Posted on 03/17/2022 4:53:46 AM PDT by MtnClimber
One -- Reassuring an enemy what one will not do ensures that the enemy will do just that and more. Unpredictability and occasional enigmatic silence bolster deterrence. But President Joe Biden's predictable reassurance to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will show restraint means Putin likely will not.
Two -- No-fly zones don't work in a big-power, symmetrical standoff. In a cost-benefit analysis, they are not worth the risk of shooting down the planes of a nuclear power. They usually do little to stop planes outside of such zones shooting missiles into them. Sending long-range, high-altitude anti-aircraft batteries to Ukraine to deny Russian air superiority is a far better way of regaining air parity.
Three -- Europe, NATO members, and Germany in particular have de facto admitted that their past decades of shutting down nuclear plants, coal mines, and oil and gas fields have left Europe at the mercy of Russia. They are promising to rearm and meet their promised military contributions. By their actions, they are admitting that their critics, the United States in particular, were right, and they were dangerously wrong in empowering Putin.
Four -- China is now pro-Russian. Beijing wants Russian natural resources at a discount. Russia will pay for overpriced access to Chinese finance, commerce, and markets. Yet if Russia loses the Ukraine war, goes broke, and as an international pariah is ostracized, then China will likely cut the smelly Russian albatross from its neck - in fear of new Western financial, cultural, and commercial clout.
Five -- Americans are finally digesting just how destructive the humiliating flight from Afghanistan was. The catastrophe signaled to Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran that Western deterrence had died.
No surprise that Russia sent missiles into a Ukrainian base near the Polish-NATO border. North Korea in January launched more missiles than in any month in its history. Iran sent missiles into Kurdistan. China announces daily it is just a matter of time until it absorbs Taiwan. The tens of billions of dollars of sophisticated weaponry sent to Ukraine by the West are still far less than what the U.S. military handed over to the terrorist Taliban.
There are many parallels between the United States and Austria-Hungary. Both are formerly dominant powers consisting of multi-ethnic, multi-lingual populations with little social cohesion, riven by geographical factions and ruled by very elderly and out of touch politicians.
Not sure I understand number 4....
I could agree with your #2, but for #1. This includes RINOs like Cheney and Romney, too.
There is no way on Earth that Biden is going to try to take out Russia. This whole thing has occurred because of who is in charge in the US.
At about $100 / copy we really can't afford that. Besides, if shot down over unfriendly territory, the remains may fall into enemy hands.
$100 million / copy
Liberals ALREADY invalidated US citizenship by allowing non-citizens to come here and VOTE.
Now they will invalidate our currency
“At about $100M / copy we really can’t afford that. Besides, if shot down over unfriendly territory, the remains may fall into enemy hands.”
Agree that it’s real money, but peanuts compared to the trillions we’re spending. The order was cut simply due to the ideology of those in charge. They’re simply BLIND to the messages they send, but still want to act as the world’s only superpower.
And that’s what starts wars, as we’re now seeing in Ukraine, and many prior wars (disarm - then BANG, you’re having to fight).
The left is destroying OUR NATION!
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