Ukraine War Upd. EXTRA: Trumps and Javelins - How Responsible Was He?
Table of Contents 📖
"Like I can't sleep at night if I think part of my worldview doesn't work, right? So I have to alter my worldview so that it works, so that it's not incorrect, so that it's not brittle, so that it's not like, you know, it's no surprise that one of my more recent books is, you know, the front cover is a brick wall and it's my entire worldview built up from bottom upwards because everything needs to make sense and it can't be built on this faulty foundation that will crumble with the slightest shut. It needs to be solid because I need to know that I'm believing the most rational justified position possible."
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:31⏩
Jonathan welcomes viewers to an "EXTRA" video about the war in Ukraine. He explains that this video will give viewers extra "tidbits and nuggets" to help them better understand the war. He plans to keep the video short.
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Deleted Video and Apologies
🎦 00:31-01:25⏩
Jonathan corrects an error from an earlier video that he has now deleted about Trump's position on providing military aid to Ukraine. The deleted video featured an out-of-date clip from an interview with Trump. He had incorrectly said that Trump had done a 180 degree turn and was now pro-Ukraine, when the reality is that the clip showed Trump's previously held position (which was more supportive). Jonathan acknowledges that some viewers had pointed out that the clip was old. He explains that Trump's current position is now "anti-Ukraine" and that he doesn't think "Trump really knows much about international politics".
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Email Argument about Trump's record on Javelins
🎦 01:25-33:43⏩
Jonathan explains how Trump often claims credit for providing Ukraine with Javelins, but this is a more nuanced issue. He reads an email from a viewer who disagrees with his take on this who calls him a "liar" which makes Jonathan cross. Jonathan explains that he doesn't lie and anyone who knows him or his work knows that he is all about truth and logic. Jonathan explains how important it is to him that he is accurate and truthful. He states that he is always willing to alter his opinions based on evidence. Jonathan is then very firm and direct with the viewer who emailed him, telling him that he will not tolerate being called a liar. Jonathan goes on to provide a point-by-point refutation of the email using evidence from Defence News and Foreign Policy articles. The evidence demonstrates that the decision to supply Javelins to Ukraine was not a result of Trump's initiative. Instead, the decision was made by the Pentagon and the State Department, driven by a long-standing bipartisan consensus in Congress dating back to at least 2015. Jonathan explains that while Trump ultimately signed off on the Javelin deal, he initially resisted it and only agreed when his advisors persuaded him it would be good for US business. Essentially, Trump was persuaded that the US would recoup its investment. Jonathan emphasises that this behaviour is consistent with Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy. Jonathan also highlights that the decision to provide lethal aid to Ukraine was not solely a Trump administration initiative. It was a policy shift from the Obama administration, which had been reluctant to do so. This refutes Trump's claim that he was solely responsible for sending javelins and that Obama only sent "pillows and blankets". Jonathan reads directly from articles to support his claims.
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Trump's "quid pro quo" approach and Helsinki
🎦 33:43-34:38⏩
Jonathan criticises Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy, which he believes prevents effective international cooperation. He provides an example of this from the Helsinki Summit, where Trump appeared to favour Putin's word over the findings of US intelligence agencies. Jonathan argues that foreign policy should be based on alliances and mutual benefit, rather than viewing everything as a zero-sum game. He believes Trump sees everything as transactional - "quid pro quo". He explains that many writers, including Madeleine Albright, have commented on Trump's transactional approach.
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Wrap Up
🎦 34:38-35:15⏩
Jonathan reiterates his openness to changing his views if presented with evidence and encourages viewers to engage in constructive debate. He ends by expressing his dislike for Trump's character, which influences his overall assessment.
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