In 1939, Russia and Germany signed a non-aggression agreement — the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact — pledging that neither would ever invade the other’s territory.

Two years later, on this date (June 22) in 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa: three parallel offensives into Russia staged by more than three million German troops . . . 19 panzer divisions, 3,000 tanks, 2,500 aircraft, and 7,000 artillery pieces across a 1,000-mile front. [“This Day In History, History.com, June 22, 2025.]

Hitler’s word meant nothing. But he paid dearly for his betrayal: by opening a second front, he became the instrument of his own ultimate destruction.

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Vladimir Putin, seeking to reinforce his image as Russia’s strongman, periodically stages a revolt or a “terror attack” by his scapegoat du jour — perhaps Chechnya, one of the Central Asian nations, his own friend Yevgeny Prigozhin, or more recently, Ukraine — and then brutally retaliates, claiming a victory in “protecting” his people from perceived harm.

I call it “heroism by proxy.” It is, of course, nothing more than an excuse for a lie.

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Yesterday, Donald Trump . . . after pledging a two-week pause allowing Iran’s leaders time to consider their position as to a nuclear weapons agreement . . . and without bothering with the requisite Congressional approval . . . bombed three of Iran’s principal nuclear sites in a sneak attack that shocked the world. Or everyone but Israel, at any rate, in whose defense Trump claims to have acted.

In so doing, he thinks he has established himself as America’s tough guy, a force not to be messed with. In reality, he has proven himself, once again, to be nothing more than a world-class liar.

He lied to his supporters when he campaigned as the peace candidate who would never lead America into war.

He obviously lied when he told Iran he would hold off for two weeks.

And he may be lying when he says that these attacks were a one-off, that there would be no further action, and that negotiations could now resume. Because he has also said, while claiming this action as a great success, that there are still “many targets” left to destroy.

He lies daily, then denies that he ever said what millions of people around the world have heard him say.

He is no more wedded to the truth than Adolph Hitler or Vladimir Putin. In fact, he wouldn’t know the truth if it walked up and smacked him across the face.

Which it may be just about to do. Meanwhile, we wait for whatever comes next.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
6/22/25