The war is settling into a slow, painful grind. Russia is concentrating in the East but have made gains in the southern border.
A protracted war is likely to end with an advantage for Russia, since they have access to more fighting materiel.
Which brings up the matter of how much more assistance to give Ukraine.
So far the West has been careful to not provide Ukrainians with more sophisticated weaponry, the kind capable of inflicting more serious damage to Russia.
One of the worries has been that the aid provided not be of such quantity or quality to put the West in the category of co combatant.
But that’s a definition that Putin came up with and imposed on us.
The undisputed pluck of the Ukrainian people have done all they can with what they have.
Can they have more?
Can they have planes?
Providing them would give Ukraine a chance of beating the Russians more quickly.
The war would escalate but the chances of Ukraine booting the Russians completely out of their territory would increase.
The big question is what would Putin do?
There’s no question that he’s fully committed to the conquest of their neighbor, but would he follow through with the threat of using nuclear weapons?
I think the time has come when we must confront him on this.
The atrocities committed by Russians give the West the higher moral ground.
I recall Biden stating that he would draw a line on the use of chemical weapons. So too with nuclear weapons.
I think Putin’s threats must be confronted.
And we should make it clear too that, should there be a nuclear confrontation, China would be a target of ours also.
This would make China intercede with Putin to dissuade him from using the nuclear weapons.
Ukraine’s resolve will not last forever. For all the help they’re getting from the West they have limited manpower, much less than Russia, which has recently raised the age for enlistment in their army.
We should make it clear that our objectives are not regime change in Russia. That’s for Russians to do. But they should leave Ukraine entirely.
Will congress approve that stance?
Chances are they will. Mitch McConnell and company has supported the 40 billion package aid recently passed.
Russia is becoming more and more isolated. They’re lacking parts for their weaponry that need to come from the West and that will hurt.
Here in America we’re struggling with inflation and supply chain constraints, but the war looms large over everything.
One other point. I agree that it should be up to Ukrainians if they wish to negotiate a cease fire.
It’s their blood being shed, their land being ravaged and they have limits.
Oscar Valdes oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts
