On A U.S. Ground Intervention In Ukraine

Moon of Alabama ^ | January 30, 2023

[Kazan]

This absurd fantasy that Ukraine, even with full NATO involvement, is going to take back lost territory from Russia must end.

We're wasting billions, thousands are dying and it has us closer to WWIII and nuclear war than we were during the Cold War.

It's time to do what Donald Trump has suggested and negotiate and end to all of this.

[struggle]

They’re putting on a good show and hoping they sucker Russian into a huge failed offensive in which Russian men and materiel are killed to the degree that Putin is ousted by his own men.

It might have happened in Feb when his paratroopers were killed in Kiev, but now he’s simply slowly grinding down Ukrainians. I really don’t see how this goes on past spring.

[Bratch]

Via Threadreader:

1) Now that I have everyone’s attention, allow me to address why US establishment politicians are sending tanks, jets, weapons, equipment, and $100+ billion to Ukraine.

[FlyingEagle]

Ah - honesty! How refreshing!

[Openurmind]

U.S. Boots on the ground will be the death of us all.

[Vermont Lt]

“ Russia has a well trained high tech army.”

That line made me guffaw.

[FlyingEagle]

Wow - what a great link.

[Regulator]

Well..We'll Meet Again

[csvset]

Have faith Neocons ! Your CIC Joe Poopy Pants Biden is doing the war dance !

[pierrem15]

*Iraqi equipment was badly maintained and Iraqi forces were barely trained. Russia has a well trained high tech army.

Thanks for the laughs.

Most of the new troops Putin raised are manning secondary defense lines. They are poorly trained and equipped, most of all missing vehicles, which means they have almost no mobility. Cut through those lines and there's nothing they can do.

Russia is fighting a grinding war of artillery and infantry advances because it has no choice. Russian air defense is good, as is the Ukrainian, which is why Russia is unable to bring most of its air assets to bear. They can't fly high or they'll be shot down and if they fly low, their range is cut and they have fewer bases that are within range.

In any actual fight with NATO, Russian units would be pounded with precision standoff munitions until their air defense units are eliminated. Bridges and railways supplying Russian forces would be knocked out. The Black Sea fleet would be sunk by long range anti-ship missiles. The Ukrainians are holding off the Russians with a tiny fraction of the Western equipment the US and NATO would bring to bear.

[tet68]

But there are many reasons why no such operation will ever be planned and executed.

To NOT plan it would be foolish, to execute it even more so.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

There are some 550,000 Russian troops in and around Ukraine.

Ideally, you need a 3:1 troop ratio to conduct successful offensive operations. A 2:1 ratio might work, but it's high risk. If we truly want Russia out of Ukraine, which is the stated end state, we need a force of about 1.5 million: 500,000 US troops, 500,000 other NATO troops, and 500,000 Ukrainian troops. But first, we need to manufacture more artillery ammunition. We're out of that. So we'll have to wait a year. Prayers for Ukraine.

[PGR88]

After Napoleon and Hitler - I would enjoy seeing BIDEN trying invade Russia.

Maximum clown show.

[KobraKai]

I laugh at how the author definitively states the U.S. will not commit troops to this war, when we have right now, the proverbial ‘Hold My Beer’ president running this crap show!

[blueunicorn6]

Don’t assume that after the West expended lots of ammunition, equipment and lives that Russia would not be really angry and not just sit within their boundaries twiddling their thumbs.

[Toad of Toad Hall]

Time to cash out, Hunter. Ukraine is so yesterday. The party’s moving on to Poland or Taiwan. See you there!

The biggest laugh will come when Poland grabs a piece of Ukraine about as big as the Donbas…. For ‘safe keeping’ of course.

[PGR88]

You sound like a child playing “Crusader Kings” video game

If your elves can grab the golden ring, and you will be upgraded with 100 more Knights Templar and will take the castle!

Its funny, except for the fact that people in DC engage in such fantasy games also, which is terrifying.

[DesertRhino]

It took the U.S. some nine month to assemble a forces of some 700,000 U.S. and 250,000 allied troops with all their equipment.

Inaccurate. The Iraqis invaded on August 2nd, 1990. The ground invasion into Kuwait was Feb 24 1991. So it was really more like 6 1/2 months.
The rest of the concept is worthy.

Also, bear in mind, that was the US military at it’s pinnacle of cold war readiness. Today’s military is more techie, but it’s a bare shadow of the combat power of desert storm.

[Honorary Serb]

STOP the US/NATO war against the Orthodox world!!!! NO to WWIII!!!!

[DesertRhino]

Also, the battlefield terrain there was basically a flat sand parking lot. Not a tree, not a sprig of grass...nothing.
That really helped the speed and lack of opportunities for lower grade but deadly resistance.

Last war with two battleships, M-60 tanks, Bob Hope, Phantom II’s, A-4s, and a masculine military.
And the M1 tank and skill of our crews was proven beyond a doubt. No Iranians in a speedboat would have -dared- try to capture a US navy patrol boat in that world.