Lived in Europe over half my life before the Iron Curtain came down, when it came down and afterwards. I read and watch news to this day in several different languages. I worked with a lot of Russians, older and younger ones. There are a lot of variables that influence Russians thinking about the matter.

The one constant I have always encountered is something that cannot be attributed to propaganda. Regardless of if they are pro or anti Putin. This is what I have always heard and it pretty much sums it up.

Russia was invaded by the French and then by the Germans. And Nato keeps getting closer to their border.

Nato was formed in 1949 and the Germans were admitted. Russia countered by forming the Warsaw Pact in 1955.

Gorbachev was given assurances that Nato would not move eastward by Jim Baker.

"U.S. Secretary of State James Baker’s famous “not one inch eastward” assurance about NATO expansion in his meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on February 9, 1990, was part of a cascade of assurances about Soviet security given by Western leaders to Gorbachev and other Soviet officials throughout the process of German unification in 1990 and on into 1991, according to declassified U.S., Soviet, German, British and French documents posted today by the National Security Archive at George Washington University"

Soviet Union collapsed and for those of us old enough to remember they were militarily a wreck in the 1990's.

They removed all their bases and assets from Germany and Eastern Europe yet we stayed and moved into their vacancies and expanded eastward.

The Russians have an insecurity that is deeply ingrained based on their past history. Lots of them had serious hopes that Trump would disband Nato during his first term.

I heard this repeatedly before Putin even came to power, why is Nato still here, there is no longer a threat, even the Soviet Union disintegrated.

Trump really thought he could reason with Putin and I do believe he can still pull it off but its going to mean alot of concessions.

Maybe this will help put the Epstein file crap to rest, probably not since many won't read this, they'll just keep posting "give me the list" and not considering the dynamics of how things like this work.

Bondi should have known better, but, in the spotlight, looking to score points, she broke a rule and touted the release. What she should have said was nothing, it's a nothing burger from the standpoint of prosecutions and retribution.

https://x.com/shipwreckedcrew/.../1944780918360875394





The reality is the list will never be released @Shipwreckcrew explains it very well, he's a former Federal Prosecutor, if you are on X, you should follow him at least to be informed on the workings of how the federal legal system works. He has a lot more on his account on X, reading through it helps understand what is happening.

Click the Show More to see the full X post, I'll paste it below for non X members.


https://x.com/shipwreckedcrew/.../1942426380412805568



There are likely hundreds of thousands of pages of records -- millions maybe -- in the Epstein/Maxwell case.

But it is a child sex trafficking and child porn case. Longstanding DOJ and Govt policy is to not re-victimize the victims by making public records relating to what happened to them.

The announcement last night made that point. It also said some number of documents - maybe tens/hundreds of thousands -- have been ordered sealed by the courts involved, and they remain sealed.

In addition, DOJ and the Government have a long standing policy of not publicly naming anyone in the context of suggesting criminal conduct if that person is not charged.

Any "list" of names that might be released as having a connection to Epstein and Maxwell is going to be seen in that context -- whether fair or not. To prevent unfairness when that is the case, the Govt simply doesn't release names.

This has ALWAYS been a "snipe hunt" by online and media personalities who obtained influencer and clout chaser status by suggesting rumor and innuendo was fact.

There are several now adult women who have came forward and told their stories about their involvement with Epstein and Maxwell. Some sued and were paid. Some named other persons as having been involved.

That is the public record.

DOJ does not -- as a practice -- add to the public record unless it brings a civil or criminal action.

DOJ files do not exist to satisfy public fascination with respect to infamous crimes.

What is promised during an election campaign is irrelevant.

Good post, HRK.

The reality is the list will never be released @Shipwreckcrew explains it very well,...
Right.

quote:

Bondi should have known better, but, in the spotlight, looking to score points, she broke a rule and touted the release. What she should have said was nothing, it's a nothing burger from the standpoint of prosecutions and retribution.

Right again. Bondi is seen as nothing more than an attention whore.

quote:

What is promised during an election campaign is irrelevant.

On that point I have to disagree. What is said during an election campaign creates a bond between the candidate and the voter. Trump moreso than others. Trump will never run for reelection but many in his MAGA base are not happy about this. If MAGA is to continue after Trump, it matters.

Trump’s base has every right to demand accountability, but there must be a clear line between righteous skepticism and conspiratorial addiction. The MAGA movement wasn’t built on rumor mills; it was built on a concrete agenda — protecting borders, revitalizing the economy, and restoring responsiveness in government, among other essential things.

The Epstein Diversion: How Economic Pain Spiraled into Social Media Self-Destruction

https://www.americanthinker.co...elf_destruction.html

Probably nothing short of an actual list of names, dates, and proclivities will satisfy everyone about Epstein Island at this point.

But certainly the administration can do better than just, "Move along, nothing to see here". They've shot themselves in the foot, giving the anti-Trump machine a powerful tool. The left sow suspicions of all kinds against Trump, his team, and Republicans in general. Not unlike the Russian collusion hoax which many on the left still believe has merit.

This debacle is of their own making now.

Biden's corrupt DOJ sat on the evidence for 4 years. Now they are accusing Trump of hiding something? If Democrats couldn't talk out of both sides of their mouths, they wouldn't say anything at all.

As I have said before the reality is this:

No one else trafficked girls from the mainland US to the USVI except Epstein and Maxwell so there will be no federal charges against anyone else.

Local charges for statutory rape could be filed by the local prosecutor in the USVI against others, but no there are no victims coming forward to implicate anyone. Prince Andrew was implicated and he settled out of court. I would suspect that anyone else that could be implicated has already paid off the victims.

Perhaps Bondi should should just say this:

"We have found no evidence of federal crimes committed by anyone except those already charged. Any other prosecutions that may occur are up to the USVI prosecutor and DOJ cannot comment on that. Please refer to USVI prosecutor for further questions."

Lefty Sig
I don't think that is going to fly. He promised the list, he needs to deliver it. Saying it's a nothing burger now is too late to put it back in the horse. Right wrong or indifferent it needs to come out.

My fear is there are enough R's on it to throw away the house and senate if those guys have to retire because of it. My thought is that this is the reason it hasn't come out.

Whether the list existed or exits who knows. What I would like an answer to is, when Bondi said those videos are so horrible that they will not be released or shown, were they downloaded or were they from all the cameras that were on his island, if so who was on those videos. Also if I remember correctly, it was like 3 weeks after he was arrested that the FBI finally searched his residence, plenty of time for stuff to disappear.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
President Trump’s opinion of Pam Bondi seems to be in disagreement with some of the members here.

“President Donald Trump broke his silence on the MAGA civil war raging over the Jeffrey Epstein files by staunchly defending Attorney General Pam Bondi.

'What’s going on with my “boys” and, in some cases, “gals?” They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. …”

DailyMail article:
https://mol.im/a/14900125

Bump.

Epstein is small potatoes,

Trump just said Bondi should release all "credible" information

The big issue is Jerome Powell's refusing to lower interest rates.

Right now the US needs to issue new bonds to cover debt, much of it from Bidens Covid spending, current interest rates will cost taxpayers untold massive amounts of interest.

Getting rid of Powell and getting the interest rates down helps the US on the path to reducing costs, interest costs are a big part of the problem.

The Epstein people need to go away, it's not important.

Right, not important. The irony is that these Epstein queers who say they want the files released to see Bill Gates and Bill Clinton in handcuffs are the one who always say cynically that we will never see Bill Gates or Bill Clinton in handcuffs (meaning even if those files were released and proved damning to those guys and others).

The border, the economy, Iran, the Ukraine, election integrity, et cetera- there are many things far more important than playing gotcha with people who can never be gotten.

You want to see people in jail? Concentrate on Brennan, Comey, Letitia James, Adam Schiff and so forth.

quote:

Right now the US needs to issue new bonds to cover debt, much of it from Bidens Covid spending, current interest rates will cost taxpayers untold massive amounts of interest.

Getting rid of Powell and getting the interest rates down helps the US on the path to reducing costs, interest costs are a big part of the problem.

The Fed doesn't control long-term interest rates... the Fed only controls the federal funds rate which is the interest rate the federal reserve charges its' member banks for overnight loans.

The Federal Reserve's target range for the federal funds rate is currently 4.25% to 4.50%, according to the Federal Reserve Board. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) sets this target range, and it influences other interest rates, including those for loans and savings.

Long-term interest rates are set by the market, at auction, and it depends on supply and demand and perceived risk. Inflation is the primary risk of buying bonds.

Since Epstein won’t die, a statement in an opinion piece by Alan Dershowitz in today’s Wall Street Journal:

“I was his lawyer. I know things that court orders won’t allow me to disclose.”

“Epstein never created a ‘client list.’”

Much other discussion of claims and speculation that he refutes or explains, and finally:

“Sorry to disappoint you, but there is really nothing much to see here, beyond what has already been disclosed.”

LINK: but no, I may not post items from behind a paywall.

I imagine his statement is available from unprotected sources.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Since Epstein won’t die, a statement in an opinion piece by Alan Dershowitz in today’s Wall Street Journal:

“I was his lawyer. I know things that court orders won’t allow me to disclose.”

“Epstein never created a ‘client list.’”.

And just the other day he told Greta Vanwhatshername that he’s seen the list and he knows who is on said list. He said he had access to it as discovery in his own defamation lawsuit.

So which is it Alan?

If there is a list, I am not on it, I truly do not care.

There will always be those who will do things depraved, by all manner of measure.

I can no more expect that people, of whom all being morally and ethically "all over the map", will ever see that changed.


Deal with any and all things that can be, and realize we can't/won't see all things fixed.

It's a people thing. People are going to people as long as there are people.


Life is entirely too short to run around the tree until your a ring of butter.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
And just the other day he told Greta Vanwhatshername that he’s seen the list and he knows who is on said list. He said he had access to it as discovery in his own defamation lawsuit.

So which is it Alan?

Yup, people lose credibility real fast, when they say shit like that, then flip. Just 6 days ago, an interview by Sean Spicer with Dershowitz in March resurfaced:

https://thehill.com/homenews/a...confidentiality/amp/

“I know the names of the individuals. I know why they’re being suppressed. I know who’s suppressing them,” Dershowitz said during an appearance on “The Sean Spicer Show” that was originally broadcast on March 19 and was reposted on social media on Thursday.

“But I’m bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases, and I can’t disclose what I know,” he added, noting at one point he was falsely named as a client.

Disclaimer... I DO NOT CARE ABOUT ANY OF THIS, THIS IS MY OPINION.

Trump screwed up with the Epstein and Ukraine issues. Like it or not, his previous statements and campaign promises about the two subjects swayed a portion of the electorate to vote for him. Maybe enough as to push him over the top and help the Republicans on the down ballots.

This is a big problem for him and the mid-terms.

Him calling those people losers now is hurting him badly in the polls (and like it or not, his ego and his messaging needs him to be doing well in the polls). Don't get me wrong, I think ego and confidence can be strong attributes if you do not let it control you.

He cannot move on to "more important" issues until he fixes these blunders.

Another issue that is hurting is the Senate's inability to deliver on popular cuts and legislation... It is time for Thune to man up and threaten (publicly) and/or actually start pulling people off of coveted committee assignments.

Again, my opinion but I think the casual observer would agree.

Well said, Boz, but I disagree with you about the “DO NOT CARE” part.

12131...

You are correct. I care, but there is not a damn thing I can do about any of this except continue to vote at every election and e-mail/call my Senators and my Representative to make my voice heard and threaten to withhold my money and vote if they do not comply with my demands (which I did just yesterday about the DOGE Rescissions Package).

Trump is going to Trump, RINO's are going to RINO, dems are going to continue to try to ruin all of us and destroy our country. I just hope Trump and his allies can sort this out without it hurting too bad in the mid-terms. I do not accept that we have to give up seats in the mid-terms and I think we can increase our majorities, but our president and his cabinets members (Bondi) need to do a better job of "reading the room" on these issues.

This is what Trump posted on Truth Social today:

“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support any more!”

That is pretty sad. Yeah, you don’t want their support anymore because you don’t have to run for re-election. But, don’t take the Dems’ chance of retaking control of Congress lightly, because if they do, due to MAGA becoming disillusioned and staying home, you can pretty much kiss your agenda goodbye.