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Before Going to War, Consider Who’s in Charge
American Greatness ^ | 23 Mar, 2022 | Stephen Balch

Posted on 03/24/2022 5:06:41 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Let’s not go charging into the valley of death with our junto of fatuous fanatics in command.

merica is drifting toward war, wafted by a chorus of political and punditical sirens. A great many of them are conservatives, including popular media personalities with large audiences. They’ve been warned by other conservatives about the risks of confrontation with Russia that deeper intervention in Ukraine poses.

But since few want to abandon the Ukrainians altogether, the conservative camp faces a quandary. How much risk is too much risk? Is riskiness more a matter of the quantity or the quality of support we provide to Ukraine? Is it more a matter of optics or battlefield utility? Does it matter from exactly whence it immediately arrives? Is it important how much it steers the antagonists toward possible off-ramps? These would be difficult questions for even a consummate diplomatist to answer. Not an eager player of Russian roulette, for whatever it’s worth, I incline toward overall prudence. Keep the supplies flowing at pretty much their present rate and hope deadlock leads eventually to an agreement that neither side will like but that both can politically accept. Or so it seems to me.

Perhaps such a mutualistic outcome isn’t possible. Perhaps one side or the other will have to be clearly defeated before full-scale war comes to an end. If so, and it’s the Russians who are going down, we face a significant likelihood that Putin will try to save himself by expanding the war or using nuclear weapons. Defeat would not be fatal for Russia, but it would probably be so for him. Avoiding that disaster will call for mature statesmanship (perhaps brinksmanship) together with a great deal of luck.

(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans; Society
KEYWORDS: communism
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1 posted on 03/24/2022 5:06:41 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

Putin vs Biden? What could go wrong?


2 posted on 03/24/2022 5:06:52 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on mycreen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Biden?

What about the guys who ordered the troops to run away in Afghanistan?


3 posted on 03/24/2022 5:12:01 AM PDT by stanne
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To: MtnClimber

This is kind of tedious stream-of-consciousness writing.


4 posted on 03/24/2022 5:17:08 AM PDT by Kevmo (Give back Ukes their Nukes https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4044080/posts)
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To: MtnClimber

Scary times. Mad dog killer on one side and a raving lunatic on the other. Innocent people that just want peace in the middle.


5 posted on 03/24/2022 5:17:26 AM PDT by rrrod (6)
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To: MtnClimber

RE: Before Going to War, Consider Who’s in Charge

The problem is, we do not really know who is in charge.
We think we do, but thinking & guessing is not really knowing.

The one thing I do know about who is in charge.
It is not, We the People!


6 posted on 03/24/2022 5:17:36 AM PDT by Tupelo (“Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*ck things up” (Barack Obama))
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To: stanne

Sure as heck do not want “Woke” General Milley in charge….


7 posted on 03/24/2022 5:18:58 AM PDT by snoringbear (,W,E.oGovernment is the Pimp, )
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To: MtnClimber

The Ukraine should be able to determine its own destiny without invasions or tampering from foreign countries, and that includes both Russia and the US.


8 posted on 03/24/2022 5:19:45 AM PDT by Spok (Winston, how many fingers am I holding up?)
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To: MtnClimber

Isolationist nationalism as in 1934 is still ruling doctrine in 2022 for some conservatives


9 posted on 03/24/2022 5:23:38 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Promoting Afro Heritage diversity will destroy the democrats)
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To: bert
As Churchill said, once the USA has tried all other choices, we will do the right thing in the end. But then again, we weren't facing a nuclear foe.
10 posted on 03/24/2022 5:35:45 AM PDT by refermech
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To: rrrod

The Ukraine has become one huge meat grinder, and Vladimir Putin has bitten off a great deal more than he can chew upon. This war has been more destructive of lives and property than any since the battles of World War II, and in only one month’s time.

If ever a war were senseless, this certainly emphasizes the point.


11 posted on 03/24/2022 5:39:23 AM PDT by alloysteel (There are folks running the government who shouldn't be allowed to play with matches - Will Rogers)
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To: refermech

We don’t actually have a nuclear foe. Moscow and St Petersburg can be obliterated in minutes thus ending Mother Russia.

Putin is very well aware of that fact. If he tries to engage with a nuc, he has no Russia to rule


12 posted on 03/24/2022 5:40:24 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Promoting Afro Heritage diversity will destroy the democrats)
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To: alloysteel

You nailed it.


13 posted on 03/24/2022 5:41:25 AM PDT by rrrod (6)
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To: bert
Isolationist nationalism as in 1934 is still ruling doctrine in 2022 for some conservatives

Correct. America First. MAGA!

14 posted on 03/24/2022 5:42:36 AM PDT by Sirius Lee (They intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live and live like you are prepping for eternal life)
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To: snoringbear
Sure as heck do not want “Woke” General Milley in charge….

His military buddies at the Kremlin aren't returning his calls, either.

15 posted on 03/24/2022 5:43:26 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: alloysteel

It’s totally senseless because outside of Crimea Ukraine is going to get every inch of land back once Putin dies. Your average Russian could not care less about places like Luhansk and Mariupol. These are backwaters to them and certainly not worth a fight or personal hardship.


16 posted on 03/24/2022 5:43:28 AM PDT by lodi90
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To: bert

“We don’t actually have a nuclear foe. Moscow and St Petersburg can be obliterated in minutes thus ending Mother Russia.”

Dumbest statement I’ve heard in a while on FR.

Russia can also obliterate the USA in minutes, much of it in less than 12 minutes.


17 posted on 03/24/2022 5:45:29 AM PDT by CodeToad (Arm up! They Have!)
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To: bert

Isolationist nationalism as in 1934 is still ruling doctrine in 2022 for some conservatives


That and there is a natural inclination to oppose whatever policy Brandon’s handlers are pushing. Conservatives are not Democrats and should be able to multi task issues. Putinist Russia is a cancer on the world and chemo must be applied regardless of who is in the WH.


18 posted on 03/24/2022 5:45:48 AM PDT by lodi90
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To: bert

I dont think underestimating the enemy is the way to go in this situation.


19 posted on 03/24/2022 5:46:13 AM PDT by refermech
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To: CodeToad

You assume Russia is the USSR.

The invasion of Ukraine shows clearly that it is not.


20 posted on 03/24/2022 5:48:35 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Promoting Afro Heritage diversity will destroy the democrats)
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