Six years ago, I wrote a post about the folly of the admission of the Baltic republics into NATO. In retrospect, that was wrong. The Baltics are smaller and less populated than Ukraine. Russia could have begun Putin's plan to restore the Russian Empire there and probably would have, but for the fact that the Baltic nations are in NATO.
It's kind of funny that, now that the Russian's offensive to conquer Ukraine has not only stalled, but has been forced back from part of what they took, that the voices of the appeasers are growing louder. Russia clearly would like a break in the war to allow it to rebuild its army. Furthermore, a cease-fire agreement, now, would not slake Putin's ambition to restore the Russian Empire.
A cease-fire would, in effect, reward Russia for its aggression by giving her more of her victim's territory. Putin has not backtracked on his goal of conquering Ukraine. Any peace agreement, in order to have a chance of working, would require armed peacekeepers on the armistice line to deter future Russian aggression. The UN couldn't do it, because any move to enforce the peace would be vetoed by Russia, which has a permanent seat on the Security Council.
Pushing the Ukrainians to seek a cease-fire would require them and the world to close their eyes to Russian war crimes. it has seemed that every town retaken by the Ukrainian army has been followed by the discovery of torture chambers and the unearthing of
Appeasing aggressors has a poor track record of deterring future aggression. No matter what sort of agreement could be reached, Russia's track record is of finding a pretext to break its word. Only an utter fool would propose taking Russia at its word. But the WaPo found some jerkoff to suggest just that.
Meanwhile, in other Russian news that I was also originally wrong about:
Edward Snowden has received a Russian passport after swearing an oath of allegiance to the country that has sheltered him from US authorities since 2013, [Anatoly Kucherena,] his lawyer has said. ... “He of course is happy and thankful to the Russian Federation for his citizenship – he’s now a fully fledged citizen of Russia,” Kucherena said.
I'll bet heavily that Citizen/Comrade Snowden does not receive a mobilization order from his local draft board.
Now that Snowden is a Russian citizen he's subject to that country's draft. It would just deserts if the guy had to fight the Ukrainians. On your larger point, it's unwise to negotiate when your side is obviously winning. Maybe some mainstream writer should come out and say that Poo-tin should negotiate his surrender. Seems beyond wrong that the aggressor is allowed in the media to just slip away...
ReplyDeleteI read that Russia is now drafting its Soccer team. I wonder if Snowden has more or less pull than them?
ReplyDeletew3ski
With all due respect, Cap'n, I'll bet he does.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the appeasers. These are the shit that would throw us under the bus to glorify their tea-pot dictator. Clear and present danger ...
ReplyDeleteCanada, a country of extreme freezing temperatures, is sending Ukraine 500,000 sets of cold-weather clothing, from winter parkas to trousers, boots and gloves. Britain is also providing 25,000 sets of extreme cold-weather clothing as well as 12,000 sleeping kits and 150 heated tents.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/2022/11/18/who-has-the-advantage-in-ukraine-war-as-winter-sets-in/
ISW had the winter game state right.
Snowden seems to believe he can’t be extradited since he’s now a Russian. He’s delusional.
ReplyDeleteHe’s chosen a country where the government openly murders people they find to be inconvenient. Hell, even the Chinese go seem to through the formality of having a trial. Not in Russia: Poison, defenestration, accidentally shooting one’s self four times in the head with two different guns. Or now, a quick trip to Ukraine, complete with a free, rusted Kalashnikov or maybe even a SKS.
It is really so simple. Either the world finishes the job or it doesn't. If we don't finish the job when Ukraine is winning, we will allow dictatorship to triumph. Let's be clear that this is exactly what the Republican party wants, because it will set a precedent for them to do the same thing in the United States. First Putin must be utterly defeated, and then the Putinist forces in the West must be crushed.
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