Ukraine updates
Ukraine is getting much more advanced offensive weapons . . . This seems to mark a major shift, a commitment to helping Ukraine go on offense and win. Open questions . . . How far will Ukraine’s partners go? Infantry fighting vehicles today, maybe tanks, ATACMs, planes, etc. tomorrow? How big a threat is the Republican controlled House of Representatives? Will Ukraine be able to avoid a drawn out war of attrition? Can it launch successful offensives against Russian lines that are shorter and in some cases better fortified than the territory they took in the north? Will this show of Western resolve make Putin reconsider his commitment to the war? Why did France, Germany, and the United States decide to provide these weapons now?
A reminder of how difficult it is to know what is going on in the halls of power. I recently suggested that we should tell Russia that we will provide Ukraine with ATACMS if Russian strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure continue. Phillips O’Brien speculates that the threat of providing ATACMS has deterred the expected delivery of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia. Maybe, and maybe this is a better outcome than just giving Ukraine ATACMS and having Russia shooting ballistic missiles into Ukraine. I tend to think we should just give Ukraine the ATACMS, but my point is it’s really difficult for an ordinary citizen to second guess decisions like these. We just don’t know what’s going on.
There are continued reports of planned Russian offensives . . . I find it hard to believe they will make much progress, and I’m not even sure they will be attempted in a serious way, but we will see. Putin has called for a cease fire for Orthodox Christmas, after killing Ukrainian civilians on Christmas and New Year. Well, hopefully the Russian soldiers will bring their cell phones to services.
“How big a threat is the Republican controlled House of Representatives?”
It seems likely that this was a factor in the decision to provide more powerful weapons now. The government, including aid for Ukraine, is funded through September, but after that any further money for anything will be dependent on the House Republicans who, as we’re now seeing, can’t get anything done even when they want to. So, in effect, Ukraine has to win the war before September — which means we now need to supply weapons powerful enough to enable them to do that.
“Well, hopefully the ——- soldiers will bring their cell phones to services.”
Beyond morality; how utterly horrible a comment.
ltr:
Feigning morality are we now?
I guess shooting back at invading soldiers who torture and rape civilians is now immoral.
Infidel:
It appears to some like ltr (anon), such is true. I am not sure why the person does this.
News Neocons Can Use
US ‘Top of the Line’ Weapon Will Help Change the War
Newsweek via MSN – Jan 8
The abundance of new Western weapons heading to Ukraine will set an important precedent for expanding NATO support for Kyiv in 2023, one of the country’s top ambassadors has said, as Ukrainian leaders press for victory over Russia in the coming year. …
Western partners have not yet opened their old military stocks to the degree that Ukraine would like. Kyiv wants many more air defense platforms, main battle tanks, fighter jets, and the long-range munitions fired from NATO weapons like the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. …
Also in the news…
Now Fighting for Ukraine: Volunteers Seeking Revenge Against Russia
NY Times – Jan 8
Chechens, Crimean Tatars and people from the former Soviet republics, all with deep historical grievances against Moscow, are eagerly taking up arms for Kyiv.
… Ukraine’s military commanders have long said they do not lack soldiers for the war, but they have nonetheless welcomed to their ranks thousands of volunteers, including foreign citizens. Many of them, like the Chechens, are refugees from Russia itself. Others have come from surrounding nations, like Georgia, that have a history of opposition to Moscow and the leadership of President Vladimir V. Putin. …