(This is a shortened version of a Ron Paul Institute free update. Subscribe here)

A few reflections about the current status of the US/Russia war. Yes, I wrote it: US/Russia war. Let's call things what they really are. In fact, this is no conspiracy theory at all. The true goal of US policy in the region was revealed this past week by none other than US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, when he clarified that the aim wasn't really to help plucky upstart Ukraine recover its "democracy," but rather to weaken - and hopefully disintegrate - Russia itself. 

He 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."

That's a much different set of objectives, and in fact it comes closer to what Dr. Paul asked in mid-March, "Is Washington Fighting Russia Down to the Last Ukrainian?"

That explains why the US is pouring billions of dollars in military equipment into notoriously-corrupt Ukraine - with another $33 billion on the way!

Suddenly the narrative of brave Ukraine fighting for its freedom and the sanctity of its borders has dropped, as the real goals are being revealed by those in charge. Just like the 2003 US attack on Iraq was initially sold to us as gifting democracy as a "favor" to a grateful Iraqi people. We all know how that turned out. Odd that people resent having their infrastructure decimated and a million killed. Ingrates.