War in Ukraine

It's Russia's dumpster fire. They started it, they own it, and they have to deal with the consequences. All Kamala has to do is pour some gasoline on it (send some old weapons and new ammunition to Ukraine), and watch Russia's army get burned.

 

I mean from our perspective trump taking over sounds far worse it’s all about your perspective. I guess we can have a policy conversation about why Harris will be such a big problem? I doubt the policy will be much different than the current. Although hopefully more proactive and quicker at making decisions than Biden

 

What leads you to think Harris can be more proactive and make quicker decisions on Ukraine than Biden?

 

Russia’s recent advances are threatening Ukraine’s last defensive belt in the Donetsk region. Russian forces are now within artillery range of a key road linking Pokrovsk to other Ukrainian strongholds in the area.

“The situation is critical, as the pace of the enemy’s advance is worrying,” Mr. Butusov said.

Russia Punches Through Weakened Lines in Eastern Ukraine

 

I doubt she’ll be slower at pulling the trigger than Biden on escalating aid but I’m open to being disappointed lol.

 

What makes you doubt that though? I’m genuinely curious. What is it about Harris’ past that makes you think she’ll be a better CIC in a proxy war than Biden? Has she even commented on Ukraine since she was endorsed by Biden?

 

Agree with all, except we need to be doing a lot more than that. And we all need to stop deliberately making Ukraine a domestic political issue. It is the interest of the whole United States to stop Russia from normalizing conquest, not one political party or the other. We have a rules-based international order that is far from perfect and has great room for improvement. But it is better than any other that has ever existed in terms of reducing state-on-state violence and increasing global prosperity. If we (the U.S.) allow Russia to have this, then our best-case scenario is returning to a world order similar to the Cold War with much higher taxation on all and a lot of necessary militarization that neither the left nor the right will enjoy. Our worst case is a return to the world order of 1914, living on the precipice every day and waiting for a spark.

 

I’m curious about that myself. The real problem in this Administration (as I’ve repeatedly pointed out) is Jake Sullivan. He has been the single point of failure with every disastrous decision attributed to President Biden on Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Ukraine. Is Harris going to keep this clown or not? That is something I would really like her to address.

 

she’s not a hundred years old? She’s typically been more aggressive in her roles than Biden as well.

I mean like I said, I’m open to being disappointed - as I frequently am by U.S. leadership. However, how the war is supported will be largely influenced by her hypothetical cabinet and we have no clue who that would be at this point. Much like others who have posted on the war regularly we are excited to see some new blood running our support of Ukraine but it’s possible nothing changes and I’m disappointed. That being said, I know I’ll be disappointed with trump elected, he’s basically already talking exit, so what choice do I have but to hope she’s a bit more aggressive than Biden?

@uftaipan took the words right outta my mouth. Twice.

 

Russia is advancing in the east. https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-26-2024

but they’re still measuring the advances in meters. A good day might get them 200 meters. A bad day nothing but dead people.

 

I think we know Harris isn't going to critique Sullivan publicly. Biden is still her boss.

 

I’m not interested in her words right now. I’m interested in what she actually does if elected. Like above, I’m hopeful for a change in direction away from Sullivan. But she can’t really opine on that much until she’s in office unfortunately.

 

Oh, no doubt. But there are facing-saving ways to do the same thing. Announce, for instance, you’re bringing in a new national security team that reflects the new realities of the international environment. To channel Michael Corleone again, Tom Hagen is simply not a wartime consigliere.

 

Even that would be a backhand to Biden, but more importantly, I don't see any evidence from Harris that she is a competent executive who's ready to replace Sullivan with someone who would handle things better. In fact, I'd be more worried that she'd bring in somebody even worse. Moot point, however, as she is not going to beat Donald Trump.

 

It’s not looking great, honestly. Feels like the West needs direct intervention but no one wants to make that call.

 

The Russian gains have accelerated and there is the potential of flood gates opening if Russia penetrates the Ukrainian last line of defense in the Donetsk region. The Russians are now within artillery range of that last line. I wonder what the strategy is at this point. Both Zelenskyy and Putin have signaled willingness to talk. I get the feeling that's more an urgent cry for help on Zelenskyy's end.

 

Russia just keeps on building the reputation of their military. This time, an ass-kicking in a place called Mali involving their prized Wagner fighters (who have to be kept away from Moscow at all costs). A leading Russian propagandist died of humiliation at the scene when he was unable to put lipstick on the pig of this defeat.

No word on whether the Mali fighters were goat-herders or loom-weavers in their day job. They did have sunglasses and, presumably, other modern technology. The Mali rebels did offer to send the surviving Wagner fighters to Ukraine to defeat the weak Russian army.

Dozens of Wagner fighters killed and Russian helicopter destroyed in Mali ambush

 

The F-16 rollout is a joke. I can’t believe so many here got snowed into believing they would somehow turn the tide of this war.

F-16 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine but may not tip advantage against Russia — The Washington Post

 

I agree direct intervention is the only way for Ukraine to win at this point. As I’ve said since about January when aid stopped, it’ll be interesting to see what Europe specifically chooses to do, especially Eastern Europe, if Ukraine really starts to fold. And I don’t mean small losses of position on the front. I’m talking like losing Kharkiv again or kyiv being threatened. Something like that.

 

If Kyiv is being threatened at some point, I’d imagine Eastern Europe would be kicking themselves for not negotiating peace sooner. There’s no easy answer if it gets to that point.