Suddenly, Washington's many pro-Putin advocates have presented a flow of articles arguing that the West should stop supporting Ukraine & instead listening to Putin's wise advice. One of the worst is Rand's Samuel Charap, so let us check his arguments.
politico.com/news/magazine/…
politico.com/news/magazine/…
1. Charap claims that the US policy of offering "sticks to Moscow and carrots to Kyiv" has failed. Western sanctions and mainly US military support stopped the Russian military expansion in Ukraine from February 2015. That is not bad, but Charap clearly wants more for Moscow...
2. Charap continues "The risk of a major war seems real enough to justify a new U.S. approach. The current policy of threatening punishments and bolstering Kyiv might be morally justified, but it is highly unlikely to alter Putin’s calculus." Charap wants the US to abandon peace?
3. "Where the United States does have significant leverage is with Ukraine — and this leverage is largely untapped." Apparently, Charap is unaware that the US & the rest of the international community has pursued major reforms in Ukraine.
4. Charap continues "the Biden administration should also push Kyiv to take steps toward implementing its obligations under the Minsk II agreement" while noting that "Minsk II was a victor’s peace, essentially imposed by Russia on Ukraine at the barrel of a gun." Why help Putin?
5. Next he takes for granted that Ukraine would lose a new Russian attack: "For Moscow, the Donbas conflict has always been a means to an end....The consequences could be catastrophic. Ukraine’s armed forces stationed in the east would likely take heavy casualties..."
6. Well, that is the reason why the US & some allies have provided Ukraine with sound military assistance that has salvaged Ukraine from such losses that Charap appears to wish upon it.
7. Charap's suggestion, apart from giving up to the Kremlin: "the U.S. has not yet used its influence to push for progress on the Donbas conflict. It could, for example, ask Kyiv to pass the blanket amnesty called for by Minsk..." How well did that work in Afghanistan?
8. Charap ends quite honestly: "For Putin, the use of force is not an end in itself; if he can get some of what he wants without war, he likely will take it."
Apparently, Samuel Charap wants to act as Putin's obedient servant. If not, tell me!
Apparently, Samuel Charap wants to act as Putin's obedient servant. If not, tell me!
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