The Morning Dispatch: Russia Shells Civilian Infrastructure

Plus: The January 6 committee says it has evidence Donald Trump may have committed crimes in his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

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Happy Thursday to everyone except MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories

  • The Biden administration announced another tranche of sanctions on Wednesday that includes export controls targeting Russian oil refining, full blocking sanctions on 22 Russian defense entities, and restrictions on Belarus’ ability to import technological goods. The Justice Department also announced the launch of “Task Force KleptoCapture,” an interagency effort aimed at enforcing the United States’ sanctions.

  • Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin decided to postpone a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test scheduled for this week to demonstrate the U.S. has “no intention of engaging in any actions that can be misunderstood or misconstrued.” Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered nuclear forces into “special combat readiness” earlier this week, and the country conducted nuclear submarine drills on Tuesday.

  • The January 6 Select Committee alleged in a court filing on Wednesday it has evidence that former President Donald Trump and his allies “may have engaged in criminal and/or fraudulent acts” as part of their efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, including obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

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  1. Chuck Houseworth

    "Modern" Replacement for the Star-Spangled Banner?

    Sure, why not? We are seeing confirmation that America has already passed the tipping point of relinquishing the legacy that it has inherited from its past generations. Furthermore, it's a legacy that we no longer deserve. As so many of us seek safe spaces and redresses from imagined or trifling hardships and victimizations, the real world of the Russias and Chinas versus the Ukraines and Uyghurs moves on. The only constant is that our American culture is but the last in a long line of cultures extending back four thousand years that turned inward upon itself only to ultimately decline and fail. In that sense, man is not much different today from his predecessors extending back over those four millennia. We only show our ignorance and conceit in insisting that somehow things are different now, that we truly are on the right side of history.

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    C C Writer

    Latest headlines from NZZ (Zurich newspaper, translated via Google Translate)

    * * * * *

    Krieg in der Ukraine: Kiew und Moskau einigen sich auf das Errichten humanitärer Korridore +++ USA belegen Oligarchen mit Sanktionen +++ EU einig bei vorübergehendem Schutz für Kriegsflüchtlinge

    Die russische Offensive kommt langsam, aber unvermindert voran

    Die ukrainische Armee kämpft weiter, sie kann aber kaum nachhaltige Gegenangriffe unternehmen. Die russische Armee verfolgt ihre operativen Ziele weiterhin in aller Konsequenz.

    Der Krieg der Bilder und Worte dominiert die Wahrnehmung des russischen Angriffs auf die Ukraine. Die Berichterstattung ist auf die Städte und die Brutalität des Kampfes im überbauten Gebiet fokussiert. Der strategischen Kommunikation der ukrainischen Armee ist es bisher gelungen, die eigene Widerstandskraft in den Vordergrund zu rücken. Die russische Offensive dagegen wirkt schwächer als erwartet.

    * * * * *

    War in Ukraine: Kyiv and Moscow agree on building humanitarian corridors +++ USA impose sanctions on oligarchs +++ EU agree on temporary protection for war refugees

    The Russian offensive advances slowly but unabated

    The Ukrainian army continues to fight, but is unable to mount any sustained counterattacks. The Russian army continues to pursue its operational goals with all consistency.

    The war of images and words dominates the perception of the Russian attack on Ukraine. The coverage is focused on the cities and the brutality of the fighting in the built-up area. The strategic communication of the Ukrainian army has so far succeeded in emphasizing its own resilience. The Russian offensive, on the other hand, is weaker than expected.

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    Steve Parker

    I think that "America the Beautiful" is our best national anthem.

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    Dustin Anglin

    I'll admit, I've always had an issue with the fact that Star Spangled Banner ends in a question mark. I have, currently to no avail, run a guerrilla campaign to change the second to the last line from "O say does that" to "And still does that" to make it a statement and not a question of whether the star-spangled banner yet waves o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. I have been informed by my friend who is an Orioles fan, that removing the "O" is non-negotiable 😁.

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    J.R.

    QOTD: I've always thought America the Beautiful made sense as an anthem. The Lumineers cover of Democracy (or the original by Leonard Cohen) would be a modern one. For the exhausted majority maybe [language warning] I've No More F*s to Give by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq., though the poor man's British.

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    BervisMcDermott

    QOTD: Steal Russia's. I have always loved the tune of the old USSR anthem. Replace the words with whatever, maybe a Wendy's menu. Nobody ever really remembers the words anyway.

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  7. Greg Cottle

    Question of the day: Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon

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    Murrayprof

    When I covered the War of 1812 in freshman history survey classes I would make this offer: "I will give anyone an A for the course right now if you will get up and sing the Star-Spangled Banner. You will never have to come back to class."

    Every so often someone would jump up and sing it, very pleased with themselves. I would then proceed to ask "Where's the rest of it? There are four verses you know." Thus I never had to make good on the offer... Then I would play two versions, one from a Civil War Union reenactment band playing a waltz version which was often played in the Lincoln White House, and the Jimmy Hendrix version.

    I especially like to skewer the ignorant who arrogantly proclaim that it should be sung the way it was written without really knowing anything about its history.

    I suggest Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" but you know, he was a godless commie bastard...

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  9. Pohl

    QOTD:”Summertime” or “Comes the Revolution,” both Gershwin tunes.

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    Jen

    Nancy Pelosi supports banning Russian oil imports to the United States. The White House does not. Around 8% of our oil is imported from Russia. I’m curious how much of an impact that would have on Russia and our economy. Presumably the White House is not supporting this because they’re worried about how it would impact prices at the pump and inflation more broadly. How long can the White House sustain this position? Is there anything we can do immediately to mitigate the impacts?

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      Jen

      Joe Manchin says he’d gladly pay 10 cents/gal more for gas. Of course those of us who have the means to do so can say this but so far no politician has prepared the American public for any sacrifices we may have to make.

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        SandyG

        Agree. The level of sacrifice of paying more for gas would not be shared equally. And the only politician who's job it is to prepare the public for sacrifices is the president, obviously not Manchin. I don't know if Biden has that capacity, but he might. He's no stranger to loss.

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          Dona Dunsmore

          I live in Washington State where gasoline is more than some other states anyway. I was at the Dentist yesterday. He mentioned to his nurse that he paid $90 to fill up his vehicle that morning. I couldn't ask what kind of vehicle because of hands in my mouth but wow!

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          Jen

          I just see a lot of keyboard warriors and grandstanding politicians talking about this as if it’s a no brainer. Biden hasn’t been shy about executing punishing sanctions. We can debate whether they were soon enough but the fact is they’re happening now. If oil/gas haven’t been on the table yet there’s a reason. It doesn’t seem like escalating sanctions are changing Putin’s behavior (though I still support going after oligarchs and their families). I think the only thing that will is a humiliating defeat on the battle field. It’s why I’ve argued for as much weapons and ammo as fast as we can get it to them. Plus actionable targeting intelligence.

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            SandyG

            "Keyboard warriors" - love that!

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