This photo of a broken Russian tank illustrates Hunter's story tonight on Daily Kos -- "Making sense of a battlefield that defies logic in a war that defies reason":
Anyone who says they know what will happen next is lying; there are simply too many moving parts. Russia faces massive logistical challenges, but still has an enormous military and, possibly, enormous stockpiles. A single advance by either side could fundamentally change the shape of the war. The Russian economy is in utter shambles—but Putin may have more reasons to escalate the war, drawing in NATO itself, than he does to retreat. And during all of it, Ukraine's civilians are dying.Earlier today, Hunter wrote another article about why Russia is torturing Ukraine with pointless shelling of its cities, and concludes the reason is basic cowardice:
Why are Russian generals firing into Ukrainian cities, at targets that can't and won't fire back? Because it's one of the few logistical operations the grift-riddled, impossibly corrupt military infrastructure can still execute.If you're a Russian general looking to show that you're working hard to achieve implausible Kremlin objectives, parking yourself outside Mariupol or Kharkiv and shelling neighborhoods into wastelands of broken concrete is a no-muss path to, if not glory, at least not being called back to Russia in preparation for your fatal "heart attack."It's where Russian generals attempt to do almost anything else that the system breaks down. But hunkering down in one place, with a static defensive perimeter and a direct rail, road, or major port to provide supplies and ammunition? That, the generals can still do.
More discussion today about Biden's speech -- I think we will realize at some point that Biden has been far ahead of many of us in understanding the the war outcome, and he is working to teach us what needs to happen:Increased reports of RU units withdrawing to Belarus (& RU) to “refit & then redeploy.”
— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) March 28, 2022
Militaries CAN redeploy after fixing problems, but I don’t see that happening w/ RU forces.
It’s tough to fix culture - leadership, training, maintenance, logistics - in the short term. https://t.co/8DCxlbcZsC
I'm changing my view on Biden's comment yesterday. Not only is the criticism of the remark overwrought and misguided, I'm coming to think that over time the remark will be seen as a Biden signature, speaking a truth that needed to be said. https://t.co/253ox85Rut
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) March 27, 2022
Biden said “Go get him” at the end of his SOTU speech. He made his supposed gaffe at the end of yesterday’s historic address. Biden knows what he’s doing. Keep Putin off guard. IT’S ABOUT TIME we have a president who doesn’t kiss his ass or quiver at the mere sight of him. pic.twitter.com/yN9uWLFDlW
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 27, 2022
At Progress Pond, Martin Longman writes Biden knows what he's doing:With all the chatter about avoiding escalation time to get a grip. The only escalation is coming from the other side, the #RussianEmpire. It has never stopped and will not stop unless it is forced to stop. Stay focused on this simple point.
— Bob Rae (@BobRae48) March 27, 2022
...Russia is now an isolated, pariah state. It will remain so as long as Putin is in power.There can be no lifting of sanctions or concessions of territory (unless Ukraine insists on conceding it), and no reward or face-saving whatsoever for what Putin has done....This isn’t just some didactic position of America or NATO or the West. Putin is not a viable future leader of Russia from a Russian perspective. He has brought complete disaster upon his country and the only way the country can begin a process of recovery is with fresh leadership.They have to bring it about, and hearing the U.S. president make this point clear will help clarify things....The goal here is for Russia to leave Ukraine entirely, including Crimea and Dombas, and pay serious reparations. The second goal is for Russia to rejoin the community of nations, which means normal diplomatic and economic relationships, and this is simply never going to be possible with Putin in charge.Russian business leaders probably understand this. Russian military leadership probably understands this. And they are the ones who will have to remove Putin from power and negotiate the peace....when foreign policy experts get upset that Putin now has less incentive to negotiate, you have to consider how ridiculous it is to think Putin would make the necessary concessions. If he were somehow willing, which is laughable, he’d have to resign in disgrace the next day. What Biden said didn’t change that.
This is brilliant:Follow the thread https://t.co/oHZ23oKQsy
— Bob Rae (@BobRae48) March 28, 2022
I am the very model of a Russian Major General
— Andrej (@AndrejNkv) March 25, 2022
My standing in the battlefield is growing quite untenable
My forces, though equipped and given orders unequivocal
Did not expect the fight to be remotely this reciprocal https://t.co/GqxMuPQ7J8
A remarkable performance at the championships by Ukrainian figure skaters Oleksandra Nazarova and Maksym Nikitin, who prepared in just a month and could not have costumes made:My ordnance is the best but only half my missiles make it there
— Andrej (@AndrejNkv) March 25, 2022
I would have thought by now that we would be controllers of the air
But at the rate the snipers work my time here is ephemeral
I am the very model of a Russian Major General
And in other news today:[À VOIR]
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) March 25, 2022
Dans des circonstances exceptionnelles, le duo ukrainien composé d'Oleksandra Nazarova et de Maksym Nikitin performance un magnifique programme de danse rythmique.
Un message fort, acclamé par la foule française. 🇺🇦✌️ pic.twitter.com/DwK5FzpxlJ
We switched over to the Oscars just as the "Slap Heard 'Round The World" was being broadcast and wow, what a way to derail the entire show. Thousands of tweets later, I saw this one:Next Stop: @FIFAWorldCup!
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 27, 2022
Congratulations to our #CANMNT! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/PYxXMntfwT
But just wait 'til next year!
— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️🌈 (@CathieCanada) March 28, 2022
New Oscars slogan: "Come for the ceremony, stay for the slap!"
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