Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission.
The latest headline from the New York Times shows mission creep for NATO in the Russia-Ukraine War:
The move could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war. The Biden administration continues to say there will be no American troops on the ground.
Recall that when Russia invaded Ukraine in its “special military operation,” the initial response from the U.S. and NATO was to provide defensive weaponry like anti-tank missiles and shoulder-launched SAMs. How quickly that escalated! U.S. aid to Ukraine is now approaching $175 billion (both provided and promised by Congress) and included offensive weaponry, everything from long-range missiles to main battle tanks to combat aircraft. Even so, Ukrainian forces, attrited by Russia and its superior resources in manpower and especially in artillery shells, are losing this war. Hence the headline above about NATO sending “trainers” into Ukraine.