One of the great things about being the US is that you get to fight countries you hate with other countries’ people. The problem of course is that you’re getting other countries’ people killed off. I don’t know, seems callous to me.
In my opinion, we should send 51 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to get the ball rolling. Name each one after a U.S. state, plus one for D.C. Send enough fuel trucks and maintenance trucks to keep them functional, and provide training for them in Poland or Germany. See how many tanks that persuades Germany to part with, and see if they let Poland send all their tanks to Ukraine. Only sending 51 makes it clear that they are more of a symbolic contribution than something expected to turn the war on its ear. But if that's what it takes to get Germany to get off the fence, I say let's do it. (We could also follow the progress of the various tanks, and cheer for our home state's tank.)
Those countries are free to surrender at any time. For some reason, they have enough minimum intelligence to value their own freedom. Apparently, not everyone does.
The only thing I’d disagree with here is the inference that “most in Russia” have a say as to who’s in power in Russia. I don’t think Prigoshin’s concern is how the West views him,either. He probably propagandizes it as a badge of honor. First order of business for him is to shore up the power, then he’ll worry about mollifying the West through dishonest platitudes.
What they needed to assert, early on, was their freedom from the US. But their undying fealty, to the aging dowager that is the US, is leaving their country in ruins and actually making for an even stronger Russia. But the US, though falling, still has aways to fall. So it can still wipe its hands, from another proxy war defeat, and find another country to destroy in its fevered rush to maintain at least the illusion of preeminence. That’s just one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is Russia signaling, to Ukrainian nationalists, that they are not free to menace and kill ethnic-Russians. And indeed Russia is presently engaged in ejecting said fanatical nationalists from those territories.
Just a reminder that the Three Days Myth was a concoction of Gen. “White Rage” Milley ... Gen. Milley says Kyiv could fall within 72 hours if Russia decides to invade Ukraine: sources
"Doktor Nein" (Doctor No) is still holding out from sending German Leopards to Ukraine. He has changed his "rules" on what it would take for Germany to send in the tanks after Britain contributed 14 Challengers--the new story for Doctor Nein is that the U.S. has to send tanks. How Germany's ‘Doctor No’ disrupted allied unity on tanks for Ukraine (yahoo.com) Kinda funny, I have to admit. Smaller countries like Denmark are getting in on the action with howitzer donations. Ouch. The French only sent 18 CAESAR's; they have 11 times the population AND they make the CAESAR.
NATO shamelessly pressuring Germany into providing Leopards to Ukraine, the net effect of which would simply ensure the deaths of many more Ukrainian troops. But Germany put itself in this position, having cowed to earlier pressure to embrace the mindless and disastrous sanctions.
Even if we didn't help arm Ukraine, they would have fought and Ukrainian people would be getting killed. If Russia was successful in Ukraine, we might be directly involved defending Putin's next victim country if he attacked a member of NATO.
Compared to what little is going to be left of Ukraine, based on current trends, accepting Putin’s earlier demands would have been a huge win for Ukraine ...
curious your thoughts on US Army's concern on logistics of keeping an Abrams tank operational. Its challenging even or us much less another country in the midst of war.i.e. fuel, ammunition, trucking, larger crew to maintain. One reason we're developing a smaller tank.
If our tanks never make it to the front, or only last a few days in battle before breaking down, it's worth it to get a few hundred Leopards on the field, blasting Russia's tanks in a turkey shoot. The question is: how many Abrams would be needed to get Germany off the fence and to go full steam ahead with a sizeable donation? Poland is ready to donate 100 Leopards right now. If our donation results in 200-300 Leopards getting in Ukraine's hands, that is well worth it. If Ukraine wins the war, they can send back the Abrams that survived the fighting and we can fix them up for training or put them in museums. I am perfectly fine with donating Abrams tanks as a symbolic gesture, if it gets Germany to go with the program. We should probably take out the leather seats first--no sense in them getting ruined.
Are you suggesting Russia is going to invade the US? The only nation I recall that invaded the shores of the US was Japan. I suppose we could also throw the American Mexican war in that category as well. Other than that I am hard pressed to think of any other instances. OF course there is the Brits but they were already here when we threw them out. As far as I'm concerned I'm not losing any sleep over what happens between Russia and Ukraine and the American public certainly is not gaining any benefit from participating in that war.
For some Zelensky will be seen as a hero for others he will not be remembered so kindly. I'll state once again it's not our fight period.
I’m afraid that wouldn’t even be the most contentious issue. If you gave DC their own tank, then you’d have to do the same for the other non-state territories; otherwise, it will be fire and brimstone from the delegates to Congress. Then you’d have to tread especially carefully with Puerto Rico: if you assume they would want their own tank, half the island would protest that the U.S. had no right to make that kind of their decision on their behalf; if you assume the opposite, then half of the island (including many of the people who had just argued the contrary) would cry out, “Are we not Americans?!” So Congress sighs and establishes a plebiscite. Three years into the war Puerto Rico agrees to send a tank but only under its flag with no U.S. association. “Very good,” says Congress. “The war continues. When are you sending your tank?” “What do you mean?” says Puerto Rico. “Your ‘national’ tank. When are you sending it? Ukraine wants to know.” “Huh?!” says Puerto Rico. “You mean, when are you sending our tank. You can’t expect us to pay for our national tank.” And on, and on it will go. Best to just keep it at 50 and let Florida be the greatest of the problems.
I’m surprised that you did not riposte that San Diego has not had “gates” since, like, the 1850s. Now that would have been a sick burn.
That's really cold, especially a few days after the birthday of our nation's greatest current living artistic genius. And I was too harsh on Florida. It was good when I was growing up in West Tampa before too many Anglos moved in and ruined things
