Revisiting "War In Ukraine And Its Expansion Into Russia"

The war in Ukraine has expanded into Russia. This expansion highlights an unlimited amount of propaganda is being dumped upon us. Most of the media, with or without an agenda, have presented us with a rather one-sided view of what is occurring on the ground. Some claim Putin is on his last leg and about to crumble, others take the stand a desperate Ukraine's venture into Kursk is a suicide mission. Anyway you look at the situation "over there," most people would argue peace would be a better option.

 

From the get-go, I have taken the stand and warned pushing Putin into such a war was a bad idea in that a war in his backyard gave Russia a huge home-field advantage. To make matters worse, this war was and is totally unnecessary. As this has unfolded, I feel, the views of Colonel Douglas Macgregor probably give us a good picture of what is occurring on the ground. His take on, the mismatch of forces, the motivation, and the strategy seem to closely match reality.

In this latest update from the Kursk battlefield, Colonel Macgregor offered a detailed analysis of Russia's overwhelming counterattacks and Ukraine's staggering losses. As the 'Kursk Curse' unfolds as Russian forces are leveraging superior artillery and air power to dismantle Ukraine's offensive strategies. From the failed advances in Komarovka to the destruction of Ukrainian armored divisions, the battlefield remains a pivotal front in the ongoing conflict. It appears that Russia's elite units, like the Akhmat group, continue to sabotage and counter Ukraine's deep penetration raids. 

This is leading to record-breaking casualties. Macgregor explains the brutal reality and devastating impact of Russia’s precision strikes and how the incursion into Kursk may enraged and galvanized the Russian people behind Putin. Rather than pressuring Putin to end the madness, Macgregor holds the view that more than a few Russians think Russia has not been aggressive enough and should ramp up its efforts to crush Ukraine. 

Bubbling up through the forces that bring us to war is the stupid and shameful myth that it is good for the economy. While war does line the pockets of a few industrialists and businessmen the cost is great and outweighs the benefits. Warfare often fails to be either easy, swift, or true. For proof, we need only look at the millions of people displaced and forced to flee war-torn areas, these refugees, and the countries they flee to, often pay the price for the billions of dollars of military hardware produced at a profit and pumped into countries across the world. 

 

Those of you who have accepted, hook, line, and sinker, the view Putin is a thug and a bully should remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Please consider that Putin resurrected the crumbling Russian empire into a nation-state with coherence and purpose. He is credited with halting the theft of his country’s wealth by the plutocracy and restoring Russia's military strength. Putin's biggest sin may have been that with blunt rhetoric he refused to accept for Russia a subservient role in an American-run world led by foreign politicians and business leaders.

 

It does not stand as a monument of our virtue that many Western leaders have stirred the pot of war and added to world strife. Many of the same so-called "warmongers" are hellbent on turning Ukraine into a major war whether the countries involved want it or not. History shows what has become known as "proxy wars" create profits for companies manufacturing weapons. The cost, of course, is then pawned off on taxpayers and a public preoccupied with personal concerns. In this case, we should be concerned that these fools are playing with fire. This has little to do with Russia taking over the world or Ukraine's national sovereignty. It is about money, energy, and power.

Somewhere in the minds of rational people should reside the idea that warfare has proven to be a pathetic option to bring about positive change, it may change things, but to what degree and for how long. The loss of life of an individual is often insignificant except to their loved ones. One of the harsh realities of modern war is that it has become a less personal way to die.  Beyond that ugly reality is the fact war carries with it many hidden costs. At this point, we can only pray that the warmongers among us do not turn this into World War III. 

 

(Republishing of this article welcomed with reference to Bruce Wilds/AdvancingTime Blog)