The US military is the largest institutional emitter of global warming gases. I sure wish every published opinion on the Ukraine war would remind everyone that not only Russians and Ukrainians are suffering and being killed and maimed and that our "fearless" sociopathic leaders are liars and war criminals, but every war is an environmental disaster leading ever onward to runaway global warming. So they commit ecocide quickly by nuclear war or more slowly by global warming.
"Courage and resourcefulness" which, of course, the US military has always counted on to turn the tide and save the day. Next Congress will authorize shipping one billion dollars' worth of vintage "ghost shirts" which bullets will not pass through. How long before US military "advisors" start showing up by the plane-load? Or will it be mercenaries - sorry, military contractors and security forces - thereby allowing the Pentagon to say, "Oh, no. Those aren't aren't our people. That would be a violation of international law"? The beat goes on.
The US clearly does not want diplomacy. The US is happy with stalemate, as long as it does not tip over into an actual Ukrainian victory, which the US knows will likely trigger a Russian nuclear response. The US is happy to let the bloodletting continue, while basking in the "weakening" of Russia, not to mention the severing of Russia's energy production from their west European customers. The war pigs, like the WSJ and Ignatius at the WAPO are not even concealing any of this anymore. The open level of contempt for human life has even stunned someone as jaded as me.
The Biden administration game plan is to cover up policy blunders with propaganda campaigns from their sycophantic MSM press. I'm guessing that recent events don't presage a change in military strategy but in fact an extended campaign of finger-pointing at Ukraine to take us up to the 2024 elections. So sad for Ukraine, which has been betrayed by their "allies".
I suppose things could get even worse, but, "things have truly [already] gone bad for the embattled people of Ukraine." It's men of reproductive age have been decimated, infrastructure in shambles in some places; it will be burdened with massive debts to its would-be 'rescuers'; and it will be lucky if it emerges with even the 80% of its territory remaining, It won't have the heavily discounted Russian natural gas that Yanukovych had arranged, nor any other economic benefits; but will instead be stuck paying premium prices for it from the profiteering American firms and others.
No doubt conditions for Ukrainian citizens are already pretty dismal. But to the extent they survive this war and stay in Ukraine, there will likely be a lot of hurt for a long time to come.
And yet, no, a diplomatic solution doesn't seem to be on the U.S./NATO table, nor among Ukraine's leaders who've made a deal with that devil.
It is pretty obvious that the much discussed "stalemate" is the best the west can hope for now. Unfortunately for the west and Ukraine, there isn't going to be a stalemate. Russia is waiting for Ukraine and the west to degrade their manpower and assets sufficiently for a Russian offensive that will either start late this summer, or in the winter after the ground freezes. Russia isn't going to stop until they achieve their objectives, and I am fairly certain that includes capturing Odesa and a land link to Transnistria. A stalemate at the current battle lines is a pipe dream for the west.
Strangely, the armies of Ukraine and Russia seem to be in similar positions. They're both learning, adapting, under great strain. Again, it reminds me of WW1, where all the armies involved had a steep -- and very bloody -- learning curve.
Maybe Russia will prevail, but I don't think "victory" will come soon, nor will it be cheap.
Preaching to the choir but I hear you loud and clear.
WTF is so wrong with negotiation a peace settlement over lining the pockets of the war machine industry CEOs and the many other folk that profit from womd.
The US has to pivot to make sure Israel has enough artillery shells least Gaza turns the table.
Russia has been underestimated since the Mongols cut a deal with them after Kulikova Field. Balts, Poles, Lithuanians, Germans, French, Kossaks, Brits, and then the Americans all thought Russia would be easy. The US just substituted Ukrainian proxies and bored white boys.
So if there is a stalemate and if our cluster bombs do not break the stalemate then what happens. What is the next escalation? Do you think that Biden and Nato are hoping for a mistaken (tonkin Gulf) action by Putin so they can up the anti? I was listening to Ray McGovern the other day and he is not as worried about tactical nukes from Puten as he is from Biden. We do have a history of using atomic weapons FIRST.
I don't know, Jim. The "strategy" seems to be to keep Ukraine in the fight; to bleed Russia, hoping for some kind of collapse or "regime change." Of course, assuming Putin is overthrown (very unlikely), the next leader could be more vengeful against the West, but the neocons don't seem to care about that possibility.
I guess the next escalations may be Russian attacks on Kyiv and other elite centers with Ukraine attacking vital Russian assets like bridges or airbases and the like. In short, a wider, more intense, even less predictable war.
I made plans to go see the 'Oppenheimer' movie, but after reading this movie review, I have to take in 'Barbie' as well!
In a May feature in Vogue, Barbie director and co-writer Greta Gerwig cheekily compared Barbie and Ken to Adam and Eve. “Barbie was invented first,” she said. “Ken was invented after Barbie, to burnish Barbie’s position in our eyes and in the world. That kind of creation myth is the opposite of the creation myth in Genesis.”
The quote snagged some attention, in part because Gerwig has played with theological themes before in her work — most notably in Lady Bird, in which Sister Sarah Joan borrows the wisdom of philosopher and mystic Simone Weil to advise her titular charge. The Genesis comparison does sound a bit like a joke, though, at least when applied to plastic dolls. In the Bible, God makes the first man, Adam, from the dust of the ground, and then knocks him out, takes his rib, and fashions it into a companion for him: Eve, the first woman. They live in a perfect world, the Garden of Eden.....................
The US military is the largest institutional emitter of global warming gases. I sure wish every published opinion on the Ukraine war would remind everyone that not only Russians and Ukrainians are suffering and being killed and maimed and that our "fearless" sociopathic leaders are liars and war criminals, but every war is an environmental disaster leading ever onward to runaway global warming. So they commit ecocide quickly by nuclear war or more slowly by global warming.
"Courage and resourcefulness" which, of course, the US military has always counted on to turn the tide and save the day. Next Congress will authorize shipping one billion dollars' worth of vintage "ghost shirts" which bullets will not pass through. How long before US military "advisors" start showing up by the plane-load? Or will it be mercenaries - sorry, military contractors and security forces - thereby allowing the Pentagon to say, "Oh, no. Those aren't aren't our people. That would be a violation of international law"? The beat goes on.
The US clearly does not want diplomacy. The US is happy with stalemate, as long as it does not tip over into an actual Ukrainian victory, which the US knows will likely trigger a Russian nuclear response. The US is happy to let the bloodletting continue, while basking in the "weakening" of Russia, not to mention the severing of Russia's energy production from their west European customers. The war pigs, like the WSJ and Ignatius at the WAPO are not even concealing any of this anymore. The open level of contempt for human life has even stunned someone as jaded as me.
The Biden administration game plan is to cover up policy blunders with propaganda campaigns from their sycophantic MSM press. I'm guessing that recent events don't presage a change in military strategy but in fact an extended campaign of finger-pointing at Ukraine to take us up to the 2024 elections. So sad for Ukraine, which has been betrayed by their "allies".
"....the course must be stayed...."
Gee, where have we heard THAT before? I applaud your snarky echoing of Bush II there, Bill.
I agree with your take, especially regarding the lack of any cease-fire proposals under the current circumstances.
"Snark" -- me? Never!
😉
I talk about this article on Podcast by George:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ2-SnNcaLk
I suppose things could get even worse, but, "things have truly [already] gone bad for the embattled people of Ukraine." It's men of reproductive age have been decimated, infrastructure in shambles in some places; it will be burdened with massive debts to its would-be 'rescuers'; and it will be lucky if it emerges with even the 80% of its territory remaining, It won't have the heavily discounted Russian natural gas that Yanukovych had arranged, nor any other economic benefits; but will instead be stuck paying premium prices for it from the profiteering American firms and others.
No doubt conditions for Ukrainian citizens are already pretty dismal. But to the extent they survive this war and stay in Ukraine, there will likely be a lot of hurt for a long time to come.
And yet, no, a diplomatic solution doesn't seem to be on the U.S./NATO table, nor among Ukraine's leaders who've made a deal with that devil.
The CIA is actively working to get regime change in Russia.
The US military illegally in East Syria is being challenged by the Russian military.
What could go wrong eh Roger?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6a-F20u3mY
Yeah, what could go wrong when people are champing at the bit to get a kill emblem on their jets over Syria?
It is pretty obvious that the much discussed "stalemate" is the best the west can hope for now. Unfortunately for the west and Ukraine, there isn't going to be a stalemate. Russia is waiting for Ukraine and the west to degrade their manpower and assets sufficiently for a Russian offensive that will either start late this summer, or in the winter after the ground freezes. Russia isn't going to stop until they achieve their objectives, and I am fairly certain that includes capturing Odesa and a land link to Transnistria. A stalemate at the current battle lines is a pipe dream for the west.
John: this is an interesting article
https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2023/7/18/a-tale-of-two-armies-reviewing-putins-wars
Strangely, the armies of Ukraine and Russia seem to be in similar positions. They're both learning, adapting, under great strain. Again, it reminds me of WW1, where all the armies involved had a steep -- and very bloody -- learning curve.
Maybe Russia will prevail, but I don't think "victory" will come soon, nor will it be cheap.
july 1943, the wehrmacht attempted to reduced the ‘kursk’ bulge, a few 100 klicks from karkov.
wehrmacht did not have numerical nor logistics superiority, it had range and armor advantage in tanks.
80 years later, ukraine is far less ready than the nazis,
and a few less than combat ready 45 year old 4th generation fighters, and costly tanks which the leopard competes with will not change the balance
it is obvious the nato gifts were too little, and unsuited to use by a military spun from new yarn.
incapable of dealing with the fluid environment 10 klicks from prepared lines.
and who would have thought mines can be laid by artillery!
Preaching to the choir but I hear you loud and clear.
WTF is so wrong with negotiation a peace settlement over lining the pockets of the war machine industry CEOs and the many other folk that profit from womd.
The US has to pivot to make sure Israel has enough artillery shells least Gaza turns the table.
Russia has been underestimated since the Mongols cut a deal with them after Kulikova Field. Balts, Poles, Lithuanians, Germans, French, Kossaks, Brits, and then the Americans all thought Russia would be easy. The US just substituted Ukrainian proxies and bored white boys.
I agree. I don't want any more Ukrainians killed; and it angers me that my tax dollars are being used to support the slaughter.
What I don't understand is the mentality of those who oppose abortion in order to save the lives of the unborn, but support the slaughter those born.
So if there is a stalemate and if our cluster bombs do not break the stalemate then what happens. What is the next escalation? Do you think that Biden and Nato are hoping for a mistaken (tonkin Gulf) action by Putin so they can up the anti? I was listening to Ray McGovern the other day and he is not as worried about tactical nukes from Puten as he is from Biden. We do have a history of using atomic weapons FIRST.
I don't know, Jim. The "strategy" seems to be to keep Ukraine in the fight; to bleed Russia, hoping for some kind of collapse or "regime change." Of course, assuming Putin is overthrown (very unlikely), the next leader could be more vengeful against the West, but the neocons don't seem to care about that possibility.
I guess the next escalations may be Russian attacks on Kyiv and other elite centers with Ukraine attacking vital Russian assets like bridges or airbases and the like. In short, a wider, more intense, even less predictable war.
Bill Well that was comforting of course :) Thanks Jim
I made plans to go see the 'Oppenheimer' movie, but after reading this movie review, I have to take in 'Barbie' as well!
In a May feature in Vogue, Barbie director and co-writer Greta Gerwig cheekily compared Barbie and Ken to Adam and Eve. “Barbie was invented first,” she said. “Ken was invented after Barbie, to burnish Barbie’s position in our eyes and in the world. That kind of creation myth is the opposite of the creation myth in Genesis.”
The quote snagged some attention, in part because Gerwig has played with theological themes before in her work — most notably in Lady Bird, in which Sister Sarah Joan borrows the wisdom of philosopher and mystic Simone Weil to advise her titular charge. The Genesis comparison does sound a bit like a joke, though, at least when applied to plastic dolls. In the Bible, God makes the first man, Adam, from the dust of the ground, and then knocks him out, takes his rib, and fashions it into a companion for him: Eve, the first woman. They live in a perfect world, the Garden of Eden.....................
https://portside.org/2023-07-25/beginning-there-was-barbie