Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
TV USA | Live
Weather ☀
Exchange Rates $
  • Politics
  • International
  • Society
  • Sports
  • Blog
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • International
  • Society
  • Sports
  • Blog
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
TV USA | Live
No Result
View All Result
Home Sports

Ukrainians morph into a dangerous fighting force in the face of Russian invaders

TV USA | Live by TV USA | Live
March 2, 2022
in Sports
0
Ukrainians morph into a dangerous fighting force in the face of Russian invaders

OPINION:

As he prepared to send his army into Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin was convinced that victory would be swift and complete. 

Like American leaders prior to the Iraq War who persuaded themselves that the Iraqi people would welcome U.S. troops with flowers and open arms, the Russian oligarchy apparently believed that Ukrainians would see their troops not as invaders, but liberators. The invasion force entered Ukraine without the supply lines and equipment needed when Ukrainians decided to fight and die rather than bow before a superior military.

An invasion either works or doesn’t, and gets messy fast if not. One would have thought that Mr. Putin, who considers himself something of a student of history, would understand this better than most after witnessing what happened to his Communist predecessors in Afghanistan in the 1980s. 

The nine-year bloody guerilla war that raged there after the arrival of a Soviet invasion force as Afghans fought with whatever weapons they could acquire to drive a foreign army from their homeland cost tens of thousands of Russians their lives and, ultimately, led to the collapse of the Soviet Union itself. 

What the Soviets learned in Afghanistan is that maintaining control of a hostile population willing to fight an invader is more difficult than the planners who fight wars on paper presume. Fighting in the mud and sand or the streets of the cities and countries they invade can be almost impossible. 

If his Soviet predecessors’ experience in Afghanistan wasn’t enough to give Mr. Putin second thoughts about sending his army into Ukraine, the later U.S. experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan might have given him a clue.

With hubris, Mr. Putin believed Ukraine was different. A people like those of Ukraine who may appear weak and indifferent or addicted to comfort and peace to a wannabe conqueror can morph into a dangerous fighting force in the face of invaders who threaten to rob them of their national identity and culture. 

For all his interest in history, Mr. Putin must never have studied the life and career of the Japanese admiral who led the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. 

Isoroku Yamamoto was Harvard educated, spent his student breaks hitchhiking across the United States earning spending money by playing poker with folks he met along the way, and developed a fondness and deep respect for us. He opposed Japan’s decision to go to war with the United States, but when ordered to lead the attack on Pearl Harbor swallowed his misgivings, saluted, and set out to do his duty.

It is said that when the admiral was asked if such an attack would cripple the U.S. and drive us out of the Pacific, he said he believed it could for a few months or even a year, but asked his superiors, “Then what?” It’s a question would-be military adventurers should ask themselves, but one Mr. Putin like others before him seemed to ignore.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a military success, but days later when asked what Japan should expect, he replied, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.” Ukraine isn’t the United States, but Mr. Putin has managed to awaken 44 million people to the existential threat his army represents and fill them with that very same “terrible resolve.”

The world has witnessed the Ukrainian awakening, seen civilians stand in front of tanks and troop trucks, or wait in line to be handed weapons to join the fight. The world has watched in amazement as a previously lightly regarded Ukrainian president personally targeted by the Russians courageously rejected a U.S. offer to fly him out of Ukraine to safety. “I don’t need a ride,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to President Biden’s offer, “I need ammunition.”

Another remark apocryphal is that bears on what Putin is running into in Ukraine is attributed to Yamamoto. “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.”

The admiral knew that an armed populace could be a dangerous foe. The citizens of Ukraine might not all have rifles, but many do, and more are getting them every day from a government that has realized that an armed populace with a will to fight can stand up to an army like Mr. Putin’s.

Ukrainians know that the future they have chosen for themselves may be short or long but bloody. If they continue to be willing to bear the cost to save their country, they could hold Mr. Putin’s future in their hands.

• David Keene is editor-at-large at the Washington Times. 

TV USA | Live

See author's posts

Previous Post

Ukraine raises $270 million from sale of war bonds to fund army

Next Post

Has Putin gone crazy? – Washington Times

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Stories

  • Capitol Hill's dangerous kangaroo court

    The desperation of the Jan. 6 House Committee

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • U.S. sanctions on Russia violate the Constitution

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Voting kicks off in a New York City mayor’s race like no other

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Unleash the Power of Postbiotics in Pets

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Russia claims to have ordered payment as it seeks to avoid historic debt default

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

International

NOTE FROM JOÃO BAPTISTA BORGES, EMERGENCY PLAN TO COMBAT EPIDEMIC COVID-19: MINEA WANTS AN EPAL THAT MEETS THE POPULATION’S NEEDS
International

NOTE FROM JOÃO BAPTISTA BORGES, EMERGENCY PLAN TO COMBAT EPIDEMIC COVID-19: MINEA WANTS AN EPAL THAT MEETS THE POPULATION’S NEEDS

June 16, 2022
‘A body check’: Kids restrained over 2000 times in one year in Ontario’s child-welfare system
International

‘A body check’: Kids restrained over 2000 times in one year in Ontario’s child-welfare system

June 8, 2022
‘I kept it hidden’: Survivor of Kamloops Indian Residential School speaks for 1st time
International

‘I kept it hidden’: Survivor of Kamloops Indian Residential School speaks for 1st time

May 28, 2022
João Baptista Borges: The Mucari Water Supply System reinforcement works
International

João Baptista Borges: The Mucari Water Supply System reinforcement works

May 20, 2022
João Baptista Borges: Project capacity of the nine electrical substations
International

João Baptista Borges: Project capacity of the nine electrical substations

May 16, 2022
Area S.p.A. gave a lecture at the University of Cagliari
International

Area S.p.A. gave a lecture at the University of Cagliari

May 13, 2022
João Baptista Borges: Water Supply Services to the Capital City
International

João Baptista Borges: Water Supply Services to the Capital City

May 10, 2022

TV USA | Live

 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

 

 

© 2022 JNews. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • International
  • Society
  • Sports
  • Blog
  • Contact

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT