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Super conflicted about this argument. Agree China is a primary challenge but reinstating the taboo on wars of aggression is also paramount. It would be more feasible if the genocidal war crimes weren’t stacking up through the roof. Meanwhile, China is doing a decent job of diminishing itself of late, and you never want to get in the way of an enemy shooting itself.

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Thijs House of Representatives unable to choose a speaker will not be focused on rational foreign policy. Leaving the current occupied eastern Ukraine to Russia will only embolden Putin to take more when they are better prepared, witness the expansion in the Russia-Georgia war, the annexation of Crimea, etc. This war of aggression cannot be allowed to succeed.

China has an advantage in numbers of vessels in its navy, but not in quality. The Chlnese also have significant economic and Covid pandemic problems which will affect their ability to project power in the near future. It would more than "annoy" China if American resolve to support Ukraine led to expelling the Russians from the eastern oblasts. They would be less likely to change the current ambiguous status of Taiwan.

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Strongly agree that we should discuss the war with Russia to get them to agree to return to the 1991 agreement. Have no idea what we could give to get them out of Ukraine. Meanwhile, we have spun up munitions makers quite nicely, even into rate production of war material. That capacity should help us supply Taiwan in the near term.

I suspect Russia will be in bad shape by spring in terms of combat power which is dangerous in itself. We do need some lever to get them out of Ukraine. At this point Ukraine will not give up any territory, meaning many more will die without outside support. To withdraw support would create even more world condemnation.

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