A thread on proxy wars 1/
A persistent theme among commentators who will not go as far as supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine but have to find a reason why it is also the West's fault, is that this is really a war between NATO/US and Russia in which the poor Ukrainians are victims of both. 2/
Thus claims that the West is 'prepared to fight to the last Ukrainian' or is being used as 'a battering ram' by both sides, picking up on US references to 'proxy wars'. The basic problem with these claims is that they deny Ukrainians agency in their own war. 3/
The idea that the Ukrainians are only fighting because NATO countries are urging them to do so is obvious nonsense. They have not invaded Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine. They have sought Western support and complained when it was not forthcoming. 4/
The idea of 'proxy wars' has always been misleading. Its been used in the US in circumstances where local forces are providing the infantry and foreigners provide airpower and other forms of assistance (for example in battle of Mosul v ISIS or Russ support of Assad in Syria) 5/
Its misleading because suggests that local forces are there to serve the interests of the foreigners. In practice it as likely to be the other way round. 6/
In this case the foreigners are not even providing supporting airpower (which is what Zelensky asked for early on). Zelensky also argues that Ukraine is paying a high price for serving NATO's interests because if Russia wins NATO countries will be next on the list 7/
But he does not suggest for a second that if NATO stopped assisting that all would be well with Ukraine and its people would stop dying and suffering. For Zelensky this is an argument for more support from NATO and not less. 8/
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