This in a nutshell is what I am criticising as the cheerleaders in UK and US. From day one it has struck me as egging on Ukraine to suffer horribly in a futile defence while in a practical sense we offer no contribution that gives Ukraine hope of offensive gains (which, you know, are kind of a requirement of military victory). The cheerleading and massaged media messages ( "they've only captured one 'major' city in a week of conflict") are designed to maintain Ukrainian morale and maximise Ukrainian suffering in the hope that a strong resistance from Ukraine reduces the chance of Russia attacking NATO territory (at which point an American or British life may be in jeopardy). It is completely self serving.
Either back up words with deeds that will give Ukraine a chance of victory or shut the hell up and let the media report the war factually in terms of the steady progress of the Russian army, the inevitable defeat of Ukraine and that Ukrainian minds should be focussed on negotiating terms should the Ukrainian government calculate that extending its resistence will cause more suffering. The world is filled with nations of peoples subjugated by a hostile state with a different ethnic elite and to suggest Ukraine is magically immune to this is disingenuous.
Zelensky doing his head in at the lack of action by NATO on its doorstep (which does beg questions about whether the US and allies will lift a finger against any Chinese action). I don't think a no fly zone is credible but as I've said, we could be giving Ukraine tanks, jets and helicopters if we were truly serious about preventing Russian conquest and enslavement of Europe's second largest nation.
And speaking of China. Worth keeping an eye on given past Chinese-Vietnam war (when both 'Communist'). The suspicion is China is only interested in expanding its sea borders and Vietnam is in no position to contest this, so this may not result in full conflict.
China is carrying out more than a week of military drills in the South China Sea in an area between its southern province of Hainan and Vietnam, the government announced, warning shipping to stay away.
www.reuters.com
