I've listened to both parts and am struck by so many things. I can't help feeling guilty about how shabbily the US treated Ukraine, letting the bottom drop out on support. Thank Shaun for sharing his story and thank him for his continued service. It is getting hard to tell the heroes from the angels. He should know that millions of Americans share the same nightmare about Trump getting re-elected. Oh dear, here I am again, all emo.
This interview very inciteful - what a guy. It is easy to fall in love with Ukraine. I have seen the wall of hero's - there were 50,000 photos when we went - that was way before the war. The market next to our old apartment was hit by a downed rocket in Kyiv. How is it that Russia is allowed to electrocute prisoners with impunity. What is the point of the Geneva convention and who's responsibility is it. The institutions have been taken over by Russian sympathisers. It seems that money buys anything - which is the problem in the US and UK, unfortunately, in my view. My favorite beer was Obolon - which is produced in that district in Kyiv - thats how close the Russians got - I believe
Just a little heads up, this just popped up on the home page of the Washington Post. The Post informs us that Joe Biden is worried about escalation resulting from Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Russia and is unsure the US should continue the supply of arms. Who would have guessed?
U.S. Debates Support for Ukraine’s Surprise Offensive Into Russia
The internal US debate seems so strange--like its missing the main point, which is that a Ukrainian strategic victory would have massive security benefits for the USA
At the end of the day Biden is POTUS and this strategy is his baby. Biden's foreign policy experience dates back to Jimmy Carter and Zbigniew Brzezinski's strategy to let Russia burn itself out in Afghanistan. William Burns and Jake Sullivan are building the policy Biden has requested. There's an old adage that the US and Russia must never go to war because both are nuclear superpowers. Biden adheres to that principle.
The US deployment of heavy weapons to the Middle East as tensions there rise signals a rethinking of the Biden Administration's deterrence strategy. It is risky but it's probably the right decision given the way things are trending there.
What would Kamala Harris do if sworn in as POTUS in 5 months? I think we will have clues over the next few months. If Biden shifts gears at all it could signal concessions to Harris. Watching closely.
Thanks for the clarity of that summary. If all is as you say, then, for example, why hasn't the Biden administration, in addition to the approximately three hundred M-2s supplied to Ukraine, shipped two thousand of the remainder it has in storage (written off as of no value or use to the US Army)? That would make an enormous difference, perhaps bigger than allowing US-supplied munitions to be used on Russian soil. Equipping Ukraine's new mechanised brigades with them could stop every Russian advance in its tracks and put Russia on the defensive, perhaps permanently. After artillery, they are Ukraine's most effective weapon. I mention this example because it illustrates why so may people are baffled by Biden's actions, or, rather, their lack of them. It only feeds the narrative that the US does not want Ukraine to drive out the invaders.
Thanks Phil. What struck me in the fascinating story of Shaun is the way how he coped with bad logistics in the early days of the war and how he learned to live off the land from the Ukrainians. In a way, logistics have improved from the early days on, but perhaps this war shows the importance of social media in helping and funding logistics in modern warfare. How would you rate this development?
hello, what an amazing series of interviews. so brave, so open.
is there a link for the organization that shaun mentioned in the podcasts: braveu? i did some web searches but could not find any related websites. maybe i misheard the name. i am no longer on twitter now that putin friend of the apocalypse musk runs the swamp.
Thanks for this eye opening interview with Shaun. I've only heard part 1 so far. But getting a sense of the war at ground level is invaluable. The barbaric treatment of their prisoners of war says all we need to know about the Russians and the justness of this war. If only more Americans could see Russia for what it is under Putin, the complacency of so many would finally be ended. More mainstream reporting on the abhorrent treatment of Ukrainian POWS by the Russian military could certainly help. And again, the continuing failure of the Biden administration to properly support Ukraine so that it can actually win - as they would with the support they could be given - is deeply frustrating. I think it's shameful, and I'm beginning to be convinced it is morally indefensible. Looking forward to part 2.
i think that biden is weighed by having to represent billions of people with the outcomes of his decisions. as a parent i can easily and quickly see how siding with ukraine is the right decision, and how it is risky. he has to honor the experts that tell him to “slow it the fuck down”. cutting through that is his job. but we don’t now about the angels he has to fight against to do it, and what political capital it might cost versus the budget he might have.
The funny thing is that I can understand him OK (to me any flavor English is foreign language), but my wife born and raised to Ohio (her father was a grandson of Welsh immigrants and she follows Wales on Facebook) has trouble understanding his accent.
I've listened to both parts and am struck by so many things. I can't help feeling guilty about how shabbily the US treated Ukraine, letting the bottom drop out on support. Thank Shaun for sharing his story and thank him for his continued service. It is getting hard to tell the heroes from the angels. He should know that millions of Americans share the same nightmare about Trump getting re-elected. Oh dear, here I am again, all emo.
Thanks G--Shaun was great and I will pass on your sentiments
This interview very inciteful - what a guy. It is easy to fall in love with Ukraine. I have seen the wall of hero's - there were 50,000 photos when we went - that was way before the war. The market next to our old apartment was hit by a downed rocket in Kyiv. How is it that Russia is allowed to electrocute prisoners with impunity. What is the point of the Geneva convention and who's responsibility is it. The institutions have been taken over by Russian sympathisers. It seems that money buys anything - which is the problem in the US and UK, unfortunately, in my view. My favorite beer was Obolon - which is produced in that district in Kyiv - thats how close the Russians got - I believe
Well said Mike. And you ask an important question to which there is no answer.
Just a little heads up, this just popped up on the home page of the Washington Post. The Post informs us that Joe Biden is worried about escalation resulting from Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Russia and is unsure the US should continue the supply of arms. Who would have guessed?
U.S. Debates Support for Ukraine’s Surprise Offensive Into Russia
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/08/23/ukraine-kursk-offensive-russia-weapons/
Would a Kamala Harris Administration be better? Open question.
The internal US debate seems so strange--like its missing the main point, which is that a Ukrainian strategic victory would have massive security benefits for the USA
At the end of the day Biden is POTUS and this strategy is his baby. Biden's foreign policy experience dates back to Jimmy Carter and Zbigniew Brzezinski's strategy to let Russia burn itself out in Afghanistan. William Burns and Jake Sullivan are building the policy Biden has requested. There's an old adage that the US and Russia must never go to war because both are nuclear superpowers. Biden adheres to that principle.
The US deployment of heavy weapons to the Middle East as tensions there rise signals a rethinking of the Biden Administration's deterrence strategy. It is risky but it's probably the right decision given the way things are trending there.
What would Kamala Harris do if sworn in as POTUS in 5 months? I think we will have clues over the next few months. If Biden shifts gears at all it could signal concessions to Harris. Watching closely.
Thanks for the clarity of that summary. If all is as you say, then, for example, why hasn't the Biden administration, in addition to the approximately three hundred M-2s supplied to Ukraine, shipped two thousand of the remainder it has in storage (written off as of no value or use to the US Army)? That would make an enormous difference, perhaps bigger than allowing US-supplied munitions to be used on Russian soil. Equipping Ukraine's new mechanised brigades with them could stop every Russian advance in its tracks and put Russia on the defensive, perhaps permanently. After artillery, they are Ukraine's most effective weapon. I mention this example because it illustrates why so may people are baffled by Biden's actions, or, rather, their lack of them. It only feeds the narrative that the US does not want Ukraine to drive out the invaders.
Tired old men are risk-averse. I am guardedly optimistic that Harris would be bolder and more incisive.
We can but hope!
Thanks Phil. What struck me in the fascinating story of Shaun is the way how he coped with bad logistics in the early days of the war and how he learned to live off the land from the Ukrainians. In a way, logistics have improved from the early days on, but perhaps this war shows the importance of social media in helping and funding logistics in modern warfare. How would you rate this development?
Definitely--but logistics are still chaotic everywhere I imagine. As for social media--I know from Come Back Alive how important it is.
hello, what an amazing series of interviews. so brave, so open.
is there a link for the organization that shaun mentioned in the podcasts: braveu? i did some web searches but could not find any related websites. maybe i misheard the name. i am no longer on twitter now that putin friend of the apocalypse musk runs the swamp.
thank you
Thanks for this eye opening interview with Shaun. I've only heard part 1 so far. But getting a sense of the war at ground level is invaluable. The barbaric treatment of their prisoners of war says all we need to know about the Russians and the justness of this war. If only more Americans could see Russia for what it is under Putin, the complacency of so many would finally be ended. More mainstream reporting on the abhorrent treatment of Ukrainian POWS by the Russian military could certainly help. And again, the continuing failure of the Biden administration to properly support Ukraine so that it can actually win - as they would with the support they could be given - is deeply frustrating. I think it's shameful, and I'm beginning to be convinced it is morally indefensible. Looking forward to part 2.
i think that biden is weighed by having to represent billions of people with the outcomes of his decisions. as a parent i can easily and quickly see how siding with ukraine is the right decision, and how it is risky. he has to honor the experts that tell him to “slow it the fuck down”. cutting through that is his job. but we don’t now about the angels he has to fight against to do it, and what political capital it might cost versus the budget he might have.
The funny thing is that I can understand him OK (to me any flavor English is foreign language), but my wife born and raised to Ohio (her father was a grandson of Welsh immigrants and she follows Wales on Facebook) has trouble understanding his accent.