Anyway back to updates. Here is a great one with a ton of detail about troop deployments in the east and what it means. Ukraine Update: 'Swedish Brigade' deploys to Bakhmut; new long-range missiles possible for Ukraine
Russian general Sergey Surovikin, a.k.a. Uncle Fester, was a double-secret VIP member of Wagner, and got a 50% discount on Wagner-brand camouflage shirts, socks, and underwear. For that, he was arrested and charged with treason. Putin tolerates no competition to his Putin-brand socks and underwear. Surovikin apparently had to heroically hold a machine gun while asking his buddy Prigo to stop the insurrection, because nothing is more dangerous than someone pointing a gun at a camera to the viewers at home. Exclusive: Russian General Sergey Surovikin was secret VIP member of Wagner, documents show | CNN
Putin debuts a new style bra for his Putin-brand underwear line, claiming it protects against chafing and insurrections. It even has a pair of handles for easy removal. Furthermore, it is bullet-proof and hypo-allergenic. Perfect for the germophobe leader of an invading country. It's what every dictator needs in today's uncertain world. Putin strives to reassert control after Wagner mutiny | CNN
Another heartwarming update on Ukraine: Will it win the war or cause disaster? U.S. debates sending cluster bombs to Ukraine More than 120 countries have banned their use — Congress and human rights groups lambasted Russia for firing them last year, and the White House has resisted pressure to send them for months. But now, the U.S. is seriously considering the idea of providing the Ukrainian military with cluster bombs. Worldwide, civilians represented 97% of all cluster munition casualties, according to a report in August by the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, a campaign group that works to eradicate their use. Children accounted for 66% of all casualties where the age group was known, the report said. Last year, 27 Democratic House members sent a letter to Biden pleading for him to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that bans the transfer and use of the cluster rounds. That view has not disappeared, though it has grown to acknowledge the talk in Washington about what to do with America’s stockpile of cluster bombs. “This is what militaries say,” Mary Wareham, the arms advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said. “Any weapon would be useful. Chemical weapons would be useful. Cluster munitions for us are in the same category as chemical weapons and are prohibited for a very specific reason, because of the civilian harm and the human suffering that’s brought by them.”
War is not a football game. Especially when you're the most powerful nation on earth and have responsibilities all over the globe. You really can't just sit on the sidelines and cheer for one side or the other, especially when the stakes are as big as they are in this war. We have very valid reasons for wanting Ukraine to win this war, and we therefore have an obligation to do what we can to help them win. At the end of the war, no one is going to say, "There's always next season."
Sad to think after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed or wounded, and their country reduced to rump, Russia’s going to wind up getting what they wanted through prior negotiations. Zelensky should have known this is what happens to your country and your people when Washington selects you as a proxy.
Actually, I think that is what happens when a neighboring foreign country invades its neighbor, kills the citizens and reduces the country to rump. The only ones to blame here are Russia and Putin.
Everyone I know in the military, which is quite a few due to growing up in the military, is in favor of strongly backing Ukraine regardless of their political ideology. For instance, my father is retired military, Rush-loving, Fox News watching staunch Republican who thinks Democrats are the bane of our country but he is fully behind giving Ukraine everything it needs which is more than we’re currently doing.
Ukraine will be able to rebuild after the war. Russia will be lucky to get help from Belarus to rebuild their shattered economy. In fact, I would say that if the war drags on much longer, Russia may not be able to afford to keep Ukraine even if Russia wins the war, which it most likely won't. Presumably, when it comes time to rebuild Russia's annihilated economy under the next Russian leader, the West will be smarter in requiring Russia to level its weapons factories. And that might be the best thing that comes out of this war.
That's nice and anecdotal and I suppose it makes sense that those serving in the military are more likely to think in more militaristic terms, but I don't think that proves much. People don't sign up for the military so they can learn the art of diplomacy. I'd happily volunteer my service in the military if the cause was justifiable, but I'm not looking for rationales to go to war. In any case, your anecdotal evidence doesn't change facts, which is many progressive media outlets are regularly calling for significant expansion of our already significant military aid to Ukraine. (on edit: changed "liberal media outlets" to "progressive media outlets" as that is a more accurate assessment)
News from the front: Russia's SAM systems can't seem to stop Ukrainian Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Ukraine Situation Report: Russian SAMs Can't Stop This Storm Shadow
Don't look now, but Russia is in danger of losing Bahkmut. They will have to decide whether to pull soldiers from other areas to defend Bahkmut, or risk letting Ukraine re-capture or possibly surround the city. I imagine Russia has some regrets over pissing off their best fighting troops from Wagner. Wagner troops, BTW, are being given a choice as to whether they want to stay in Belarus, return to Russia, or join the Russian military at 50% of their pay. ISW: Ukraine's advances near Bakhmut may create deployment dilemma for Russians
“even if Russia wins the war” I’m putting this in a Tupperware container and keeping it in the fridge.
Works for me. The only way to crush Russia’s war machine all at once is full intervention, which simply is not in the cards politically unless Russia crosses a line, such as using nuclear weapons or deliberately causing a meltdown. That said, the best Ukrainian strategy is the slow bleed, which causes Russia’s defeat domestically by a thousand cuts, retaking land here and there when the opportunity presents but not making that the objective.
That’s the problem with Muricans. We fight wars abroad that don’t need to be fought. We run from wars at home that need to be fought.
