Showing posts with label Soviet Union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soviet Union. Show all posts

August 25, 2024

A War of Attrition and We’re Losing

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "A War of Attrition and We're Losing."

Today marks the 33rd anniversary of Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union. However, this milestone is tinged with melancholy, given Russia's occupation of over 20% of Ukraine and its ongoing efforts to expand its influence following the recent invasion on February 24, 2022.

The U.S.'s strategy is a war of attrition, using Ukraine to deplete Russia's military and economic strength. This strategy is reminiscent of the long Iran-Iraq War that wore down both countries. Russia's long game involves alliances with China, Iran, and terrorist proxies, as well as a campaign of divisive propaganda. The US needs to start playing chess rather than checkers to counter Russia's threats.

(AI generated image via Designer)
 


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October 12, 2017

Reconquest of the Soviet Union

Okay, when I saw this map of the Soviet Union pre-1991 breakup, I got it!

Russia lost 14 Former Soviet Union (FSU) states after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

  1. Armenia
  2. Azerbaijan
  3. Belarus
  4. Estonia
  5. Georgia
  6. Kazakhstan
  7. Kyrgystan
  8. Latvia
  9. Lithuania
  10. Moldovia
  11. Tajikistan
  12. Turkenistan
  13. Ukraine
  14. Uzbekistan

Could you imagine the United States or the European Union losing something like that?

Think of California and Texas and more seceding and making their own independent states. 

What would that do to the power and capability of this country?

Hence, when Russia goes into FSUs like Georgia and Ukraine (in red)--does a land grab like with Crimea and Abkhazia and South Ossetia--and threatens others, in their Soviet minds, they are just reclaiming what is/was theres.

Now listen, I am not justifying their aggression and hostile actions, but I am realizing/recognizing how explosive a situation this may end up being--especially since Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (in blue) changed sides and are now part of NATO!

Russia--even without the 14 FSUs--is the largest country in the world by territory with over 17 million square miles--that is almost the size of the United States and Canada or and China combined!

Russia may not have the economy of the United States but they are a formidable foe that we least not forget also has the largest nuclear weapons stockpile in the world. 

Russia has a history of creating a large world dominating union and their military forays into the FSUs, support of hostile regimes like Syria and in Iran, sizable war games in Belarus, continuing to militarize the Arctic, interfering in our election, stealing our secrets via Kaspersky Lab software is likely just a shadow of what is yet to come. 

So if you think North Korea and Iran are problems...  ;-)

(Source Map: here with attribution to Map Collection)
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