Ukraine is a testing ground for weapons

 

 

Jeffrey St. Clair

 

The first 11 months of the Ukraine war have resulted in nearly 20,000 civilian casualties with at least 7,048 deaths. How many more innocents will die before the war is brought to an end the only way it can possibly end: through a ceasefire and negotiated settlement?

+ As if sending Ukraine M-1 Abrams tanks wasn’t enough of an escalation, the Biden is also shipping Ukraine a new variety of Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs with a range of 93-miles. The missiles can be fired from Himars, M270 launchers and aircraft and can allegedly hit objects as small as three feet in diameter. Of course, since they’re made by Boeing the objects they hit likely won’t be the targets they’re aiming at.

+ So far, Biden has refused to sell Ukraine even longer range missiles. But he’s being pushed to do so by a bipartisan gang of senators led by the likes of Mississippi’s Roger Wicker: “We need to give Ukraine ATACMS, long range missiles and advanced drones like the Grey Eagle and Reaper. We should deliver these assets quickly to make an immediate difference on the battlefield. In concert with our allies, this approach of ‘more, better, faster’ would give the Ukrainians a real shot at victory.”

+ Further evidence of my theory that Ukraine is a testing ground for weapons in battle conditions is the offer this week from  Linden Blue, the CEO of General Atomics, to sell Ukraine two Reaper MQ-9 drones for $1. (The USAF pays $32 million apiece for them.)

+ This week Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin unveiled the Pentagon’s plan for four new military bases in the Philippines, meant to threaten China, which he described as a cooperative endeavor among “family.” It’s certainly a “relationship” that’s generated a vast family graveyard.