🧵 “Gen. Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, has made the case that the Ukrainians have achieved about as much as they could reasonably expect on the battlefield before winter sets in & so they should try to cement their gains at the bargaining table.” nytimes.com/2022/11/10/us/…
He is wrong, much as he has been from before the war started. Milley was the authority providing advise to @POTUS that Ukraine would be quickly defeated by Russia, thus the U.S. would only be risking a flashpoint with Russia in arming Ukraine. Milley undermined deterrence.
In undermining deterrence Milley helped manifest the greatest danger to US national security in generations. This is a failure in a pattern of failures, including the Lafayette Square march, the advise on Afghanistan, and the politicization of the military and off of CJCS.
Milley’s CJCS predecessors had the foresight to leave diplomacy to professionals. Milley should be more focused on improving the quality of his military advice and not weighing in on geopolitical where he has even less proficiency.
But this is a man who has never been known to exercise good judgment (see above) or show restraint. I met & interacted w/ him for years in multiple fora. He loves to hear himself speak and has a massive ego. That’s become dangerous. He has couched his guesses as facts.
Early in the war he was almost a persona non grata w/ Ukraine’s military leadership due to his overbearing nature & talking down to the UAF besting the Russias. I’ve could see this. During my Pentagon days, the massive eye rolls from senior leaders attending Tanks were legendary.
This man should never have been the CJCS, he lobbied Trump for the job and his campaign resulted in him being hand-selected by Trump. That tells you everything you need to know.
I don’t understand how someone as wrong as often as Milley still fills a critical role in our security apparatus. He has once again gotten in front of the Biden Administration & inadvertently serviced the Putin agenda by adding pressure for Ukraine to deliver concessions.
The Biden Administration has learned that while diplomacy will be the way this war ends, talks will unfold not because we or even the Ukrainians wish it to, but when Putin has been decisively bested on the battlefield and comes in earnest to negotiations. Milley doesn’t get it.
Here’s my prediction: UKR will continue to liberate its territory w/ additional gains in the east & southeast thru the winter. In the spring & summer UKR & RUS will launch new offensives. UKR will liberate more territory. Putin then will attempt to negotiate to hold Crimea.
What is the role of the US/NATO? Unbending, relentless support for UKR to include more advance offensive & defensive weapons. This is how the democratic world demonstrates its resolve to defend democracy & a rules-based order, thus securing a more stable 21st Century.

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More from @AVindman

Nov 7
Ukraine, as the frontline of democracy and Freedom, has come up in every series of remarks.

Sitting in the Council of Europe attending the 10th World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg, France. @WFDemocracy
“Russia is an authoritarian terrorist regime.”

Tiny Kox, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). 10th @WFDemocracy
Read 6 tweets
Oct 25
The Ukraine war is not simply about the survival of Ukraine, it's also about US security & the future of democracy in the 21st Century. Ukraine success warns-off future authoritarian aggression. While Russia's success manifests a world where large states prey on smaller states.
As a result of Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine, U.S. national security is imperiled. This is not the result of Ukraine defending itself or liberating occupied territory, or freeing its people from Russian tyranny. It's imperiled solely because of Russian aggression.
The Biden admin has done an admirable job of managing the dangers of escalation. Biden's team has balanced short term risks, such as the possibility of war with NATO, against the imperative for Ukraine to win & Russia to loose. The U.S. must continue to support Ukraine to win!
Read 5 tweets
Oct 20
Next week I will be traveling to Wisconsin to campaign for Mandela Barnes (@TheOtherMandela). Follow the thread for why… (1/5)
This race is so critical for Wisconsin and the nation. It’s critical for our national security, our economy and for our rights and freedoms. (2/5)
Mandela is the real deal and will be an excellent Senator. He is the son of a third shift auto worker and a public school teacher who has fought for working families as an organizer, state legislator, and now as Lt. Governor. (3/5)
Read 5 tweets
Oct 17
I think the JCPOA (the deal to delay/deny Iran nuclear weapons) is a good idea. But the negotiations around reentry into the JCPOA cannot be the reason the US and EU do not take action to impose stiff sanctions on Iran.
Iran is counting on the US & EU to self-deter sanctioning Iran for arms transfer to Russia, because Iran claims this would derail the ongoing negotiations. The history of arms control negotiations the nuclear issues can be de-linked from other foreign policy challenges.
The US and EU have taken a principled stand to punish authoritarian regimes' attacks on the international order. Turning to situational ethics to serve the so-called "greater good" would be a step backward.
Read 5 tweets
Oct 14
Must read! If you want to understand how culture wars are affecting the military read this.
“With the IG’s report in, it is now up to the senior leadership of the Army on how to respond. It can punish Donahoe for one or all of these social media transgressions, all the way to stripping him of his rank, or it can let the general retire as planned…”
“and essentially ignore the report as tone-deaf. But how this plays out matters for far more than Maj. Gen. Donahoe, however, with the repercussions going far wider and longer for the force in four key ways.” @SecArmy
Read 18 tweets
Oct 14
💡 let’s cancel @elonmusk . If your going to undermine US security you will pay. He likely has a board of directors he’s accountable to. Time to send a message!!
.@LucidMotors makes pretty sweet electric cars. I hear these are MUCH better then @Tesla
Ohh and a bunch of other American car companies make fantastic electric cars. @GM @Ford @Chrysler @chevrolet
Read 4 tweets

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