Why is Peter Navarro Carrying Water for Vladimir Putin?

“With respect to the issue of Ukraine, I think a little history at least is useful. The Soviet Union back before Russia when it broke up contained all of Ukraine including Crimea. The country itself is not really a country because if you look at it, the western part of it, like it’s literally split in half, those are all Russian speakers,” Navarro said.

Navarro corrected himself, at least on the language issue. “Excuse me, the eastern part is all Russian speakers. The western part are all Ukrainian speakers. And it’s a country kind of–that’s been kind of at war with itself with their election system.”

Navarro isn't the only one. Tucker Carlson has been spewing Putin's propaganda on the Ukraine issue.

One can only assume that Carlson would have been in the cheerings section when Germany invaded the Sudentenand in 1938 to "protect" the German-speakers there. Ukraine poses no security threat to Russia, but Putin says it does and fellow-travelers like Carlson, Navarro and, presumably, the Fat Führer of Mar-a-Lago.  Clearly, they would have been on the side of the slavery-preservationists in 1861. Maybe they'd approve of reinstating the Kingdom of Prussia.

Funny. I can remember a time when no self-respecting right-wing commentator would have willingly aligned themselves with Russia. It would have been anathema for anyone on the Right to suggest that the nations that the Russians/Soviets previously conquered and who gained their independece after the collapse of the Soviet Union should be now conquered and incorporated into a "greater" Russia. I can remember when no true conservative would have chosen Russia's side on anything.

But here we are.

Where does it stop? Do Carlson, Navarro and the other Putinites think that Russia should invade Kazakstan, Estonia and the other former Soviet republics? Maybe they would approve of Russia annexing Finland and half of Sweden, or taking back Alaska and the coast of the Pacific northwest. If they think that Putin is correct to try to reconquer Ukraine, one might assume that they approve of the Mexican reconquista movement.

One of the greatest advancements in the last century has been a renunciation of the Law of Conquest. The general rule has been that national boundaries, however imperfect, are to be respected by all nations that regard themselves as being civilized. It has helped to bring a little bit of peace to the world.

That the Russians are now contemplating invading and annexing its neighbor(s) speaks volumes about the trustworthiness of the Russian state. That there are American conservatives who approve of what Russia is contemplating doing speaks loudly about the moral degradation and corruption of the Right.