Ukraine needs America’s help

Washington Post ^ | January 29 at 8:12 PM | Steven Pifer and Strobe Talbott

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

"Eight former U.S. national security practitioners — the two of us, plus former U.S. representative to NATO Ivo Daalder, former undersecretary of defense Michèle Flournoy, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, former deputy undersecretary of defense Jan Lodal, former NATO European commander James Stavridis and former U.S. European Command deputy commander Charles Wald — come together issuing following recommendations for immediate action. (releasing Monday report: “Preserving Ukraine’s Independence, Resisting Russian Aggression: What the United States and NATO Must Do.”)

First, White House and Congress must commit serious money to Ukraine’s defense: $1 billion in military assistance this fiscal year, followed by additional $1 billion each in fiscal year 2016 and 2017. Congress should not only authorize assistance, as it did in the Ukraine Freedom Support Act last year, but also appropriate funds.

Second, U.S. government should alter its policy and begin providing lethal assistance to Ukraine. Most of the above funds would go to nonlethal assistance. For example, the Ukrainian army desperately needs counter-battery radars to pinpoint the source of enemy rocket and artillery fire, which cause about 70 percent of Ukrainian casualties.

But the Ukrainians also need some defensive arms, particularly light anti-armor weapons. The antitank missiles in the Ukrainian inventory are more than 20 years old, and a large proportion of them do not work. U.S. anti-armor weapons could fill a crucial gap.

Third, the U.S. government should approach other NATO member states about assisting Ukraine, particularly those countries that operate former Soviet equipment and weapons systems compatible with Ukraine’s hardware. If the United States moves to provide lethal assistance, we believe that some other NATO countries will do so as well.

Time is urgent. Spring arrives in three months in eastern Ukraine, and fighting could then achieve new intensity. We should help the Ukrainians deter that."

[Cronos]

Wait — I’m not supporting Putin’s corrupt regime. I believe he has hobbled Russia by not modernising it during the commodity boom. The only thing he did that I support is his support of Assad. Besides that, I don’t, so no need to tell me of all his shortcomings

[Cronos]

sure, thanks — I’ll check your previous posts for these links and photos

[Cronos]

i've spoken to many Russian ordinary people and, well, I live in Poland and most Poles distrust Russia a LOT more than the USA (I'm not Polish nor of Polish descent, but married to a Pole -- :)

The ordinary Russians see their country as a great power, a great force for good (yes, really -- brainwashed, aren't they?) and one whose time must come again.

Putin doesn't want to strangle the USA, he wants two things -- the grander is to have Russia as a respected power, an equal of the USA and the second is to enrich his cronies and himself

He doesn't want to strangle the USA, rather he is like a weak, cornered rat who strikes at what he thinks can "hurt" the USA.

[Cronos]

NATO won't do that -- Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, Turkey won't allow this -- for self-preservation.

Also, Latvia isn't that big in Russia's mind -- they will only use it to distract the West.

Their aim is the south -- Turkey.

[Cronos]

Cossak — I was telling that to tcrlaf that W. Ukrainians are not only Hungarians. Note the words “not only”

[Cronos]

Yes -- the Islamic State follows Wahabbiism, the state sect of the Saudis. It was also funded by the Saudis and the Qataris (and still is). It was also set up as th eSunni answer to the Shia crescent -- and the Sunni answer is in SAudia and Qatar's favor and against Russia.

The Russians don't support Sunni terrorists for the simple reason that those are a threat to 'Mother Russia" herself and that they won't allow.

SHIA terrorists like the Hizb-allah are another matter -- the Ruskies support those via Iran no doubt.

[Cronos]

"Russia kills or generally persecutes Christians" -- sorry, no, that is not true.

Iran does support Christians -- Christians are free to worship and live there -- the ancient Armenian Church and the Assyrian Church of the East are protected there. Granted, they can't proselytise, but being able to live is much, much better than the option given by Sunni nations like Saudi which say you can't be a citizen and a Christian.

[Cronos]

GPH -- Cossak is correct if he's talking about European NATO countries -- Russia exports no gas (afaik) to the USA and most especially to the Baltic nations

Most of Western Europe bar the UK get their gas and oil from Russia. They are moving away from this, but not quickly enough.

And the Central and Eastern states, thanks to the legacy of communism are heavily tied to Russian oil and gas -- conservative Poles berate the Tusk government for not drilling shale gas in Poland

and the Baltics are utterly and completely dependent on Russian oil and gas. Also, they have had silly petty squabbles and not set up railway lines or oil lines to link their capitals to Warsaw and Berlin (railway lines from Riga, Talinn and Vilnius lead to Moscow, a legacy of Soviet times).

This can change, but right now, Moscow doesn't need to invade to threaten them.

Also, they don't serve a strategic or propaganda purpose like Ukraine (the "birthplace of Russia" -- which is a lie, more like one of the two birthplaces of Moscowy -- the other being the land of Genghis Khan)

GPH, also, if the Russians do not sell oil, they have other things and exports to poorer countries. They would become heavily impoverished, but they are not that bad as cannibalism.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Putin doesn't want to strangle the USA, he wants two things -- the grander is to have Russia as a respected power, an equal of the USA and the second is to enrich his cronies and himself

You are naive. Russia's nuclear war preparations-- his alliance with communist and Islamist countries-- his subversion and disinformation campaign against the West which depict us as the great "Satan"-- this is not how someone manifests their desire to be "an equal." It's the mark of an enemy, the same enemy they've always been.

By the way, you mentioned you live in Poland? Better be careful:

“We have to strike Poland and the Baltic States, where there are NATO rockets and aircraft. Since we cannot allow one plane to take off and strike Russia – we will have to strike first – half an hour before takeoff. And to be sure, we will be carpet bombing. America is not a threat, but the small midget states of Europe will cease to exist. They will be wiped out. Then NATO will have to beg us for negotiations. Otherwise we will give them again a May ’45.” – Vladimir Zhirinovsky, August 2014 (Television interview, 8.08.2014.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8w1gwm7EzU

[Cronos]

Sorry, this is not naivety -- Putin is hard-nosed enough and corrupt enough to only think in terms of himself and getting respect rather than strangling.

Your statement has numerous holes:

1. "his alliance with communist and Islamist countries" -- by "communist", you mean Cuba, Venezuala and possibly N. Korea? all of these 4th world countries are little more than "let me see if I can annoy the big gorilla and teach him to leave me alone in my CIS back-yard Secondly, "alliance with Islamist countries"? Which ones -- Iran. That's it. In contrast, the USA is (disgustingly) in bed with the SAudis, Qataris, etc. all of whom are worse terrorists than the IRanis.

2. "his subversion and ...." -- those are ways of him trying to get his own back -- and pretty clumsy and stupid they are, so bad they convince no one

2. you quote Zhirinovsky -- you do realise he's in a different party from and opposed to Putin? Putin treats him as a useful idiot with his mouthing off.