‘Mission creep’ observed in U.S. involvement in Ukraine conflict. “From Biden’s hints at regime change on March 26 (“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power”) to White House press secretary Jen Psaki saying the U.S. was seeking Russia’s strategic defeat on April 20, to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin declaring that the U.S. goal is to ‘see Russia weakened‘ and punished in order to deprive it of the ability to invade other countries, the administration’s shifting stances have all the hallmarks of mission creep…. Objectives that a few weeks ago would have been flat-out rejected are now slowly accepted. Strategically driven shifts are camouflaged as tactical reactions. It’s a slippery slope, with a direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia at the bottom. Shifting toward “weakening Russia” rather than “defending Ukraine” is particularly problematic. Unlike other leaks or announcements, the White House has done little to walk this one back. And the former Secretary-General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen has both confirmed and endorsed the shift.” https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/biden-s-ukraine-russia-war-mission-creep-slippery-nuclear-slope-n1295205 Is this really ‘mission creep’ or is it just ‘mission disclosure’?
In May 9th speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin blames NATO for invasion of Ukraine. “… a threat absolutely unacceptable to us was systematically created directly at our borders,” he said. “I repeat, we saw how the military infrastructure was being developed, how hundreds of foreign advisers began to work, there were regular deliveries of the most modern weapons from NATO. The danger grew every day.” https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2022/05/09/Vladimir-Putin-Victory-Day-parade/7601652086135/
Canadian government says American women who don’t have access to abortion are welcome. “On Tuesday, Canada’s minister of families, Karina Gould, reaffirmed that Americans can access abortion services in Canada. ‘If they… come here and need access, certainly, you know, that’s a service that would be provided,’ she told CBC News…. people without immigration status in Canada are charged about C$500 (US$388) for a surgical abortion, Egan said – but Americans do not need a health card to access clinics in Canada. Wait times vary, from one to two weeks in Ontario to several weeks or months in the Atlantic provinces.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/09/canada-mexico-abortions-american
British intelligence reportedly collected information on the political activities of the country’s teenagers. “MI5 asked police chiefs to collect information about the political activities of schoolchildren as young as 14, a public inquiry into undercover policing has heard. The request – circulated to chief constables throughout Britain in 1975 – was approved by the head of the Security Service and a senior Whitehall official. An undercover police unit regularly stored files recording the political beliefs of schoolchildren, along with photographs of them…. Among those spied on were schoolchildren who were campaigning against fascists who were carrying out violent attacks on vulnerable ethnic minorities.” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/09/mi5-asked-police-to-spy-on-political-activities-of-children-inquiry-hears Aha! And you thought I was making up that story about me being on an FBI watch list when I was a teenager, after writing to political parties to request their election platforms (see my comment on the Lucille Ball story).
Senate Minority Leader says if Roe v. Wade is overturned Republicans may seek federal ban on abortion. “… Mitch McConnell has signaled that the GOP could pursue a federal ban on abortion if the right-wing Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade and Republicans regain control of Congress in the fast-approaching midterm elections. ‘If the leaked opinion became the final opinion, legislative bodies—not only at the state level but at the federal level—certainly could legislate in that area,’ McConnell (R-Ky.) told USA Today in an interview late last week…. ‘So yeah, it’s possible.'” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/05/08/mcconnell-floats-federal-abortion-ban-if-right-wing-supreme-court-overturns-roe
Progressive News Service 