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WESTERN MEDIA AND MILITARY ANALYSTS STILL DAZED AND CONFUSED ABOUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE
Sonar 21 ^ | 7/13/2022 | Larry Johnson

Posted on 07/17/2022 12:10:20 PM PDT by Kazan

If you were holding out hope that the media and military analysts predicting the imminent collapse of Russia because of the failed invasion of Ukraine would get a grip on reality, think again. I take the New York Times as the leading indicator of the establishment mindset and the Times published a piece that reveals the delusion and confusion about the war in Ukraine that infects the Washington/New York Swamps.

Put simply, the article–Ukraine’s Demands for More Weapons Clash With U.S. Concerns–tacitly concedes Russia is winning but holds out hope for a dramatic Ukrainian come back. Here are the highlights (and lowlights) of the piece tapped out by CIA mouthpiece, Eric Schmitt, and Julian Barnes:

The Ukrainians say they need faster shipments of long-range artillery and other sophisticated weapons to blunt Russia’s steady advance. The United States and the Europeans insist more are on the way but are wary of sending too much equipment before Ukrainian soldiers can be trained. The Pentagon is concerned about potentially depleting its stockpiles in the coming months.

Got that? Russia is advancing steadily. The weapon systems the US and NATO want to send outnumbers the Ukrainians trained to operate them. And the trillion dollar U.S. defense budget is running out of missiles and shells and cannot keep pace with the anemically funded Russians. Hilarious.

Now for the delusional parts of the Schmitt/Barnes article:

U.S. officials say Ukraine could mount a counterattack and claw back some — though not all — of the territory it has lost if it can continue to exact a bloody toll on Russia until new weapons can flow in from the West.

And if a frog had wings it could fly. The reason Ukraine is begging for new tanks, planes, artillery units and multiple launch rocket systems is because Russia has destroyed over 80% of Ukraine’s assets. And in the process of destroying tanks and planes and artillery pieces, Russia also has killed the best of Ukraine’s troops.

But that fact escapes Schmitt and Barnes. They happily peddle the DOD/CIA bullshit that Russia has suffered staggering losses and is scraping the bottom of the barrel to fill ostensibly depleted military units:

The nearly five-month war is at a critical moment, U.S. officials and others familiar with the intelligence assessments say. As many as 100 to 200 Ukrainian soldiers have died every day since Russia shifted its military campaign in the spring to focus on eastern Ukraine. But overall, about 20,000 Russians have been killed. Injuries have taken about 60,000 more off the battlefield. Nearly a third of Russia’s equipment has been destroyed in the war, according to Western officials, including several who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

To replenish its military, Russia would have to mobilize more of its population, by making a declaration of war — officially the conflict remains a “special military operation” — or by moving troops and equipment from Russia’s Far North or Far East to Ukraine.

Let me do the math for you. Russia started Phase 2–i.e., focusing on Donbass–on 1 April 2022. As of today, that is 104 days. If Ukraine was losing 100 a day that means only 10,400 have died. If the number is 200, that means 20,800. So let me get this straight. Ukraine, which is in a defensive crouch since April 1, has lost the Luhansk Republic and is being methodically pushed out of Donetsk, and has, under the worse case presented by US intelligence, suffered the same number of casualties as Russia?

If the Russian army actually suffered the kinds of losses claimed by Ukraine and the New York Times and anonymous US officials, then how in the hell did those sneaky Russians beat the crap out of the well entrenched Ukrainians? Russia started the “Special Military Operation” with approximately 200,000 troops. Yet the folks talking to Schmitt and Barnes insist that 80,000 Russians are casualties. In other words, 40% of the Russian force has been lost.

So, if that is true, those Russians must be incredible warriors. Ukraine has not taken back and defended a single hectare of territory it once held. This despite having a three to one numerical advantage over Russia. What the hell? Ukraine started the war with 600,000 soldiers against Russia’s paltry 200,000 and it is Russia that is, according to the Times, “steadily advancing.”

The real question that Schmitt and Barnes should have asked, how long can US officials continue to bullshit themselves and pour expensive weapon systems into a rat hole? The speed of Russia’s advance appears to be accelerating. There are reports today that Russian forces are entering the outskirts of Seversk, one of the key strong points of the new Ukrainian defensive line. If true, the Russians are likely to achieve a strategic breakthrough in the Donetsk.

What the gullible reporters and the morons who staff the CIA and DIA fail to comprehend is that Russia’s tactic of systematically destroying the air, armor and artillery assets over the past three months appears to have achieved Clausewitz’s culminating point–i.e., the point at which a military force is no longer able to perform its operations.

Ukraine, notwithstanding it numerical advantage in personnel, has yet to mount a significant offensive that has pushed the Russians back and kept them at bay. That is reality. The reality for Ukrainian troops is a nightmare. Here is a video of Russia attacking three columns of Ukrainian troops trying to launch an attack on Kherson in southern Ukraine (at link).

At some point, the American public will awaken to this reality and realize they have supported a program of unilateral disarmament. We sent many of our best weapons to Ukraine and the Russians are blowing them to hell.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: anotherciafuckup; bloggertrash; chechens; chechnya; deathcabforpootie; deathtochechnya; deathtoputin; deathtorussia; hateamericafirst; larryjohnson; neocons; newworldorder; oligarchs; pedosforputin; putin; putinlovertrollsonfr; putinsbuttboys; putinworshippers; russia; russianaggression; scottritter; ukraine; zottherussiantrolls
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To: Kazan

There was some sort of high level security meeting in Russia this week. They were very tight-lipped about what was discussed or agreed upon.

There is speculation that Russia is about to take the gloves off and open up a can of whoop-ass on “decision making centers”.


21 posted on 07/17/2022 12:34:14 PM PDT by Chunga85 (An arrogant govt combined with an ignorant population is a recipe for disaster.)
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To: apoliticalone
Why were there no efforts by Ukrainian leader, Russia, USA and UN to negotiate and avert a catastrophe that destroys a country and ends up killing many innocen

There were negotiations. Russia came to us with its security concerns in December and we refused to negotiate.

Russia tried to negotiate and end this war back in March. And, we demanded Ukraine cease negotiating.

22 posted on 07/17/2022 12:35:09 PM PDT by Kazan
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To: devere
The Russian army isn’t very good, but their propaganda is fist class.

The exact opposite is true. NATO has proven to be a paper tiger.

23 posted on 07/17/2022 12:36:55 PM PDT by Kazan
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To: devere
The Russian army isn’t very good, but their propaganda is fist class.

I think the Ukraine is getting some of that Russian fist somewhere...

24 posted on 07/17/2022 12:38:15 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: Chunga85

Be a shame if Lvov caught some hypersonics in a couple of their NATO/US command centers...


25 posted on 07/17/2022 12:39:29 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: Kazan

“Minsk II” is at the nucleus of the situation and I’d be surprised if 1 in 10,000 americans have the slightest idea what it is.


26 posted on 07/17/2022 12:40:38 PM PDT by Chunga85 (An arrogant govt combined with an ignorant population is a recipe for disaster.)
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To: kiryandil

I think it would be a good thing actually. The reason I say this is - *NOBODY* benefits from the belligerent behavior of the US state dept.

The sooner this stops the better everyone will be. And it looks like Russia has had enough of this on *their* border and they are about to STOP it.


27 posted on 07/17/2022 12:44:52 PM PDT by Chunga85 (An arrogant govt combined with an ignorant population is a recipe for disaster.)
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To: Kazan

F Russia. Ok?

There’s something wrong with people who keep looking at everything from the wonderful Russian point of view.

Plus it’s deceitful.

Russia was demanding that we withdraw from a multitude of current NATO member countries.

A little detail you folks live to ignore.

And Russia did that because it was going to invade Ukraine so it set impossible demands.


28 posted on 07/17/2022 12:46:43 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Kazan
"At some point, the American public will awaken to this reality "

And, as with "wars" in Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam, not one U.S. general will be court-martialed for the deceptions.

29 posted on 07/17/2022 12:48:16 PM PDT by Carl Vehse (A proud member of the LGBFJB community)
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To: Kazan

And in the process of destroying tanks and planes and artillery pieces, Russia also has killed the best of Ukraine’s troops.


And in the process of destroying tanks and planes and artillery pieces, Ukraine also has killed 50% the best of Russia’s troops in the first month.


30 posted on 07/17/2022 12:48:42 PM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Chunga85

Yeah look how we’re attacking WONDERFUL Russia in Ukraine!
We’re so aggressive!

What a total load of malarkey covering for a psychopathic Putin.


31 posted on 07/17/2022 12:48:55 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Williams

Reality is not going to be kind to you and that’s fine with me.

Your thinking is bad and of no benefit to anyone, including you.


32 posted on 07/17/2022 12:50:10 PM PDT by Chunga85 (An arrogant govt combined with an ignorant population is a recipe for disaster.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Why would I listen to a liar like you?

I think you’re a Putin stooge.

So there.


33 posted on 07/17/2022 12:50:27 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Chunga85

Tell me your life long credentials in foreign and military policy, big mouth.


34 posted on 07/17/2022 12:51:11 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Kazan

The speed of the Orc advance is at best a kilometer a day with all of their available troops massed at that point. Snails move faster.

Hit piece conflating different arguments to prove that the people of Ukraine belong under Russian rule; next will be the articles proving the same about Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Moldova, Hungry and Germany.


35 posted on 07/17/2022 12:53:30 PM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Thank you


36 posted on 07/17/2022 12:54:19 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Williams

You are living your life in an old black and white John Wayne movie. The world has left your kind of thinking for dead and there is nothing you can do about it.


37 posted on 07/17/2022 12:57:16 PM PDT by Chunga85 (An arrogant govt combined with an ignorant population is a recipe for disaster.)
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To: Kazan

good article
military summary just posted todays update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ21n0UFJ_E


38 posted on 07/17/2022 1:02:50 PM PDT by CarolinaReaganFan
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To: Williams

Yeah. Their 3 day war is going into its fifth month.


39 posted on 07/17/2022 1:03:46 PM PDT by Uncle Lonny
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To: Williams; Chunga85
What a total load of malarkey covering for a psychopathic Putin.

Dude!

It's not even 5 o'clock on a Sunday!

40 posted on 07/17/2022 1:04:53 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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