Fantastic article. Finally some light amongst all the smoke and mirror propaganda. It continues to baffle me that the West will not steer Zelensky towards negotiations, war profit is a different kind of profits.
Patrick, I'll be honest. I struggled not to be dismissive of the whole thing. I'd say that it can't be this bad but only because what has been described here isn't just bad, it's dysfunctional. How is it that the Russians aren't walking all over this?
Your pose an excellent question. I have asked it many times myself, which demonstrates its excellence well enough.
My reading of the situation you raise is this:
The Russians are very determined to keep casualties to a minimum. Russia must have some equivalent of Dover AFB, and the government does not want it filled with body bags. In addition, I think the Russians also want to keep civilian casualties to a minimum, as there is no mileage in alienating the Ukrainian population.
One other thought has been circulating in the household. The Russians are not primarily interested in territory, with possible exceptions along the Black Sea coast. They are not fielding an occupying force. Their goals are as stated: de-Nazification and demilitarization. These objectives are best served by pounding away, relentlessly, on Ukrainian positions--not in the interest of taking them, not primarily, so much as decimating the AFU. By this reasoning, the longer the AFU holds a position, the more the Russians can wear it away. Taking territory is a function of this demilitarization objective.
Indeed. I have more faith in Russians than I think many Americans have in terms of their basic humanity. I thought they wanted to minimize the civilian casualties as well as the AFU (I can't read or write that without making the immediate translation of All Fucked Up) casualties to the extent that they can. They are, after all, brothers. People talk about the Ukraine as a state but the Ukraine didn't become a state until 1991. Empires do not have states, they have regions, the Ukraine was one of them.
I thought of two other reasons why Russia might well be going low and slow. One, I think early on they realized that TU had fully opted for American vassalage. So Russia saw an opportunity to bleed the US white while we shipped weapons over there at great expense so that Russia could use them for target practice. This also works on the EU who are themselves running out of weapons. The second reason is a bit subtler. The southern Ukrainians seem to be accepting the Russian army as liberators (if MoA is to be believed that Kherson is planning a referendum to join the RU, eg) and I am very sure that Russia would like to have the coast off Crimea in the RU. So they may be holding off so that TU can get their harvest shipped before Russia makes TU a landlocked country. Next year can take care of next year's harvest.
Interesting thought that Russia is actually using this to bleed the U.S. We certainly are bleeding. Our own weapons stocks are down significantly. Of course we simply funnel ever more money to the military contractors, hemorrhaging treasure. I do take issue with the thought that Russia wants to spare AFU casualties. That may have been a goal early on. Putin would certainly have far preferred a negotiated settlement in March. But failing that, Russia persists with the mission to destroy the Ukrainian military which means equipment and men. It's a sickening situation and one the U.S. is largely responsible for since we won't allow a negotiated peace. I find Alexander Mercouris's daily updates and commentary on his YouTube channel invaluable.
Agree with you on sparing AFU casualties, though I always wonder about the direction being a group thing as opposed to one guy's decision. I've been away from The Duran for a while, so last night was taken aback when one of their vids at the top would stream, but all others below it wouldn't.
That was last night; this morning there was some new thing where "Locals" was asking for money (I was a non paying subscriber). When that happens it appears The Duran has worked things out so that you can click the Locals icon or their icon; and clicking their icon made things work again.
1. Russia will persist as they see this as an existential threat to the RF. Destroying Ukrainian war capabilities is probably being done mostly with counter battery fire. Ms. Snell reports two guys with one AK-47. That's really one guy with a backup. If you destroy the weapons, you don't really need to destroy the people. I will say that if you are a foreign fighter in the Ukraine, you'd best hope you don't encounter a Russian as they will certainly take a dim view of your presence.
2. Russia is finally beginning to play hardball with the EU. All they have to do is keep the choke hold on the gas tight. Unlike the US, the EU is suffering and I doubt that the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels are winning hearts and minds for the EU's American vassalage.
Yeah, and Marshall Auerback suggested that the Ukraine would be NATOs Waterloo. I thought he was right then and I still think it now. Russia's differential treatment of friendly/unfriendly countries and shoving the EU's sanctions back down their throat (Oh! I can't do that, sanctions! works both ways) and nobody has noticed so far that German businesses will start to go out of business by fall. That's far more important for Germany than some folks freezing their asses off.
Two of our neighbors, one a former missionary to Ukraine, left with two others from their church on Friday for a 4-day turn-around trip to Krakow to deliver 24 cartons of bandages, tourniquets, etc. As another neighbor was telling us about their trip on our morning walk, my immediate thought was wondering if all their efforts wouldn't end up as profits for black marketeers. I kept such thoughts to myself. Then this afternoon we read this.
The Azov neo-Nazis battalion: Jews should emigrate to Israel and Israel should press to achieve an exclusively Jewish state, world opinion be damned. 
The disintegration of social order documented hear-in is coming to the rest of the world; it is inevitable, Ukrain is a precursor and predictive of America’s future, it is the Abbey of Misrule (Paul Kindsnorth’s fabulous substack) that creates the conditions and sadly cannot be stopped. Putin correctly called it an “empire of lies”, but incorrectly countered that hegemonic power with his own abomination.
Jews (everyone) take note, particularly the chosen people, Ukraine
Thanks for the Kingsnorth mention. As far as "cannot be stopped" goes, to me it seems it's a job of seeing where specifics from Ellul's take, and Wolin's take, and Hedges' take...can maybe be spoken even more plainly.
Stand with Russia -- it fights for all of us
Thank you. Please keep up this type of reporting.
You have my greatest admiration for bravery and integrity
Fantastic article. Finally some light amongst all the smoke and mirror propaganda. It continues to baffle me that the West will not steer Zelensky towards negotiations, war profit is a different kind of profits.
Patrick, I'll be honest. I struggled not to be dismissive of the whole thing. I'd say that it can't be this bad but only because what has been described here isn't just bad, it's dysfunctional. How is it that the Russians aren't walking all over this?
My dear Harrison.
Your pose an excellent question. I have asked it many times myself, which demonstrates its excellence well enough.
My reading of the situation you raise is this:
The Russians are very determined to keep casualties to a minimum. Russia must have some equivalent of Dover AFB, and the government does not want it filled with body bags. In addition, I think the Russians also want to keep civilian casualties to a minimum, as there is no mileage in alienating the Ukrainian population.
One other thought has been circulating in the household. The Russians are not primarily interested in territory, with possible exceptions along the Black Sea coast. They are not fielding an occupying force. Their goals are as stated: de-Nazification and demilitarization. These objectives are best served by pounding away, relentlessly, on Ukrainian positions--not in the interest of taking them, not primarily, so much as decimating the AFU. By this reasoning, the longer the AFU holds a position, the more the Russians can wear it away. Taking territory is a function of this demilitarization objective.
Capiche?
Indeed. I have more faith in Russians than I think many Americans have in terms of their basic humanity. I thought they wanted to minimize the civilian casualties as well as the AFU (I can't read or write that without making the immediate translation of All Fucked Up) casualties to the extent that they can. They are, after all, brothers. People talk about the Ukraine as a state but the Ukraine didn't become a state until 1991. Empires do not have states, they have regions, the Ukraine was one of them.
I thought of two other reasons why Russia might well be going low and slow. One, I think early on they realized that TU had fully opted for American vassalage. So Russia saw an opportunity to bleed the US white while we shipped weapons over there at great expense so that Russia could use them for target practice. This also works on the EU who are themselves running out of weapons. The second reason is a bit subtler. The southern Ukrainians seem to be accepting the Russian army as liberators (if MoA is to be believed that Kherson is planning a referendum to join the RU, eg) and I am very sure that Russia would like to have the coast off Crimea in the RU. So they may be holding off so that TU can get their harvest shipped before Russia makes TU a landlocked country. Next year can take care of next year's harvest.
Interesting thought that Russia is actually using this to bleed the U.S. We certainly are bleeding. Our own weapons stocks are down significantly. Of course we simply funnel ever more money to the military contractors, hemorrhaging treasure. I do take issue with the thought that Russia wants to spare AFU casualties. That may have been a goal early on. Putin would certainly have far preferred a negotiated settlement in March. But failing that, Russia persists with the mission to destroy the Ukrainian military which means equipment and men. It's a sickening situation and one the U.S. is largely responsible for since we won't allow a negotiated peace. I find Alexander Mercouris's daily updates and commentary on his YouTube channel invaluable.
Somebody once said: "They used to sell weapons to countries to fight wars. Now they start wars in order to sell weapons."
Agree with you on sparing AFU casualties, though I always wonder about the direction being a group thing as opposed to one guy's decision. I've been away from The Duran for a while, so last night was taken aback when one of their vids at the top would stream, but all others below it wouldn't.
That was last night; this morning there was some new thing where "Locals" was asking for money (I was a non paying subscriber). When that happens it appears The Duran has worked things out so that you can click the Locals icon or their icon; and clicking their icon made things work again.
Let me say this about that in my best Nixonian.
1. Russia will persist as they see this as an existential threat to the RF. Destroying Ukrainian war capabilities is probably being done mostly with counter battery fire. Ms. Snell reports two guys with one AK-47. That's really one guy with a backup. If you destroy the weapons, you don't really need to destroy the people. I will say that if you are a foreign fighter in the Ukraine, you'd best hope you don't encounter a Russian as they will certainly take a dim view of your presence.
2. Russia is finally beginning to play hardball with the EU. All they have to do is keep the choke hold on the gas tight. Unlike the US, the EU is suffering and I doubt that the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels are winning hearts and minds for the EU's American vassalage.
Yeah, and Marshall Auerback suggested that the Ukraine would be NATOs Waterloo. I thought he was right then and I still think it now. Russia's differential treatment of friendly/unfriendly countries and shoving the EU's sanctions back down their throat (Oh! I can't do that, sanctions! works both ways) and nobody has noticed so far that German businesses will start to go out of business by fall. That's far more important for Germany than some folks freezing their asses off.
If you wrote a comment on chips somewhere else, thanks for that one.
Two of our neighbors, one a former missionary to Ukraine, left with two others from their church on Friday for a 4-day turn-around trip to Krakow to deliver 24 cartons of bandages, tourniquets, etc. As another neighbor was telling us about their trip on our morning walk, my immediate thought was wondering if all their efforts wouldn't end up as profits for black marketeers. I kept such thoughts to myself. Then this afternoon we read this.
Great reporting, how courageous.
The Azov neo-Nazis battalion: Jews should emigrate to Israel and Israel should press to achieve an exclusively Jewish state, world opinion be damned. 
The disintegration of social order documented hear-in is coming to the rest of the world; it is inevitable, Ukrain is a precursor and predictive of America’s future, it is the Abbey of Misrule (Paul Kindsnorth’s fabulous substack) that creates the conditions and sadly cannot be stopped. Putin correctly called it an “empire of lies”, but incorrectly countered that hegemonic power with his own abomination.
Jews (everyone) take note, particularly the chosen people, Ukraine
Thanks for the Kingsnorth mention. As far as "cannot be stopped" goes, to me it seems it's a job of seeing where specifics from Ellul's take, and Wolin's take, and Hedges' take...can maybe be spoken even more plainly.
The people are exhausted, Jodie Evans. 12:02 https://scheerpost.com/2022/09/02/medea-benjamin-jodie-evans-what-killed-americas-peace-movement/