There have been many meditations, studies and first-hand accounts around the catalysts for extraordinary acts of physical and moral courage. In the end, what drives the most selfless acts is love. There is a grass field with a gentle slope outside of Prague. A village called Lidice once stood there. Lidice became world famous in 1942 when the world learned what happened there. The Nazis wiped it off the face of the earth and killed every man, woman and child who lived there. Most of the children would die by gas at the Chelmno extermination camp. There were no Jews in Lidice. Adolf Hitler personally ordered the destruction of the village and the salting of the earth as revenge for the assassination of Reinhardt Heydrich, referred to as the “Butcher of Prague.”
Thank you, Steve, for your insightful message. Your opinion is trusted and truthful! We need you in our lives these stressful times. We appreciate your thoughts!
We still have a very good chance of remaining a meaningful power on "the world stage," as people often put it.
Critical to our success is ensuring that the former president (45) never, ever becomes 47, for he will, out of vengeance, shame, anger, and a warped and perilous sense of personal pique, do everything possible to install himself permanently, demolish our political structures, on both a national and a state-by-state level, and rip up and burn this country's Constitution the way the Nazis burned books on Kristallnacht.
45 needs to be defeated in everything he tries between now and November 2024.
If only, in 1945, the leadership of the United States (which had done everything they could do to reduce Britain to penury before creating Lend-Lease after the British sold every American investment they had, at fire sale prices) hadn't decided that the role they wanted was to become the new Rome (after the Punic Wars, Rome was a "republic" inside its borders and an empire everywhere else, till the upper classes got tired of playing things that way and ended the republic). So the world's first anti-colonial nation became the supporter of resistance to colonial liberation and the end of empires. We supported Britain against Mossadegh, who wanted to have Iran's oil profits used to develop Iran, but that made the "English Labour Party socialist" (as he was described in a CIA report) a "communist" to corporate lawyer turned Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and we overthrew him in favor of the Shah who created a nicd tight police state run by the SAVAK and 30 years later we got the situation we have today - lots of "success" there, eh? What would the Middle East be like today if a leading country had been led by a pro-Western modernizer, who was successful? We killed him so British Petroleum could continue to control oil, and in 1973 the Shah was one of the organizers of OPEC.
Or my favorite, Vietnam, where we supported France against the only native resistance movement in SE Asia that fought on our side in WW2, and spent 30 years supporting the French in their failed war or fighting our own failed imperial enterprise (guess what? the only guy who knew the truth of the alleged Tonkin Gulf non-Incident was Lyndon Johnson,, who - when told of the "attack" - said "those poor damn sailors were probably shooting at flying fish!" - in 2006, it was determined that the "lights in the water" that night were the reflection of moonlight and lightning flashes from the storms in all quadrants, reflected off the enormous school of flying fish that annually transits the Gulf of Tonkin at that time of year). The end result of all that is that since 1975 we've had the result we could have had in 1946 - without the several million dead Asians, the 58,000 dead Americans and the death of self-confidence on the part of the US).
Everything we have done since 1945 actually made us weaker. We could have opposed communism and not only won the Cold War but won a world that reflected the values Steve has written about so eloquently here. (The worst thing we did was believe the Japanese when they told us they surrendered because of the A-bombs, which led to our formation of an imperial foreign policy based on the threat of using a weapon that couldn't be used)
I'm sorry to disabuse anyone who reads this of their mythology, but my work as an historian has demonstrated that the mythology is just that. I wish I could believe as Steve does.
Haunting? Yes, makes me cry every time I see a photo of it. Perhaps one day I can stand there. Maybe say a prayer and continue to hope for the best. Do what I can to ensure that never happens anywhere again, and support anyone who fights Trump's and his fellow travelers. In sure democracy for all our children.
Another beautiful essay - thank you Steve for doing this - we must not only never forget, but we must be constantly reminded of what can happen if we do forget
Terrifying, haunting, valid, and moving. One hopes, moving us in the direction of rational self-government. Thank you for bringing this forward from the depths.
Just Beautiful Steve!! You are a national treasure I don't know how I missed this the first time but I wish every American could read it. I was up half the night after the horrible news of the Supreme Court decision yesterday. Looks like it's going to be up to us after all. How can anyone not see what's happening? Im calling my Representative AGAIN today and insisting they get Ukraine funding passed asap. I pray for them too every day. Thanks so much for all your hard work and thanks too to your wife for keeping you motivated. ❤️🇺🇸💙
Nov 12, 2023·edited Nov 12, 2023Liked by Steve Schmidt
An excellent commentary. Thank you. We must not give in to wishful thinking about the limits of Putin’s aims. If Ukraine falls, he will set upon its European neighbors.
As I read your comments Steve about “Rasa-smarmy” as well as the comments and conduct of all the GOP presidential candidates at their last debate (including the absent Orangebaby), I asked myself this question- do most Americans ever wonder what kind of leadership these candidates have to offer us? Do we ask what kind of leaders do they aspire to be? What kind of beliefs and ethics do they have? Can they provide integral leadership? Do they even know right from wrong? What kind of moral compass do these candidates each display? I don’t think as a whole, that we Americans are very good at asking our candidates these questions much less have expectations of them that they can provide vision centered positive leadership. None of these candidates measure up to any standards of positive servant leadership. And, as a people we are found lacking because we as a whole do not expect anything better from them than what they say they will do if elected. That is the scariest thing about all of this-,we don’t expect and thus don’t get better from our elected officials, especially the MAGA GOP.
“The Russians will either be defeated in Ukraine, or they will destroy Ukraine and advance into Europe. When they do, Americans will fight and die.”
I have been saying this for over a year. It is crystal clear to me. I do not understand why there is anyone in this country who doesn’t understand. But there are. Or as is more likely, they understand and they want it to happen.
The USA is doling out weapons to Ukraine a little bit at a time. I hope it isn’t a case of too little too late.
I am still so angry with Musk for pulling the plug on the communications system just as Ukraine was set to make an attack on the Russian navy. That attack had it been successful coupled with adequate and timely weaponry could have changed the course of the war.
Now with Israel/Gaza fiasco sucking up all the oxygen, I despair for the fate of Ukraine.
Wow what a gorgeous website debut! Complete with audio! Amazing, great job. I am so happy to be viewing it. A refuge from the stormy world, your steadfast dedication to this sacred union called United States of America is unparalleled. Thank you, as always you made my day, good guys must win. This sure is your classic best writing.
Because of the rich, historical tapestry you use to set the tone for your warnings, their gravity this incredibly sobering. I always have the feeling that we are fiddling away while Rome is burning. I just can’t imagine why we don’t seem to connect the dots. You know these folks in Washington . What I’m the world do they think is happening here?
Thank you, Steve, for your insightful message. Your opinion is trusted and truthful! We need you in our lives these stressful times. We appreciate your thoughts!
I shall warrant, if the Republican Party regains control in 2024, it will later be said of Americans: It was not their finest hour.
We still have a very good chance of remaining a meaningful power on "the world stage," as people often put it.
Critical to our success is ensuring that the former president (45) never, ever becomes 47, for he will, out of vengeance, shame, anger, and a warped and perilous sense of personal pique, do everything possible to install himself permanently, demolish our political structures, on both a national and a state-by-state level, and rip up and burn this country's Constitution the way the Nazis burned books on Kristallnacht.
45 needs to be defeated in everything he tries between now and November 2024.
Noble sentiments, well-spoken, that I agree with.
If only, in 1945, the leadership of the United States (which had done everything they could do to reduce Britain to penury before creating Lend-Lease after the British sold every American investment they had, at fire sale prices) hadn't decided that the role they wanted was to become the new Rome (after the Punic Wars, Rome was a "republic" inside its borders and an empire everywhere else, till the upper classes got tired of playing things that way and ended the republic). So the world's first anti-colonial nation became the supporter of resistance to colonial liberation and the end of empires. We supported Britain against Mossadegh, who wanted to have Iran's oil profits used to develop Iran, but that made the "English Labour Party socialist" (as he was described in a CIA report) a "communist" to corporate lawyer turned Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and we overthrew him in favor of the Shah who created a nicd tight police state run by the SAVAK and 30 years later we got the situation we have today - lots of "success" there, eh? What would the Middle East be like today if a leading country had been led by a pro-Western modernizer, who was successful? We killed him so British Petroleum could continue to control oil, and in 1973 the Shah was one of the organizers of OPEC.
Or my favorite, Vietnam, where we supported France against the only native resistance movement in SE Asia that fought on our side in WW2, and spent 30 years supporting the French in their failed war or fighting our own failed imperial enterprise (guess what? the only guy who knew the truth of the alleged Tonkin Gulf non-Incident was Lyndon Johnson,, who - when told of the "attack" - said "those poor damn sailors were probably shooting at flying fish!" - in 2006, it was determined that the "lights in the water" that night were the reflection of moonlight and lightning flashes from the storms in all quadrants, reflected off the enormous school of flying fish that annually transits the Gulf of Tonkin at that time of year). The end result of all that is that since 1975 we've had the result we could have had in 1946 - without the several million dead Asians, the 58,000 dead Americans and the death of self-confidence on the part of the US).
Everything we have done since 1945 actually made us weaker. We could have opposed communism and not only won the Cold War but won a world that reflected the values Steve has written about so eloquently here. (The worst thing we did was believe the Japanese when they told us they surrendered because of the A-bombs, which led to our formation of an imperial foreign policy based on the threat of using a weapon that couldn't be used)
I'm sorry to disabuse anyone who reads this of their mythology, but my work as an historian has demonstrated that the mythology is just that. I wish I could believe as Steve does.
Haunting? Yes, makes me cry every time I see a photo of it. Perhaps one day I can stand there. Maybe say a prayer and continue to hope for the best. Do what I can to ensure that never happens anywhere again, and support anyone who fights Trump's and his fellow travelers. In sure democracy for all our children.
Another beautiful essay - thank you Steve for doing this - we must not only never forget, but we must be constantly reminded of what can happen if we do forget
Vivek, the know it all? I call him Ramasmarmy.
Terrifying, haunting, valid, and moving. One hopes, moving us in the direction of rational self-government. Thank you for bringing this forward from the depths.
Masterful history lesson.
Just Beautiful Steve!! You are a national treasure I don't know how I missed this the first time but I wish every American could read it. I was up half the night after the horrible news of the Supreme Court decision yesterday. Looks like it's going to be up to us after all. How can anyone not see what's happening? Im calling my Representative AGAIN today and insisting they get Ukraine funding passed asap. I pray for them too every day. Thanks so much for all your hard work and thanks too to your wife for keeping you motivated. ❤️🇺🇸💙
An excellent commentary. Thank you. We must not give in to wishful thinking about the limits of Putin’s aims. If Ukraine falls, he will set upon its European neighbors.
As I read your comments Steve about “Rasa-smarmy” as well as the comments and conduct of all the GOP presidential candidates at their last debate (including the absent Orangebaby), I asked myself this question- do most Americans ever wonder what kind of leadership these candidates have to offer us? Do we ask what kind of leaders do they aspire to be? What kind of beliefs and ethics do they have? Can they provide integral leadership? Do they even know right from wrong? What kind of moral compass do these candidates each display? I don’t think as a whole, that we Americans are very good at asking our candidates these questions much less have expectations of them that they can provide vision centered positive leadership. None of these candidates measure up to any standards of positive servant leadership. And, as a people we are found lacking because we as a whole do not expect anything better from them than what they say they will do if elected. That is the scariest thing about all of this-,we don’t expect and thus don’t get better from our elected officials, especially the MAGA GOP.
www.tomthedemocratist.com
“The Russians will either be defeated in Ukraine, or they will destroy Ukraine and advance into Europe. When they do, Americans will fight and die.”
I have been saying this for over a year. It is crystal clear to me. I do not understand why there is anyone in this country who doesn’t understand. But there are. Or as is more likely, they understand and they want it to happen.
The USA is doling out weapons to Ukraine a little bit at a time. I hope it isn’t a case of too little too late.
I am still so angry with Musk for pulling the plug on the communications system just as Ukraine was set to make an attack on the Russian navy. That attack had it been successful coupled with adequate and timely weaponry could have changed the course of the war.
Now with Israel/Gaza fiasco sucking up all the oxygen, I despair for the fate of Ukraine.
As a follow up to your excellent article, here is a passionate call worth listening to.
https://twitter.com/EPPGroup/status/1548034918076358656
Wow what a gorgeous website debut! Complete with audio! Amazing, great job. I am so happy to be viewing it. A refuge from the stormy world, your steadfast dedication to this sacred union called United States of America is unparalleled. Thank you, as always you made my day, good guys must win. This sure is your classic best writing.
Because of the rich, historical tapestry you use to set the tone for your warnings, their gravity this incredibly sobering. I always have the feeling that we are fiddling away while Rome is burning. I just can’t imagine why we don’t seem to connect the dots. You know these folks in Washington . What I’m the world do they think is happening here?