Give Peace a Chance


I argued on another site that Trump should be allowed breathing space to try and forge an acceptable peace. Apparently, numbers of others, including supposed and even genuine conservatives, think that this is a betrayal of Ukraine. Apparently, all unbeknown to me, I was, according to another contributor, supporting โ€œUkraineโ€™s capitulation.โ€

I understand where these people are coming from. It is the mindset fashioned by the Alamo, Custerโ€™s last stand, Britain standing alone in 1940, Rorkeโ€™s Drift, Masada, Constantinople, and many other backs-to-the-wall battles and wars. Their position is that Russia invaded Ukraine and cannot be rewarded for so doing and, beware, Russia wants more than just Ukraine under its thumb and will be emboldened by any perceived victory.

I canโ€™t find fault with the logic of this position. I simply take issue with its real-world application. To take the second point first, that Russia is intent on empire building. Every country mentioned as potential targets for Russia โ€“ e.g., Poland and the Baltic states – are members of NATO. I would have thought that Article 5 would have deterred Russia from invading. Isnโ€™t that why Zelensky is keen on joining?

Second, I might see the sense of being gung-ho for Ukraine, if I believed that it could lastingly โ€œdefeatโ€ Russia within any reasonable timeframe and without drawing the US and Europeans into a wider war. But I donโ€™t believe that for one moment. Russia is too big and has lost too many men to give up, however long the conflict is dragged out by supplying Ukraine with weapons of war. It will mean carnage on a largescale before Russia grinds out a victory, which may perhaps mean the end of Ukraine as an independent nation.

Realism points to the best solution being peace on sufferable terms.

In my view, those who are gung-ho for Ukraine live in a world of their own making, quite divorced from reality. In the absence of Russia’s capitulation – which is unrealistic – they appear to want endless war; and seem ready to risk a wider war and, also, let’s be clear-eyed, to risk the whole of Ukraine being overrun.

As I said in my post, which I referenced above, Trump’s strategy is the only game in town. I should have added, โ€˜in real lifeโ€™. In La-La Land Russia withdraws its forces, issues mea culpas and pays reparations. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the victorious Saint Zelensky. Christoph Walz plays the chastened Putin the Terrible. And people aren’t really slaughtered in their thousands, day after day, week after week, year after year.

Let us keep in mind, Putin is winning, and winners donโ€™t like ceasefires, particularly unconditional ones. But if Trump manages to find a way through and eventually brings about a lasting peace, he would surely be in line for the Nobel Peace Prize. A silly thought. I am realistic enough to know that nothing Trump can do will ever satisfy those suffering from TDS, i.e., the vast majority of the great and the good. Trump will inevitably be accused, whatever the outcome, of selling out Ukraine.


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AnotherRanga
AnotherRanga
March 15, 2025 7:48 pm

It has been my long held wish that the slaughter on both sides stop. Yes, it is baddy against baddy but it is young men who are dying. Find a โ€˜workableโ€™ solution and rebuild.

Perplexed of Brisbane
Perplexed of Brisbane
March 15, 2025 8:24 pm

I think there is a long and complex history between Russia and Ukraine.

That’s about all of any possible value I have to add on the topic and it is probably worthless.

I agree with AnotherRanga, I hope the slaughter of young men on both sides ends. That is probably the simplest and most sensible thing anyone could hope for.

Gabor
Gabor
March 16, 2025 6:32 am

I think there is a long and complex history between Russia and Ukraine.

When this conflict started and different opinions emerged, I took the time to read about the history of “Kiev Russ”, and how the Ukraine eventually came into being.
It is a very complex story indeed, goes back a long way.

Not making any judgement but ethnically it’s a mess, created by interfering American and European busybodies, after the wars.

Gabor
Gabor
March 16, 2025 6:22 am

I like the way you sorted your arguments. I’m afraid you are right, there is too much ideology and emotional baggage involved to convince those on both sides to see reason.

As you said, maybe Trump will come up with something to stop the slaughter of young men and distraction of infrastructure.

The big men obviously don’t care.

Gabor
Gabor
March 16, 2025 6:39 am
Reply to  Gabor

I thought I’ve turned off autocorrect?
Destructing little app.

Rossini
Rossini
March 16, 2025 7:36 am
Reply to  Gabor

Perhaps you were “distracted”

Vicki
Vicki
March 16, 2025 8:40 am

Agree with all of that, Peter. Furthermore, one needs to look at the ethnic distribution within modern Ukraine. The fight is basically over areas east of the Dneiper River, which are Russian speaking areas.

While no doubt many citizens of these areas may wish to remain in Ukraine, I would hazard a guess that many may well choose to return to the ethnic enclaves of the past. Why not have a UN run referendum on this issue?

Figures
Figures
March 16, 2025 8:49 am

Nikki Gemmell in the Oz:

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/forget-trump-zelensky-is-the-true-leader-of-the-free-world/news-story/73b0d37ae4ab4cbb04b29a4c251f7608#comments

Women get excited by the idea of men fighting. Reason number 8678567 why women shouldn’t vote.

Rabz
March 16, 2025 9:34 am

Putin is a good ol’ fashioned Russian chauvinist. He simply doesn’t think Ukraine should exist.

He said as much in the first 30 minutes of his interview with Tucker.

This is an insurmountable problem beyond the comprehension of the tiny minds of the euroweenies.

Yet another example of stolen elections (2020) having consequences.

WolfmanOz
March 16, 2025 12:56 pm

I’m in total agreement with you Peter, along with the article nearly 2 weeks ago in The Spectator Fallacies about the Ukraine War by James Allan (paywalled)

https://www.spectator.com.au/2025/03/fallacies-about-the-ukraine-war/

And now today I’m reading Zelensky is again changing his mind re delaying the ceasefire.

Louis Litt
Louis Litt
March 16, 2025 4:26 pm

There is a lot of literature out at the moment about stolen elections etc.
What this shows is the two super powers using the Ukrane for there sphere of influence and weaponry.
WhatbI cannot find are the evidence of the fighting in the donbass, chimera and Odessa.
When the war started, there were excellent links to the fighting in Odessa, wth the small Russian population holding a demonstration in font of a civic building with a couple of busses filled with unkranian males armed with metal poles and plants of wood.
the Russians were killed and raped, bodies thrown out of windows.
this is why Odessa was taken over by Russia and the donbass war started.
Was there killing in the donbass before this, before 2014 ?

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
March 17, 2025 12:44 pm

Realism points to the best solution being peace on sufferable terms.

Putler has had the guts kicked out of his army after finding out
a: His forces combined arms training was abysmal.
b: The doctrine of tanks covered by helicopters has become unfeasible due to man carried SAM.
c: His army is so corrupt that basics like tyres and fuel were either substandard or fake.
d: His reliance on groups like Wagner was fine for bush wars, much less so for anywhere else.

He will come away with a much depleted army which will have a lot of experience in what dosnt work on a modern battlefield.

Ukies have allowed themselves to be used as a catspaws for a lot of shady crap in the leadup
They have demonstrated that assault without air cover by armor is a mugs game, and no air cover by either side gets artillery back a queen of the battlefield.
The drone genie is out of the bottle, this is not a good thing.
They have lost so many of their people.

Both sides seem to enjoy posting “murder the wounded” via drone footage.
Both sides may only be remaining in the fight because of outside supplies/logistics and intel.
Both sides will have enormous numbers of observers (think Spanish civil war style) testing crap at the expense of mens lives.

Peace – even a bitter one, needs to occur.

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