Posted on 08/09/2023 1:21:33 PM PDT by Mariner
One of Ukraine’s greatest tragedies as it pursues a critical offensive that has, so far, failed to meet its own and Western expectations is that it cannot, by itself, decide its destiny.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government is dependent on a massive pipeline of US and western armaments. And Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose historical obsessions and personal power calculations thrust Ukraine into this horrific war, will also have a great say in if and when it ends. So, while battlefield sacrifices will decide how much seized territory Ukraine recovers, the outcome of the war will also be shaped by outside factors, including shifting political forces in the US, Moscow and European capitals.
A stalled offensive and a winter stalemate, for instance, would have particular ramifications in the United States since it could heighten questions over US support for the war that will be pushed into an acrimonious election year. Americans are braced for a potential clash between President Joe Biden, who revived the Western alliance and is Ukraine’s most critical outside supporter, and ex-President Donald Trump, a NATO skeptic who admires Putin and has pledged to end the war in 24 hours, likely on Putin’s terms. And even if Trump is not the GOP nominee in 2024, ebbing public support for the war could hurt Biden.
Therefore, for political, as well as strategic reasons, there is huge pressure on Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive this summer to produce significant battlefield breakthroughs. But so far, the push is more of a slog than a blitzkrieg, raising the possibility that the war could last at least deep into next year. If so, the elastic equation that underpins the entire conflict – involving Ukraine’s capacity to fight, Americans’ appetite for multi-billion dollar aid packages and Putin’s tolerance for horrendous casualties – will be even more taut.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
And NATO must accept defeat by Russia in a proxy war.
The borders in Europe moved back and forth for a thousand years without any help from us. Let the Europeans deal with it.
It seems that both Russia and Ukraine would benefit from engaging in peace negotiations rather than continuing a conflict that results in the loss of valuable lives on both sides.
I agree.
And the sooner the better for all concerned.
Because he can't supply enough Children to his Pedo US supporters?
Zelensky can’t negotiate without the Big Guy’s approval. So far the Big Guy ain’t approving no negotiations. C’mon man! There’s more graft to be had!
Zelensky can’t negotiate without the Big Guy’s approval. So far the Big Guy ain’t approving no negotiations. C’mon man! There’s more graft to be had!
Man, the second very anti administration narrative piece from CNN I’ve seen today. The satrapy is only as good as the next stooge president on the bench. NATO needs a fall guy. I wonder who’ll it’ll be?
Russia can’t be allowed to humiliate clown world. 🤡
“The borders in Europe moved back and forth for a thousand years without any help from us. Let the Europeans deal with it.”
that’s not entirely accurate because Wilson’s 14 points and “self-determination” had a big effect on the post-WW1 border changes which caused more problems than they solved.
And we accept the needless loss of most of our weapons, multi-billions worth.
I cannot bring myself to give one single hoot about who wins that war.
Ukraine has to stay on offense because it is the one chance to keep Russia from going on the offensive - when your enemy comes into your defensive field of fire you let him come as far forward as possible so their chance of retreat is diminished.
End of September another 209k Russian soldiers will be trained and ready. By December another 250k will bring the active force to 1.3m and another 750k-1m in reserves.
No one expected Russia to fight a defensive war or to try minimizing their own losses. Today Russia is producing and/or repairing or retrofitting nearly 1000 tanks a month. They were only producing 125 T90s last January.
It is hard to imagine how many drones, missiles, 500/1000 bombs they’ve stockpiled while waiting on that 200k to enter Ukraine in September.
Will Russia just stop at the 4 breakaway Republics or will they decide that giving Ukraine 500 km German missiles requires a buffer zone for Moscow.
Now N Korean missiles are being sent to Russia, something that could alter Ukrainian ability to keep the population from leaving.
“I wonder who’ll it’ll be?”
Z, definitely Z.
Russia controls their own fate.
Ukraine does not.
For those who say “Russia has already lost”, they should stew on the above for awhile.
The counter offensive had no chance. NATO officials had to know this. What they hoped to achieve with this is up to conjecture. But the goal is not defeating Russia. We can speculate, but whatever it is a lot of men have been sacrificed for no battlefield gain to amount to anything. The cheerleaders should hang their heads in shame. Or just hang.
And no I’m not forgetting that Putin started this. We have plenty of rope
Clandestine
@WarClandestine
For those wondering why peace talks haven’t happened and why the Biden regime are sending more US troops to Russia; allow me to enlighten you.
Russian MIL accused Biden himself of orchestrating bioweapons production via his biolab company operating in Ukraine, Metabiota.
Biden cannot allow Ukraine to surrender and he cannot have peace talks with Putin, because Russia have presented evidence at the UN over the past 18 months, of biological weapon production by US funded labs in Ukraine, and Russia have demanded that a stipulation for peace would be a UN Security Council investigation of the US biological network in Ukraine. Biden cannot have this because he is directly involved.
Keep in mind these are the same biolabs that the MSM initially said didn’t exist at all, only to then later admit that they do exist, but claim they are totally not nefarious in any way. Hunter Biden just has ownership of a biolab company operating in Ukraine, studying bat coronaviruses BEFORE the pandemic. Nothing to see here.
This is why hundreds of billions of your dollars are in Ukraine and why Biden is willing to sacrifice the Ukrainian People down to the last man. Russia want justice for crimes against humanity via violations of the Biological Weapons Treaty, for which the punishment is death.
I’ve been telling the world since the jump; Russia’s escalation in Ukraine is backlash for the US creation of C19. Ukraine and Covid are connected.
Here is Russian General Igor Kirillov last summer, briefing the public on the US Biological network and Hunter Biden’s Metabiota. [ransomnote: video at link]
Zelensky may had decided that he had to go for it. Biden is an old man. He cannot guarantee on continued support from the U.S. Our track record is crap. We gave up on Afghanistan and Vietnam.
Why a stalled Ukrainian offensive could represent a huge political problem for Zelensky in the US
And it will be a welcome blessing for US taxpayers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
