Can someone explain our Ukraine response?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 13 yo said earlier today that this feels reminiscent of Hitler’s invasion of Poland, when the rest of the world just watched it happen and did nothing.

It truly does feel that way.

[Anonymous]

Why didn’t the good guys amass troops and weapons on the border and attempt to dissuade Russia from invading? We had weeks of intel.

Why did the world sit on its hands for a few days to see how this would play out before offering weapons? France just offered. Biden just offered $350M assistance (whatever that means).

If Zelensky survives and retains control, he will be an emboldened leader—and he will have every right to be upset with the world powers who abandoned him.

Super curious if Sean Penn will interview Putin. Can’t believe he’s over in Ukraine filming a documentary of the invasion. Zelensky thanked him for his courage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple OP, according to Kamala and Adm Kirby it's a deterrent... but not really. More weakness from a feckless administration

I expect everyone bi---ing about not doing more to immediately hit up your local military enlistment office, and send over your kids, grandkids, etc.
Otherwise, you can F right off with these comments.

Huh. I thought we already had a military. Bizarre comment….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we quietly support Ukraine, while publicly stating that we are not getting involved, then it appears like Russia's military is struggling to defeat a country whose GDP is less than half of Tennessee's GDP. It also keeps the war from spreading beyond Ukraine.

-OSD Policy Analyst

You meant to sign this,
-OSD Policy Analyst who has zero compunction breaking NDAs and possibly exposing national secrets

I don't work on EUCOM issues, just my opinion.

You may want to closely read your ethics training again. If you use your title and position when stating a position, any reasonable person would conclude that your statement is informed by your position. Most people don't state their opinion and then write, "-Chick Fil A cashier." You wrote OSD policy analyst to give weight and credence to your post, and thats an ethics violation if not an unauthorized disclosure. Maybe next time just say your opinion and leave it at that.

Not the PP, but I do work for an agency's OIG. You're right that it's stupid to post a reference to your employer on here. With that said, your interpretation of ethics regs are incorrect. Assuming the poster isn't lying (big assumption on here), s/he gave a general description of their supposed position without any reference to a specific office or set of work tasks. Now, if the person said "I work at OUSD(I&S) on topics related to Eurasia," that would be a totally different story. But claiming you have a general job (Policy Analyst) at the Pentagon doesn't rise to the level of an ethics violation.

+1. It was an opinion offered with an understanding of the issue, unlike many opinions offered on DCUM. It’s not like classified data was released. How is this any different than a physician offering input on COVID symptoms and identifying themselves as a physician?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple OP, according to Kamala and Adm Kirby it's a deterrent... but not really. More weakness from a feckless administration

I expect everyone bi---ing about not doing more to immediately hit up your local military enlistment office, and send over your kids, grandkids, etc.
Otherwise, you can F right off with these comments.

Huh. I thought we already had a military. Bizarre comment….

Indeed, a heavily armed and supposedly first class military that uses more than $775 BILLION per year - more than most other countries combined.

But perhaps more to the point, if we don’t ward off Putin and Russia now, they will continue - it will be the Baltics, perhaps Poland or other former Soviet countries. And NATO - already showing up like a limp d-k - will just watch in horror. NATO used Ukraine, Ukraine did everything we asked of them (except for Trump, thank God), and NATO couldn’t even properly arm and support the Ukrainians.

Russia has nuclear weapons and myriad other deadly forces. Putin is a megalomaniac. This violence will come to us if we don’t ward it off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why didn’t the good guys amass troops and weapons on the border and attempt to dissuade Russia from invading? We had weeks of intel.

Why did the world sit on its hands for a few days to see how this would play out before offering weapons? France just offered. Biden just offered $350M assistance (whatever that means).

If Zelensky survives and retains control, he will be an emboldened leader—and he will have every right to be upset with the world powers who abandoned him.

Super curious if Sean Penn will interview Putin. Can’t believe he’s over in Ukraine filming a documentary of the invasion. Zelensky thanked him for his courage.

+1 to all above. Zelensky, who is only 44 has shown incredible leadership and it’s devastating to think how NATO has failed him and the Ukrainian people. It’s heartbreaking how four years of Trump emboldened Putin. My heart breaks for Ukraine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple OP, according to Kamala and Adm Kirby it's a deterrent... but not really. More weakness from a feckless administration

I expect everyone bi---ing about not doing more to immediately hit up your local military enlistment office, and send over your kids, grandkids, etc.
Otherwise, you can F right off with these comments.

Huh. I thought we already had a military. Bizarre comment….

Indeed, a heavily armed and supposedly first class military that uses more than $775 BILLION per year - more than most other countries combined.

But perhaps more to the point, if we don’t ward off Putin and Russia now, they will continue - it will be the Baltics, perhaps Poland or other former Soviet countries. And NATO - already showing up like a limp d-k - will just watch in horror. NATO used Ukraine, Ukraine did everything we asked of them (except for Trump, thank God), and NATO couldn’t even properly arm and support the Ukrainians.

Russia has nuclear weapons and myriad other deadly forces. Putin is a megalomaniac. This violence will come to us if we don’t ward it off.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 13 yo said earlier today that this feels reminiscent of Hitler’s invasion of Poland, when the rest of the world just watched it happen and did nothing.

It truly does feel that way.

I agree with both of you. I know people say we won't get involved but Russia is already making threats to two neighboring countries who want to join NATO now. Don't kid yourself thinking we will stay out of this.

[Anonymous]

Jose Andres is going to Poland to help Ukrainians.

Sean Penn is in Ukraine documenting the war on film.

^^^
Those are tangible responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple OP, according to Kamala and Adm Kirby it's a deterrent... but not really. More weakness from a feckless administration

I expect everyone bi---ing about not doing more to immediately hit up your local military enlistment office, and send over your kids, grandkids, etc.
Otherwise, you can F right off with these comments.

Huh. I thought we already had a military. Bizarre comment….

Indeed, a heavily armed and supposedly first class military that uses more than $775 BILLION per year - more than most other countries combined.

But perhaps more to the point, if we don’t ward off Putin and Russia now, they will continue - it will be the Baltics, perhaps Poland or other former Soviet countries. And NATO - already showing up like a limp d-k - will just watch in horror. NATO used Ukraine, Ukraine did everything we asked of them (except for Trump, thank God), and NATO couldn’t even properly arm and support the Ukrainians.

Russia has nuclear weapons and myriad other deadly forces. Putin is a megalomaniac. This violence will come to us if we don’t ward it off.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO

PP didn’t say it was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we quietly support Ukraine, while publicly stating that we are not getting involved, then it appears like Russia's military is struggling to defeat a country whose GDP is less than half of Tennessee's GDP. It also keeps the war from spreading beyond Ukraine.

-OSD Policy Analyst

You meant to sign this,
-OSD Policy Analyst who has zero compunction breaking NDAs and possibly exposing national secrets

The US just said they've spent 1BN in the past year, including the recent $340M we're sending. Hardly a secret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Safe to say Ukraine is not joining NATO after this. Europe does not have the appetite for war this close to home. I feel bad for Zelensky.

The Ukrainian people will never annex their country to Russia after this. They will fight any Russian puppet government forever.

Putin's method is to use force, poisoning, etc. He could have used other methods and had more success with his ultimate goal. I can see why people refer to him as a middling KGB agent. I bet he was always focused on force that affirmed his manhood instead of methods that would be effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 13 yo said earlier today that this feels reminiscent of Hitler’s invasion of Poland, when the rest of the world just watched it happen and did nothing.

It truly does feel that way.

I agree with both of you. I know people say we won't get involved but Russia is already making threats to two neighboring countries who want to join NATO now. Don't kid yourself thinking we will stay out of this.

It feels the same, but the world has much more at risk compared to the 1930's. I wish there was something that we could do without fear of retaliation with nuclear weapons and cyber attacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we quietly support Ukraine, while publicly stating that we are not getting involved, then it appears like Russia's military is struggling to defeat a country whose GDP is less than half of Tennessee's GDP. It also keeps the war from spreading beyond Ukraine.

-OSD Policy Analyst

You meant to sign this,
-OSD Policy Analyst who has zero compunction breaking NDAs and possibly exposing national secrets

The US just said they've spent 1BN in the past year, including the recent $340M we're sending. Hardly a secret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we quietly support Ukraine, while publicly stating that we are not getting involved, then it appears like Russia's military is struggling to defeat a country whose GDP is less than half of Tennessee's GDP. It also keeps the war from spreading beyond Ukraine.

-OSD Policy Analyst

You meant to sign this,
-OSD Policy Analyst who has zero compunction breaking NDAs and possibly exposing national secrets

The US just said they've spent 1BN in the past year, including the recent $340M we're sending. Hardly a secret.

+1 Many people may recall that things like military aid to other countries is documented, even in such a way that it doesn’t go unnoticed when it’s not delivered in a timely manner to the designated recipients. #thefirstimpeachmentisthedeepest