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OPINION – This article could contain comment that reflects author’s view.
A former Texas Republican lawmaker says that the United States runs the risk of having a nuclear war with Russia if they help Ukraine to take back Crimea.
Dr. Ron Paul, the father of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), noted the potential escalation in a Twitter post containing a clip of an interview he did recently discussing the administration’s consideration, asking, “Are Americans okay with this?”
U.S. May Risk Nuclear Conflict, Over Crimea? Do Americans agree with this?
Watch the whole show here: https://t.co/w9XYp4s3z2 pic.twitter.com/MOeHsAk215
— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) January 19, 2023
In the interview, the author refers to an article in New York Times published late last year. The story noted that “the Biden administration is considering the argument that Kyiv needs the power to strike at the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.”
The Times has added:
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Since the invasion of Russia in Ukraine, the United States have maintained that Crimea was still part Ukraine for many years. Yet the Biden administration has held to a hard line since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, refusing to provide Kyiv with the weapons it needs to target the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia has been using as a base for launching devastating strikes.
Now, this line is beginning to soften.
The Biden administration finally admits that Kyiv could need the ability to strike Russia’s sanctuary after months of negotiations with Ukrainian officials. However, this move may increase the danger of an escalation according to several U.S. official who spoke under anonymity in order to address the delicate debate.
In the paper, it was further noted that at the moment, there are many thousands. “dug-in”Russian soldiers are stationed in Crimea on several military bases. The Times reported that no changes have been made by the Biden administration in Crimea: Crimea is Ukrainian land.
“We have said throughout the war that Crimea is Ukraine, and Ukraine has the right to defend themselves and their sovereign territory in their internationally recognized borders,”Adrienne Watson spokeswoman of the National Security Council.
Administration officials privately questioned Ukraine about its targeting of Crimea and stated that Kyiv has better targets elsewhere.
“But the Biden administration has come to believe that if the Ukrainian military can show Russia that its control of Crimea can be threatened, that would strengthen Kyiv’s position in any future negotiations,”The Times reported. “In addition, fears that the Kremlin would retaliate using a tactical nuclear weapon have dimmed, U.S. officials and experts said — though they cautioned that the risk remained.”
The rethinking of Crimea has evolved from the earliest days following Russia’s invasion, now nearly a year ago, when administration officials were reluctant even to admit the U.S. was providing Ukrainian forces with Stinger shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.
“But over the course of the conflict, the United States and its NATO allies have been steadily loosening the handcuffs they put on themselves, moving from providing Javelins and Stingers to advanced missile systems, Patriot air defense systems, armored fighting vehicles and even some Western tanks to give Ukraine the capacity to strike against Russia’s onslaught,”According to the Times,
“Now, the Biden administration is considering what would be one of its boldest moves yet, helping Ukraine to attack the peninsula that President Vladimir V. Putin views as an integral part of his quest to restore past Russian glory.”
According to The Times, additional military assistance would amount directly to American intervention in conflict.
Dr. Paul is concerned about the Biden administration’s terrible mistake.
“They presume that if we do ‘A’ that ‘B’ is gonna happen,”Paul spoke. “It almost — it never does. In economics, it doesn’t work that way, in foreign policy, it doesn’t work very well, either.”
But that doesn’t seem to be the prevailing thought within the administration, as well as those advising it.
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“Ukraine could use Bradleys to move forces down major roads, such as the M14, which connects Kherson, Melitopol and Mariupol,”According to The Times, Seth G. Jones is a senior vice-president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Any Ukrainian infantry advancing through these areas would face significant fire from Russian positions, and Bradleys offer helpful firepower and protection for troops.”
“We think now is the right time to intensify our support for Ukraine,” Britain’s foreign secretary, James Cleverly, noted Tuesday while he was visiting Washington, D.C. “We can’t allow this to drag on and become a kind of First World War attritional-type stalemate.”
Check out the complete article here
