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robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Rob
@robtmackinnon.bsky.social
370 followers 960 following 1.3K posts
destitute petro monarch

Toronto
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robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Folds after two Republican committee chairs promise an investigation
DEMOCRACY NW! President Donald Trump: "Well, I don't think we're going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we're just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. OK? We're going to kill them. You know? They're going to be, like, dead. OK."
November 30, 2025 at 11:51 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
a rogues' gallery
NYT: No event better illustrates Mr. Sacks's ethical complexities and how his intertwined interests have come together than the July A.I. summit. Mr. Sacks initially planned for the forum to be hosted by "All-In," which he leads with other tech investors. "All-In" asked potential sponsors to each pay it $1 million for access to a private reception and other events at the summit "bringing together President Donald Trump and leading A.I. innovators," according to a proposal viewed by The Times.
November 30, 2025 at 7:06 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Trump will screw Ukraine and will likely leave the greedy rubes chasing a dream
Bill Browder on tweet: The Wall Street Journal alleges that the real motivation behind Trump’s eagerness to force Ukraine into an ugly surrender is the idea that a lot of people close to him can make a lot of money doing business and deals in Russia. If this is true, beyond the disgusting morality of this and the huge geopolitical risks that it creates, none of these people salivating over their future riches are going to make a penny, and perhaps do a lot worse. I was once the largest foreign investor in Russia and I can say with certainty that the Russians aren’t going to let anyone profit in any way. They will talk nice at the outset to attract the investment, but once it’s there, they will steal, defraud, arrest, torture or even kill to make sure that no American makes any money. I’ve seen it so many times it’s almost universal. So, this shocking initiative is not only terrible policy, it’s spectacularly stupid business.
November 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Undoubtedly PM Tusk knows a lot has changed
As Witkoff pursued talks with Dmitriev over nine months, some agencies inside the Trump administration had a limited view of his dealings with Moscow. In the lead-up to an August summit in Alaska between Trump and Putin, Witkoff and Dmitriev discussed a prisoner exchange that would have been the largest bilateral swap in their countries' history. The Central Intelligence Agency, which traditionally manages prisoner trades with Russia, wasn't fully briefed on that proposed exchange. Nor was the State Department's office for unjustly imprisoned Americans. The CIA didn't return requests for comment. The State Department referred questions to the White House. Career officials in the office overseeing sanctions at the Treasury Department have at times learned details of Witkoff's meetings with Moscow from their British counterparts. In the days after Alaska, a European intelligence agency distributed a hard-copy report in a manila envelope to some of the continent's most senior national security officials, who were shocked by the contents: Inside were details of the commercial and economic plans the Trump administration had been pursuing with Russia, including jointly mining rare earths in the Arctic. -WSJ
November 29, 2025 at 4:56 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Just the absolute worst people
As Witkoff pursued talks with Dmitriev over nine months, some agencies inside the Trump administration had a limited view of his dealings with Moscow. In the lead-up to an August summit in Alaska between Trump and Putin, Witkoff and Dmitriev discussed a prisoner exchange that would have been the largest bilateral swap in their countries' history. The Central Intelligence Agency, which traditionally manages prisoner trades with Russia, wasn't fully briefed on that proposed exchange. Nor was the State Department's office for unjustly imprisoned Americans. The CIA didn't return requests for comment. The State Department referred questions to the White House. Career officials in the office overseeing sanctions at the Treasury Department have at times learned details of Witkoff's meetings with Moscow from their British counterparts. In the days after Alaska, a European intelligence agency distributed a hard-copy report in a manila envelope to some of the continent's most senior national security officials, who were shocked by the contents: Inside were details of the commercial and economic plans the Trump administration had been pursuing with Russia, including jointly mining rare earths in the Arctic.
November 29, 2025 at 6:29 AM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
“The key right now would be to get a ceasefire”
“The key right now would be to get a ceasefire,” Stubb said, adding that negotiations between 11 concerned nations, including Canada and Japan, and the US over the plan are now taking place. It’s in the strategic interest of the US to support Ukraine, he said.
November 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
“It would be good to know for sure who is the author of the plan and where was it created,” says Poland’s PM
Together with the leaders of Europe, Canada and Japan, we have declared our readiness to work on the 28-point plan despite some reservations. However, before we start our work, it would be good to know for sure who is the author of the plan and where was it created. -Donald Tusk, PM of Poland
November 23, 2025 at 1:58 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Ukraine is willing to accept some points of the Vance-Dmitriev plan with the following conditions per Bloomberg
Ukraine and its Europeans allies will insist discussions with Russia on any territorial swaps can only take place once the war ceases along the current line of contact, according to people familiar with a counter-proposal that will be presented to the US later today in Switzerland Their response to the US 28-point plan will ask for a US security guarantee that mirrors NATO’s Article 5 They’ll reject Moscow’s demands that Kyiv cede unoccupied territory in the east They’ll reject the proposal for a 600k cap on Ukraine’s army And they’ll demand frozen Russian assets be used to reconstruct and compensate Kyiv
November 23, 2025 at 1:07 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
State now walking it back
This is blatantly false. As Secretary Rubio and the entire Administration has consistently maintained, this plan was authored by the United States, with input from both the Russians and Ukrainians. -State Spokesman Tommy Pigott
November 23, 2025 at 2:03 AM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Just a reminder
1919: Russia attacks Ukraine 1920: Russia attacks Poland 1920: Russia attacks Azerbaijan 1921: Russia attacks Georgia 1939: Soviet Union attacks Poland 1939: Soviet Union attacks Finland 1940: Soviet Union attacks Baltic countries 1956: Soviet Union attacks Hungary 1968: Soviet Union attacks Czechoslovakia 1979: Soviet Union attacks Afghanistan 1992: Russia attacks Georgia 1992: Russia attacks Moldova 1994: Russia attacks Chechnya 1999: Russia attacks Chechnya 2008: Russia attacks Georgia 2014: Russia attacks Ukraine 2015: Russia attacks Syria 2022: Russia attacks Ukraine Trump: Zelenskyy should not have started the war
November 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Trump and Putin dictating Polish policy
Stuart Dowell - A shocking part of the Trump–Russia "peace plan" isn’t just what it does to Ukraine. It is what it quietly does to Poland. Buried in point 9 is a sentence that looks harmless: European fighters will be stationed in Poland. On paper, that sounds fine. In practice, though, it looks like Washington and Moscow have agreed over Poland’s head to limit the presence of foreign forces on Polish soil, including US forces, and to put a ceiling on NATO air power over the region. If “European fighters” are explicitly named, the obvious Russian reading is simple: no US jets in Poland. And if Russia is co-signing language that defines who and what can be stationed here, it is also a de facto say over NATO air policing in the Baltics and the rest of the eastern flank. That is not “Pax Americana.” That is the US accepting a Russian veto over the security posture of front-line allies. For Polish politics this hits a very specific nerve. For years, Jarosław Kaczyński and now President Karol Nawrocki have built their doctrine on one core idea: forget Brussels, forget Berlin, our security rests on a direct, privileged relationship with Washington. For a country that has spent a decade telling itself that American power is the only real guarantee, that should be a brutal wake-up call.
November 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
There's a message to be taken in here for Canadians too, from the former FM of Lithuania
Gabrielius Landsbergis - There is a glaringly obvious message for Europe in the 28 point plan: This is the end of the end. We have been told repeatedly and unambiguously that Ukraine’s security, and therefore Europe’s security, will be Europe’s responsibility. And now it is. Entirely. If you are a European leader asking your team to book you on the next flight to Washington to go talk to Daddy, please don’t. Not without a plan, not cap in hand, not humiliating us all in front of the cameras at the Oval office. Europe is our continent, our future is decided here, not there. We aren’t poor, we have options, we can finally decide to assist Ukraine to the full extent of our very extensive capabilities, restore European dignity and defend Europe. Or we can continue to wait for the miracle we now know is not coming.
November 21, 2025 at 5:37 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Looks like Russia just passed off the plan to Witkoff/Trump. Explains why there was no interagency process
The third point of the 28-point plan reads: "It is expected that Russia will not invade neighbouring countries and Nato will not expand further." "It is expected" is a clunky passive construction in English. The Russian version - ожидается or ozhidayetsya - makes more sense and is a familiar verb form. Other Russianisms that appear to have crept into the text include неоднозначности (ambiguities) and "закрепить" (to enshrine).
November 21, 2025 at 4:51 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
“Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," PM Donald Tusk
PM of Poland Donald Tusk: All the decisions concerning Poland will be taken by Poles. Nothing about us without us. When it comes to peace, all the negotiations should include Ukraine. Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.
November 21, 2025 at 12:37 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
They don’t allow the monsters near the pups
Ghislaine Maxwell barred from service dog training at cushy prison camp “We do not allow anyone whose crime involves abuse towards minors or animals — including any crime of a sexual nature,” the CEO of Canine Companions said.
November 12, 2025 at 5:06 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Zelenskyy says the concept touted by Trump and others of "land swaps" in an eventual peace deal is a non-starter for him because the conversation so far is only about "swapping" Ukrainian land for Ukrainian land
Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking in Brussels
October 23, 2025 at 7:24 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
The note's an absolute banger
MFA Russia [tweet, see Community Note] @mfa_russia. Oct 5, 2023 ... President #Putin: The prosperity of the West has been achieved by robbing colonies for several centuries. Its level of development has been achieved by robbing the entire planet.... [Community Note] Currently rated helpful Oct 5, 2023 View details Shown on X ... From the 16th century onwards, Russia conquered, on average, territory the size of the Netherlands every year for 150 years. In Central Asia, Europe and overseas, the Russian conquest took place over several decades, between 1847 and 1900. Expansion continued with the Soviets https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_imperialism Is this note helpful? Yes Somewhat No
October 14, 2025 at 5:01 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Former NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg, 'as I had done in many other conversations, I referenced Norway’s experiences. “You know, Mr President, as former prime minister of Norway, I know that it’s possible to speak with the Russians.” Trump cast a questioning look. “Are you Norwegian?” (link below)
trump and euro nato leaders
October 5, 2025 at 8:16 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Benny Johnson is a shill for russia
October 4, 2025 at 11:47 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
ICE goes masked for a single reason -- to terrorize Americans into quiescence.
And there’s the issue of masks. This Court has listened carefully to the reasons given by Öztürk’s captors for masking- up and has heard the same reasons advanced by the defendant Todd Lyons, Acting Director of ICE. It rejects this testimony as disingenuous, squalid and dishonorable. ICE goes masked for a single reason -- to terrorize Americans into quiescence. Small wonder ICE often seems to need our respected military to guard them as they go about implementing our immigration laws. It should be noted that our troops do not ordinarily wear masks. Can you imagine a masked marine? It is a matter of honor -- and honor still matters. To us, masks are associated with cowardly desperados and the despised Ku Klux Klan. In all our history we have never tolerated an armed masked secret police. Carrying on in this fashion, ICE brings indelible obloquy to this administration and everyone who works in it. “We can not escape history,” Lincoln righty said. “[It] will light us down in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.” Abraham Lincoln, Second Annual Message to Congress (Dec. 1, 1862).
September 30, 2025 at 6:39 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Italian defence minister strongly condemned the overnight drone attack on the Global Sumud flotilla, which is trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and has redirected an Italian navy ship towards the flotilla to offer assistance to Italian citizens on board - and Israel had been informed
Naval ship at sea
September 24, 2025 at 3:02 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Trump makes unproven link between autism and Tylenol
Trump makes unproven link between autism and Tylenol - CBC
September 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Does it though? Does it really try?
US tries to keep Russian airlines from getting their hands on sanctioned parts *** The issue arose after Washington lifted sanctions against Belavia, the main carrier of Russian ally Belarus.
September 22, 2025 at 7:07 PM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
Glad Neil opened his Farm Aid set with Big Crime
No more great again No more great again Got big crime in DC at the White House Don't need no fascist rules Don't want no fascist schools Don't want soldiers walking on our streets Got big crime in DC at the White House There's big crime in DC at the White House Got to get the fascists out Got to clean the White House out Don't want no soldiers on our streets Got big crime in DC at the White House Got big crime in DC at the White House No more great again No more great again Got big crime in DC at the White House No more money to the fascists The billionaire fascists Time to blackout the system (No) no more great again No more great again Time to blackout the system Got big crime in DC at the White House Got big crime in DC at the White House ...
September 21, 2025 at 5:01 AM
robtmackinnon.bsky.social
The insistence that something President Trump and his supporter call "transgender ideology" was behind the killing lays bare another core belief of theirs: They are obsessed with contamination and contagion, seeing it as the site of despicable difference. Again and again they deploy metaphors of disease and disfigurement.
September 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM