Saturday, May 14, 2022

Ted Rall: How the U.S. Lost the Ukraine War

  The effect of Western sanctions may cause historians of the future to look upon the conflict in Ukraine as a net defeat for Russia. In terms of the military struggle itself, however, Russia is winning.

        Watching American and European news coverage, you might ask yourself, how can that be? It comes down to war aims. Russia has them. They are achievable.

        The United States doesn't have any.

        "As the war in Ukraine grinds through its third month," the Washington Post reports, "the Biden administration has tried to maintain a set of public objectives that adapt to changes on the battlefield and stress NATO unity, while making it clear that Russia will lose, even as Ukraine decides what constitutes winning. But the contours of a Russian loss remain as murky as a Ukrainian victory."

        War aims are a list of what one side in a military conflict hopes to achieve at its conclusion.

        There are two kinds. 

        The first type of war aim is propaganda for public consumption. An overt war aim can be vague, as when President Woodrow Wilson urged Americans to enter World War I in order to "make the world safe for democracy" (whatever that meant), or specific, like President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's demand for the "unconditional surrender" of the Axis powers. A specific, easily measured metric is better.

        Covert war aims are goals that political and military leaders are (SET ITAL) really (END ITAL) after. A covert war aim must be realistic. For example, contrary to the long-standing belief that he viewed the outbreak of the Korean War as an irritating distraction, Joseph Stalin approved of and supported North Korea's invasion of South Korea in 1950. He didn't care if North Korea captured territory. He wanted to drag the United States into a conflict that would diminish its standing in Asia and distract it from the Cold War in Europe. The Soviet ruler died knowing that, whatever the final outcome, he had won.

        A publicly stated war aim tries to galvanize domestic support, which is especially necessary when fighting a proxy war (Ukraine) or war of choice (Iraq). But you can't win a war when your military and political leaders are unable to define, even to themselves behind closed doors, what winning looks like. 

        America's biggest military debacles occurred after primary objectives metastasized. In Vietnam, both the publicly stated and actual primary war aim was initially to prevent the attempted overthrow of the government of South Vietnam and to prevent the spread of socialism, the so-called Domino Theory. Then the U.S. wanted to make sure that soldiers who had died at the beginning of the war hadn't died in vain. By the end, the war was about leveraging the safe return of prisoners of war. A recurring theme of accounts by soldiers in the jungle as well as top strategists at the Pentagon is that, before long, no one knew why we were over there. 

        Again, in Afghanistan after 2002, war aims kept changing. Mission creep expanded from the goal of defeating Al Qaeda to apprehending Osama bin Laden to building infrastructure to establishing democracy to improving security to using the country as a base for airstrikes against neighboring Pakistan. By 2009, the Pentagon couldn't articulate what it was trying to accomplish. In the end, the U.S. did nothing but stave off the inevitable defeat and collapse of its unpopular Afghan puppet regime.

        Clear war aims are essential to winning. Reacting to his experience in Vietnam, the late Gen. Colin Powell led U.S. forces to victory in the first Gulf War with his doctrine that a successful military action enjoys strong domestic political support, is fought by a sufficient number of troops and begins with a clear military and political objective that leads to a quick exit. After Saddam Hussein's forces were routed from Kuwait, George H.W. Bush ignored advisers who wanted to expand the conflict into Iraq. America's mission accomplished, there was a ticker tape parade down Broadway, the end.

        The U.S. too often involves itself in foreign conflicts without declaring clear war aims -- or even knowing themselves what they are. In Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, unclear or shifting war aims led to endless escalation followed by fatigue on the homefront, declining popular will and defeat. Our involvement in the proxy conflicts in Yemen and Syria also have the character of forever wars, though American voters won't pay much attention as long as the cost is limited to taxpayer dollars rather than their sons and daughters.

        I wrote a piece in 2001 titled "How We Lost Afghanistan." Given that the U.S. had just overthrown the Taliban, it was cheekily counterintuitive. But I was looking at the Afghan war from the Afghan perspective, which is why I was right, and the mainstream media was wrong. I see a similar situation unfolding in Ukraine. We are so misled by our cultural biases that we fail to understand the Russian point of view. The U.S. failure to articulate war aims stems from arrogance. We think we're so rich and powerful that we can beat anyone, even if our strategy is half-assed and we don't understand politics on the other side of the planet, where the war is.

        President Joe Biden's approach to Ukraine appears to boil down to: Let's throw more money and weapons into this conflict and hope it helps. 

        That's not a strategy. It's a prayer.

        Biden says he wants to preserve Ukraine as a sovereign state and defend its territory. But how much territory? How much sovereignty? Would Biden accept continued autonomy for the breakaway republics in the Donbas? The White House appears unwilling to escalate by supporting an attempt to expel Russian forces from eastern Ukraine, much less Crimea, where they are welcomed by a population dominated by ethnic Russians. Short of a willingness to risk nuclear war, the likely ultimate outcome of the U.S. position will be a Korea-like partition into western and eastern zones. A divided Ukraine would create a disputed border, which would disqualify a rump Ukrainian application to join NATO. 

        Russia's primary demand is that Ukraine not join NATO. If America's goal winds up resolving the main reason President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, why is the U.S. involved? A war aim that neatly aligns with one's adversary's is grounds for peace talks, not fighting.

        Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently added a second Ukraine war aim: "We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it can't do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine." Weakened to what extent? Reduced to a failed state? Mildly inconvenienced? Not only is the policy dangerous but it fails to define a clear objective.

        Russia, on the other hand, has secured its allies in the autonomous republics and created a buffer zone to protect them. Crimea will remain annexed to Russia. NATO membership for Ukraine, a chimera to begin with, is now a mere fever dream. Unlike the U.S., the Russians declared their objectives and achieved the important ones.

        Ted Rall (Twitter: @tedrall), the political cartoonist, columnist and graphic novelist, is the author of a new graphic novel about a journalist gone bad, "The Stringer." Order one today. You can support Ted's hard-hitting political cartoons and columns and see his work first by sponsoring his work on Patreon.

COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS.COM

Kingfish note: One little observation overlooked by Mr. Rall.  How was Russia/Soviet Union fared in wars of aggression it started?  Its victories tend to come in wars started by someone else: WWII, Sweden, France, etc.  Cast out the defensive wars and what is its record? 

Attachments area

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

i didn't know the USA was a principal in the ukraine war. do you know something i don't?

Anonymous said...

You're making the JJ site look like a desperate, trash news place by posting these articles KF. I know you think this guy adds a 'liberal' perspective or whatever, but he's associated with Russia Today, which is a state sponsored news group in Russia.


What's your reasoning? Can't find better material? Do you think most of the readers on here are too stupid to know better? Are you too stupid to know better?

Anonymous said...

to the fish.... very good note at the end of this bs column by rall.
maybe the uneducated rednecks on this site may finally learn a little world history.

Anonymous said...

Ted Rall declares Russia the winner. His work is now complete.

Anonymous said...

Imperial Japan defeated Imperial Russia. The Russians should never be allowed to live that one down.

Anonymous said...

You're so right 4:33.

And didn't the Japanese fleet wipe out the Imperial Russian Fleet in about six hours ?

That last idiot Czar Nicholas II did nothing about it, and things didn't go well for him afterwards.

Lenin and the Marxists took over within a few years, and the Czar and his beautiful daughters were executed.

The Rolling Stones summed it up with a verse from:

"Sympathy for the Devil"

(I stuck around St. Petersburg,
when I saw it was a time for a change.
I killed the Czar and his ministers...
Anastasia screamed in vain)

But enough about Russian history, we have more to worry about
such as driving I-55 through Jackson, Mississippi in 2022.









Anonymous said...

@3:45
Apparently we have a 'declaration of war' at least by the senate.
"Time of War'......

"“Unfortunate that in a Time of War, We Spend all the Time Blaming our own President” – Top Democrat Steny Hoyer Announces War on Russia"

PS why are we involved and sending 56 billion (40 on to of the 16 sent already) to them and Europe is sending nothing? House Got the bill at 3 pm and voted by 3:30...speed readers on the bill, I wonder what part has an auditor or inspector to make sure the 'big guy' gets his cut?
Thanks so much Mr. Guest, Kelly, and NoShow Palazoola

Kingfish said...

Read about the land battles in the Russo-Jappo War. Same story. Troops were poorly trained, poorly supplied, and poorly led. Commanders made numerous tactical mistakes and were not easily re-supplied. The Japanese had better leaders, and unlike the South, had better technology, and better trained soldiers.

The Tsar's and Admiral's stupidity destroyed both of their navies. One navy refused to fight and was destroyed in the harbor while the other navy was led by just plain incompetent leadership.

Similar characteristics when Russia moved on Germany in the Great War and against Finland. Then there was Poland.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

First off, it's not a war. It's an invasion that was planned years ago by our own government in lock step with Putin and Z. Hillary Clinton BIG RED RESET BUTTON ring any bells ? You see, keeping up with your recent history would stop a lot of these "proxy" things . It's kinda what they do when in power.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.