It's a grizzly war with numerous civilian casualties. Russian military intervention is best positioned to stop it.
We don't endorse this position. ('We' being RUSSIA INSIDER, the publisher of this opinion piece)
For one thing
there is the matter of unforeseen consequences - including unwanted
civilian deaths due to Russian arms and the potential for escalation.
Besides the author does not even attempt to tackle the question of the
costs to Russia.
However, it is interesting [that] the case for
Russian humanitarian intervention in East Ukraine in itself looks a lot
better than justification for any western intervention of the kind. (Boldface added by Axis)
This article originally appeared at Rock Solid Politics
Editorial comment: The U.S. and NATO were of course the ones who created this extremely precarious situation. Ukrainians are killing Ukrainians, and no wonder that a huge number of Kiev Ukrainian military are deserting the army. - SON
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It's a big leap for a writer in the West to advocate Russian military
action in the Ukrainian republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. A stretch for
sure. But, there is a sound case for it.
First is the nature of
the warfare being conducted in the two republics. It started as a low
level, small unit-type internal insurrection. However, after the Ukraine
army was unable to take Slavyansk with this type of action, it switched
to larger and larger caliber weapons - including aircraft and
helicopter gunships. To make a long story short, the Ukraine army drove
the separatist forces almost to the Russian border before they were
defeated and forced to retreat to the approximate lines that they occupy
today.
The problem with the Ukraine war is that it is essentially World War
II type warfare without the air power. That essentially makes it like
World War I warfare. A battle of attrition. Massive artillery replacing
air power. Massive destruction and civilian casualties. Long bloody
battles for meters that often get overturned by pointless counter
attacks. No decisive battles or maneuvering. Just one layer of defence
after another eating men and machines. A grizzly affair that has no end
other than internal political revolt or foreign intervention. It's the
latter I suggest is necessary.
Someone has to intervene militarily
in this conflict to tear apart the two sides who have a blood lust for
each other. Pure hatred that cannot be cured, and that must be dealt
with by equally deadly force. Given that the conflict is happening on
the border with Russia it is only logical that Russia should be the
force to intervene.
One approach would be for Russia to declare a
"hostilities free zone" in the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. To back
that declaration, Russia should position a large enough force to be
militarily convincing on its border. Then, as a second step, Russia
should impose air superiority over the area, engaging any artillery,
from either side, that violates the hostilities free zone. Then, as the
third step, Russia should move its ground forces into the two republics.
Ukraine military units would be required to vacate the two republics.
If they refused they would be engaged and neutralized. Separatist forces
would be required to marshal their men and equipment at certain points
within the republics. If they refused, a similar fate would await them
as Ukrainian units that failed to comply.
Once the forces are
separated, and order is restored, the international community would hold
a referendum in the two republics to determine if they wish to remain
in Ukraine or become their own country, or a part of Russia, or any
combination thereof.
It's called peace-making, not peace-keeping.
There is no other country better positioned to do it than Russia. There
is no country with a greater interest, other than Ukraine itself, in the
restoration of peace and order in Donetsk and Lugansk. Additionally, as
a responsible member of the international community, it is Russia's
responsibility to bring an end to the war crimes being conducted by both
sides, although more so by Ukraine forces, in Donetsk and Lugansk.
Russia
doesn't need anyone's permission to do this. Fact is, if it tried to
get that permission it wouldn't be granted, and the bloody conflict will
continue to consume tens of thousands of lives. It's real politik for a
real situation. The West should butt out, and in effect mind its own
business. The current situation comes as a direct result of the West
interfering in Ukraine affairs to begin with. If you believe that the
overthrow of the previous Ukraine president was just a spontaneous
combustion of patriotic fervor, well, I have a bridge I'd like to sell
you. Simply isn't true.
It's time to stop the insanity in Ukraine
by peace-making. The geo-politics means the cleanup job is Russia's
responsibility. Hopefully, that will mean less civilians, especially the
children, will die in a modern day "Mad Max" war in Ukraine. |