From the FB page of Robin Horsfall, Military Veterans Campaigner
June 30
It is time for the western democracies to make clear they want Ukraine to win. The aim of ‘supporting nations’ must be for Ukraine to defeat Russia and not simply to return Putin to somewhere close to his 2014 start lines.
Some western leaders hope that the war will fizzle down to a stalemate and a settlement will be reached. Such a stalemate will be sure to extend the violence over a long period at a reduced level.
Post WW2 conflicts that have been ‘resolved’ simply simmer and boil over every few months or years and in many cases they continue to cause increased division, hatred and death. Examples are easy to find, Israel/Palestine. Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Iraq/Iran, Turkey/Kurdistan, Armenia/Azerbaijan and so on. There is never truly peace there is only a pause in the violence.
Ukraine must win back all its land in order for there to be a lasting peace in Eastern Europe. Ukraine must become a NATO member. Allowing Russia to withdraw and try again later will mean fear, death and aggression for another fifty years. The west has a vastly superior economy, technology, and combined military. Western leaders should recall the words of F D Roosevelt after the attack on Pearl Harbour. ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself’. Fighting with fear is better than forever living with fear.
I do not advocate military escalation but political clarity, determination and resolve. Ukraine must win!
If the UN, NATO and the free democratic world do not ensure that Ukraine wins back all its territory then we can expect more of the same for another generation, – the misery and fear of a festering evil smelling, boil that should have been lanced, squeezed and washed in 2023. If we want peace then we must lance the boil!
Slava Ukraini!
Who Dares Shares
Robin Horsfall
Yep. Lance the fucking boil!
Taiwanese volunteers handed over equipment for Ukraine:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/taiwanese-volunteers-handed-over-equipment-for-ukraine/?fbclid=IwAR1CGYz1vRwjLvv2WzFlu_V64xvXDtiR1xUFuYHVXkexwvUmRZaJhK1_b1E_aem_Afr2aO5g4MbMcaLQk0IWpWGh3sJHFuUWmETFx_ZJsEuGSiIyVjowLHIUdS718oxoEmc
Roman Rodriguez, IT army of Ukraine, comments:
“It makes me angry when people say that the counter-offensive has started more slowly than expected. Every day, every meter is given in blood”: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny in an interview with WP
In anticipation of the counteroffensive, Ukraine received Western battle tanks for the first time, including German-made Leopards and infantry fighting vehicles. And they have already made their debut on the battlefield.
But in an interview with The Washington Post , Valery Zaluzhny recalled that NATO force doctrine calls for air superiority before launching deep penetration ground operations.
Therefore, the Ukrainian Defenders need modern combat aircraft for successful advancement.
“Let’s just say that the number of planes that are on duty near our western borders is twice the number of Russian planes devastating our positions. Why don’t we take at least a third of it from there and bring it here?” asks Zaluzhny.
“No one says that tomorrow we must rearm and receive 120 aircraft. I don’t need 120 planes. I’m not going to threaten the whole world. A very limited amount will suffice. But they are needed. Because there is no other way,” the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is sure.”
Reply from Guy Porter:
“For those people disparaging the Ukrainian counter-offensive, remember how long it took some of the Allied troops just to get off the beaches at Normandy, and that was with air support and continued bombardment from cruisers and destroyers. Then the beachhead took time before they pushed out.”
Pavlo Dorachinskyi:
“For those Westerners who listen to the Biden Administration’s and Western politicians lie that Ukraine doesn’t need F-16s and has enough weapons, look at the number of casualties and killed people in Ukraine from Putin rocket attacks alone. 2 Patriot systems – this is only for Kyiv. The minimum number for Ukraine according to NATO standards is 16 Patriots. These are 32 NASAMS air defense systems according to military standards, but not 5 available pcs. These are 48 pcs F-16 aircraft only for air defense in requests, but not 0 available pcs in Ukraine, these are 24 pcs UH-60 helicopters to fight only Iranian Shahed drones in NATO standards, but not 0 available pcs in Ukraine. Compare with the number of weapons at least in Germany and Poland. Draw your own conclusions, not through propaganda and lies.”
Reply from Richard Treen:
“300+ F-16s, bought and paid for by US taxpayer, sat in dry storage at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, may be a few years older but but can be used in a short time…game changer.”
Reply from Pavlo:
“Yes. But only if there is a desire to change the situation on battlefield. And if there is no desire, then there is no F-16. It is not a fact that putting these aircraft in good condition will cost much more than their disposal. F-16s have already been produced, so there is no need to spend money. If desired, you can also pay for repair of aircraft at expense of sponsors or Ukrainians. It can be given to Lend-Lease with payment later. A lot of options. Only desire is required. Now there is no desire.”
“It is time for the western democracies to make clear they want Ukraine to win.”
They only make it clear that the war must drag on. A close look at their methodology of military aid over the course of the last 16 months will underline this reasoning. It’s downright terrible to know what masses of materiel we have sitting around in the US alone, and only collecting dust and slowly rotting away, while a brave nation must do so much with so little.
I’m sure that future history books will slam those leaders who are responsible for such brainless policies and who are utter cowards, but this won’t help Ukraine any in its darkest hour.