We’ve all heard the old adage that says the definition of insanity is doing the same thing, in the same way, over and over again, and expecting a different result.

So, why would any sane person, after all of the failures, continue to think that sanctions are going to have any effect on Vladimir Putin’s war strategy? What part of “Nyet!” does Donald Trump not understand? Could the Kremlin have been any clearer or more concise on Wednesday when they called the repeated threat of sanctions “routine,” and said they “have already developed a certain immunity in this regard,” and are “taking measures to counteract all of this or even turn it to our own advantage”? [Reuters, July 30, 2025.]

I wouldn’t have thought any further clarification to be necessary . . . and particularly when, later that same night, Moscow followed up with an especially vicious attack on Kyiv that killed 31 people, including five children: an act that Trump described as merely “disgusting” and “sad,” while vowing to slap Russia with new sanctions — you know, the ones that haven’t worked for the past three years. In his own words:

“Russia, I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think what Russia’s doing is very sad. A lot of Russians [sic] are dying.” [RFE/RL, August 1, 2025.]

I assume he meant to reference the dying Ukrainians — but with Trump, one never knows what he means. And then he went on to add, as though his mind had begun to shut down completely:

“I don’t know that sanctions bother him,” obviously referring to Putin. [Id.]

Well, I thought I had found the ultimate evidence that the old saying about insanity had just been proven . . . and then I heard the chime from my phone indicating an incoming news flash, and saw this:

“Trump moves nuclear submarines after ex-Russian president’s comments.”

And “insanity” took on a whole new definition . . . and a different persona. Because Trump’s action is not a spontaneous act of lunacy; it is, rather, a response to the latest spate of verbal offal from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Earlier this week, Medvedev — now Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council — accused Trump of playing “the ultimatum game with Russia,” and said that “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.” [Jaroslav Lukiv, BBC News, August 1, 2025.]

And yesterday, in a post on Telegram, he warned of a “dead hand” threat . . . which some military analysts have identified as a reference to the codename of Russia’s retaliatory nuclear strikes control system. [Id.]

In response, Trump referred to Medvedev as “the failed former president of Russia, who thinks he’s still president” — not quite accurate historically, but typical Trump. He also warned Medvedev to “watch his words . . . he’s entering very dangerous territory!” [Id.]

Now Trump has ordered two nuclear submarines to “be positioned in the appropriate regions [in response to] highly provocative” comments by Medvedev. In an unusually articulate statement, he said that this action was taken “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.” [Id.]

And in his daily post on Truth Social today, he wrote:

“Based on the highly provocative statements of the former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions.” [Id.]

Quite properly, Trump did not identify the “appropriate regions.” He also did not say whether the submarines were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed.

But the “N” word is now out there. And to my mind — as someone old enough to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 — that is the true definition of insanity.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/1/25