JD Vance has been one of the most vocal opponents of Ukraine aid within the Republican Party.
Like much of the MAGA caucus, JD has cited concerns of corruption and escalation with Russia alongside the increasingly bizarre argument that the easiest way to save Ukrainian lives would be to cease all support.
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Having failed to prevent Congress from passing the Ukraine aid package, JD has pivoted to arguing that providing military aid to Ukraine is useless because the United States cannot match Russia’s military-industrial output. Essentially, JD believes that Kyiv is doomed because the material and numeric disparities between the Ukrainian and Russian militaries cannot be overcome with American assistance.
This argument would make sense if Ukraine was planning on fighting Russia’s large, Soviet-style military with a smaller Soviet-style military. JD is convinced that no one in the Ukrainian government was aware of the size of Russia’s military and that no strategies have been developed to address this in the decade following the annexation of Crimea.I would argue that Kyiv’s campaign of asymmetric warfare has shown the limits of Russia’s military capabilities and the effectiveness of a small, motivated, well-trained military fighting a defensive war.
The Russian Navy effectively had unchallenged control over the Black Sea, yet was pushed out of its headquarters and had multiple vessels sunk by Ukraine’s fleet of aerial and aquatic drones.
Despite maintaining an absolute advantage over Ukraine in total volume of artillery, the Russian military is limited to making small, incremental territorial gains over a period of several weeks – all while Ukrainian drones and projectiles continue to strike refineries and industrial infrastructure deep within Russian territory.The purpose of our military aid and the increases in shell production is to ease the shortage of ammunition seen along the front line and minimize the gap between Ukrainian and Russian volume of artillery fire.
However, our goal is not to have Ukraine recreate Russia’s unwieldy and blunt strategies (like human wave attacks), but rather enable Kyiv to inflict strikes of strategic value and reconstitute forces for an eventual future counteroffensive.The United States War of Independence should be seen as an example of how a small, determined military may overcome a larger adversary by using asymmetric warfare strategies and leveraging support from international partners (this past autumn has already been referred to as Ukraine’s Valley Forge moment).
Rather than assuming that larger numbers guarantee victory, let’s think about how Ukraine can learn from the United States and incorporate best practices from us and our allies.
Reprinted from the author’s blog Why It Matters. See the original here.
The views expressed are the author’s and not necessarily of Kyiv Post.
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Comments (4)
Vance is an arrogant, self-serving dimwit.
Sadly the longer this war lasts the better it is for NATO. I really thought humanity had moved past fighting wars like this. Everyone that is pushing for the war to continue is acting like good guys always win. That the world is fair. For every example of a small country defeating a larger one there are 20 examples of the larger countries prevaling. Why are you writing blogs and not out on the front lines? Are your children and relatives are out there as well? Ukraine is running out of manpower do your part. I feel terrible that this war ever happened and sad that it couldn't have been ended with peace treaty, when there was a chance. Not much to do but see it to its bitter end now. I just hope that everyone who opposed the peace treaties and deals offered with their Blogs and Articles does their part and volunteers for frontline duty. Everyone of you commenting in favor of the war go volunteer or at least donate all of your excess money to the cause. You won't of course but its fun to talk about heroes and villians from a warm home far from the realities of the front. Slava Ukraini. Slava the lost generation.
Good article: Right on the money!
The list below summarizes what MRGA troll content generally includes. It's not my list. I clipped it from an Kyivpost linked external article on russian trolls a few months back. I moved to the top, the troll comment that sounds most similar to what MRGA JD VANCE is now saying:
1. Claim that Russia will inevitably win and defeat Ukraine.
2. Criticize mainstream media covering Ukraine news in an attempt to discredit it.
3. Spread false news about the Ukraine support of allies.
4. Bash President Biden
5. Praise Donald Trump whose statements and actions generally directly align with the Kremlin’s interests.
6. Insult other Ukraine allied leaders or supporters.
7. Have a standard set of narratives justifying russia's its full-scale invasion and war against Ukraine: fakes narratives about “Nazis in Ukraine,” and “self-defense” against “NATO’s eastward expansion.”
8. Blame the West and NATO for all wars.
9. Promote conspiracy theories and disseminating the opinions of “pseudo-experts” about the decline and imminent fall of the United States, the European Union, and the Western world * Support protests in democratic nations.
Let see how many the MRGA trolls will shortly attempt when commenting on this article:
MRGA troll 'jack' (the guy with long derogatory poster names) usually goes for #2->#6.
MRGA troll 'S foreskin' (aka 'wolf foreskin') prefers #1, #7, #8 and #9.
Excellent article.
'jd piss-ant' will say whatever he thinks the orange nut wants to hear. Pure stooopidity... requirement for their cowardice.
We might all get luck... said old orange nodding off in the trial... possibly that becomes PERMANENT for the pooo-tin lover<----
@Hates pooo-tin, I enjoy your posts sir !👍