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Russia Should Intervene in Ukraine to Stop the War Printer friendly page Print This
By Editorial report
RUSSIA INSIDER
Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015

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

________________

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.

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