Huh? I was talking about the FRENCH. Likely a clandestine op with deniability. Or just supply appropriate weapons & intel.
Now, it IS true that these Western leaders think in a box. For example:
Well before he became Speaker, Mike Johnson was saying he supported aid to Ukraine on two conditions:
Biden must lay out a plan to win. (Ie., NOT some “forever war” with unclear goals.)
Better accounting.
So... IMO the Euro’s should settle on a general plan (there of course has to be SOME flexibility) that does not involve NATO troops in combat in Ukraine. Publicly call on Biden and Johnson to support it or not, negotiate with same if need be. Publicly announce final plan.
Then to start execution of that plan:
No US financial aid to Ukraine - the Euro’s will handle that. It’s far from our biggest contribution anyway.
Send $57 billion in old weapons (at present market value & including transportation cost) to Ukraine. (Pretty safe bet that transportation cost is less than scrapping cost.) All weapons in this package must be at least 7 years old, or already announced (2/1/2024) for scrapping or retirement.
Produce and send $3 billion of new munitions ($1.5 billion in 155 mm shells) to Ukraine in cases where stocks are “low”) (We are not actually “low” on 155 mm shells, but, we are eating into reserves. To be on the cautious side it’d make sense, as a ramp up to 1 million shells a year is underway*, to expand that ramp up further. Devote some production of the newer, high accuracy shells to Ukraine. Also included is authorization of a $50 billion arms sale to Europe.
*Part of the continuing funding of that ramp up is actually in the currently proposed “supplemental” “for Ukraine”.
~$2-$3 billion for training Ukies, setting up F-16 logistics, etc.
$2 billion in humanitarian supplies. Actual physical supplies, not “cash”.
Appropriate $67 billion for new weapons to go into US stocks, focus on cost effectiveness and the latest and emerging threats at least equal to replenishing stocks of old weapons.
Total outlay is $75 billion. $67 billion goes into new / improved / expanded weapons that go into US stocks.
Stand alone bills names:
Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine Bill ($2 Billion),
Weapons Modernization & Old Weapons Disposal Supplemental Bill ($67 Billion), and,
Ukraine New Munitions and Weapons Training Bill ($6 Billion)
Post / propose / briefly explain the plan and bills on all media and social media platforms in writing. Biden theoretically should be able to handle a 5 minute public address on TV, followed by (best?) Olaf Scholz explaining what Germany is doing to get to 2% of GDP for defense spending, and maybe a little graphics presentation showing all the countries aid to Ukraine so far as a % of GDP, per year. (Germany is a slacker on NATO, but by this measure has been more generous than the US with support to Ukraine, by far, even while under greater economic stress.)
These bills would pass easily and those opposing support for Ukraine know it.
The French are lubing up the Reverse gear on their tanks.