So, Now, TC, What do you think the U.S. and NATO should do about Putin and his War against Ukraine? With all President Biden tells us 'we' are doing, some 'others' have wanted us to do what President Zelensky has been begging for. This is my plea... a tiny whisper for many, a speck of a stand-in. I remember our exchanges regarding WHAT…
So, Now, TC, What do you think the U.S. and NATO should do about Putin and his War against Ukraine? With all President Biden tells us 'we' are doing, some 'others' have wanted us to do what President Zelensky has been begging for. This is my plea... a tiny whisper for many, a speck of a stand-in. I remember our exchanges regarding WHAT IS A NO-FLY ZONE, your March 11th edition..
Bucha, Mariupol...what will be found in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where Russian troops continue their air and artillery attacks?
I've paid scant to no attention to recent editions of 'thats another fine mess' because it is practically impossible to leave Ukraine. Have I made you a fall guy for my outrage? I am sorry, TC; it is not fair of me.
An excerpt from our exchanges re: WHAT IS A NO-FLY ZONE?
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
Putin has to be stopped. If NATO/USA doesn't end this genocide within the next few days, which won't end with Ukraine, it is on us.
TCinLA
We're going to have to agree to disagree on this Fern. There are no good outcomes.
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
TC, This is a poem ,'amid mounting evidence', that I would like to share with you. With appreciation and respect, Fern
That's a good one. I fully agree. Having a table full of shit sandwiches, that range from solid turds on day old bread to runny stuff on moldy bread and all between, is a helluva choice.
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
It is not frustration knocking against my brain. He should have been stopped long ago. I remember what he's done and we haven't. Then those before him...and the number here without conscience. You feel this as much as anyone., TC 🌿
TCinLA
Yeah, you could consider Putin's time in office from the first Chechen War in 1999 to the Crimea steal in 2014 as his version of Histler 1936-38 with the Rhineland, the Anschluss, the Munich Crisis and the takeover of Czechoslovakia, with nobody paying attention to anything he did till he invades Poland in 1939.
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
TC, Allen checked in. The hope is that Tanya will be well enough to travel to Poland tomorrow. Good night.
We're stuck. We're starting to do the right thing with Slovakia sending S-300s and the Czechs sending T-72 tanks. More please! Also artillery and some MLRS systems. Offensive weapons to oppose the Russian offensive.
Get the Europeans to move as quickly as they can (which admittedly isn't very quick, due to lack of alternatives) to stop using Russian gas and oil.
Unfortunately, the current NATO alliance activation can't get directly involved, and talking about it is just being a stupid Republican.
What 'we' and NATO are supplying to the Ukrainian military continues to be dangerously inadequate. The following reports are from The Washington Post and Air Force Magazine:
'What weapons to send to Ukraine? How debate shifted from helmets to tanks.'
'Ukrainian officials are clear on what they want from the United States and Europe: weapons. Big, heavy weapons. Not helmets.'
'They say they need these weapons now, not later. And a lot of them.'
'The message has been broadly the same from the start of Russia’s invasion, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly said “I need ammunition, not a ride,” to this past week, when Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told NATO leaders in Brussels that he had a threefold agenda: “weapons, weapons and weapons.”
'But in the United States and Europe, the discussions over what types of weapons to send are far different from what they were just six weeks ago.'
'This is a pivotal moment of the war, and as the battlefield shifts, the sorts of weapons Ukrainian forces need are changing, too. There is no longer a fear that the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, could fall within days. Russian forces are repositioning for a fight over eastern Ukraine — what many predict will be full-scale confrontation on flat, open, rural terrain, between infantry, armor and artillery, in the kind of engagements not seen in generations.'
'Battles may be tougher for Ukrainians as war shifts to wide-open terrain in east'
'On Saturday, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with Zelensky. His main message was about weapons: that Britain would supply 120 more armored vehicles, in addition to anti-ship missile systems to support Ukraine in the Black Sea.'
'This next phase of war in Ukraine could be “protracted” — “measured in months or longer,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned at a White House briefing. It could look like something from World War II, with two large armies facing off, Kuleba told NATO foreign ministers earlier this week.'
“To win such a war, we need different help than what we have been receiving before,” said Ukraine’s defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, in a video appeal released Thursday. “We want to liberate the enemy-occupied territories as soon as possible. To do this, we need other weapons.”
'Now, some NATO countries are preparing to supply Ukraine with more lethal, sophisticated, long-range and heavily armored weapons.'
“So antitank missiles alone are not going to cut it,” said Michael Kofman, research program director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA, a think tank based in Arlington, Va.'
'Kofman estimated that Ukraine needs “hundreds” of armored combat vehicles, including tanks, and a tremendous amount of ammunition.'
Reznikov ticked off a longer list: air defense systems and combat aircraft to protect citizens and Ukrainian troops from missiles and airstrikes; long-range artillery to keep Russian forces at a distance; tanks and armored vehicles to break through Russian defenses and liberate the occupied territories; and anti-ship missiles to beat back the Russian naval siege and unblock ports on the Black Sea.'
'Western governments have been reluctant to send such heavy weaponry. But the Czech Republic has become the first NATO country to contribute tanks, a senior Czech official confirmed to The Washington Post on Saturday, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a transfer that hasn’t been announced officially.'
“Hopefully, that will start a race to who can supply more,” said William Alberque, director of strategy, technology and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
“It’s hard to be the first one” to send tanks, “but when someone breaks the ice, it’s much easier,” said Margiris Abukevicius, a Lithuanian vice minister of defense who was in Washington this past week to discuss military cooperation with the United States
'The question is whether those will come as fast as Ukrainian officials want — to stop Russia’s advance and push out Russian troops.' (WashingtonPost) See link below.
'US Should Not Be Deterred by Putin, Should Send Aircraft to Ukraine, Former NATO Commander Says'
'Missteps by the West emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his latest Ukraine invasion, but the United States can still give Ukraine the weapons it needs to overcome Russian airpower, according to the participants in a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion,'
“It’s bigger than Ukraine,” said Breedlove, citing the two draft treaties Putin sent to the United States and NATO on Dec. 17.
“Mr. Putin has the initiative, and we don’t,” Breedlove said. “In our current state, our nation is completely deterred, and the NATO alliance is completely deterred, and Mr. Putin is not deterred.”
Planes? '... current NATO alliance activation can't get directly involved, and talking about it is just being a stupid Republican.' What will you call me next for not begging your pardon -- which you certainly would not do in any case.
So, Now, TC, What do you think the U.S. and NATO should do about Putin and his War against Ukraine? With all President Biden tells us 'we' are doing, some 'others' have wanted us to do what President Zelensky has been begging for. This is my plea... a tiny whisper for many, a speck of a stand-in. I remember our exchanges regarding WHAT IS A NO-FLY ZONE, your March 11th edition..
Bucha, Mariupol...what will be found in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where Russian troops continue their air and artillery attacks?
I've paid scant to no attention to recent editions of 'thats another fine mess' because it is practically impossible to leave Ukraine. Have I made you a fall guy for my outrage? I am sorry, TC; it is not fair of me.
An excerpt from our exchanges re: WHAT IS A NO-FLY ZONE?
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
Putin has to be stopped. If NATO/USA doesn't end this genocide within the next few days, which won't end with Ukraine, it is on us.
TCinLA
We're going to have to agree to disagree on this Fern. There are no good outcomes.
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
TC, This is a poem ,'amid mounting evidence', that I would like to share with you. With appreciation and respect, Fern
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20601217
TCinLA
That's a good one. I fully agree. Having a table full of shit sandwiches, that range from solid turds on day old bread to runny stuff on moldy bread and all between, is a helluva choice.
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
It is not frustration knocking against my brain. He should have been stopped long ago. I remember what he's done and we haven't. Then those before him...and the number here without conscience. You feel this as much as anyone., TC 🌿
TCinLA
Yeah, you could consider Putin's time in office from the first Chechen War in 1999 to the Crimea steal in 2014 as his version of Histler 1936-38 with the Rhineland, the Anschluss, the Munich Crisis and the takeover of Czechoslovakia, with nobody paying attention to anything he did till he invades Poland in 1939.
FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)
TC, Allen checked in. The hope is that Tanya will be well enough to travel to Poland tomorrow. Good night.
###
WHAT CAN WE DO?
We're stuck. We're starting to do the right thing with Slovakia sending S-300s and the Czechs sending T-72 tanks. More please! Also artillery and some MLRS systems. Offensive weapons to oppose the Russian offensive.
Get the Europeans to move as quickly as they can (which admittedly isn't very quick, due to lack of alternatives) to stop using Russian gas and oil.
Unfortunately, the current NATO alliance activation can't get directly involved, and talking about it is just being a stupid Republican.
What 'we' and NATO are supplying to the Ukrainian military continues to be dangerously inadequate. The following reports are from The Washington Post and Air Force Magazine:
'What weapons to send to Ukraine? How debate shifted from helmets to tanks.'
'Ukrainian officials are clear on what they want from the United States and Europe: weapons. Big, heavy weapons. Not helmets.'
'They say they need these weapons now, not later. And a lot of them.'
'The message has been broadly the same from the start of Russia’s invasion, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly said “I need ammunition, not a ride,” to this past week, when Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told NATO leaders in Brussels that he had a threefold agenda: “weapons, weapons and weapons.”
'But in the United States and Europe, the discussions over what types of weapons to send are far different from what they were just six weeks ago.'
'This is a pivotal moment of the war, and as the battlefield shifts, the sorts of weapons Ukrainian forces need are changing, too. There is no longer a fear that the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, could fall within days. Russian forces are repositioning for a fight over eastern Ukraine — what many predict will be full-scale confrontation on flat, open, rural terrain, between infantry, armor and artillery, in the kind of engagements not seen in generations.'
'Battles may be tougher for Ukrainians as war shifts to wide-open terrain in east'
'On Saturday, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet with Zelensky. His main message was about weapons: that Britain would supply 120 more armored vehicles, in addition to anti-ship missile systems to support Ukraine in the Black Sea.'
'This next phase of war in Ukraine could be “protracted” — “measured in months or longer,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned at a White House briefing. It could look like something from World War II, with two large armies facing off, Kuleba told NATO foreign ministers earlier this week.'
“To win such a war, we need different help than what we have been receiving before,” said Ukraine’s defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, in a video appeal released Thursday. “We want to liberate the enemy-occupied territories as soon as possible. To do this, we need other weapons.”
'Now, some NATO countries are preparing to supply Ukraine with more lethal, sophisticated, long-range and heavily armored weapons.'
“So antitank missiles alone are not going to cut it,” said Michael Kofman, research program director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA, a think tank based in Arlington, Va.'
'Kofman estimated that Ukraine needs “hundreds” of armored combat vehicles, including tanks, and a tremendous amount of ammunition.'
Reznikov ticked off a longer list: air defense systems and combat aircraft to protect citizens and Ukrainian troops from missiles and airstrikes; long-range artillery to keep Russian forces at a distance; tanks and armored vehicles to break through Russian defenses and liberate the occupied territories; and anti-ship missiles to beat back the Russian naval siege and unblock ports on the Black Sea.'
'Western governments have been reluctant to send such heavy weaponry. But the Czech Republic has become the first NATO country to contribute tanks, a senior Czech official confirmed to The Washington Post on Saturday, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a transfer that hasn’t been announced officially.'
“Hopefully, that will start a race to who can supply more,” said William Alberque, director of strategy, technology and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
“It’s hard to be the first one” to send tanks, “but when someone breaks the ice, it’s much easier,” said Margiris Abukevicius, a Lithuanian vice minister of defense who was in Washington this past week to discuss military cooperation with the United States
'The question is whether those will come as fast as Ukrainian officials want — to stop Russia’s advance and push out Russian troops.' (WashingtonPost) See link below.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/09/nato-heavy-weapons-ukraine/
'US Should Not Be Deterred by Putin, Should Send Aircraft to Ukraine, Former NATO Commander Says'
'Missteps by the West emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his latest Ukraine invasion, but the United States can still give Ukraine the weapons it needs to overcome Russian airpower, according to the participants in a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion,'
“It’s bigger than Ukraine,” said Breedlove, citing the two draft treaties Putin sent to the United States and NATO on Dec. 17.
“Mr. Putin has the initiative, and we don’t,” Breedlove said. “In our current state, our nation is completely deterred, and the NATO alliance is completely deterred, and Mr. Putin is not deterred.”
https://www.airforcemag.com/us-should-not-be-deterred-by-putin-should-send-aircraft-to-ukraine-former-nato-commander-says/
Planes? '... current NATO alliance activation can't get directly involved, and talking about it is just being a stupid Republican.' What will you call me next for not begging your pardon -- which you certainly would not do in any case.