From VICE News: This week, the United States delivered a shipment 10 Humvees to the Ukrainian government — the first installment of a $75 million aid package of non-lethal equipment that is meant to assist the fight against Russia-backed rebels in the country's east.
But despite the overwhelming adoption of a resolution in the US House of Representatives urging President Barack Obama to provide Ukraine with lethal arms, his administration has yet to send such materiel. Debate on this issue centers on whether outfitting the country with lethal aid will serve only to escalate the conflict and trigger a regional arms race between the government and eastern separatists. A question that has received less attention is whether Ukraine's army is even capable of effectively using the weapons it wants.
VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky visited rebel-held areas and the capital of Kiev to explore whether it would be wise for the US to arm Ukraine's poorly trained military with advanced weaponry.
WNU Editor: This is an excellent and must see video report .... kudos to Simon Ostrovsky and VICE news for doing this report. What's my take .... what happened in Yemen will also happen in Ukraine .... U.S. Loses Track Of $500 Million In Weapons Given To Yemen.
I wasn't as impressed
ReplyDeletewith Mr. Ostrovsky's
reporting in this instance.
He kept assuming that it was
the Ukrainian military's
most important job to
protect the Humvees the
USA gave them. If the
Humvees are to be used
in battle, the "enemy gets
a vote." And, the Ukrainians
haven't been running from the
fight like the Iraqis. Things
happen in war and front lines
change rapidly. No one likes
to see his gear in the enemy's
hands, but it happens.
I'm not saying that arming
the Ukrainians is the right
answer, but how they use any
"tools" we give them is their
business.
ofs
Amen, West needs to arm Ukraine in order to fight the spread of Russian Nazis. Or they will be occupied once again...
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