Tara Chirpy / 27 April 2025 / Categories: Media, News Shows

Ben Hodges and Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann Interviews Blow Up Channel Four

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I listened with intent and incredulity to the interview between Krishnan Guru Murphy channel four news and retired US general and former commander of US Army Europe Ben Hodges who is a democrat and endorsed Kamila Harris for the presidency it’s important to mention for perspective. Also important to say he’s doing the rounds, Ben Hodges perspective is Ukraine are actually winning and he’s been talking to a few different journalists, just saying.

That aside he gave a completely different perspective on the mood in the US against the media narrative usually focused on the Trump administration shenanigans as opposed to the scary bits and a credible plan. Exactly the way Mr. Trump likes it I’d imagine, better for him it’s just noise and opinion about something irrelevant like name calling than major blunders and security breaches being the focus.

Ben Hodges painted a picture of a green administration with no real understanding or experience of the psychology of these leaders of Ukraine and Russia, no understanding of the history stretching back decades even centuries and no understanding some people, the Ukrainians in this case, would rather die than accept a peace deal based on Russia winning Crimea and the territory already seized.

Pompeo said in 2018 the US rejected "Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea" and pledged to continue until Ukraine's territorial integrity was restored .

July 26th, 2018 on the US embassy website

— The United States rejects Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine's territorial integrity is restored.

Ben Hodges saw absolutely no possibility of a peace negotiation. He saw a business leader keen to do a deal to make money for America from the mineral reserves in Ukraine, something the US need if they are to redress the balance between US manufacturing and the US consumer’s heavy reliance on cheap goods from China.

German MEP member Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who’s chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence did not mince her words when she talked to Channel 4 Matt Frei about Europe’s reluctance to support Ukraine, she said, leaving all the heavy lifting to the Americans had been a mistake for Europe.

She compared the Trump Putin peace deal to Hitler and Stalin and warned if Europe didn’t get its act together and quick we’d be next in Mr. Putin sight. That the US and Russia will divide Europe if it’s not careful. It was a very powerful and compelling interview.

And then we’ve got Keir Starmer and Rachael Reeves (head in hands) at the beginning of the month Sir Keir said he would seek to reduce trade barriers with other economies to limit the impact of US tariffs on UK exports all the while Rachael Reeves is in Washington reassuring the public she’s getting the deal.

I heard another journalist allude to the fact we the Brits are calling every day and the White House doesn’t pick up the phone.

Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 no one really cared and now 11 years later this is where we are.

Whilst many believe Russia to be invincible, Russia historically has been defeated in war 1904-1905 The Russo-Japanese War between the Japanese Empire and the Russian Empire and the Russians lost.

They also ended up on the losing side in the Crimean war, World War 1 and the 10 year war in Afghanistan.

Sustained peace must be achieved, someone has got to stand up to Vladimir Putin and according the Ben Hodges it’s not going to be President Trump.