Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) warned Tuesday that the US is risking war with Russia by “poking the bear” in Ukraine.
Tuberville made the comments during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing with Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier.
Tuberville told Haines and Berrier the US is risking escalating the war by bragging about intelligence sharing with Ukraine. In recent weeks, US officials claimed to the media that US intelligence has helped Ukrainian forces shoot down a plane carrying Russian troops, kill Russian generals, and sink a Russian warship.
“You know, we’re kind of poking the bear here … We’re bragging about it. Even President Biden said today, ‘Wait a minute. We got to cut back on this,'” Tuberville said. Biden reportedly told senior US officials that the leaks to the media on intelligence-sharing must stop.
Tuberville warned the US is also risking provoking Moscow by sending high-level officials to Kyiv. “We do not want to take that step forward to where we get a lot of our men and women involved in this. It looks like to me that we’re taking way too many chances of sending people over there for a photo op,” he said.
The senator said he favored supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia but warned there was no turning back if things escalated into a direct conflict between Washington and Moscow. “There’s a point of no return here if we cross that line,” he said.
While the US has sent billions in arms to Ukraine, restarted training Ukrainian troops, and expanded intelligence sharing, US officials still deny the idea that Washington is engaged in a proxy war against Moscow. When pressed by Tuberville, Haines said that Russia believes it’s fighting a war against both Ukraine and the West.
“Russia has historically believed that they are in a conflict, in effect, with NATO and the United States on a variety of issues,” Haines said. When asked directly if Russia believes it’s fighting the US, Haines said, “In a sense, their perception.”
During the hearing, Berrier and Haines described the war in Ukraine as a “stalemate” and said Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing for a long-term conflict. Haines said over the next few months, the war could “see us moving along a more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory.”
It is hard to believe that this is the quality of information orovided to lawmakers.
Since when is this Russian intervention a stalemate.? We contunuously create a strawman — Russian presumed “objectives” — so we can then say that objectives were not met, or it is a stalemate. First, Western media and experts predicted Shock and Awe over Kiev. Then, when Russian forces pulled away, it was Russian “failure” and Ukrainian forces “sucess”.
What really happened? Putin himself made it clear that Ukrainian forces were “chained” by the uncertainty and not risking moving troops away from Kiev. Why was it important? To accomplish two most critical priority security tasks: Securing the entire Sea of Azov coast between Russia’s border to Crimean border AND. securing Kherson, region adjacent to Crimea, and often considered part of it to the Dnyeper river estuary.
In both cases, security was paramount. By not having access to Azov Sea, Ukraine can no longer threatened Crimea by Ukrainian shipping provocations under Crimea rail and car bridge. Azov Sea has become Russian lake. And by taking over Kherson region, water sources are now deblocked, Russia is connected to Crimea by land, and Crimea has depth and protection.
And those regions are vast majority Russians, others Ukrainian Orthidox Christians, and others are minority.
City of Mariupol is just one of the cities in these 2 regions that are now under Russian control.
Why do we still hear of stories about Rusdia fighting Ukranian forces still hiding in Azovstal?
We are hearing it because an ILLUSION is needed about Mariupol still not under Russian control.
In fact, Russia has not now for weeks conducted any operations there. Just have it surtounded. It isessentially hostage negotiations. Civilians were taken against their will into those catacombs, and UN had to negotiate for their release. Many have just saved theirvdogs and cats, and that is all they had when emerging from the plant. Reuters was present, and related stories what those civilians said — minus ine detail: that they were kept there against their will. Russia offered the uncensored interviews in UN.
Still there are others not released . Russia was objecting to Azov militants being rescued like civilians.
There is no fighting, just a continued hostage situatiion. It is at this point a police action. City functions are being restored. And after eight years, they could openly celebrate Victory day in Mariupol. Videos circulating.
And as soon as those were accomplished, Kiev story was not relevant any nore.
Now, as Russia decided to oblige West and make it a long war — suddenly it is now a stemate.
Again, more straw men objectives , more Russian “failures” to deduce from the imagined aims.
But what is of concern is the high stake games played in Black Sea. Ukraine has from the beginning of conflict PROHIBITED any commercial ships from leaving the port of Odessa. Just letting crews leave overland. Those vessels are hostages in the port. With mines getting sometimes lose, they are in real danger of drifting and causinh shio.
Note that the canal bringing water from the Dnipro river had been turned off, at Kakhovka up river from Kherson .
Turning off the water is kind of like poking the bear. The US has been picking a fight with Russia and China. Very stupid way to try and make money.
Russia already unblocked the water source.
When people talk about Russia’s war aims, hope they realuzee that the two most critical from the physical security point if view — have been accomplished. Moving into more Rusdian speaking areas from niw on, really depends on Kiev and its sponsors.
Since Zelenski took such an active role in promoting the Nazi regime — it is less likely that a peace can be achieved any time soon in which Russian speakers would regain their rughts to the use of Russian language.
It is amazing how many people still believe that the Nazi regime in Ukraine is not “really Nazi”! We are getting complacent about Nazi ohenomena and think of it as a fancy dress nostalgia. Nazism in Ukraine is enforced under democratic garb.
It is also not well known fact that population of any area under Russian control immediatelly loses all the income from pensions, social services or disability payments. This is to blame Russia butvalso to force Russia to supply population with emergency food and health care.
There is reallyva question mark over the ability of Ukraine to field more fighters and officers. They have as it is a patchwork of defended areas with communications problems. And new weapons are being destroyed — even if they convert hotels into weapins storage as was the case in Odessa. Russia has an advantage of intelligence gathering . The inverse problem is that Russian nationals are increasingly targetv of regime hunting for traitors.
And you are right. This is a fight with Russia, and many other parts of the world, such as Arab and wider Moslem world. One can see a very deliberate Russian distancing from Israel. More than distancing, outright provoking.
No matter what happens — the Aziv region with Mariupol and Kherson rregion — with possibly the entire Donetsk and Lughansk are not coming back to Ukraine.
Too bad nobody wants Galicia — with it gone, Ukraine’s problems would be solved.
Galicia? Looks like a place I might like.
A bit of clarification regarding the term “Nazi” and its use in this situation:
Inescapably, we associate the term “nazi” with the German Nazis of WW2 infamy. We know all the atrocities they committed. In the present case of Ukraine, it is NOT the use of Nazi symbols and the torchlight parades, that is superficial. It is the serial violence which is allowed, celebrated, and licensed by the governing authorities of Ukraine that is the offense against humanity.
In the “close quarters” of eastern Europe — and yes, in the wider world as well — this sort of inter-ethnic/inter-tribal animus and violence is historic. The various tribes will have their tribal “brown shirts” who go around demonstrating their tribal “superiority” and dominance by publicly inflicting violence ***with impunity*** on the various “others”, the “lesser” humans/subhumans/untermensch.
To get a feel for this, two examples:
An acquaintance from Moldova reports that her grandfather described incidents where burly, men would appear at one’s door, and “question” the occupants in a menacing manner. If you answered in the wrong language you could be beaten or killed. Thus, minority persons lived in a condition of state tolerated terrorism and oppression.
Closer to home, in the post-civil war south, we have the KKK, who would appear in the night — and sometimes during the day — at the door of a black resident/family and behave with similar violence and impunity.
Notwithstanding current agitation around ***WHITE SUPREMACISM!!!***, it’s been a while since Americans have had an up close and personal experience with this sort of domestic terrorism.
This is what has been going on in Ukraine since the 2014 coup. This sort of government-licensed domestic terrorism is what is meant by the term “Nazi” as used in the current Ukrainian context.
Good insight.
Not quite. The Ukrainian nationalists are followers of Stepan Bandera, who collaborated with the original, “real” Nazis during WWII. They read Mein Kampf, they espouse anti-Semitic views, and they engage in the same thuggery as Hitler’s SA. The fact that their focus is on Ukrainian nationalism rather than German nationalism, and their hatred is directed more at Russians than Jews (and most still hate Jews), does not make them any less a threat than the original Nazis. Those differences make them “neo-Nazis” which is the better term. But “Nazis” is a perfectly good term to use for them, even if it obscures somewhat their ideological differences.
We don’t want to “whitewash” these people, as the MSM is doing, by just calling them “far-right” or nit-pick their ideological progressions.
We have wanted to fight Russia since the end of WWII. Immediately after the conclusion of that war, there were military leaders who wanted to attack the Soviet Union while that country was as it weakest (having lost 27 million fighting the NAZIs), including General Patton, who could have been a major influence. I firmly believe he was murdered, and that was the reason why. To shut that idea down. Nevertheless, plans were drawn up that should there be a confrontation we would nuke 66 cities in the Soviet Union). The giant game of risk we have been playing really kicked in at the end of the Cold War, especially during the Clinton years. Rather than allow Russia into the Western Alliance, Clinton said no. George W. took us out of the ABM treaty. Trump took us out of the INF treaty. Madness.
All true, … and still very much operative. Kennedy was in the initial stages of changing this so Allan Dulles had him murdered. Then Dir. Colby testified before the Church Committee, and Dulles epigonoi had him murdered. …nso on till we get to DJT, against whom they had to mobilize almost the entire national security apparatus to keep from normalizing relations with Russia.
Comrade, you seriously need to have your mental capacity checked.
Please make that a priority, you may be delusional beyond help already.
How much does Ukraine pay for you to troll?
How much does the Russian government pay you, is it a full-time gig?
thank you for this clear, concise explanation of what really is going on
The special IG on Afghanistan last year reported that over the whole 20 yrs the public had been fed nothing but lies by the US Military, State Dept. and White House. So this is just SOP. That they know better is evident by the escalation, the urgency and the massive size of the latest care package.
That was kind of really in-depth & asked many questions.
Unfortunately, history shows that the trajectory of war is very much predictable.
https://patternofhistory.wordpress.com/
Not all your viewers are going to do us the honor of downloading the book. How would you discribe or summarize it?
Hi Chris,
Thank you for asking. I’ll keep it brief.
Every empire eventually faces the war it seeks to avoid – its own defeat. Everybody wants to avoid WW III. Completing the syllogism: we are doomed to fight another world war. The build-up can be seen in Ukraine between NATO and Russia. There are other theaters, growing hostilities between the US and China in Asia as well as flashpoints in the Middle East.
All wars are fought over power, to allow one group gain and maintain dominance over another. That’s why so much importance is placed on it. But power is an illusion, it cannot deliver on its promise – what’s expected of it. Eternal hegemony is impossible. But it’s what seekers of power want/need.
All wars are about power. There is no case in history where it is not present and the motive for war. It determines alliances: nations unite with the enemies of their principles because it serves their interests to do so. The first and second world wars are perfect examples of this. The vanquished in those conflicts did not expect the war they got, had to delude themselves they would win, embark on war to prevent the very war they wanted to avoid, but got: their own destruction. Every nation will be defeated in WW III: there’ll be no winners. That conflagration is certain if the patterns of history remain unchanged.
peter
Some quotes from Albert Einstein:
“The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe . . . ”
“Often in evolutionary processes a species must adapt to new conditions in order to survive. Today the atomic bomb has altered profoundly the nature of the world as we know it, and the human race consequently finds itself in a new habitat to which it must adapt its thinking . . . .”
“The conflict that exists today is no more than an old-style struggle for power, once again presented to mankind in semi-religious trappings. The difference is that, this time, the development of atomic power has imbued the struggle with a ghostly character; for both parties know and admit that, should the quarrel deteriorate into actual war, mankind is doomed . . . .”
” The position in which we are now is a very strange one which in general political life never happened. Namely, the thing that I refer to is this: To have security against atomic bombs and against the other biological weapons, we have to prevent war, for if we cannot prevent war every nation will use every means that is at their disposal; and in spite of all promises they make, they will do it. . . .”
QUESTION:”Why is it that when the mind of man has stretched so far as to discover the structure of the atom we have been unable to devise the political means to keep the atom from destroying us?”
PROFESSOR EINSTEIN: “That is simple, my friend. It is because politics is more difficult than physics.”
https://todayinsci.com/E/Einstein_Albert/EinsteinAlbert-AtomicBomb-Quotations.htm
.
Not just Russia, but the possibility of war with Russia, China & perhaps Iran!!
Not a very good chance 2 take. We would see the Hypersonic future as a target.
English speaking nations are goading Nato into war with Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Korea, Mexico, Brazil, India and the Solomon Islands.
The only war that’s going on is between Russia and Ukraine.
Oh, I forgot that people in Russia are forbidden to even call it a war, nonetheless, Russia is getting its a$$ whipped.
“Merrily you go trolling on, trolling on, merrily you go trolling on………..” You know perfectly well what you are doing. Just like the kid who trips another student as that student walks to his/her seat, then runs away laughing.
“Just like the kid who trips another student as that student walks to his/her seat, then runs away laughing”
Did you just describe yourself there, kiddo?
Are you forbidden to call it a war between the US and Russia?
People in the west are free to say whatever they want, people in Russia aren’t.
You write assertions as if you know they are true.
I’m free to write what I want, people in Russia aren’t!
Robert, if everyone blocked him, he’d go away to some website where men snort coke and play piano with their johnsons.
“When asked directly if Russia believes it’s fighting the US, Haines said, “In a sense, their perception.” Welcome to escalation with Anglosphere chauvinism.
…. You’re already killing their generals and soldiers it’s too late, only a arrogant American would think they are not in a war with Russia if they simply not talk about it on camera. From Iraq to Libya to somalia to Yemen to Syria to Afghanistan to Pakistan to Egypt, America is in a hot war. Its already WW3.
China will declare war soon, the west has become a killer by proxy with lies and outright murderous bloodlust among Muslims.
But they are so cocksure of their uniqueness they won’t see the misery they caused upon millions until they are being bombed from sea to shining sea.
Did you take a break from your video games?
They are making war against a nuclear power, China would be blind not to see their fate.
I’m sure China is analyzing and taking notes, Putin provides them with a perfect example of how NOT to conduct a military campaign. It’s been a total clusterfu*k from day one.
The first two sentences made sense.
More like bloodlust AGAINST Muslims.
One sane person in a sea of Neocons, Neoliberals, DemoRats, and Kleptokrats.
Stop the world I want to get off before the ultimate nuclear exchange.
I think there are more sane people yet there is the propaganda machine. ( I see gamesmanship where they only care about antiwar movement in Russia, when the conflict problem, Angloaphere antiwar & Europian antiwar view is multifold.) (Is that clear?)
Hi Chris
I know some otherwise very sane and intelligent people, yet I am the ONLY individual I know who eschews what the mainstream media feeds us.
Every single person I know is “Putin is evil, GO UKRAINE, let’s keep sending them weapons”, etc. etc. etc.
I’m not saying that I’m intelligent (or sane for that matter) but I simply fail to understand how these people cannot see the circumstances that led to this war.
I positively shudder to think of what Amerikkka would have done in such circumstances.
“…but I simply fail to understand how these people cannot see the circumstances that led to this war.”. Propaganda is a war against the mind. Almost half the news that people (U.S.) gets are from PR firms whose profession is as liars/distorters”. It is a industry ” that shapes the news”.Yet, the truth does eventually bubble-to-the-surface. Patience, consistency goes along with those other sane people not-on-board.
Our participation in this war helps two of the purposes of our imperialists. One: it reduces the power of a competitor in the Middle East [1]. Two: it spikes the Iran talks.
[1] This is not the first time that a western power has tried to dismember Russia for the same cause. During WW1 there were British leaders who considered dismembering the Tsarists Russian Empire after the war to prevent it from meddling in Syria-Iraq. When the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 seemed to have resulted in a dismemberment the plan was dropped.
I will go with that Historical anology. So how do ‘we’* get to point of negotiated settlement?
*peace/antiwar movement.
“Stalemate”? Bianca is right. These people are idiots. Russia is methodically grinding down the estimated 60,000 Ukrainian troops in Donbass, and that operation is likely to be over in a month or less. It does take time to kill or capture 60,000 men even with Ukrainian losses reportedly between 500 and 1,000 per day, which is only the Russian tally and is probably only of “confirmed kills/captures” and probably understates the real figures. At that rate, 30 days should be about right for a conclusion.
Russian daily losses, on the other hand, have been sharply reduced as they are now fighting en mass, rather than driving all over Ukraine shaping the battlefield and risking ambushes on lead elements as they did in the early weeks. Also, note that most of the fighting in Donbass is being done by the LDR militia forces, with artillery and air support from the Russians.
“that operation is likely to be over in a month or less”
I remember during the Chechnya wa … er, “special military operation” reading the Russian regime’s prediction that they would secure Grozny “in the next 24 hours.”
Every day.
For weeks.
Sort of like you’ve been saying “a month or less” pretty much every day for three months now.
Until I realized how hard it is to kill 60,000 people at the rate of 500-1,000 a day. Plus that part of the war didn’t even really start in earnest until the 3 weeks or so. The LDR forces have been doing most of the heavy lifting in the Donbass since the war started. And the battlefield has only been shaped over the last 3 weeks as the Ukrainians have been forced into consolidating into just a couple of area, Kramatorsk and Slaviansk. That’s where the final battles are likely to take place. It will be a matter of how long the Ukies can withstand concentrated shelling 24×7 without breaking.
He’s actually not anti war, he’s literally saying this because of Biden.
Both parties are exactly the same when it comes to war. The demopublicans are both the war party.
Good article. At least there are some voices in power who understand the difference between proxy war and direct war.
Stalemate is not quite the description of the Ukraine war, though. More accurately its become a war of attrition, with Ukraine losing more no matter what the map says.
The only unknown is the Russian rate of replacement for their losses, now sharply reduced since they’ve halfways rediscovered combined arms.
Its telling that although Russia lost the northern theatre, the southern front was driven back to Kherson at Mykolaiv, and Russia may be being rolled back from Kharkiv west of the Donets river, few serious commentators believe Ukraine is winning.