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u.s. news Diabierna 25 Februari 2022

Russia conflict separates GOP traditionalists from newcomers

(AP) — As Russia intensi- ty’s division was a reminder a crucial midterm election
fied its aggression toward of Donald Trump’s enduring year.
neighboring Ukraine ear- impact on the GOP long af-
lier this week, Republican ter his departure from the But those dismissing Ameri-
Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio White House. can involvement have pow-
blasted President Vladi- erful platforms. Fox News
mir Putin’s provocations The former president re- host Tucker Carlson, the
as a “clear violation of in- mains the most popular fig- network’s biggest star, who
ternational law.” ure among the GOP base and reaches several million view-
is already wielding his influ- ers each night, has repeatedly
The co-chair of the Senate’s ence in the midterm prima- questioned why defending
Ukraine Caucus urged the ries that begin next week as Ukraine is important and
Biden administration to work he teases anther presidential even asked why the U.S.
with allies to “ensure a coor- run. Those races could yield should side with them and
dinated response to this un- similarly minded Republi- not Putin.
warranted continued incur- cans who will head into the
sion on sovereign territory of fall campaign positioned to Candace Owens, a promi-
Ukraine.” succeed foreign policy tradi- nent conservative commen- part, by running against the first time for pressuring
tionalists like Portman. tator, has gone even further, “forever wars” in Iraq and Af- Ukraine to investigate Biden
But one of the Republicans openly parroting Putin’s talk- ghanistan, arguing the coun- ahead of the 2020 election
running to replace the retir- The annual Conservative Po- ing points. try had gained little from the while withholding military
ing Portman had a very dif- litical Action Conference that interventionism and nation- aid.
ferent message. got underway in Florida on On Wednesday night, as the building of the neoconserva-
Thursday offered a preview sound of explosions rang tive George W. Bush era. He His tenure overlapped with
“I gotta be honest with you, of what’s to come as lead- out through Kyiv, Kharkiv adopted an inward-looking a corresponding change in
I don’t really care what hap- ers focused their ire on both and other areas of Ukraine, “America First” doctrine that public opinion. Gallup found
pens to Ukraine one way or President Joe Biden’s han- Trump called the scene a sought to use a combination the percentage of Repub-
another,” J.D. Vance said in a dling of foreign policy and “terrible situation” and insist- of tough talk and unpredict- licans who called Russia a
podcast interview. “I’m sick Putin’s norm-breaking ag- ed Putin never would have ability to scare off would-be friend or ally rose sharply
of Joe Biden focusing on the gression. moved on his watch. aggressors. during Trump’s presidency,
border of a country I don’t increasing from 22% in 2014
care about while he lets the While slapping at the Ameri- It was a departure from his At the same time, Trump em- to 40% in 2018. Democrats’
border of his own country can president, she raised initial public response to Pu- braced Putin, complimenting views of the relationship re-
become a total war zone.” more serious concerns about tin’s escalation, in which he him and denigrating NATO, mained largely the same.
Russia’s leader. offered no clear condemna- the cornerstone of U.S.
The divergent responses tion and repeatedly praised foreign policy since it was Today, there is little support
to Europe’s most signifi- For now, those questioning the Russian leader’s savvy in founded to counter Russia. among Americans for a ma-
cant foreign policy crisis in why the U.S. should care an interview on “The Clay jor U.S. role in the Russia-
generations reflects a di- about Ukrainian security re- Travis & Buck Sexton Show.” In 2016, his allies worked to Ukraine conflict, and even
vided — and rapidly chang- main a small, if highly influ- strip language from the GOP less among Republicans.
ing — Republican Party. An ential and vocal segment of Critics see that mindset as platform that supported giv- A new poll by The Associ-
old guard, largely centered the conservative movement. symptomatic of the party’s ing weapons to Ukraine. He ated Press-NORC Center
in Washington, that has long Congressional Republicans, larger drift toward authori- repeatedly sided with Putin for Public Affairs Research
warned of Russian aggression especially those in the Senate, tarianism and embrace of over U.S. intelligence agen- found only 22% of Repub-
is confronting an ascendant have been largely united in anti-democratic action after cies’ conclusions about Rus- licans think the U.S. should
generation of conservatives speaking out against Russian Trump’s repeated efforts to sia’s meddling in the 2016 play a major role in the con-
who openly question why the aggression, with some like overturn the results of the U.S. presidential election. flict, compared with 32% of
U.S. should care about Rus- Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas 2020 election to remain in The embrace was so baffling Democrats.
sia’s moves at all. advocating a more aggressive power. to Russia watchers that some
posture and calling Biden’s grew convinced the only Republicans were also some-
The GOP’s approach to for- response “timid” and “wholly From the early days of his plausible explanation was what less likely than Demo-
eign policy took on new ur- unequal to this moment.” first presidential campaign, that Putin had some kind of crats to say they’re very or
gency after Putin on Thurs- Trump has overseen a dra- dirt on him, speculation that extremely concerned that
day launched a military op- Almost all have become in- matic overhaul of the GOP’s has never been verified. Russia’s influence around the
eration in Ukraine. In the creasingly critical of Biden traditional foreign policy world poses a direct threat to
runup to that action, the par- as tensions ramp up during stance. He won in 2016, in Trump was impeached the the U.S.

Trayvon Martin, 10 years later: Teen’s death changes nation

(AP) — Trayvon Martin’s faced, hoodie-wearing, un- “We’re the Trayvon Martin The initial police report said go free.
final night began with a armed youth at the hands of generation, we are the people Zimmerman called authori-
convenience store run, a stranger still reverberates who were moved into action ties to report a suspicious From the start, Martin’s par-
a quick trip for candy 10 years later -- in protest, in because of it.” person, a guy who, he said, ents, Sybrina Fulton and
and something to drink. partisanship, in racial reckon- “looks like he’s up to no Tracy Martin, were outraged.
It ended in a confronta- ing and reactionary response, It happened on Feb. 26, 2012. good.” When Zimmerman They questioned Zimmer-
tion with a neighborhood in social justice and social Martin was visiting his fa- said he was following the man’s account. Had their son
watch volunteer, a shot media. ther in a gated community in man, a dispatcher said, “We had been profiled as “suspi-
fired, the 17-year-old dead Sanford, Florida, a suburb of don’t need you to do that.” cious” merely because he was
on the street. “It was the thing that broke Orlando. Walking on the way But armed with a gun, Zim- Black? Zimmerman’s family
everybody, all at the same back from the store, he was merman got out of his car. was adamant that their son
It might have been expected time,” said Nailah Summers- eyed by George Zimmer- and brother, who identified
to end there -- the violent Polite, co-director of Dream man, then 28, a member of In the confrontation that fol- as Hispanic, was not racist.
deaths of Black teenagers Defenders, an organization the community’s neighbor- lowed, Zimmerman would
have rarely drawn even fleet- founded in Florida during hood watch. tell authorities, Martin at- As media attention picked up
ing attention. the protests following Mar- tacked him, forcing him to in early March, others joined
tin’s death. Ex-officer charged in Breon- use his gun to save himself. in, first locally and then far
But the killing of this baby- na Taylor raid begins trial Zimmerman was allowed to beyond.