Thanks for posting that piece on what is meant by 'client state' in the context of the relationship between the US and Ukraine over the course of the last many decades.

But, my reference to Ukraine having become a "US client state" was meant ONLY in the context of the current Ukraine war and how completely dependent Ukraine is now on the US for both military AND financial support. This war has left the Ukrainian economy in tatters and it will only get worse the longer this unnecessary war rages on.

So, in my opinion, Ukraine will be a US client state in the classic definition of the term for a very, very, very long time to come.

And, I base that opinion not on any linkable article I have read over the course of the last couple of years but just on my acquired general knowledge of the situation as it pertains to the US and Ukraine.

You and others here are free to disagree with my assessment and/or to put forward your own analysis. There is no need on my part or on the part of anyone else here to provide a link to "back-up" an opinion. I will provide a link whenever I deem it appropriate to do so. :)

Say we assume Smith lands a conviction or two on these counts before next November. Would "obstruction of federal elections" and "conspiracy to break American democracy" be as relevant to the infamous 14th Amendment prohibition on office-holders who have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion", as a conviction on actual "sedition" might be?

That is, will there be any state secretaries of state who might go out on a limb and remove Trump, the GOP nominee, from their state ballots on the grounds that Trump's conviction on these charges, even pending appeal, are sufficient evidence of "insurrection"?

i posted on friday's column as well, but just in case i figured i'd put the link here. hopefully it can help settle the question of ukraine's "client" status; whether the label correctly applies, whether it would be good or bad, and what each country's motivations have been in creating the relationship (whatever it is we wish to label it).

https://www.ponarseurasia.org/is-ukraine-a-client-state-of-the-united-states/

1. Blow enough smoke to delay the completion of all the trials until after November, 2024.

2. Win the primary and general elections

3. Use the power of the presidency to moot the outcome.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/01/doj-trump-indictment-trump-coconspirators/

One through four were right (above). CC5 was Kenneth Chesebro, and the WP still hasn't figured out CC6 either...

-CW