U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 65th Field Artillery Brigade, and soldiers from the Kuwait Land Forces fire their High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (U.S.) and BM-30 Smerch rocket systems (Kuwait) during a joint live-fire exercise, Jan. 8, 2019, near Camp Buehring, Kuwait. The U.S. and Kuwaiti forces train together frequently to maintain a high level of combat readiness and to maintain effective communication between the two forces. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Lefty Larimer)
Daniel Davis, 19FortyFive: There Is No ‘Magic Bullet’ That Can Turn the Tide for Ukraine
Last Sunday when the remaining Ukrainian soldier withdrew from Lysychansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said evacuating his troops from the city “where the enemy has the greatest advantage in fire power,” was the right call, but “means only one thing… That we will return thanks to our tactics, thanks to the increase in the supply of modern weapons.” While many in the West would like that to be true, the reality is very different: there is no basis upon which to hope for a future offensive to drive Russian troops out of conquered territories.
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WNU Editor: Daniel Davis' analysis is spot on.
Changing the topic, here are a few personal observations on the war.
The mood in Ukraine among my family, friends, and contacts have definitely changed since the end of May. There is a growing fear that they will be called to the front lines, and what many have spent a lifetime building will be destroyed in the coming months. And while no one believes that Ukraine will lose the war, there is a growing sense of foreboding of the future. Case in point. Many who were adamant to stay and fight the Russian invasion in March and April are now asking me if I can help them and their families to get out of Ukraine.
The mood has also changed in Russia among my family, friends, and contacts since the start of the war. In the beginning there was shock and some resistance to the war, followed by fear that Russia will lose, followed by a sense of relief after the fall that Mariupol that Russia will not be driven out. No more now. There is no joy or happiness on what is happening in Ukraine, or on the progress of the Russian military. If anything .... I now sense a certain growing depression in Russia on the destruction and devastation that the Russian military is causing to Ukraine, and a resignation that this war will not end for the foreseeable future.
As to how do I feel.
I am tired of covering this war. Talking to everyone I know in both Russia and Ukraine everyday does not help. There is no good news on both sides. And to say that I am drained at the end off the day is an understatement. But I know I am the lucky one. I am here in Canada, thousands of kilometers away from the chaos that is happening on the other side of the world.
I also know that this war is the most important story in the world right now. It needs to be covered and documented. The geo-political impact has already been enormous, and I predict that we still have not seen anything yet.
The social and economic structure that has dominated much of the world since the early 1990s is falling apart. I have lost count on how many countries around the world are in crisis mode right now. Their governments have either collapsed, or are facing public protests that are being barely contained. And here is the easiest prediction that I have ever made. It is going to get worse in the coming months.
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