Putin didn’t “choose” Witkoff—he engineered him. The least insulated, most Kremlin-friendly channel became the go-to, sidelining diplomats and leaving U.S. credibility on the line. This isn’t negotiation; it’s a gift to Moscow. Great one Jack.
That’s exactly it...and you nailed the distinction!
This wasn’t about finding a channel. It was about designing the easiest one to shape.
Once the least insulated...most Kremlin-comfortable path becomes “the productive option,”...everything else gets quietly framed as obstruction. That’s how diplomats get sidelined without a fight...and how credibility leaks out...without a single headline announcing it.
And you’re right...that’s not negotiation. Negotiation assumes symmetry...guardrails...and consequences. This is environment control...and Moscow has been perfecting it...for decades.
When credibility becomes optional...and institutions become inconvenient...the gift isn’t just access...,it’s leverage. And leverage...COMPOUNDS.
Really appreciate the read and the framing. You’re seeing the board clearly!
“Come alone” isn’t a request. It’s a system hack. If you want to understand what that demand is doing…think like a prosecutor or a salesman.”
Excellent analysis, but are you sure in this case it’s tradecraft or psychological profiling? Witkoff has been playing in Putin’s orbit for decades. He has had relationships with Russian oligarchs and mobsters since the 90’s.
Like Trump, Witkoff was targeted in the late eighties, and after the 1990 commercial real estate bubble, he started doing business with the Russian’s.
Guys like Trump and Witkoff are morally flexible and possibly morally bankrupt; they may not be evil, but they have no problem dealing with shady, dangerous criminals and other nefarious characters; it’s just business to these people.
Bottom line, whether they are closet fascists or not, one thing is for sure; they only see green! And when you’re dealing with morally bankrupt or morally flexible people, they tend to have sociopathic tendencies; to say the least! IMHO..:)
Happy holidays everyone. Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season, Christmas, Hanukah, Ramadan, and Festivus for the rest of us. Enjoy and stay safe!…:)
always had te, mainly because the Russian’s bailed them out after they almost lost everything and owed the banks billions.
Robert, that’s a sharp pushback...I love it...and you’re right to raise it.
It may not be either/or. What you’re describing actually strengthens the analysis.
Tradecraft and psychological profiling don’t require a blank slate...they work best when there’s already a long history of contact...comfort...and moral flexibility.
If Witkoff has been moving in Russian oligarch and underworld-adjacent circles since the ’90s...as Trump did...then the “come alone” demand isn’t about discovering his psychology. It’s about exploiting....what’s ALREADY known.
In that light, profiling isn’t a fishing expedition...it’s confirmation. A way of saying...this is someone who treats power as transactional...ethics as optional...and risk as just part of the deal.
Those traits don’t make someone evil...but they do make them...PREDICTABLE. And predictability...is gold in influence operations.
So yes, you’re right...decades of business entanglements...bailouts...and survival...after the real-estate collapse...MATTER.
When people learn that the system bends...for those willing to bend with it...loyalty shifts from rules to relationships...and from law to leverage. That’s not fascism...it’s amorality... with a balance sheet.
Which is why “come alone”...still reads as a system hack. Not to create vulnerability from scratch...but to activate an existing one...by stripping away the last remaining guardrails.
And...on that broader point: agreed. When everything is green...everything else is gray.
Happy holidays to you too...and thank you for pushing the analysis further. That’s how this stays honest!
I apologize, I wasn’t trying to push back or be a jerk, but it is known that Witkoff has been in those circles for decades. I was just suggesting that in his case (as you suggested in the newsletter), he was targeted and became a willing participant.
I just don’t think there was too much arm twisting needed. These guys owe their reputations and careers to the Russia’s; otherwise, they’d both just be washed up businessman, if you could call them businessmen! Just saying…:)
Oh...no, no, no....I didn't mean "push back," in anything remotely negative. I just mean't..being willing to engage, ask questions...and not just take everything at face value. I love that!
Jack - I have wondered for weeks why Witkoff was the US negotiator. Your analysis answers my question. I am seriously concerned what it portends for Ukraine but I’m glad to get the big picture. Thank you.
I worry about the war thing too. Be it Venezuela o rGreenland in the not to distant future or another south American country. Anything to distract from Epstein ...#HOLDFAST
Putin didn’t “choose” Witkoff—he engineered him. The least insulated, most Kremlin-friendly channel became the go-to, sidelining diplomats and leaving U.S. credibility on the line. This isn’t negotiation; it’s a gift to Moscow. Great one Jack.
That’s exactly it...and you nailed the distinction!
This wasn’t about finding a channel. It was about designing the easiest one to shape.
Once the least insulated...most Kremlin-comfortable path becomes “the productive option,”...everything else gets quietly framed as obstruction. That’s how diplomats get sidelined without a fight...and how credibility leaks out...without a single headline announcing it.
And you’re right...that’s not negotiation. Negotiation assumes symmetry...guardrails...and consequences. This is environment control...and Moscow has been perfecting it...for decades.
When credibility becomes optional...and institutions become inconvenient...the gift isn’t just access...,it’s leverage. And leverage...COMPOUNDS.
Really appreciate the read and the framing. You’re seeing the board clearly!
-Jack
“Come alone” isn’t a request. It’s a system hack. If you want to understand what that demand is doing…think like a prosecutor or a salesman.”
Excellent analysis, but are you sure in this case it’s tradecraft or psychological profiling? Witkoff has been playing in Putin’s orbit for decades. He has had relationships with Russian oligarchs and mobsters since the 90’s.
Like Trump, Witkoff was targeted in the late eighties, and after the 1990 commercial real estate bubble, he started doing business with the Russian’s.
Guys like Trump and Witkoff are morally flexible and possibly morally bankrupt; they may not be evil, but they have no problem dealing with shady, dangerous criminals and other nefarious characters; it’s just business to these people.
Bottom line, whether they are closet fascists or not, one thing is for sure; they only see green! And when you’re dealing with morally bankrupt or morally flexible people, they tend to have sociopathic tendencies; to say the least! IMHO..:)
Happy holidays everyone. Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season, Christmas, Hanukah, Ramadan, and Festivus for the rest of us. Enjoy and stay safe!…:)
always had te, mainly because the Russian’s bailed them out after they almost lost everything and owed the banks billions.
Robert, that’s a sharp pushback...I love it...and you’re right to raise it.
It may not be either/or. What you’re describing actually strengthens the analysis.
Tradecraft and psychological profiling don’t require a blank slate...they work best when there’s already a long history of contact...comfort...and moral flexibility.
If Witkoff has been moving in Russian oligarch and underworld-adjacent circles since the ’90s...as Trump did...then the “come alone” demand isn’t about discovering his psychology. It’s about exploiting....what’s ALREADY known.
In that light, profiling isn’t a fishing expedition...it’s confirmation. A way of saying...this is someone who treats power as transactional...ethics as optional...and risk as just part of the deal.
Those traits don’t make someone evil...but they do make them...PREDICTABLE. And predictability...is gold in influence operations.
So yes, you’re right...decades of business entanglements...bailouts...and survival...after the real-estate collapse...MATTER.
When people learn that the system bends...for those willing to bend with it...loyalty shifts from rules to relationships...and from law to leverage. That’s not fascism...it’s amorality... with a balance sheet.
Which is why “come alone”...still reads as a system hack. Not to create vulnerability from scratch...but to activate an existing one...by stripping away the last remaining guardrails.
And...on that broader point: agreed. When everything is green...everything else is gray.
Happy holidays to you too...and thank you for pushing the analysis further. That’s how this stays honest!
-Jack
I apologize, I wasn’t trying to push back or be a jerk, but it is known that Witkoff has been in those circles for decades. I was just suggesting that in his case (as you suggested in the newsletter), he was targeted and became a willing participant.
I just don’t think there was too much arm twisting needed. These guys owe their reputations and careers to the Russia’s; otherwise, they’d both just be washed up businessman, if you could call them businessmen! Just saying…:)
Oh...no, no, no....I didn't mean "push back," in anything remotely negative. I just mean't..being willing to engage, ask questions...and not just take everything at face value. I love that!
Jack - I have wondered for weeks why Witkoff was the US negotiator. Your analysis answers my question. I am seriously concerned what it portends for Ukraine but I’m glad to get the big picture. Thank you.
mine too
Good stuff Jack.💕🗽🇺🇲🇺🇦
Merry Christmas! to you and yours.🎄☃️
I'm looking for war to start tomorrow.
348 million people looking away from DT.
Hope not. He has signaling for invasion for weeks. Guess it was too much to expect Congress would order the fleet and 10,000 U.S. troops home.
This is about the 5th war that has started this way.
😡😠😡
Take care
#HOLDFAST
I worry about the war thing too. Be it Venezuela o rGreenland in the not to distant future or another south American country. Anything to distract from Epstein ...#HOLDFAST