Polyticks: Bob Butler's Perspective

[Bob Butler]

Ben Meiselas at the Meidastouch YouTube network is reporting CNN viewership in greatly tanking. He blames it on how new executive Chris Licht is trying to turn CNN into a Trump - MAGA friendly network. I can see how this would be a bad idea. CNN has been traditionally a MSM and blue organization. Any Trump - MAGA viewers would have a hatred and distrust. The existing CNN viewers expect a more MSM blue slant, and would leave to find something they agree with.

Seems to be larger than just the Town Hall event.

[Bob Butler]

I have been wondering about NATO after Putin. I can see NATO refusing to kill the sanctions unless Russia disarms. Quite possibly, a post Putin government could be forced to agree. In which case a circumstance might come up which would see NATO severely weakened. What good is a containment alliance against a situation where there is no autocratic expansionist power adjacent? Who would NATO be defending against? Could you see another autocratic expansionist power replacing the threat of Russia? Iran? China?

History aside (easy said) the obvious place for China to expand is into Siberia. No population. No resistance. Expanding in most other directions they run into various hazards. The populace of India? Fighting a sea war with the US? If Russia were to be forcefully disarmed and the common supposed ideology removed, would the conflict naturally go north?

In such a case, could you see Russia pleading to join NATO? Irony, anyone?

Sounds bonkers to me. China cannot go expansionist without worrying about their oil being cut off at sea between the Middle East and the Philippines. The one part of their economy which is still working which they need desperately is the remnants of globalism. They seem to be enthusiastic about threatening everyone in sight and seeming big and intimidating, but their weaknesses are equally outsized.

But at any rate, it does not seem a likely development for this crisis. I just wonder if Russia is forced to disarm, why should the europeans maintain a strong military?