So this brings us back to the central problem with Ukraine that has gotten us to this point- Inadequate US leadership in supplying Ukraine with a sufficient quantity and quality of weapons to make it clear to Putin he will not succeed in keeping any Ukrainian territory, or neutering Ukraine's sovereignty. Is the path forward on hold for months until the US election? Can Ukraine hold on that long?
Let Johnson get kicked out by the Democrats and a few Republican Congressman. Are there any Republican Congressman left to do this?
I'll take Macron seriously the moment he commits 100 Leclerc tanks and a few dozen Rafale fighters to Ukraine and - unlike Biden - doesn't drag his feet at every opportunity. A training center in Uzhhorod would be a start.
Nobody wants to admit the plain and simple truth: Putin is having his way with western leaders who are terrified of being blamed for anything going wrong. The guy is like a dude who abuses his spouse and everyone knows it but whenever the victim asks for help she gets blamed for upsetting him.
At this point, if you're so afraid of Putin's nukes that you won't risk a war to defend Ukraine, might as well hand back Alaska. Would Americans on the East Coast risk New York City for Kiska or Attu if a ruscist S-400 battery and some troops appeared one day?
Where does this rank appeasement end? Putin is doing a beautiful job of showing Xi how to take Taiwan. Just go slow and steady, escalating just enough that the USA always finds an excuse to make a vapid show of force and reassure allies until all of a sudden actual intervention to stop a full-on invasion is unthinkable.
Why would anyone believe that the USA would fight for Taiwan once China has just a few hundred more ICBMs in place? I mean, come *on* people - more than two years in, and westerners are still going around in circles with aid to Ukraine. The message has been received.
Deterrence isn't something that exists because you say it does. The deterred has to know you're willing to fight. I say this as someone who thinks averting WW3 is one of humanity's most pressing challenges. But *this* is exactly how you get there!
Forget Trump and the Americans obsessed with him - western leadership can't get much worse as it is. Recognition of the collapse presently underway is the first step towards effective adaptation and innovation.
It's international alliance of *real* democracies time, or bust. The Postwar Order is dead, and trying to salvage the wreck will not work. It's just going to lead to a repeat of May 1940 - May 1942.
In that light, we need more blue-sky thinking about what the next stage of this war could look like. Sure NATO intervention on some level would have consequences. But let Putin decide how far he's willing to go. Give him some uncertainties to ponder for once.
The Ukrainians have not established full mobilization and there are Ukrainian men all over, at least in the US, not serving in the UAF. Resounding NYET to NATO troops ... If the French want to send troops there, that's their choice, but it will be outside of NATO scope.
So this brings us back to the central problem with Ukraine that has gotten us to this point- Inadequate US leadership in supplying Ukraine with a sufficient quantity and quality of weapons to make it clear to Putin he will not succeed in keeping any Ukrainian territory, or neutering Ukraine's sovereignty. Is the path forward on hold for months until the US election? Can Ukraine hold on that long?
Let Johnson get kicked out by the Democrats and a few Republican Congressman. Are there any Republican Congressman left to do this?
Good read Mick.
I'll take Macron seriously the moment he commits 100 Leclerc tanks and a few dozen Rafale fighters to Ukraine and - unlike Biden - doesn't drag his feet at every opportunity. A training center in Uzhhorod would be a start.
Nobody wants to admit the plain and simple truth: Putin is having his way with western leaders who are terrified of being blamed for anything going wrong. The guy is like a dude who abuses his spouse and everyone knows it but whenever the victim asks for help she gets blamed for upsetting him.
At this point, if you're so afraid of Putin's nukes that you won't risk a war to defend Ukraine, might as well hand back Alaska. Would Americans on the East Coast risk New York City for Kiska or Attu if a ruscist S-400 battery and some troops appeared one day?
Where does this rank appeasement end? Putin is doing a beautiful job of showing Xi how to take Taiwan. Just go slow and steady, escalating just enough that the USA always finds an excuse to make a vapid show of force and reassure allies until all of a sudden actual intervention to stop a full-on invasion is unthinkable.
Why would anyone believe that the USA would fight for Taiwan once China has just a few hundred more ICBMs in place? I mean, come *on* people - more than two years in, and westerners are still going around in circles with aid to Ukraine. The message has been received.
Deterrence isn't something that exists because you say it does. The deterred has to know you're willing to fight. I say this as someone who thinks averting WW3 is one of humanity's most pressing challenges. But *this* is exactly how you get there!
Forget Trump and the Americans obsessed with him - western leadership can't get much worse as it is. Recognition of the collapse presently underway is the first step towards effective adaptation and innovation.
It's international alliance of *real* democracies time, or bust. The Postwar Order is dead, and trying to salvage the wreck will not work. It's just going to lead to a repeat of May 1940 - May 1942.
In that light, we need more blue-sky thinking about what the next stage of this war could look like. Sure NATO intervention on some level would have consequences. But let Putin decide how far he's willing to go. Give him some uncertainties to ponder for once.
The Ukrainians have not established full mobilization and there are Ukrainian men all over, at least in the US, not serving in the UAF. Resounding NYET to NATO troops ... If the French want to send troops there, that's their choice, but it will be outside of NATO scope.