The Lollipop Guild Unites for War

The Little Big Men of Europe Show How Far It Has Fallen

Scholz, Macron, and Starmer Have Something to Say!

As the wrecking ball that is Trump 2.0 takes its first wallops at various current edifices of Western society, politics, and culture, for possibly good, bad, and/or indifferent, the reactions from world leaders have ranged from appropriate horror, to cautious quiet, to barely contained delight at signs of change in a decrepit, ossified, dangerous Empire. Blatant might makes right bullying, from tariffs to straight up threats to simply seize what we want, has been accompanied by lots of promising sounding noises about ending current and preventing future wars, certainly keeping everyone’s attention if nothing else. One senses that among the other great nuclear powers, as well as the larger (much larger) non-Western world commonly called the global South, governments are more pleased with prospects of change from an insanely confrontational and violent US foreign policy under Joe Biden than they are fearful of Trump’s bizarre moments of threatening bluster. A failing US Empire under Biden, that appeared willing to take the planet down with it in a nuclear inferno rather than even slightly dial down belligerent attitudes, has been replaced by what at least appears to be an Empire willing to make some changes, even a concession or two, to maintain its otherwise brutal hegemony.

Among those reacting in horror at the prospect of change are the European leadership class. Specifically movement to push the Ukraine war towards some sort of resolution, via growing direct contacts with the Russians, have provoked squeals of protest, and even some action in the form of the hastily thrown together (more or less “Stop the Peace”) summit recently held in Paris.

When I saw the reaction of Scholz, Starmer, and Micron… err, Macron, to Trump’s re-initiation of diplomatic relations with Russia, and clear signals of willingness to go over European and even Ukrainian heads to resolve the Ukraine War, I was reminded of three characters from the classic film the Wizard of Oz. Ah! Perhaps the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, you might say, as these leaders are clearly also limited individuals, but each is finding their courage, heart, and intellect in a heroic quest to support Ukraine?

No, I was thinking more the representatives of the Lollipop Guild.

And though like those EU and UK leaders, the guild reps are rather, ahem, petite individuals, that’s not why they were brought to mind when thinking of the predictably apoplectic rejection of any real Ukraine policy change by the great (-giggle-) leaders of Europe. The first trait that made me think of them was their general demeanor. For although a supposed welcoming committee, the Lollipop Guild does not exactly come across as a charming and likable group, just like Europe’s Little Three. Indeed, in one of those interesting character choices that among many others help make it a great film, they’re portrayed as strutting, sneering big men. One half gets the impression the Lollipop Guild is the sort of organization that is more broken fingers and brass knuckles than business and bylaws. Fancy titles or not, like Micron… err, Macron, Starmer, and Scholz, they come across as self-important jerks, if not thugs.

Not that even a Kansas farm girl would find them particularly intimidating or worth taking note of, which is another characteristic that matches- they are very much minor characters in the drama. They are welcomed on stage to sing their little song and do their little dance affirming their support, at which point their input is no longer needed. Not only are they not coming on the journey to see the Wizard, the prospect of them doing so is laughable. Beyond any other reasons, their literal lack of stature would have slowed the trip down too much.

The European leadership is also being left behind due to smallness, although it has nothing to do with being short. The issue is they are desperately tiny in all the skills needed to navigate a rapidly, tectonically changing world, while being aggressively, almost psychopathically unwilling to acknowledge their limitations.

Call them little big men, in another cinema reference, if a mismatched one, as that Little Big Man, although little in stature, was big in wisdom and character. And though the big three Lilliputians, Scholz, Micron… err, Macron, and Starmer, are indeed physically small men, the reference, again, is not to their actual size. In fact, there are plenty of ‘little’ physically large men, as well as women of all sizes, leading the European establishment. Where they are all incredibly little is character, imagination, morality, intellect, and basically any other human quality worth having. All while being incredibly big in their senses of themselves, their correctness, their right to drive their nations off a cliff if they decide that’s what’s best, despite that policy’s (or their) wild unpopularity.

The reaction to criticisms of blatant anti-democratic, autocratic tendencies in Europe, delivered by JD Vance along with Trump’s abrupt statement of intention to divorce, has further illuminated the ethical and moral black hole that has developed at the heart of European power.

Instead of responding to those criticisms with something akin to a defense, perhaps even a statement that hinted at some quiet agreement with Vance on, for example, the ludicrous cancellation of the Romanian election, the usual standard bleating of EU/UK neo-liberal / neo-conservative imperial end timer values ensued (which, to their mind, are to be preserved at any and all cost):

Militarism and war yay. Diplomacy and peace boo.

Censorship and propaganda yay. Free speech and ideological openness boo.

And the reaction to the statement of divorce, with Europe getting stuck with full support of the kid (Ukraine), has been even more revealing of the cratering of the entire intellectual foundation of Europe, with an amazing lack of creativity, flexibility and thoughtfulness in the response.

A prime example is the hastily thrown together “Stop the Peace” meeting just held in Paris. A continent that suffered massively in two World Wars, and produced great art opposing war as a result, seems to overnight find itself back in a pre-World War One attitude to militarism and war.

The cost and danger of war isn’t discussed, the cost and danger of peace is. The risk of great powers not being on speaking terms isn’t discussed, the danger of them speaking is. The horrors and costs of the war up to this point are perversely twisted into a reason to continue the costs and horrors of the war. Instead of trying to prevent Ukrainians being thrown into the maelstrom to die, the concern is that there are enough weapons to make their deaths sufficiently costly to the Russians. When not demanding the nation’s youth, and what is left of any possibility of a national future, be fed into the meat grinder.

Instead of having a much needed conversation on how to start disengaging from a clearly lost, and never winnable, war in Ukraine, with the cover of a US withdrawal providing an ideal excuse, more of the same is demanded: blood, death, cost, destruction. Instead of recognizing that the United States is finally taking a long signaled step, and moving away from Europe (and quietly, in some ways, NATO), and figuring out how to deal with that harsh change to their reality, they simply state “That would be bad for the US, it can’t!” and act like saying what they believe with great conviction means the US (under Trump!) will comply.

In many ways their reaction to Trump’s moves on Ukraine match much US establishment thinking, including gob smacked shock, best illustrated by the reaction of the great builder and maintainer of American narratives, MSM news. Which is not surprising, as these European little big men are more American establishment than the American establishment. And one of the long embedded structures in the American establishment, with corresponding influence and money, from the Cold War through the fable of Russiagate, is hatred, fear, and belligerence towards Russia.

And that’s why these Lilliputian’s reaction is worth noting, as a crystal clear example of that mindless, pigheaded attitude, and how it is viscerally opposed to not only ending a stupid, lost war in Ukraine, but seemingly ready to cling to every establishment orthodoxy, even as that establishment is more and more despised. Much more powerful and devious actors than these little fellows, many of them profiting handsomely from the war, many of them deeply committed politically to it, share their determination to keep the war, and the imperial warfare complex behind it, grinding forward. One wonders what unpleasant surprises may emerge from that foul status quo in foolish, and ultimately failing, attempts to stop inevitable and accelerating world change.

Instead of having a much needed conversation on how to start disengaging from a clearly lost war in Ukraine, with the cover of a US withdrawal providing an ideal excuse, more of the same: blood, death, cost, destruction, is demanded.

Everyone should be alert for all sorts of shenanigans from these blood soaked interests, and the legions of academics, think tank creatures, journalists, and all other flavors of grifters and con men that depend on them for money and influence. They may be increasingly unpopular, with their mindless policies exposed, and their media spinners distrusted, but they will continue to maintain massive power in the shadows.

And regardless of whether Trump’s changes are good, bad, or indifferent, they occur in a world where change IS inevitably occurring (at a shocking rate) and requires addressing. Change that these forces appear to be set on opposing to the bitter end, even when clearly logical, popular, and long delayed. And no matter how destructive their efforts to jam the gears of progress may be.

One wonders what unpleasant surprises may emerge from that foul status quo in a foolish, and ultimately failing, attempt to stop inevitable and accelerating world change.

To return to an earlier analogy, the Lollipop Guild reps may have made terrible candidates to help on the journey to see the Wizard, but even such small figures could have put a match to the scarecrow, or thrown a glass of salty water on the tin man. The significant portion of the current establishment that has long been all in on the war in Ukraine, amazingly, persists, with plenty of tools, money, and power left to deploy. Expect wreckers of change everywhere, clinging to their fiefdoms feeding on the rotting imperial corpse. Many will be trying to make sure peace is not given a chance.