I totally agree. But that was then, this is now. The West has crossed so many red lines in the conflict that I think (hope) Putin has realized there's no negotiating with them. Of course, Russia wanted to stop it early on, but the West said no.
Western politicians and bureaucrats are itching for a fight but IтАЩm not sure their men in uniform are so keen anymore. TheyтАЩve seen first hand what modern war with a peer adversary looks like and frankly, I donтАЩt think they want a bar of it.
Sure they will, if the upper brass resist then no politician has the balls to unilaterally call the ball especially when said brass leak to the press the real score (something that has happened repeatedly during the past several years).
Expect recruitment numbers to whither and resignations to pile up. No Western army can take the field at present in any meaningful form.
No, look at Ukraine, half the country fled once war was imminent and Slavs are much harder than soft euros. No major European country could pull off conscription to any meaningful degree.
100 French Foreign Legion (many of whom are probably Ukrainian) isnтАЩt meaningful. Macron is just posturing (as always). Everyone knows that Western special forces troops have been in Ukraine throughout the war.
These тАШescalationsтАЩ are nothing burgers which is why the Russians donтАЩt take the bait and just keep grinding forward in the Donbas where it counts.
The West has no options except pinprick attacks which get sensationalised by the media but have no meaningful strategic impact.
What are they going to fight with? It has already been shown in the Ukraine that western weapons are no match for Russian ones. Western industrial war production capacity is minimal. In the end it might mean Russia from Alaska to Ireland.
"I hope Putin has the stomach for an all or nothing proposal."
From the beginning of this war, Russia has shown itself to loathe to escalate and looking for a negotiated solution.
The West is absolutely itching for a fight.
I totally agree. But that was then, this is now. The West has crossed so many red lines in the conflict that I think (hope) Putin has realized there's no negotiating with them. Of course, Russia wanted to stop it early on, but the West said no.
I hope you prove correct but I see no concrete evidence of same.
Talk is cheap.
Western politicians and bureaucrats are itching for a fight but IтАЩm not sure their men in uniform are so keen anymore. TheyтАЩve seen first hand what modern war with a peer adversary looks like and frankly, I donтАЩt think they want a bar of it.
Nobody will ask them.
Sure they will, if the upper brass resist then no politician has the balls to unilaterally call the ball especially when said brass leak to the press the real score (something that has happened repeatedly during the past several years).
Expect recruitment numbers to whither and resignations to pile up. No Western army can take the field at present in any meaningful form.
Obviously, the politicians and brass see things differently. For that matter, when those leaks have happened, nothing has changed in response.
And there's always conscription.
No Western country has the economic resilience nor political capital to withstand the deleterious effect of conscription.
Leaks have definitely had an effect. MSM is being forced closer to the truth and far more people have woken up from propagandistic delusion.
You are more optimistic than I am.
Freeze the bank accounts of persons refusing conscription. They'll fold.
As it is, european governments have basically jettisoned freedom of speech and assembly to barely a peep of protest.
No, look at Ukraine, half the country fled once war was imminent and Slavs are much harder than soft euros. No major European country could pull off conscription to any meaningful degree.
The difference is that Ukrainians wanted to go to the West in the first place. That's the entire Ukrainian motivation.
Europeans are weenies, but like their comforts.
Anyway, Macron apparently sees things differently from you:
https://weapons.substack.com/p/france-sends-troops-to-ukraine/comments
And if you think that it will stop there, then you are high.
100 French Foreign Legion (many of whom are probably Ukrainian) isnтАЩt meaningful. Macron is just posturing (as always). Everyone knows that Western special forces troops have been in Ukraine throughout the war.
Keep telling yourself that. The West keeps escalating.
These тАШescalationsтАЩ are nothing burgers which is why the Russians donтАЩt take the bait and just keep grinding forward in the Donbas where it counts.
The West has no options except pinprick attacks which get sensationalised by the media but have no meaningful strategic impact.
Keep telling yourself that.
*wither*
What are they going to fight with? It has already been shown in the Ukraine that western weapons are no match for Russian ones. Western industrial war production capacity is minimal. In the end it might mean Russia from Alaska to Ireland.
We've been hearing that for literally years now. The West continues to escalate.