War Hawks Feast, But Trump Gives Peace A Chance

 The New York Times Editorial Board has been one of President Trump's most ardent critics. Yet, the Times carried a rather glowing piece of Trump's "policy of realism" from a member of its Editorial Board, Farah Stockman: "Trump's Foreign Policy May Be Crude, but It's Realist."

To be sure, the newspaper of record added its usual caveat when publishing a view it knows its readers vehemently reject: "The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We'd like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles."

Readers of our columns here at TIPP know that we were fans of realism long before President Trump announced plans to run again. For nearly three years, we published over sixty editorials on Ukraine criticizing Western policies for fueling and prolonging a war that was hopeless for Ukraine from the start. We are firm believers in former President Ronald Reagan's vision that a "rising tide lifts all boats." From the outset, the Ukraine war sank boats and lifted no one.

We refused to be persuaded by liberal voices that argued that the West must defend blatant aggression against a sovereign country, even if doing so would result in death, destruction, and strife. No principles of idealism can convince us that these are costs that societies should bear.

Further, we refused to believe Western propaganda because we saw that the West has been interfering in Ukrainian affairs since 2004—when John McCain, Chris Murphy, and Lindsey Graham joined hands with Victoria Nuland at State to topple a legally elected government in Ukraine during the Maidan Revolution in 2014; when Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan brought Ukrainian leader Zelensky to Washington in November 2021 to sign a security agreement that promised weapons to Ukraine; when President Biden's secretary of defense in April 2022, said: "We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it can't do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine"--we knew that American intentions weren't always pure when claiming to uphold the international order.

America was all for punishing Russia for violating international norms when America herself was secretly guilty of doing the same. The only difference was that America hadn't invaded a foreign country, and Washington was doing its bit to spread democracy.

In her piece, Ms. Stockman superbly summarizes this point: "The key fights in Washington, especially in recent decades, were between neocons who wanted to spread democracy through war and liberals who wanted to spread democracy through soft power like U.S.A.I.D. contracts to bolster civil society."

The Biden administration was overstaffed with both neocons and soft power believers like Nuland to carry out a disastrous policy of an "as-long-as-it-takes" war—and the result has been a conflict with no end in sight. For the record, here are the staggering losses to the world caused by the war.

Human Costs: Total casualties (military and civilian) across both sides likely surpassed 1.1 million (killed and wounded), with some analysts suggesting 1.2 million as fighting escalated in early 2025. Ukraine's population drop (10 million since 2022) and birth rate collapse (87,000 births vs. 250,000 deaths in early 2024) worsened.

Global Economy: The OECD's $2.8 trillion global GDP loss by 2023 probably ballooned to $3.5–4.5 trillion by March 2025, factoring in persistent energy and food price shocks. Ukraine's reconstruction costs pegged at $486 billion in 2023, might now approach $500–550 billion with continued destruction. Russia's direct war costs could exceed $275 billion, with sanctions losses nearing $1.5 trillion.

Energy and Food Markets: Before the war, Russia and Ukraine supplied 27% of global wheat and 70% of neon gas. The war disrupted markets, spiking food prices (wheat hit 2008 highs in 2022) and inflating energy costs (Europe's gas prices soared after Russia cut supplies). The Black Sea Grain Initiative mitigated some food insecurity, but its collapse in July 2023 reversed gains, exacerbating hunger crises in Africa and the Middle East.

Displacement: Over 14 million Ukrainians—over a third of the population—were displaced, with 6.9 million refugees abroad and 3.7 million internally displaced (UNHCR, 2025). Russia forcibly relocated up to 1.6 million, including 260,000 children, adding humanitarian and legal burdens globally.

Geopolitical and Other Costs: NATO countries, especially in Europe, boosted military budgets by 1% of GDP annually (e.g., $807 billion NextGenerationEU stimulus), diverting funds from social programs. The U.S. spent over $50 billion in aid to Ukraine by 2025, with total donor aid nearing $300 billion (Kiel Institute).

Sanctions and Trade: Western sanctions froze $320 billion in Russian reserves and crippled trade, while Russia's countermeasures (e.g., gas cuts) cost Europe billions. Global supply chains for tech (neon, semiconductors) and commodities remain disrupted, fueling deglobalization trends.

Long-Term Fallout: Russia's isolation and reliance on military spending signal a weakened economic future, while Ukraine's recovery hinges on massive aid. Globally, the war has intensified food insecurity (25 African nations rely on Russo-Ukrainian wheat), poverty, and climate transition delays as nations prioritize energy security over renewables.

Total Estimate: The war's global price tag (war spending, aid, damages) and indirect losses (GDP, trade, inflation) will likely exceed $3–4 trillion by early 2025, with human suffering and geopolitical shifts adding immeasurable weight. These figures are rough, as data lags and the conflict's end remain uncertain, but they underscore a profound toll on the world economy and stability.

Anything President Trump does to end this unnecessary war is progress. Each of his moves—whether dealing with Zelenskyy, Russia, allies, or the UN is based on a refreshing dose of realism. And even his critics, such as Ms. Stockman, are amazed: In under six weeks since taking office, Trump's secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced that if Russia agrees, there will likely be a cease-fire in a few days.

https://tippinsights.com/war-hawks-feast-but-trump-gives-peace-a-chance/#google_vignette

Caribbean leaders dismiss trafficking accusations as US targets Cuba's doctor diplomacy

 Caribbean leaders this week rejected U.S. accusations of Cuban labor exploitation after the United States announced it will restrict the visas of officials tied to a Cuban government program that sends medics abroad.

The U.S. announced the measure late last month, arguing that the labor export programs run by Cuba’s government, which include many medics, “enrich the Cuban regime.” It further argued that those involved are complicit in the “exploitation and forced labor of Cuban workers.”

Cuba’s leaders, however, reject the U.S. stance as Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s “personal agenda… based on falsehoods” and said the measure could affect millions of healthcare beneficiaries.

Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants who fled the island to Florida, where President Donald Trump’s top diplomat would later win a Senate seat.

Since Cuba’s 1959 revolution, its medics have been dispatched to countries around the world, treating diseases that wreak havoc on poor countries, from cholera in Haiti to Ebola in West Africa. The program is also a key source of hard cash as the island nation endures its latest deep economic crisis.

Cuba says a decades-long U.S. embargo, opposed by the vast majority of the United Nations, is the key driver of the crisis.

“Out of the blue now, we have been called human traffickers because we hire technical people who we pay top dollar,” said Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley at a hospital event.

Rowley added that he was prepared to lose his U.S. visa.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves noted at least 60 people in the small island nation are on a Cuban-run haemodialysis program used to treat kidney failure.

“If the Cubans are not there, we may not be able to run the service,” he said, adding Cuban personnel are paid the same as locals. “I will prefer to lose my visa than to have 60 poor and working people die.”

Last week, Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith told reporters that her government views Cuban medics as important.

“Their presence here is of importance to our healthcare system,” she said, pointing to 400 doctors, nurses and medical technicians currently working in the country.

In a social media post, Bahamian Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell also vouched for the program, saying his government “follows all international best practices in the recruitment of labor.”

https://kfgo.com/2025/03/12/defiant-caribbean-leaders-dismiss-trafficking-accusations-as-us-targets-cubas-doctor-diplomacy/

'Paris Games gender row was product of Russian fake news campaign, IOC's Bach says'

 A gender row involving two boxers at the Paris 2024 Olympics was the result of a Russian fake news campaign and had little to do with reality, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Saturday.

Bach, who is stepping down in June after 12 years in charge of the biggest job in world sports, said the IOC had needed to fight off many similar campaigns before and after the Paris Games.

The boxing competition at the Paris Games was run by the IOC after it stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition last year over its failure to implement reforms on governance and finance.

But the IBA, run by Russian businessman Umar Kremlev with close links to the Kremlin, accused the IOC during Paris of allowing two female athletes, who had been banned by the IBA following a chromosome test a year earlier, to compete.

A bitter war of words ensued between the two organisations and hogged the headlines during the Games.

"I would not consider this (Paris Games gender row) a real crisis because all this discussion is based on a fake news campaign coming from Russia," Bach told Reuters in an interview at the southern Greek seaside resort where his successor will be elected on Thursday.

"This was part of the many, many fake news campaigns we had to face from Russia before Paris and after Paris, " he said.

Several such campaigns happened before Paris, including what the IOC said at the time were repeated hacking attempts, as well as a prank call by a Russian group targeting Bach and pretending to be African Union Commission representatives.

Bach said the dispute over the boxers would have been a non-issue were it not for the IBA, given the two boxers had competed for years, including at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, with no problems.

"It (the dispute) has nothing to do with the reality. These two female focuses were born as women, they were raised as women, they have been competing as women, they have been winning and losing as every other person."

The IOC does not have a universal rule on the participation of transgender athletes or athletes with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD), with each federation drawing up its own regulations.

Russian athletes competed as neutrals in Paris after the Russian Olympic Committee was suspended for conducting Olympic elections in Ukrainian territories occupied following the Russian invasion in 2022.

TRUMP SUPPORT

Bach also said he had no concerns about the preparation of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, calling U.S. President Donald Trump a strong supporter and promoter of the project.

"Let the organising committee... continue to work with President Trump and his administration because they have established very good relations," Bach said when asked what his advice to his successor would be regarding the LA Olympics and Trump.

"The IOC should have confidence in their American partners and friends, and confidence that President Trump from the beginning was a strong supporter and promoter of the Olympic Games."

Bach also said the sport of boxing, which had not been included in the initial LA 2028 programme due to the problems with the IBA, could soon get positive news regarding its inclusion.

In February, the IOC provisionally recognised World Boxing as the new global body for the sport, paving the way for the sport's inclusion in Los Angeles.

"I hope (the provisional recognition of World Boxing) will mean in very short term a very positive signal," Bach said.

"I hope very much during these days here in Greece (during the IOC session) we can come to a decision."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/olympics-paris-games-gender-row-115203148.html

NJ hospitals ask parents to ‘identify’ pronouns and sexual orientations of newborn babies

 As if coming up with a great baby name wasn’t hard enough.

Newborns can’t even control their own movements, but that isn’t stopping New Jersey hospitals from asking parents for their baby’s preferred pronouns and sexual orientation.

Inspira Health’s “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questionnaire” requires new parents to “identify” their babies as either “Male, Female, Transgender, Gender Queer,” or “Additional gender category.”

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The form asks parents how their newborns “identify.”Facebook/Holly Schepisi

It further asks parents to select the word that best describes their infant: “Lesbian or gay, Straight or heterosexual, Self-described, Questioning/Unsure.”

The healthcare system — which operates four hospitals, two cancer centers, and eight health centers throughout South Jersey — created the form last year to comply with a newly-enacted Garden State law that required health care providers “to collect race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity in a culturally competent and sensitive manner.”

But many, from parents to politicians, think the newborn survey is absurd.

“That form is completely crazy, and anyone who would dictate a baby’s sexual orientation probably has an agenda,” said Sandy Anello, 34, a mom of two living in Bridgewater, NJ. “If I was told to fill this out, I’d rip it up in front of them. It feels like we’ve entered ‘The Twilight Zone.'”

“Identifying my baby as gay on Day 1 is insane,” offered Jersey City mom-to-be Carsen Rodgers, who is due in April. “I had no idea about this form and I’m shocked.”

New Jersey State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) told The Post, “The entire thing lacks such common sense, and serves no purpose whatsoever.

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Inspira Medical Center in Mullica Hill is one of eight hospitals in the state that use the form.Google Maps

“As a mom myself, I know you’re exhausted after giving birth, you’ve got a crying newborn and you’re trying to figure out how to feed it. To be handed that sort of form in the midst of all that has no medical value, it makes no sense.”

Schepisi shared a photo of the form on Facebook, sparking disbelief, with many commenters questioning the picture’s authenticity.

The lawmaker said she will introduce a bill next week to revise the New Jersey mandate’s language, limiting the collection of such data to patients 16 and older.

Schepisi said the state measure was a last-minute addition to a package of bills approved by Trenton on June 30, 2022.

“What was the genesis of this bill?” Schepisi wondered aloud. “How did it move so quickly with barely any committee hearings on it?”

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New Jersey State Sen. Holly Schepisi said the form “lacks such common sense.”AP

Schepisi suspects someone is buying the demographic data from the state and “using it for some sort of purpose.”

Democratic New Jersey State Sens. Joseph Cryan and Angela McKnight introduced the bill on June 23, 2022. They refused to comment.

Democrat Herbert Conaway, a former assemblyman who was elected to the House of Representatives last year, also worked on the bill.

“The bill was modeled after an Indiana statute and is designed to provide public health officials with the data they need to develop public health measures that effectively serve all New Jerseyans,” Conaway said in a statement to The Post.

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Parents have called the form “absurd” online, arguing such questions are unnecessary — and unanswerable.nataliaderiabina – stock.adobe.com

“Good policy depends on the availability of complete and accurate data. Under the law, hospitals are required to collect and report demographic data on the patients they serve; however, no patient or parent is obligated to answer any question that makes them uncomfortable.

“Newborns are not subjected to this data collection because parents are not required to fill out the form. Many health decisions for newborns are left to the parents’ discretion.”

Representatives for NYC hospitals said they do not collect such data.

An Inspira Health representative said the questionnaire is “required by New Jersey law” and noted parents “are permitted to decline to provide this information.”

Inspira had sought a waiver from the state but that hasn’t yet been granted.

https://nypost.com/2025/03/15/us-news/new-jersey-law-ask-parents-to-choose-babys-gender-sexual-orientation/