Posted on 07/04/2016 2:32:11 PM PDT by Fractal Trader
RETIRED U.S. AIR FORCE Gen. Philip Breedlove, until recently the supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe, plotted in private to overcome President Barack Obama’s reluctance to escalate military tensions with Russia over the war in Ukraine in 2014, according to apparently hacked emails from Breedlove’s Gmail account that were posted on a new website called DC Leaks.
Obama defied political pressure from hawks in Congress and the military to provide lethal assistance to the Ukrainian government, fearing that doing so would increase the bloodshed and provide Russian President Vladimir Putin with the justification for deeper incursions into the country.
Breedlove, during briefings to Congress, notably contradicted the Obama administration regarding the situation in Ukraine, leading to news stories about conflict between the general and Obama.
But the leaked emails provide an even more dramatic picture of the intense back-channel lobbying for the Obama administration to begin a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine.
In a series of messages in 2014, Breedlove sought meetings with former Secretary of State Colin Powell, asking for advice on how to pressure the Obama administration to take a more aggressive posture toward Russia.
(Excerpt) Read more at theintercept.com ...
Hitting up Colin Powell and Wesley Clark for advice on how to persue a more robust military strategy in Eastern Europe may have been a bit misguided. Just my opinion.
Exactly! Russia needs a “buffer zone,” and all that . . . and it should be free to invade the countries that comprise it. NATO doesn’t need a “buffer zone.” That wouldn’t be fair.
You got that right. Clark, Powell and Breedlove. What a team. TOWs from Pakistan to Ukraine ? We don’t have the full story, but you can bet one of Obama’s Muslim buddies nixed that deal. Hillary the Great however would do the deal for the right price. Heck she has probably already cashed the check.
Funny, but even a cursory look at NATO since 91 shows a non-stop drive east, not a Russian move west. And when the EU flipped Ukraine in the coup, NATO was about to move directly up to the Russian border and Sevastopol was about to become a NATO navy base.
And we are shocked that in that last move, we got a little rumbling.
Care to make the same cursory look at Russia’s drive west since 1991?
I know this General. For over twenty years we have crossed paths. He is a great leader and fighter pilot. I question his choices for advice, but not his reasons. He probably thought as I do; Putin will push West until he pays a price. In blood and shattered bodies.
And maybe we could have worked out some kind of partnership with Russia instead of encroaching so close to their turf with NATO. Trump is right about NATO. Outlived its usefulness or original intention.
I agree. Why should NATO “push” toward Russia? It should let Russia come to it. /s
Should we just let them move all the way to Germany again?
Would that be enough to stop their endless whining?
The Russians will never, ever stop whining as long as they can dupe us on the Right (and Left). It’s a good strategy for them, even though they suffer from the greatest case of penis envy on the Planet.
Russia has already pushed toward NATO. In Turkey, which is why our planes are getting buzzed, because of our schizoid stance on Syria, and because they can. Turkey doesn’t fit with NATO; we already haven’t totally honored our agreement with them. Erdogan is not our friend.
Sorry, I was speaking of Russia invading and occupying portions of its vaunted “buffer zone.” It hasn’t carved-up Syria or Turkey, yet.
I actually would like aggressive generals. I blame Obama, without him talking a tough line, then vetoing any attempt to actually make good on his implied promises, we would not be in the situation we are in with regard to many foreign policy disasters.
Syria: A solid case can be made for staying very far away, Obama has not made that case.
Ukraine: Obama talked tough, then walked away.
Iraq: Obama takes a Victory lap then refuses to do any thing in a timely manner.
Obama seems to refuse to understand that the military must be able to cash the checks the diplomats (and politicians) write, or the nation’s credibility in foreign affairs is destroyed.
Basic Game theory: The more other actors believe you can cover your bets, the less likely they are to call them.
Poland is the one we should honor the most because they have been so loyal to us. Russia still wants a warm-water port. And they have made some serious moves in the arctic. That could come to no good. Maybe sooner rather than later. It is like they are pushing the envelope.
Now a moon mission I think I heard, a colony on the back side of it? Maybe a little far-fetched. Can't imagine Russians willing to give up their vodka. Maybe they will take enough with. Maybe the amount of alcoholism is seriously overrated, but I know they have serious drug problems.
Obama doesn't want to stay away from Syria. He and Hillary have a political investment in it.
Obama shouldn't have interfered in the Ukraine; let them sort it out for themselves. I still think we meddled by helping oust the prime minister and letting a puppet get elected.
Iraq, Obama really screwed the pooch with that one. Anybody with half a brain and little knowledge of military tactics could see that one coming with the pre-mature pullout even if their figurehead president or whatever wanted us out. And Russia didn't hassle us over it to my knowledge in a huge manner anyway.
Obama's first rule of thumb is if GWB did it, he is going to do the opposite. There's a name for it. Opposition defiance. Opposition stupid ignorant political posturing has put a lot more people in jeopardy, including our own, than GWB ever did. And I think most of us agree that Iraq was a mistake but not necessarily the WMD a total lie.
So, yes, you have it right mostly as I see it. How far are we going to go for more mistakes though?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.