Birds sing, roosters crow, someone's grill fills the air with the smokey aroma of BBQ and all's well with the world. Well, not really, but this little part of it's doing alright even though gas has shot through four bucks a gallon and looks set to climb higher still.
Whatev, here in the North Central Texas Military Zone all's pretty much under control, for now. But what about Poland? Here's this, from the American Conservative:
Ten weeks after the conflict began, it is instructive to re-examine the strategic picture. The war against Russia in Ukraine has evolved, but not in the way Western observers predicted. Ukrainian forces look shattered and exhausted. The supplies reaching Ukrainian troops fighting in Eastern Ukraine are a fraction of what is needed. In most cases, replacements and new weapons are destroyed long before they reach the front.
Confronted with the unambiguous failure of U.S. assistance and the influx of new weapons to rescue Ukrainian forces from certain destruction, the Biden administration is desperate to reverse the situation and save face. Poland seems to offer a way out. More important, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have both expressed the desire to erase the borders between Poland and Ukraine.
Unconfirmed reports from Warsaw indicate that after Washington rejected the proposals for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, along with the transfer of Polish MIG-29 aircrafts to Ukrainian pilots, the Polish general staff was quietly instructed to formulate plans for intervention in the Ukrainian conflict by seizing the western part of Ukraine. Naturally, military action of this scale would require Kiev’s approval, but given Washington’s de facto control of the Zelensky government, approval for Polish military intervention should not be a problem.
OK, Col. Douglas Macgregor takes a dim view of the Ukraine's chance of success but his point is that Poland, with tacit US approval, moves to, ahem, assist the embattled NATO proxy and so widen the scope of the war. Big drinks, massive checks all 'round and thank Gaia Raytheon's so green.
By way of context. There's little love lost between Poland and Ukrainian nationalists. Cast your mind back to the Volyn Tragedy of 1943 onwards, in which the UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army) tortured and killed between 50,000-100,000 Polish men, women and children, mostly women and children. Stepan Bandera, once and present Ukrainian nationalist hero, leader and Nazi collaborator encouraged this ethnic cleansing. Why?
Because he wanted a pure Ukrainian state and Poles weren't part of this vision, partly because of that nation's history of control over large parts of what we now call Ukraine. "They ruled and enslaved us," thought Bandera and now we kill them. His people sure did.
Yes indeed. Poland hasn't forgotten Volyn, or the Russians. Again, I leave you with this:
The Polish-Ukraine border has moved more often than the Red River in full flood. In the 20th century, at least three times. No a good idea to get Poland involved in a vs. Russia shootout.
ReplyDeleteI one hundred percent agree, Sgt.
ReplyDeleteIt's tragic really, you had a decade of Russia advocating for a diplomatic solution and the current Ukrainian government was elected based on diplomatically resolving the issues that've blown up. There was even a negotiated agreement to settle the problems with the ethnic Russian areas.
ReplyDeleteBut the USA had to meddle, and now with all the sanctions and actions taken by the western world, many of the Russians I know see it as an existential crisis. They point to all the people talking about breaking up Russia, destroying the Russian people etc. etc. and I can't blame them.
It was very revealing recently, when that brit said something about not allowing Ukraine to negotiate. What a callous disregard of the people of Ukraine!
I agree, Anon. Tragic and wicked.
DeleteThe situation is too complex for my limited understanding. One thing that I am certain of, the Biden Abomination will find ways to make it worse.
ReplyDeleteWheels within wheels, WSF, that's for sure. Then there's the current admin. Dear Lord.
DeleteMy last name is clearly Ukrainian, but my grandfather is listed at Ellis Island as from Poland. Yet our family traces back to Kiev. Not whatever they call it now.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Ed. I go with Kiev too.
DeleteWe need another Polish Pope. It's off topic a little, but it would be nice to have somebody like JP2 calling the shots from the Vatican.
ReplyDeleteSure would, LL.
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