The Biden administration is holding off on sending Ukraine longer-range missiles, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing unnamed US officials.
Other recent media reports said that the administration was moving closer to arming Ukraine with Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have a range of up to 190 miles. But US officials said that wasn’t the case and that US policy on the issue hasn’t changed.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that the administration was debating giving Ukraine ATACMS, but according to the Post, US officials said there has been “no substantive discussion about the issue for months.”
Providing ATACMS would be a significant escalation of US support for Ukraine as they could be fired from the US-provided HIMARS rocket systems and would more than double Ukraine’s artillery striking capability. The UK recently began sending Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, which are air-launched munitions with a range of 155 miles.
The administration has been under pressure from hawks in Congress to send the ATACMS, and Ukrainian officials continue to publicly demand the munitions. ATACMS would give Ukraine the ability to hit targets deep in Crimea and inside the Russian mainland, which would risk a major escalation of the war.
The main argument within the administration against providing Ukraine with ATACMS is not over escalation concerns but because the Pentagon doesn’t think it has enough to spare. The Post report said that the Pentagon worries “that sending enough to Ukraine to make a difference on the battlefield would severely undercut US readiness for other possible conflicts.”
Pentagon worries “that sending enough to Ukraine to make a difference on the battlefield would severely undercut US readiness for other possible conflicts.”
Be very worried, Pentagram… There’s not enough missiles in the world to make a difference on that battlefield.
Keep your powder dry for the next big and wholly unnecessary debacle.
But the Neocons have a religious-like faith in the martial superiority of The West.
By the time Biden will ship them Russia will have “war-gamed” several options to counter them and take them out.
We ship our various systems, they do not work out so well so we try something else.
Our great technical prowness with our wonderful precision is appearing to be not exactly true when the enemy does not herd goats like all our recent wars involved.
“Report: US Holding Off Giving Ukraine Longer-Range Missiles.” Wait!? No way we’re not escalating this war? Nuclear war’s not gonna provoke itself, people! How long before we reverse that “Holding Off?” I suspect by the time NATO meets again? Otherwise, what are they gonna discuss or decide? I would also bet those “Longer-Range Missiles” are already in Ukraine? Who’s with me? (Sarcasm)
… or dblspeak, … for cover while provoking Russia attacks the supply base in Poland and allow them to claim before the UN and the World an “unprovoked & illegal” attack on NATO.
I had my surgeon install a string to my chest. As soon as I pull it, I start screaming: “UNPROVOKED, UNJUSTIFIED!” You can select, “PROVOKED, UNJUSTIFIED” if you like that better. It works even when I’m asleep. I highly recommend it to all my neocon and neo-liberal friends. (Sarcasm alert)
Sanity prevails!
“”Ukraine “wants” long range missiles”” – so what!
i live in north L.A. and i would love to have some long-range missiles to destroy the useless people that i have deemed to be unworthy – because i am sure that if they ever realize that i have a Shell gas card then that will be their motive for my murder.
idiots
B.S. The U.S. will give Ukraine ATACMS.
That has been the pattern thus far …….
When does a proxy targeting Moscow cause tit for tat on the weapons suppliers in Washington, London, Berlin and Paris?
The world would be better off if it listened to China’s peace proposal. There are others yet China seems to be the leading power with a high regard for happy and healthy human life as well as the environment.
Not buying this BS news.
Biden has no choice. He has to keep throwing gasoline on the fire because his gamble re Russia has failed to pay off. It’s just pure unadulterated ego amplified by decades of hubris.