[DannyTN]

Actually it's more confidence that the information would leak out if we actually had troops on the ground or in the air engaged in combat.

Even Putin doesn't allege that. Claiming that we are approving targets for the HIMARS system is not direct involvement. Putin should probably be thankful that the US is providing some restraint.

Of course there could be multiple reasons we would want to approve targets for the HIMARS.

• They are expensive weapons and missiles and we don't want to see them wasted on low value targets.
• We don't want them accidently blowing up a kindergarten or something else that could generate bad press or even war crime claims.
• We might not be sharing all the intel that we have with Ukraine, so we likely have more information than they have.
• They have long ranges that can reach into Russia. And we might not want Ukraine inflicting damage directly on Russia because we don't want to raise the morale of the Russian troops. They don't know why they are in Ukraine fighting, but attacks directly on Russia give them a reason.

[whitney69]

“Even Putin doesn’t allege that.”

Putin has tried to keep it one country at a time and has no desire to have NATO coming in on him. Biden’s only savior in this is that while Biden has been bankrupting us and our other trade partners using Putin’s threats of cutting off their natural gas. Putin doesn’t want everyone dog piling him.

Claiming that we are approving targets for the HIMARS system is not direct involvement. Okay, how do we know where the direct targets are unless we are on the ground confirming? Satellite don’t read minds.

“They are expensive weapons and missiles and we don’t want to see them wasted on low value targets.”

They already said they can’t pay for what they already have and Biden will not take them back.

“We don’t want them accidently blowing up a kindergarten or something else that could generate bad press or even war crime claims.”

I’m assuming you are missing the part where people in that area use human chains.

“We might not be sharing all the intel that we have with Ukraine...”

What’s left? These are the coordinates, this is how you aim it, This is how you fire it. Need much more?

“They don’t know why they are in Ukraine fighting, but attacks directly on Russia give them a reason.”

The grunts don’t know why, don’t know where, and fight because they want to. When they don’t want to, they leave. So far, not man y have left.

“Claiming that we are approving targets for the HIMARS system is not direct involvement.”

Don’t understand here. If a Ukrainian officer in the army knew how to insert the location or approving the targets in the HIMARs isn’t being part of the battle, then what is? The only difference is that one approving group is Ukrainian and the other US. Same task, same outcome. And if we weren’t there, could they hit the broad side of a barn with it? I’m sure if that was the case, Putin would sleep better at night.

wy69