US Authorizes (limited) Long-Range Strike

Still leaves alot of Questions

Note: Since writing this yesterday, some of the questions have tentative answers, so I’m updating this at the end. The answers are a real mixed bag.

“The Rockets Will Speak for Themselves.”

Last night, President Zelensky in his evening address, confirmed the bomb-shell story that had just started circulating a few minutes before. He admitted that the Ukrainians had been given permission by the Biden Administration to use US systems in long-range strike. Here is what he said.

“Today, many in the media are talking about the fact that we have received permission to take appropriate actions…But blows are not inflicted with words. Such things are not announced. The rockets will speak for themselves.”

So, here we are, almost 33 months after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and the Biden Administration has allowed Ukraine (in what seems to be a very limited fashion) attempt to do long-range strike in a way that would be natural and assumed by the USA in any war. Of course, the true importance of this decision will only be known after a few other questions are answered—questions I will outline below. Its not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. However without good answers to these questions, this move by the Biden administration might, like the F-16 choice, be something far less than the sum of its parts. A lot of show at the time, but in the end such limitation will remain on Ukraine that only a little will change. And Trump can always countermand.

What was Actually Decided?