BBC:

Ukraine: No Russia regime change plans, says Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has denied that the United States has any plans to bring about regime change in Russia or anywhere else.

Mr Blinken’s comments come a day after President Joe Biden said his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, should not be allowed to remain in power.

Mr Biden made the unscripted remark at the end of a speech in Poland.

…

This was clearly an attempt at rolling back – the concern is that this is going to put more pressure on Putin and make him more uneasy.

Given that he is the head of a country that is struggling militarily, and is in control of a nuclear arsenal, the concern on the Americans‘ part is that they don’t want to back Mr Putin into a corner.

Calling out for regime change directly could cause instability and increase unpredictability.

And the last thing you want in these circumstances is unpredictability.

Mr Biden’s comment prompted strong criticism from veteran US diplomat Richard Haass.

The comments „made a difficult situation more difficult and a dangerous situation more dangerous“, tweeted Mr Haass, who is president of the US Council on Foreign Relations.

„That is obvious,“ he added. „Less obvious is how to undo the damage, but I suggest his chief aides reach their counterparts & make clear the US is prepared to deal with this Russian government.“

Mr Haass returned to the subject after the White House qualified President Biden’s remarks, saying: „The White House walk back of @POTUS regime change call is unlikely to wash.

„Putin will see it as confirmation of what he’s believed all along. Bad lapse in discipline that runs risk of extending the scope and duration of the war.“

The hubris in the language here is impressive.

New York Times, 25.06.2018:

A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase a people’s love for liberty. Brutality will never grind down their will to be free. Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, for free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and darkness. We will have a different future, a brighter future, rooted in democracy and principle, hope and light. Of decency and dignity and freedom and possibilities. For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power. God bless you all. And may God defend our freedom, and may God protect our troops. Thank you for your patience. Thank you. Thank you.

transcript

Newsweek:

Many initially believed the comment was Biden calling for the removal of Putin, but in a statement, a White House spokesperson clarified that Biden was not calling for regime change.

„The President’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region,“ the statement said. „He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.“

Politico:

But the walk back only prompted the question of why Biden uttered the line in the first place and whether he had consciously meant to convey the message. The words had not been in his prepared remarks.

Biden sounds so disjointed. Starting with campaign appearances two years ago I noticed that he rarely seems very animated. He continually seems exhausted, inattentive, as if he’s barely tracking. Handlers seem to guide him on and off stage.

The new gate, new buildings under construction, new, wide paths, streetlights, fresh signs, freshly painted danger signs on the bunkers all contribute to a bit of a Disneyland feel.

Liebe Freund:innen,

immer noch warten wir vergebens auf friedliche Neuigkeiten aus der Ukraine. Das Bomben und die Kämpfe müssen als erstes sofort beendet werden, alle Kampfhandlungen müssen eingestellt werden. DIE WAFFEN NIEDER!
Bei aller Kritik am russischen Überfall ist dies kein Grund für westlichen Chauvinismus; die russischen Menschen sind nicht unsere Feinde, die geplante deutsche Aufrüstung ist genau das Gegenteil von Friedensförderung. Wie jeder Krieg trifft auch dieser wieder besonders die Armen und Schwachen. Hunderttausende sind darüber hinaus auf der Flucht und brauchen unsere Unterstützung.
Unsere Solidarität gilt auch den überlebenden hochbetagten Verfolgten und Opfern der NS-Herrschaft in der Ukraine. Wir schließen uns dem von KONTAKTE-KOHTAKTbI initiierten Hilfsaufruf an. Wir trauern um Boris Romantschenko, Überlebender der KZ Buchenwald, Peenemünde, Mittelbau-Dora und Bergen-Belsen, der am 18. März 2022 in seinem Wohnhaus in Charkiw bei einem russischen Bombenangriff ums Leben kam.

Eure Berliner VVN-BdA

Ω Ω Ω

Wir sind die letzte Generation mit Hoffnungen gewesen. Wir hatten die große Hoffnung, daß eine menschlichere Gesell­schaft auf der ganzen Welt möglich ist. Ob diese Hoffnung nun berechtigt war oder nicht und ob unser Beitrag der richtige gewesen ist, bleibe mal dahingestellt. Doch diese Hoffnung kann heute niemand mehr haben, der bei klarem Verstand ist und sich auch nur einen Tag lang die Nachrichten anhört.…Es sieht rabenschwarz aus.

Ich meine allerdings: Ob man nun noch einen Hoffnungsschimmer sieht oder nicht, man sollte auf jeden Fall etwas tun. Die Hoffnung auf den Fünfjahresplan, die gibt es nicht mehr. Aber Herrschaft zu bekämpfen, dort wo sie ungerecht oder unerträglich wird, für eine solidarische, menschlichere Welt ein­treten, das solltest du zumindest in deiner näheren Umgebung versuchen. Sonst bist du auf jeden Fall verloren.

—Bommi Baumann, 1991 introduction to Wie alles anfing, (Berlin: Rotbuch Verlag GmbH, 2007), 7-8.

I am in vietnam–
who will console me?

I am terrified of bombs,
of cold wet leaves and bamboo splinters
in my feet, of a bullet cracking through
the trees, across the world, killing me–
there is a bullet in my brain,
behind my eyes, so that all I see is pain

i am in vietnam
who will console me?

from the sixoclock news,
from the headlines lurking on the street,
between the angry lovesongs on the radio,
from the frightened hawks
and angry doves I meet
a war I will not fight is killing me–

i am in vietnam —
who will console me?

A framed print of this poster hung in my living room when I was growing up. I am thinking of Corita Kent this morning. I am thinking of Daniel Berrigan, Denise Levertov, e.e. cummings, and Robert Lowell. My thought does not take the form of 280 character packets.