This is NOT an easy one….
Russia has already annexed the Crimea back from the Ukraine….
Russia has anything from 80,000 to 100,000 troops sitting next door to the Ukraine….
The United States has approved $100 Million in military equipment to be sent to the Ukraine yesterday ….
But?
The equipment from the US has been put on hold….
Joe Biden has had a problem with his son’s business dealings there…
And?
Joe Biden has been after that countries corruption issues for years….
Hmmmm?
(Oh, and Rudy Giuliani and the Justice Dept investigation?)
The Biden White House has temporarily halted a military aid package to Ukraine that would include lethal weapons, a plan originally made in response to aggressive Russian troop movements along Ukraine’s border this spring.
The aid package would be worth up to $100 million, according to four people familiar with internal deliberations…
…
But officials on the National Security Council ended up putting the proposal on hold after Russia announced it would draw down troops stationed near Ukraine and in the lead-up to President Joe Biden’s high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One of the sources said the package is still intact, and could be sent to Ukraine quickly. The Washington Post first reported that the administration considered and has now frozen the package. The fact that National Security Council officials froze the aid and the specific weapons discussed for inclusion in the aid package have not been previously reported.
Key items under consideration for the package include short-range air defense systems, small arms and more anti-tank weapons, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions.
Since Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, the United States has provided some $2.5 billion in military aid to Kyiv, including unarmed drones, radios and Javelin anti-tank missiles.
The latest proposal came about after Russia staged more than 100,000 troops, along with rocket battalions and heavy armor units, near Ukraine’s border this spring, according to estimates. In late April, Russia’s defense ministry announced that it would begin withdrawing some of the troops.
Past discussions over lethal military aid to Ukraine have been politically fraught, given concern over provoking Russia, issues with training the Ukrainian forces themselves and ongoing uneasiness over corruption in the Ukrainian government and military.
But despite Russia’s announcement, a top Ukrainian official said in May that about 100,000 Russian troops were still near its border and in Crimea, Al Jazeera reported. That same month, Biden officials told The New York Timesthat the number was closer to 80,000…
…
Satellite imagery captured by Maxar in May and June of this year shows that hundreds of trucks and other heavy equipment remains staged in newly constructed makeshift bases in Western Russia and at a major training range in Crimea…
The Ukraine…NATO and Biden….
President Biden on Monday said Ukraine must root out corruption before it can become a full member of the NATO alliance, something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for.
“It depends on whether they meet the criteria. The fact is, they still have to clean up corruption. The fact is, they have to meet other criteria to get into the action plan. And so school’s out on that question. It remains to be seen,” Biden said at a press conference at the NATO summit.
“In the meantime, we will do all that we can to put Ukraine in the position to be able to continue to resist Russian physical aggression,” he continued. “And it will not just depend on me, whether or not we conclude that Ukraine can become part of NATO. It will depend on the alliance and how they vote.”…
I’m not much on getting involved in Ukraine .
I don’t see where we have any strategic interests there.
The country is thoroughly corrupt and they and the Russians have vpbben going at it for years.
Ukraine’s big mistake was giving up its nuvkear weapons whdn the Soviet Union collapsed.
If they hadn’t done that,the Russians wouldn’t be messing with them.
As to Crimea.,that had been part of Russia since the Nineteenth century until in 1954When then Soviet Leader Nikita Krushchev, himself a Ukrainian , decided to transfer Crimea into the then Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic which of course was part of the USSR.It was all for internal Soviet reasons but had always been a thorn in the side of the Russians who regarded it as part of Russia.
The Ukraine is a complex situation
Biden Cannot have Russia roll into that country snd take more land….
Europe and every Eastern European county in particular would feel in SERIOUS DANGER…
It just would be a disaster for American Foreign Policy….
Besides ALL that ?
I think Biden is walking into a conflict with Congress….
He actually is ‘following’ Trump’s disengagement policies around the globe…..
His moment of reckoning will be the Afghan Sept…
And he is already being tested in the South China Sea….
The ‘perception’ thing counts for something in global power politics
What exactly should the United States do if Russia were to “roll in” to Ukraine?
Nothing Right Jack?
And if China rolled over Taiwan?
Nothing?
And Europe?
Nothing…..?
Jack?
What the United States and NATO, which the Ukraine wants to join, SHOULD provide the equipment to help that country counter a Russia roll over….
And YES?
If it should come to that?
Do more like we have done in other places….
NOBODY WANTS things to go there which IS why U move the chess pieces BEFORE things get to a fight…..
And Jack?
Some fights you want arm’s length NOT ar ur front door…..
I KNEW you don’t much care for others…
But now I REALLY KNOW…
You couldn’t care less about Ukraine dumb dumb.
Hell you couldn’t even find it on the map.
You know nothing about it and all you can say is “it’s complex” .Hell for all we know?Ukraine isn’t what it seems because as we know?People can be “more than one thing.”
“Provide equipment?” Oh yeah that’s gonna stop the Russians.What did we do when the Russians invaded Crimea ?
If you think the American people would support a military confrontation over Ukraine?Youre dumber than I think(and that’s a whole lot).
Why isn’t Ukraine in NATO now Homer?Theyve been yakking about it for years .Oh that’s right they’re “in the process.”
They’re not in there doofus because neither the Europeans nor the United States is willing to go to war over a “country “that has traditionally been part of Russia.
Now for a host of reasons I don’t think there will be a full scale invasion by Putin and the situation will likely drift along as it has done for awhile now.
However ,neither I .nor anyone else here for that matter ,need a geopolitical “lesson” from the likes of you.
Russia doesn’t ‘go to war’
It sneak grabs when it can..
You would give away tge store willingly
You sound more and MORE like Trump
Each day….
Isolation in todays world is a dangerous thing
Yeah but the Ukraine will be fine,right?
After all you want to give them “equipment.”
Of course as corrupt as their government is?Theyll probably sell it .
You’ve offered nothing but a bunch of double talk .You don’t want Russia to invade;however, if they do?You offer nothing.Absolutely Nothing.
Typical of you I might add
If the Russians invade,all you’ll hear is a bunch of talk about “sanctions.”
As disappointing as it is to you,No Americans are going to be there to defend the Ukraine.
Yea typical
I care about people….
You don’t it seems….
I know u do sarcasm….
But sometimes?
You ARE Scary……
Just when you think things can’t get more goofy here?
Our intrepid host outdoes himself.
Yes James be Afraid!
Be VERY afraid!
Boo!
Good God!
Oh yes, you’re definitely a “humanitarian.”
All you care about is war!
Take Afghanistan,you take the essential Hawkish position that the Taliban represent a threat to the United States ..Thats your rationale for staying there.Its got nothing to do with the Afghan people.When I called you on it ,you switched gears and started babbling about the Afghans who helped us.They are being removed
I also remember your statement back in the misnamed “Arab Spring “when you pronounced that then Dictator Mubarak needed to keep a “lid on his people.”Your empathy for the Egyptians was touching.
You’re such a hypocrite.
I repeat you think you are some kind of geostrategist.Instead ,you are just a war lover banging away at a keyboard who delights in pronouncing “ boots on the ground” in faraway places that you know nothing about,the countries nor the people.Why not lace your boots on Slug and go to all these places you’re so “concerned” about for some real humanitarian work?
Jack?
I repeat…..
You have demonstrated NO feeling for those who might come to suffer….
Your focus on me does NOT hide your disregard it would seem to the plight of others….
As for embracing war?
I have NOT here….
Quite the opposite…
I HAVE embraced using the ‘PROJECTION’ of military power to STOP military engagement….
Do I have knowledge of things military?
Sure DO…
No apologies ….
I KNW what I’m talking about in specifics …
You seem NOT to….
You can throw up chaff…
But at least to me?
You cannot hide….
And you are known here for what you are…
A person with little knowledge of politics ,,world affairs or much of anything else who is so unable to piece together an intelligible sentence that no one here even knows what you’re talking about much of the time.
You’re pathological liar and bluntly not a very intelligent person.
Trumpist manners creep into the Polly Dog….
Bound to happen, eh?
I’m just gliding along….
Trying not to get toooooo serious….
I have enogh shit to worry about then different views here….
Thank You DSD and All who come to this place for trying to enjoy the ride….