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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsImportant Twitter thread from Alexander Vindman, minutes ago
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Ukraines military will run low on critical materiel long before it runs out of manpower or morale. A new age Lend Lease Act could replenish Ukrainian supplies of existing and new advanced weapons (AT, AD, UCAVs...) on a continuous basis rather than via incremental aid packages.
Moreover, the U.S. and its allies could provide advanced capabilities such as UCAVs, Russian/Soviet-made aircraft (e.g. transfers from Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria), medium- & long-range air defense systems, coastal defense systems, and high mobility artillery, among other things.
Yes, there are risks with expanded assistance and arms transfers, but these pale in comparison to the long-term risks of doing nothing or continuing with the status quo. US foreign policy has favored buying down short-term risks at the expense of long-term stability for too long.
Putins nuclear saber-rattling shouldnt compel US officials to self-deter. The longer we wait, the worse our options will become. Accepting risks now will prevent the need to confront greater risks in the future. We must help Ukraine end this war as quickly as possible.
War is unpredictable. If this drags out longer, the likelihood of inadvertent escalation will increase. An NFZ may be thought of as too provocative today, but we may very well end up there. As such, helping Ukrainians clear their own skies is both a moral & strategic imperative.
Existing aid has been necessary but insufficient to meet the needs of Ukraines defense. We cannot continue to apply Band-Aids. Just in time may already be too late. Biden must rally bipartisan support for Lend Lease immediately to avoid further bureaucratic delays.
highplainsdem
(48,728 posts)War is unpredictable. If this drags out longer, the likelihood of inadvertent escalation will increase. An NFZ may be thought of as too provocative today, but we may very well end up there. As such, helping Ukrainians clear their own skies is both a moral & strategic imperative.
calimary
(80,694 posts)Kicking!
PatrickforB
(14,516 posts)There is no doubt that if we appease Putin, he will keep right on going.
Just. Like. Hitler. Did.
So let's stop him now.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)highplainsdem
(48,728 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)We need him back on the payroll.
highplainsdem
(48,728 posts)lefthandedskyhook
(951 posts)He has a bigger voice now
oasis
(49,151 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,575 posts)authoritarianism.
dchill
(38,321 posts)SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)hay rick
(7,521 posts)uponit7771
(90,225 posts)DLevine
(1,788 posts)highplainsdem
(48,728 posts)Wild blueberry
(6,543 posts)Reading his excellent book now. He knows his subject, and knows our risk of not acting.
Thanks for posting.
timvrip
(31 posts)onetexan
(12,994 posts)KS Toronado
(16,908 posts)And do it with Biden executive orders if possible, repigs will slow the process down if given the chance.
Could start with M1A1 tanks we have stationed in Germany, they could wipe out all of Putler's armor
w/o ever taking a direct hit. Truth be known, military personnel in Germany are training Ukrainians right
now how to operate them. Plus they're looking through all the American Veterans signing up to fight in
Ukraine with experience with these tanks.
James48
(4,416 posts)No, a group of M-1A1s arent going to necessarily
wipe out all of Putler's armor w/o ever taking a direct hit.
The T-72s and T-80s on the ground in Ukraine are extraordinarily dangerous- and could slug it out with American M-1s, but remember the Russians have anti-tank missiles as well. This is a fight by people who have a hundred tanks, against thousands of tanks. Tank battles would he very bloody on both sides.
KS Toronado
(16,908 posts)Russian tanks have probably advanced since then after the whopping we gave them
James48
(4,416 posts)In Iraq, we owned the skies after the first day.
Here, the air war would take a while. We would not have air superiority for possibly weeks. If then.
We also have to worry about giving away too many of our weapons stocks that we may need later ourselves.
KS Toronado
(16,908 posts)especially when Ukraine is out gunned 10 to 1 in several categories. Besides who would ever attack us besides
Russia and they're kinda busy losing a war right now. China would never attack us, they're smart enough to
know they rely on the world's economy with their manufacturing base for their livelihood, they wouldn't upset the
apple cart.
lefthandedskyhook
(951 posts)look like target drones for M1A1s... very poorly constructed. On an open battlefield the Abrams would massively dominate. In cities all tanks are vulnerable
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)Plus, I'm sure we could flag some with UKR signage & text and control them from "elsewhere" just like we did in the Middle East
And if one gets shot down, its got the UKR ownership displayed
dchill
(38,321 posts)Totally true.
AngryOldDem
(14,061 posts)It helped Britain immensely before we got involved in WWII.
Learn from history.
Delphinus
(11,808 posts)Hekate
(90,189 posts)ZonkerHarris
(24,155 posts)so I look forward to your slamming him too.
Or have you come around to our opinion now?
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)And ground to air?
And Putin firing into Poland, Romania etc?
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)and it made a lot of sense. We can't be afraid of Putin's saber rattling. Fuck him!
NullTuples
(6,017 posts)Response to highplainsdem (Original post)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
burrowowl
(17,606 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(4,968 posts)Will make even more money from such a program. (Oh they will, mark my words.) These are the same people who we continue to rail against for gun deaths and right-wing positions. Do we really want to make them richer and more connected? Other than that, we have little choice but to get involved, despite our own issues at home.
lefthandedskyhook
(951 posts)Ukrainians to be the best supplied fighters in the history of the world. Anything less would be unacceptable