Short Termism Loses To Long Term

It is so tempting for politicians in true democracies to deal in the short term to secure a quick profit. However, as we are seeing in the World Today that sort of fickle thinking can be finessed quite easily by long-term-strategists in authoritarian regimes.

The BBC has produced a very good summary “why [President] Trump is struggling to secure [a] fast ceasefire in Ukraine”. It suggests there are five contributing factors, but the author steers clear of the fundamental issues of cultural, ideological and personality divides, which are not being bridged.

The American Envoy’s view that President Putin is in the right and the European Reassurance Force is “a posture and a pose” is further evidence that the USA is effectively abandoning Ukraine. What no-one is saying to the Public though is that the Europeans are already involved in the war and there are already about 500 British troops deployed in Western Ukraine as military advisors, operators and trainers.

Washington doesn’t seem to realise that although European Governments ran away from Baghdad and Kabul when the US troops pulled out. The EU is unlikely to withdraw from Kyiv because Ukraine is now a Candidate Country (along with Georgia, Moldova and six others).

So what will happen in the medium term? Well the immoveable Putin will not alter his viewpoint and will continue with his air and land campaigns. Trump will blame everyone but his own advisors and negotiators for the failure to achieve a ceasefire. European defence spending will increase, but there will still not be an effective war-fighting capability by the end of the year. And the poor Ukrainian people will continue to suffer appalling loss and deprivation. We must not forget their sacrifice on behalf of all of us who live freely in true democracies.

British Reassurance In Action