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Amid Chaos in Washington, a Secret Dark Force Is Pushing for Zelensky’s Demise [1]
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Date: 2025-07-26
Recently I chanced to read a July 35 Substack post entitled Amid Chaos in Washington, a Secret Dark Force Is Pushing for Zelensky’s Demise by ”the West Point professor”
(Goggin, T. “Amid Chaos in Washington, a Secret Dark Force Is Pushing for Zelensky’s Demise,” The West Point History Professor Substack, July 26, 2025 Facebook+8thewestpointhistoryprofessor.substack.com+8Dokumen.pub+8)
I thought it raised some interesting issues regarding the war in Ukraine. I have attempted to summarize it here along with my comments.
The West Point professor opens with a historical epigraph from Calgacus—“They make a desert and call it peace”—to frame his narrative: in Washington’s turmoil, a clandestine faction is pushing for what he terms a “Roman Peace” in Ukraine, ending conflict by leaving nothing of Ukraine intact.
I. A Perilous Moment for Ukraine; A Chaotic Time in Washington
Ukraine is embroiled in overlapping crises: domestic protests against President Zelensky’s overnight shift to bring anti‑corruption agencies under executive control; rumors of Russian infiltration within those institutions; criticism from European leaders threatening EU support; and a severe shortage of Patriot missile batteries leaving Ukraine under heavy bombardment.
Simultaneously, in Washington, President Trump grapples with pressure over release of FBI files on Jeffrey Epstein, internal MAGA discontent, and Congressional subpoenas. Against this backdrop, the West Point professor claims, a Pentagon-aligned faction sees opportunity to undermine Zelensky.
According to the professor, this faction includes an unnamed senior Pentagon official—allegedly Elbridge Colby—who advocates forcibly removing Zelensky (“dragging him by his heels”) in favor of a defeatist Ukrainian figure aligned with Russia. In doing so, they hope to clear ground for a Trump–Putin peace deal on terms favorable to Moscow and in line with their “America First” strategy.
II. The Alleged Conspirator: Elbridge Colby
The West Point professor identifies the central figure in this plot as Elbridge Colby, the Trump-appointed Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and grandson of CIA Director William Colby. Colby is portrayed as a traditional Republican establishment product—Harvard‑Yale‑educated and steeped in national security networks—who has reinvented himself as a proponent of Trump’s Atlanticist‑abandoning, nationalist “America First” doctrine.
His 2021 book The Strategy of Denial argues that China—not Russia or Europe—is the primary threat, and that U.S. resources should be concentrated in the Indo‑Pacific, not Europe or the Middle East. The West Point professor characterizes this as “simplistic, selfish, yet weak,” and morally reprehensible in its implication that Ukraine should be abandoned—even at the cost of democratic values.
III. Seymour Hersh’s Substack & the Public Revelation
The West Point professor claims that Colby—or someone echoing his view—fed exclusive details to Seymour Hersh, who then published a Substack article headlined: “THE END FOR ZELENSKY? Washington Wants the Ukrainian President to Leave Office—Will It Happen?” IzvestiaFacebook+4nuclear-news+4seymourhersh.substack.com+4
In Hersh’s report, an unnamed knowledgeable U.S. official asserts that Zelensky may be removed forcibly within fifty days, if necessary, and replaced by General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, fired by Zelensky for alleged defeatism and now serving as ambassador in London. That official claims Russia has suffered two million casualties and has no trained soldiers left—only “peasants”—so now is the moment for Putin to claim victory in a peace deal.nuclear-news
Hersh disabling comments on the post adds to the West Point professor’s suspicions that discussion is being deliberately muted.
IV. The West Point professor’s “Four New Facts”
According to the West Point professor, the core of the alleged plot rests on these four so-called revelations relayed by the anonymous official (presumably Colby) via Hersh:
Russia has suffered two million casualties, not one million — purportedly based on secret U.S. and U.K. intelligence. Russia has no trained soldiers left, only “peasants”—implying perceived Russian weakness justifies pressing for a peace. Zelensky must be removed, forcibly if need be, so Putin can claim victory and Trump can negotiate peace within 50 days. Zaluzhnyi is the successor, as he purportedly has stronger ties to Russian General Gerasimov and is more amenable to ending the war on terms favorable to Moscow.
The West Point professor equates this plan to installing a Ukrainian Quisling, comparing Zaluzhnyi to puppet leaders of the past.Rhetoric Society of America+5nuclear-news+5Izvestia+5
V. Conclusion by the West Point professor
Equating the plot to the betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and invoking Roman imperial hypocrisy, the West Point professor issues a dire warning: if the U.S. orchestrates the removal of Zelensky, democratic legitimacy would be shattered, Western solidarity undermined, and Ukraine reduced to a defenseless rump state.
He praises an alleged internal Pentagon group—“Deep Throat 2.0”—resisting the plot from within and leaking counter-narratives to the press. Their goal: exposing the conspiracy and promoting democratic resilience in Ukraine. What remains is a dangerous countdown to decision.
COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
“Amid Chaos in Washington…” is a high-stakes political thriller masquerading as a policy op‑ed—dramatic, polemical, and heavy on intrigue. It frames global geopolitics as a battlefield of values, pitting democratic fidelity against nationalist realpolitik, clandestine scheming against transparency. Regardless of the strength of its evidence, it nevertheless raises questions worth debating—especially regarding accountability in U.S. foreign policy and the dangers of ad hoc decision‑making behind closed doors.
Strengths
Moral Clarity & Urgency: The West Point professor articulates a clear ethical boundary: democracy should not be traded for convenience. Zelensky symbolizes resistance to autocracy; undermining him risks betraying a principle central to American foreign policy. Historic Referential Power: The invocation of Calgacus, Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler, and other echoes provide rhetorical heft. These allusions compel the reader to see the potential present danger in long‑term context. Policy Insight on Colby’s Worldview: The Strategy of Denial is real, and Colby’s perspective—that China is the primary threat and Europe can be deprioritized—was published and debated publicly. The West Point professor’s critique of that perspective touches on a legitimate policy debate: can the U.S. afford to shift wholly to Asia while Europe faces existential threats?thewestpointhistoryprofessor.substack.com Caution about Secretive Policy Leaks: The notion that senior officials may be shaping foreign affairs via covert channels—bypassing democratic institutions—is concerning and worth investigating.
Flaws & Areas for Skepticism
Evidence Gap: The post heavily relies on unnamed sources and unnamed claims—huge casualty numbers, covert plotting, clandestine agendas—without verifiable documentation. The linkage to Colby is speculative. Hyperbolic Tone: Phrases like “dark force,” “Darth Vader plan,” “Roman Peace,” and references to puppetry may inflame but distract. They appeal to emotion rather than reasoned analysis. Global Mischaracterization: The suggestion that Europe would willingly tolerate Zelensky’s removal to return to normalcy ignores the commitment of EU nations to Ukrainian defense. European fatigue may exist—but wholesale abandonment is implausible.nuclear-newsseymourhersh.substack.com Oversimplified View of Trump Administration Dynamics: The portrayal of a Harmonious Trumpline steered by Colby may overestimate coherence in Trump’s chaotic, ideological-free foreign policy approach.
Broader Implications
The Hidden Influence Question: The essay forces readers to ask: how much foreign policy is made in public view, and how much is shaped off‑record by advisors and bureaucrats with personal agendas?
Realpolitik vs. Moral Realism: Is securing “peace” worth sacrificing democratic ideals? The post argues no—suggesting that a peace built atop betrayal is inherently unstable.
Media and Leaks: The role of Seymour Hersh is double-edged: revered for past exposés, but also potentially a channel for partisan narratives. Disabling comments on his Substack post adds suspicion—but may also reflect his broader editorial style.
Final Evaluation
While the post’s narrative may overshoot the confirmable facts, the questions it raises are serious:
Are any U.S. officials lobbying to reshape Ukrainian leadership outside democratic norms?
Are broader strategic calculations—pitting China vs. Europe—leading to a dismissal of allied obligations?
What safeguards exist to prevent unilateral back‑channel policy shifts in the Pentagon?
If nothing else, the West Point professor’s message is a call to vigilance. In an era of fractious politics and rapid decision-making, transparency and public oversight remain vital. Even if much of this alleged plot rests on unverified sources, the ethical argument—blending history, policy, and moral clarity—is compelling and timely.
SOURCES
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