speak up, to negotiate the terms of a peace treaty that will determine the future of his own nation, and that he himself is responsible for the devastation of his country because he will not unconditionally surrender.

I tried to put myself in Volodymyr Zelensky’s place at that meeting, and — knowing myself and the limits of my patience — I concluded that I probably would have thrown the nearest water glass at Trump and stormed out on my own, uttering a few obscenities along the way.

But I’m not a diplomat. Instead, Zelensky — swallowing his pride — is seeking a way to repair the damage because he knows it is in the best interests of his country to do so. And in that, as in all things, I wish him Godspeed.

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As for the Killer in the Kremlin . . . well, I can only imagine his reaction to this latest gift from his friend in Washington.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/1/25