Source: The American Conservative.
Douglas Macgregor thinks Poland is planning to join Ukraine in combat against Russia. Separately, Finland and Sweden are planning to apply for NATO membership. Is the stage being set for WWIII?
I think it is. Ukraine is on the verge of military collapse. When it finally occurs, the U.S. and our western allies will no longer be able to use the conflict to drain Russia of resources or use Putin as a propaganda whipping boy. The U.S. policy of regime change in Russia will become more difficult to implement. We must either change our policy or escalate the war.
FWIW, I’d prefer to see us change our policy.
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
“Ukraine is on the verge of military collapse. ”
Really? Is that something you learned from Russian propaganda?
If it is true, then why is Russia unable to succeed with its Plan B of quickly seizing the supposedly Russia-friendly Donbas? Why are hundreds of Russians simply refusing to fight? Why can Russia not organize a simple river crossing? How many weeks ago was it that you first told us of Russia’s imminent success?
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60506682
“Is the stage being set for WWIII?”
Appeasing the aggression of fascist dictatorships out of fear of war has a very poor track record. It is not at all clear which response – appeasement or resistance – carries the greater risk. We – and by we – I mean the United States have built an international framework of cooperation and progress built on the rule of law. If we let this murderous thug ignore the rule of law without extracting a heavy price, what will take its place?
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RE: “Really? Is that something you learned from Russian propaganda?”
Macgregor describes Ukraine’s imminent military collapse in the article.
RE: “Appeasing the aggression of fascist dictatorships out of fear of war has a very poor track record.”
That may be, but only a fool bets the future on winning a nuclear conflict.
RE: “We – and by we – I mean the United States have built an international framework of cooperation and progress built on the rule of law.”
Our leaders say such things, then break the law with impunity. Our seizure of Russian sovereign and private assets under sanction is one example. Our failure to support treaty obligations is another.
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So, your source for this “fact” IS Russian propaganda. Thanks for acknowledging.
Maybe you do not know this, but ex-Colonel MacGregor has appeared on RT parrot Putin’s lies about Ukraine not being a real country and to spread the word of Ukraine’s imminent collapse. Actual Republican, Liz Cheney, has referred to this loon as coming from the “Putin wing of the GOP.”
https://www.newsweek.com/what-putin-wing-ex-colonel-douglas-macgregor-has-said-about-ukraine-war-1689802
And the cherry on top of this sundae is that ex-Colonel MacGregor has a long and disgusting record of – let’s call it – European Civilization chauvinism that caused the Senate to reject his nomination by Trump to be ambassador to Germany.
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RE: “So, your source for this ‘fact’ IS Russian propaganda.”
Only if you regard The American Conservative to be a Russian asset. But then your ad hominem is objectively foolish.
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Ad hominem?
Call it what you want, but the fact is that this person has firmly established himself in the “Putin wing of the GOP.” That being the case, any assessment of Russian success or Ukrainian failures that he may offer is suspect. Understanding the source and motivation for any “information” offered is an extremely basic critical thinking skill.
It may seem unlikely to you that a rag named “The American Conservative” could be a “Russian asset.” I suggest that you should look past the name and consider the materials they spread.
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“The American Conservative to be a Russian asset”
AM may not be, but they are publishing the work of one every time they use MacGregor.
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Ukraine is not on the verge of military collapse. They have driven the Russian forces away from their Capital, Kyiv, and are pushing the Russians back to their own border in the north. The only place the Russians still have control of anything is at the Black Sea ports. Even there, they have lost several ships, including their flagship, and have been forced to move the remainder of their fleet out to sea. Today, the Ukrainians repelled Russia’s attempts to cross the Donbas River and Russia “incurred heavy losses” in the process. That is not what militaries “on the verge of collapse” do. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/13/ukraine-has-repelled-russias-attempt-to-cross-donbas-river-uk-confirms)
Putin lied to the troops and told them they were on a training exercise. He still hasn’t called it a “war.” They are so underpaid, they have been selling gas from their military vehicles to make ends meet. Their commanders are using unsecured phones inside the war zone and that is why so many of their Generals have been targeted and killed. Intercepted calls between troops and their families back home in Russia have documented low morale. Russian troops are calling Putin that “old nutjob.”
And yes, Russia is being drained of its resources. Its economy is being ruined. But it’s Putin, not the US and/or western allies who are doing it. No sane person wants a nuclear war. But from all accounts, Putin is no longer sane. He threatens, the world will bow down to his demands or he will push the button. It hasn’t occurred to him that the world has more “buttons” than he does and if he pushes his button, nukes will rain down on Moscow from a hundred directions. The old nutjob doesn’t care. If he can’t run the world, he’d as soon see it destroyed. Think regime change in Moscow might be a good idea? I do.
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I think you have a very wrong impression of the combat situation and would offer this short video as building on Douglas Macgregor’s critique:
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“The Russians have already won.”
“Russia is not at war with Ukraine”
Laughable.
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Trump nominated MacGregor to be Ambassador to Germany. Congress turned him down, saying he was a “pro-Russian crackpot.” Liz Cheney said of MacGregor, “He is the Putin wing of the GOP.” He even went on Russian TV in 2014 and called for the annexation of Donbas. His views about who is winning the war are a tad biased.
Scott Ritter is a convicted sex offender who was caught twice in sting operations, trying to solicit sex from minors. So, as far as I’m concerned, his judgment is in serious question.
Russia is pouring EVERYTHING it has into Ukraine, destroying apartment buildings, homes, roads, people standing in line to get bread. The ONLY things it hasn’t used yet are chemical weapons and nukes. The Russian military is a disaster. After years of corruption, promotions of officers based on politics rather than competence, shoddy equipment (Russian tanks are a joke!), underpaid troops and low morale, they can’t even overrun a bunch of farmers on their own border. And who sends their troops to bivouac in Chernobyl! The most radioactively contaminated ground on the planet!
Also, the US isn’t the only country sending aid. Far from it. Turkey is sending Bayraktar drones that are devastating Russian tanks, helicopters, and even ships. Most of the dead Russian tanks you see being towed away by Ukrainian tractors were hit by Bayraktar drones. Germany, France, and England are pouring in supplies as well. With very few exceptions, the world is on the side of Ukraine. Even Japan is planning strong sanctions against Russia. All of Europe is in the process of cutting off orders for Russian oil and gas… the only export Russia really has… and once cut off, that trade will never return. The Old Nutjob has bit off more than he can chew.
Before the war (which it is by any sane definition), Finland was opposed to joining NATO. Now, over 70% of the population of Finland wants to join. And, if you had a lunatic living next door to you, I suspect you’d sign up for more insurance too.
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“ Finland and Sweden are planning to apply for NATO membership.”
Russia has invaded a bordering nation that was not in NATO. Finland borders Russia and has been invaded by it before. Sweden is right behind Finland.
Of course those nations want to join the mutual defense treaty since Putin is killing people and destroying cities as he deems fit.
It is not just the invasion, but the atrocities are well documented. The Russian “soldiers” are literally out of control.
Who wants to be next in line for the murderous lout and his peasant army convinced they are killing untermenschen Ukrainians?
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RE: “Finland borders Russia and has been invaded by it before. Sweden is right behind Finland.”
Do you know why? Because Finland fought for Hitler. After WWII Finland signed a treaty with USSR that is still valid promising in perpetuity to remain neutral should new conflicts arise.
RE: “It is not just the invasion, but the atrocities are well documented.”
Lots of claims have been made, but I’m not aware of any that have been well documented, much less subjected to due process.
RE: “the murderous lout and his peasant army”
Brave words for one who lives near the center of a nuclear bomb target.
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“ Because Finland fought for Hitler.”
The Winter War was an invasion by Stalin to annex Finland and provide a cushion to nearby major cities in Russia. That was 1939 and Hitler and Stalin were buddies. Finland kicked out the Russians but ceded a few miles of territory. Huge embarrassment for Stalin, just like Ukraine is now for Putin.
In 1941 or so, Russia bombed some cities in Finland and another war ensued, and Germany joined and then tried later to conquer Russia in operation Barbarossa, a disaster for Hitler.
So it was Stalin who precipitated both conflicts, and the second one after he and Hitler divorced.
So, like I said, Finland, like Ukraine, are not pals with Russia. And Finland did not fight “for Hitler”, but Germany did help in fighting Stalin’s second attempt.
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I stand corrected on the historical details, although you seem to confirm that Hitler and Finland fought the Russians together. The larger point is that if Finland joins NATO this will break its treaty with Russia, which might be construed as an act of war.
I’m of the view that WWIII should be avoided at all costs, even embarrassment.
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Hitler and Stalin were allies, until they weren’t. Germany helping Finland push back on a common enemy was a matter of survival.
Ukrainians hate Russia, and now Russians thanks to the atrocities and wanton destruction of cities. Corrupt, but on the mend, Ukraine does not want Putin to own them again. Period.
Putin is trying to extort the West into letting him take whatever he wants for his empire. Threatening nukes is just that. You think he would stop if we decided to let Ukraine go red?
What Russo-Finn treaty are you talking about? If it was Tartu, that was broken a century ago by Russia.
The end of the second invasion by Russia was consummated by Finland ceding over 10% of its territory to appease Stalin. No treaty that I can find.
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You stand corrected but still pretend that you were right?
Why not check important facts before posting or do you not mind seeming to be an ignoramus? Even the most rudimentary knowledge of history should have kept you from posting that falsehood. Every educated person knows that Stalin turned on Finland as soon as he entered into the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact with Hitler.
The USSR no longer exists. But speaking of treaties, RUSSIA and Ukraine are parties to a formal treaty under which Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons and Russia pledged to NEVER attack or threaten Ukraine militarily.
“I’m of the view that WWIII should be avoided at all costs, even embarrassment.”
That is exactly the corner Putin has painted himself into with his criminal aggression. He needs to declare victory and go home. And we need to continue the military and economic pressure on Russia until they change leadership. You do not avoid war with weakness or fear. Bullies only understand strength and resolve.
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“Is the stage being set for WWIII?”
If it is, the manager of the stage is Vladimir Putin. He invaded a neighboring country that posed NO THREAT to Russia. This has caused other countries to consider their positions of neutrality to be untenable because of the belligerent neighbor.
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