I never thought I’d find myself quoting a member of the Trump family. But Sunday’s comment by Donald Trump, Jr. — not a philosopher, scholar, diplomat, or anything of note — bears repeating for its absurdity . . . and it’s terrifying implications.
And because it is the absolute truth.
Donald Trump, Jr.
Speaking about his father’s current views on Ukraine, the younger Trump indicated that the senior Trump could well walk away from the Ukraine peace efforts. And he had this insight to share with the world:
“What’s good about my father, and what’s unique about my father, is you don’t know what he’s going to do. The fact that he’s not predictable … forces everyone to actually deal in an intellectually honest capacity.”
[Nahal Toosi, Politico, December 7, 2025.]
Now, if you’re talking about someone’s kindly old grandfather, that might be considered cute, quirky, and even endearing. But when the subject is the supposed leader of the free world . . . well, “frightening” just doesn’t cover it.
What this country and the world need is not unpredictability. We’ve had our fill of surprises. We need sane, rational, intelligent leadership. And what we have at the helm is a loose cannon.
Whether by conscious choice or mental derangement remains to be determined. But the fact that his son and namesake thinks that’s a good thing tells me all I need to know about genetics.
For four long, brutal years, Ukraine — under the unrelenting leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky — has withstood the Russian onslaught against their nation’s sovereignty and its very identity.
Every effort at reaching an agreement on peace terms, or even a ceasefire to allow for substantive negotiations, has been stymied by Vladimir Putin’s intransigence on certain specific points: territorial demands, future NATO membership for Ukraine, and security guarantees for Ukraine going forward being the principal sticking points.
And through it all, Zelensky has valiantly defended his nation’s right to exist, refusing to give away pieces of it to the aggressor who behaves like a schoolyard bully demanding lunch money from a smaller, weaker child, simply because he wants it.
Just two days ago, Zelensky stated firmly that “Ukraine has no right — and no intention — to give up its territories, emphasizing that this is forbidden by Ukrainian law, by international law, and by basic morality.” [Ukraine News, December 8, 2025.]
One of Putin’s persistent — and transparently incorrect — claims has been that, since the spring of 2024, Zelensky has not been the legitimate president of Ukraine due to the suspension of scheduled elections while the country remained at war . . . a suspension required by Ukraine’s own constitution.
Now, disturbingly, a statement by Zelensky brings that issue into question. In the midst of talks with U.S. and European leaders, he said yesterday that “it’s time” — that he is ready to hold elections if the U.S. and other partners will provide the security necessary to ensure the vote can be held safely, and that he would press Parliament to draft the necessary legislation to allow elections to be held during martial law. [RFE/RL, December 9, 2025.]
Holding elections in wartime would require a cessation of hostilities in order to enable the thousands of front-line military personnel and millions of displaced civilians to vote safely. The election would also have to be independently monitored to ensure against unlawful interference — which is a whole other can of woms.
Zelensky said that an election could be held in 60 to 90 days if such security guarantees and a ceasefire were in place:
“I’m asking now, and stating this openly, for the US, perhaps with our European partners, to help me ensure the security needed to hold elections. I personally have the will and readiness for this.” [Id.]
The obvious question is: Why now? What has happened to cause this 180-degree turn?
I can only surmise that the pressure being applied in the wake of Donald Trump’s 28-point proposal offering Ukraine to Vladimir Putin on a silver platter, followed by his Europe-bashing contained in the U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), have had more than a little effect on President Zelensky’s morale and his hope for continued support from the U.S. The entire dynamic of the U.S.-Europe-Ukraine discussions has shifted . . . in the wrong direction.
And that is nothing less than an epic disaster, not only for Ukraine, but for the future of Europe and the entire post-World War II fight for democracy.
Salman Rushdie has an altogether too intimate acquaintance with tyranny.
Salman Rushdie
The Indian-born, British-American historian and novelist is best known for his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses. When published in 1988, Islamic factions saw it as an irreverent depiction of the Prophet Muhammad, and Iran’s leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death.
Forced into hiding for years following several assassination attempts, Rushdie eventually returned to living openly, and was blinded in one eye by yet another stabbing attack at the Chautauqua Institution in New York in 2022.
So yes . . . he understands tyranny and tyrants all too well. And in a satirical fantasy published in 2015, he had this to say on the subject:
“The enemy is stupid, he replied. That is ground for hope. There is no originality in tyrants, and they learn nothing from the demise of their precursors. They will be brutal and stifling and engender hatred and destroy what men love and that will defeat them. All important battles are, in the end, conflicts between hatred and love, and we must hold to the idea that love is stronger than hate.”
– Salman Rushdie, “Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights”
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We can only hope that Rushdie’s optimistic view of the self-defeating nature of tyranny holds true. But hope alone isn’t a guarantee of success; we need to keep fighting the good fight in order to restore the democratic principles we hold so dear.
Don’t you just love that scene in an action movie when the evil villain’s plans blow up in his own face? Of course, you do.
And when the villain is none other than Sadist-in-Chief Donald Trump, that moment is especially gratifying.
A little background: Enrique Roberto “Henry” Cuellar, a conservative Democrat, has been serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas’ 28th Congressional District since 2005. In May of 2024, during the Biden administration, Cuellar was indicted on charges of money laundering, bribery and conspiracy by a federal grand jury in Houston, Texas. The indictment alleged that he had accepted some $600,000 from Azerbaijan and a Mexican commercial bank to influence U.S. policy. His criminal trial was scheduled to begin in April of 2026.
Representative Henry Cuellar
In a preemptive action, Donald Trump decided on December 3rd to pardon Cuellar before he could be tried and possibly convicted, saying that he had been politically targeted by the Biden administration after he “bravely spoke out against Open Borders.” [Grace Eliza Goodwin, BBC, December 7, 2025.]
Wait . . . what?!! Trump pardoned a Democrat? And praised him for speaking out against administration policy? Really?
Well, yes. But it was the Biden administration’s policy, remember. And Cuellar is a conservative Democrat, representing a large swath of a state that is already engaged in blatant, illegal, racial gerrymandering in order to ensure a substantial Republican majority in the House of Representatives following next year’s mid-term elections. And in return for that pardon, Trump clearly anticipated that Cuellar would show his gratitude by switching his party affiliation.
But Cuellar — whether or not guilty of the crimes specified in the indictment — apparently has a mind of his own, and some measure of political integrity. Because, just hours after receiving his pardon, he filed for re-election . . . as a Democrat.
And Donald Trump, predictably, exploded on social media:
“Such a lack of LOYALTY. Oh well, next time, no more Mr. Nice guy.” [Id.]
Right . . . as though he ever, in his entire life, has done anything for anyone out of the goodness of his heart, without a self-serving ulterior motive.
This time, however, in his ongoing effort to sabotage the entire Democratic party, Trump’s weapon backfired.
I’m afraid Congressman Cuellar may not have heard the last of Donald Trump; as a “conservative” Democrat, he might still be amenable to voting on specific issues across party lines . . . and you can bet your Aunt Fanny that he will be under constant pressure from above to do just that.
But for now, he can stand tall for not having immediately sold out.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Vlad . . . your old pal Donnie has outdone himself in the gift department this year.
No gold-plated trinkets for you. After all, you already own the treasures of the Kremlin Armory and St. Petersburg’s Hermitage. What do you need with a fake peace prize when you have palaces overflowing with genuine Faberge eggs and crown jewels?
No, your big gift this year — as already hinted at (none too subtly) by White House envoy Steve Witkoff — is land. Lots and lots of beautiful agricultural land, mineral deposits and industrial property. And it’s only taken four years and a million human casualties to make your wish come true.
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While delegations from Washington and Moscow have held closed-door meetings and phone conferences concerning the fate of Ukraine, bits and pieces of information have found their way into the public domain. We already know of the chummy gathering in Moscow of a pair of American real estate moguls — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — with experienced politicians Vladimir Putin and Yuri Ushakov. But, other than the fact that no peace deal was reached, we have been given few details.
However, there was also a conversation between Witkoff and Ushakov in which — according to a transcript of the meeting as reported by Bloomberg* — Witkoff told Ushakov point blank:
“Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere.” [Robert Reich, Substack.com, December 8, 2025.]
* I was unable to read the Bloomberg report itself, as opening the link required a paid subscription. As a matter of principle, I refuse to be coerced into paying for news.
And, after giving away some 20% of Ukrainian territory to Russia, Witkoff had no hesitation in admitting to The Wall Street Journal that there had also been talks with Russia about oil, gas and rare-earth minerals deals, which he characterized as constituting “a bulwark against future conflicts there. Because everybody’s thriving.” [Id.]
Right . . . if one’s definition of “everybody” is limited to Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and a handful of their very closest friends.
Then there was last week’s issuance of the new U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), which in itself is a whole other Pandora’s box of horrors. While depicting Europe as just short of worthless, Trump’s NSS eliminates language from prior administrations that described Russia as a threat, thus providing Putin & Co. with the best little stocking-stuffer gift of all.
As reported to state-owned Russian news agency TASS by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:
“We considered this a positive step. Overall, these messages are certainly in contrast with approaches of previous administrations.” [Max Saltman, Jennifer Hansler and Billy Stockwell, CNN, December 7, 2025.]
Yeah . . . you’re damned right they’re in contrast!
Whereas former President Biden’s 2022 NSS had said that Russia posed “an immediate threat to the free and open international system, recklessly flouting the basic laws of the international order today, as its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has shown,” the Trump version foresees the U.S. having a major role in diplomacy to re-establish “conditions of stability within Europe and strategic stability with Russia,” and for “ending the perception, and preventing the reality, of NATO as a perpetually expanding alliance.” [Id.]
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You know that “new world order” that China, Russia and the other members of BRICS have been building to overtake Western political and economic dominance? Well, it appears as though they too have just been handed a lovely holiday gift . . . and by the very country they want most to defeat.
Throughout the ages, wise leaders — whether in politics, science, academia, or business and industry — have surrounded themselves with aides and advisors whose experience and wisdom have served to help their bosses appear even smarter. Julius Caesar had his Mark Antony; Richard Nixon had Henry Kissinger; Pierre and Marie Curie had each other; and so on.
Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger
But you can’t fix stupid. And stupid people believe that they will appear intelligent if they associate only with total idiots. And thus we have today’s U.S. administration.
Albert Einstein understood a great deal more than just the theory of relativity; he understood people as well. And he had this to say about his fellow man:
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
And stand-up comedian George Carlin — neither a scholar nor a scientist, but devilishly (and cynically) wise to the ways of the human species — had this bit of advice:
“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”
George Carlin (1937-2008)
How right they both were. And wouldn’t they have had a field day with the current gang of Mensa rejects in Washington!
Just when I thought life was beginning to get boring down on the farm, the Feenstras pulled off the surprise of the year: They’re going home. To Canada. With a side trip — another 2,500 miles — to Florida.
Anneesa and Arend Feenstra
It’s just a vacation, mind you . . . or so Arend Feenstra, in his latest online video, kept reassuring his audience (and the Russian authorities), repeating that they will, “100% for sure,” be coming back to Nizhny Novgorod. But they’ll be gone for quite a while — about four to six weeks — though he was skimpy on the details.
So how did all of this come about? The bureaucratic red tape alone must have been a nightmare. And he failed to mention certain details, like what passports they would be using. I assume the answer is their Canadian ones, as they are still technically Canadian citizens, and they would likely have had a difficult time getting into both Canada and the U.S. on any sort of Russian passports.
Arend began the video with a little tour of the farm they have built over the last 16 months: 280 acres on which they have constructed, from scratch, a large house, shop, barn, guest house, and other accoutrements. He emphasized that it had been a family effort, and that — while they are very happy there — they are exhausted. They also miss the family and friends they left behind in Canada (including their eldest son, whom he didn’t mention).
The Farmhouse and the Shop
Anticipating some probable questions from his viewers, he said they had considered vacationing within Russia, but that it was extremely difficult, and expensive, to find accommodation for ten people. Back in Canada, they have a motor home that they did not sell when they left, and they can supposedly all fit comfortably into it . . . though I have a hard time visualizing myself sharing even the most luxurious motor home with nine other people, no matter how much I might love them. Maybe some of the kids will bunk with relatives.
So their accommodations will be free. But what about the plane fare? A Google search indicated that the average cost of a single round-trip ticket from Moscow to Saskatchewan can cost anywhere from US $1,000 to $2,000. Multiply that times ten, and you’ve got . . .
Holy crap! That’s between $10,000 and $20,000, just for air fare. That would buy a really nice month-long vacation on, for example, the Black Sea coast . . . if it weren’t for that pesky “special military operation” in the region.
But never fear . . . because the intrepid, fiercely independent Feenstra family was all too happy to accept the generosity of family and friends who offered to cover the bulk of their travel costs. (Remind me to hire the Feenstras for my next fund-raiser.)
There were some brief shots of the family getting organized and packing for the trip, which is a logistical nightmare of its own. I well remember my years of overseas travel, and the lists I made so that I wouldn’t forget anything important . . . and I was only packing for myself, not for ten. Then there’s the thought of traveling that distance with eight children; changing planes, presumably in Istanbul (one of the few countries still friendly to both Russia and the West); keeping track of the luggage; and dealing with jet lag x 10.
Anneesa and Cora, getting organized
Shrink-wrapping to save space. Smart.
*. *. *
The video closed with yet a further assurance that the family’s viewers would be kept apprised of their travels, and that they were looking forward to another successful year on the farm when they — 100% for sure — return.
But it left me, inevitably, with questions.
First was the matter of the farm. It’s winter, so the gardens are dormant. But there are animals to be cared for — chickens, geese, calves, pigs, goats, and the family’s dog. The house and farm equipment have to be looked after. Who will do all of that?
Why, the Pulleys, of course: the Australian emigre family who currently occupy the guest house on the property. But Justin Pulley is not a farmer by trade, and as preparations for the big departure were underway, he was being given lessons in the operation of the tractor and a crash course in animal husbandry. I wish them all — the Pulleys and the livestock — the best of luck.
Justin Pulley in the Tractor
Second question: Arend mentioned “helping some people” while they were back home, but didn’t specify what kind of help, or whether the people were in Canada or the U.S. He even spoke of having to pack some work clothes. I thought this trip was supposed to give the whole family time to relax.
Third: Why Florida? He said they were looking forward to some warm weather. But southern California is closer by about 800 miles . . . Oh, wait — I’ve got it. California is too “woke,” whereas Florida is politically more conservative. Okay . . . next question.
And that would be a “what if” question: namely, what if, once they get back to Canada, they realize that’s where they really belong? Do they just chuck the effort and expense of the last two years and start all over again?
Or, more ominously, what if — having developed 280 acres of fallow property into a working, profitable farm — they are told by the Russian government that their property is being confiscated and they’re not welcome to return? It doesn’t seem likely, of course; but in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, nothing can be taken for granted.
*. *. *
Perhaps I’m seeing problems where there aren’t any, and this is just a really good opportunity for a hard-working family to enjoy a little down time. I hope so.
In any event, I look forward to following the adventures of the Feenstras as they leave tomorrow (Tuesday) on that long trek home for Christmas. Here’s hoping it’s a merry one.
On a somewhat different note, today’s quote is inspired, not by a long-dead philosopher, poet or statesman, but by a living singer-songwriter: the great Paul Simon.
Paul Simon (1941 – Present)
Attending his 1991 concert at the football stadium in Prague in celebration of the withdrawal of the last of the Soviet military occupiers is one of my fondest memories. Who doesn’t know — even 34 years later — “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” “Homeward Bound,” and the delightful “Mrs. Robinson”?
But my personal favorite has always been one that remains as popular today as it was in the ‘90s — not only for the original Simon & Garfunkel recording and the soundtrack of The Graduate, but for the more recent, and most surprising, smash-hit cover of the song by David Draiman, lead singer of the heavy metal group Disturbed.
I am, of course, speaking of “The Sound of Silence.” And I’ve chosen just two lines from that song today because they sprang spontaneously to mind as I followed the latest agonizing U.S.-Russia negotiations concerning Ukraine.
Simon doubtless had something entirely different in mind when he wrote his lyrics; but these are my mental images of . . .
“People talking without speaking”:
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow – December 2, 2025
* * * and * * *
“People hearing without listening”:
Yuri Ushakov (L) and Vladimir Putin – Same Meeting
For the past 100 weeks — just four weeks shy of two years — I have been reporting on the fates of journalists and others being arrested and imprisoned by Vladimir Putin and some of his allies for having done nothing more than speaking or writing in opposition to his war in Ukraine, or simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But there are many ways of being held hostage other than being physically confined to a prison cell. And that is what is happening to the people of Europe — and specifically the members of NATO and/or the European Union (EU) — as Putin’s hybrid war threatens to spill over into neighboring countries.
Borders have been closed, travel disrupted, trade agreements cancelled. And everywhere — from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, and from the Atlantic to Eastern Europe — defenses are being ramped up against the possibility of a future Russian incursion.
The people of Europe are once again living in fear of the behemoth on the far side of the “Iron Curtain.” And in that sense, they are indeed being held hostage to the whims of one cruel, narcissistic dictator. So this week, we add the entirety of the European Continent to our list of Putin’s hostages, along with those who have already been on it for much too long:
*. *. *
Europeans Under Threat:
The people of NATO and EU member states
Prisoners of War:
The 19,500 Kidnapped Ukrainian Children The People of Ukraine
Immigrant Detainees in Russia:
Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Endangered Exiles:
Mikita Losik Yulia Navalnaya Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents
Ales Bialiatski Andrei Chapiuk Marya Kalesnikava Uladzimir Labkovich Andrzej Poczobut Marfa Rabkova Valiantsin Stafanovic Yuras Zyankovich
In Georgia:
Mzia Amaglobeli
In China:
Chenyue Mao (American)
In Russia:
The “Crimea 8”: — Oleg Antipov — Artyom Azatyan — Georgy Azatyan — Aleksandr Bylin — Roman Solomko — Artur Terchanyan — Dmitry Tyazhelykh — Vladimir Zloba
David Barnes (American) Gordon Black (American) Antonina Favorskaya Konstantin Gabov Robert Gilman (American) Stephen James Hubbard (American) Sergey Karelin Timur Kishukov Vadim Kobzev Darya Kozyreva Artyom Kriger Michael Travis Leake (American) Aleksei Liptser Grigory Melkonyants Nika Novak Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea) Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler) Sofiane Sehili (French) Igor Sergunin Dmitry Shatresov Robert Shonov Grigory Skvortsov Eugene Spector (American) Laurent Vinatier Robert Romanov Woodland (American)
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