[BostonCard]

I think we have to be clear here that “we” are not fighting Russia and we shouldn’t.  “We” are trying to enable Ukraine to defend itself, but in the end, it is Ukraine whose men and women are fighting and dying and Ukraine who is defending itself territory and ultimately Ukraine who will have to decide whether and how to continue fighting.  Thus, it isn’t for us to put together a plan to “win”; and honestly, given how they’ve fought the war to date, Ukraine has done a pretty phenomenal job coming up with a plan to not lose, which given that they are outmanned and outgunned and fighting a defensive war, is about all you can hope for.  Russia has been making very slow but steady gains, but we re talking about a net of 4,000 square miles in the last two years (out of a total area of 233,000 square miles), which is basically 1% of Ukranian territory a year, at a cost of about 1 million casualties since the war has started.

Since they are the ones with skin in the game, as long as they are willing to fight, we ought to continue to arm them to the extent that we can.  But also, because they are the ones with skin in the game, if they chose to make the painful concessions needed to bring peace, we should support that too, and we should help create the conditions such that if they did sign a cease fire with Russia, we should do all we can to prevent Russia from re-invading.

Right now, that’s all moot because it is clear that what Russia wants is a capitulation not a peace treaty, and so Ukraine fights on, in the hope that something will change in the Russian calculation about continuing to wage its war.

BC

[BostonCard]

I think we have to be clear here that “we” are not fighting Russia and we shouldn’t.  “We” are trying to enable Ukraine to defend itself, but in the end, it is Ukraine whose men and women are fighting and dying and Ukraine who is defending itself territory and ultimately Ukraine who will have to decide whether and how to continue fighting.  Thus, it isn’t for us to put together a plan to “win”; and honestly, given how they’ve fought the war to date, Ukraine has done a pretty phenomenal job coming up with a plan to not lose, which given that they are outmanned and outgunned and fighting a defensive war, is about all you can hope for.  Russia has been making very slow but steady gains, but we re talking about a net of 4,000 square miles in the last two years (out of a total area of 233,000 square miles), which is basically 1% of Ukranian territory a year, at a cost of about 1 million casualties since the war has started.

Since they are the ones with skin in the game, as long as they are willing to fight, we ought to continue to arm them to the extent that we can.  But also, because they are the ones with skin in the game, if they chose to make the painful concessions needed to bring peace, we should support that too, and we should help create the conditions such that if they did sign a cease fire with Russia, we should do all we can to prevent Russia from re-invading.

Right now, that’s all moot because it is clear that what Russia wants is a capitulation not a peace treaty, and so Ukraine fights on, in the hope that something will change in the Russian calculation about continuing to wage its war.

BC