An excellent podcast from @TheLastWord hosted by @AliVelshi with a more nuanced - mostly absent war drums - and comprehensive view of the #ukraineconflict #ukrainecrisis. podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/the…
The podcast panel is unusually broad and includes @EvelynNFarkas Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. She doesn’t say much mind. But her presence is notable.
The final two speakers are also interesting.
1. @Russian_Starr from the Atlantic Council a @StateDept operative who (also speaks briefly) describes Russia as a former colonial power and makes a comparison with Africa.
1. @Russian_Starr from the Atlantic Council a @StateDept operative who (also speaks briefly) describes Russia as a former colonial power and makes a comparison with Africa.
2. The final speaker, also brief, was Lt Col. @AVindman a Ukrainian American who blew the whistle on Trump on the infamous “you can do me a favour” call that led to Trump’s impeachment.
Interesting to me was the fact @AVindman’s remarks echoed the rather spurious “colonial” comparison by the previous speaker. The Russian relationship with Ukraine does not easily fit under this rubric. 
And the congruity with @Russian_Starr’s remarks here suggests to me that this was an unsubtle coordinated meme placement exercise perhaps revealing the aspects of @StateDept thinking on messaging for audiences in Africa.
Both speakers are usually strident Russian Hawks and the relative sobriety of their remarks is also notable.
In conclusion, US Govt. messaging on this Crisis remains all over the place, it is clear that they know that they continue to struggle with coherence and clarity. But at least now are trying harder.
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