[August 24, 2023] In March of 2014, just as Russia invaded Crimea in southeast Ukraine, I wrote that the common prediction was Russia would not invade. Therefore, I believed the U.S. would fail to develop a Western-America-centric strategy to stop Russia. I’m not here to say I was right, but to emphasize that it was unacceptable then and unacceptable now to have no U.S. strategy, policy, or any vision-guided leadership on the war in Ukraine,
In 2014, I predicted more violence and more deaths because Western nations had no realistic point of reference on the war. What did the U.S. do under President Obama? Nothing. Now that Russian troops have invaded Ukraine again, at least America has taken action, but in a strategic vacuum. Our State Department, DoD, and intelligence community were caught flat-footed on something anyone could see coming. For the second time, we have Russia trying to crush a democracy.
Just a few years back, we saw a similar uprising of people seeking freedom in Iran and then a heavy-handed crackdown by the socialist Islamic regime there. The lack of U.S. leadership failed the citizens of Iran then, as it is failing the people of Ukraine now. Why? Because there is no strategy, and when we lack strategy, we lack both the vision and the will to do the right thing.
Leadership is about many things, but top-level leadership demands a vision and strategy on how to “see” the future and provide the tools and resources to accomplish it. We don’t see the future in the Ukraine War because we wear “rose-colored glasses” of an ideology that says if we are nice to people, they will like and respect us. Of course, that is not true.
Our lack of a coherent strategy certainly did not work in 2014 and will not work today. Perhaps I misread President Biden or his Generals, but I see no coherent picture coming from them. Unlike the Keystone Cops withdrawal from Afghanistan, bad things happen in a leadership vacuum. Two people, however, have shown leadership in spades: Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin. How sad.
—————
Please read my books:
….. and when you have no strategy, you have nothing to aim for. And when you have nothing to aim for, the outcome will never be what you want.
Good point Mr. Savage. Thanks. And that is why this Biden Administration is so terrible. Plus, they live in a mental vacuum.
Joe thanks for your clarification. No matter what our party we can be stupid
No matter if you are democrats or republican in leadership role no vision leads to madness. In our current state both parties are failing. Proverbs is a powerful books that address leadership. I highly recommend reading if you are in a leadership position. It says without a vision my people perish.
Eddie, you are right, of course, but as Gen. Satterfield points out, today is today and today’s problem must be dealt with and Pres Joe Biden has mismanaged the whole affair just like he mismanaged the Maui fire. When you put people in charge based on their skin color or their sex, and merit is downplayed, then you create problems unimaginable. Just like the Maui disaster, the ideology of “climate change” actually lead to the deaths of over 100 people. And hundreds of Children (yep, children) are missing and are now presumed dead. That is Biden for you. Oh, I should have said “no comment” Biden.
Pow, nailed it Ken. Well said. I think Eddie means it doesn’t matter your political views, all can be stupid.
Gen. Satterfield nailed it with this comment. “Leadership is about many things, but top-level leadership demands a vision and strategy on how to “see” the future and provide the tools and resources to accomplish it. We don’t see the future in the Ukraine War because we wear “rose-colored glasses” of an ideology that says if we are nice to people, they will like and respect us. Of course, that is not true.” Nothing could be more true.
I agree, Bryan. Joe Biden is a massive embarrassment for all people with a brain. He self-identifies as a human but I think he’s an alien come to earth to screw with us.
biden is dumb dumb dumb
Great article. Now I have a better idea why we are all confused, all the time about AMerica’s role.
ExPres Trump says he can end the war in 24 hours. Seems like an impossible task. At least he says he can do it. Biden is just on vacation giving “no comment” comments about the horrible fire in Maui. Oh he sent residents $700 to each household but $40 billion to Ukraine. Hurray. We know where his priorities are.
… and talked about the house fire he had in his home decades ago. Yup. Incompetence at its best. Rule #1 for Biden’s handlers, don’t give him a microphone without a written script. Otherwise, he might say something you will regret. And America will regret.
From friends at PowerLineBlog (Steven Hayward) ………
“t was hard to tell whether the supposed “coup” or “insurrection” (since that is the preferred term these days) that the mercenary Wagner Group instigated in Russia recently was authentic, or some kind of false-flag operation designed to smoke out disloyal military officers and senior civil servants in Putin’s government, or as a distraction/cover for rearranging troop and weapons placements or some similar purpose. Among other things, the disposition of Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, following the abortive coup was uncertain. Well, it appears that Prigozhin’s “disposition” has been determined: he was “disposed” of in a plane crash today. How convenient for Putin.”
Ouch, Gen. Satterfield nailed it. If you are watching the war from American, then expect to be confused. Even the leftist media can’t figure out what’s going on. 😎
Too bad people have to die because of the incompetence of Joe Biden and his regime.
That’s liberalism for ya. Believe in the state or die. Or, sometimes, die anyway.
Obama had no strategy and his mentee Joe Biden doesn’t have one either. Maybe there is a SECRET plan somewhere but listening to the idiot Generals hired by Biden, you would never know it. Remember folks, the fastest way to do good in the US military is to be black or a woman. Your ability to do good works are irrelevant. Just look at Lloyd Austin III as the class poster child for affirmative action.
Russia has a strategy. Ukraine has a strategy. American is playing tidily winks. Classic Joe Biden. Never underestimate Joe’s ability to fu## things up. Said by Barack Obama. Hard to believe that someone could be worse than Obama but he is a genius compared to Joe Bitme.
Don’t ya just love it when not having a plan and things don’t make sense? Imagine that.
Ha Ha, yep!
😜😜😜😜😜
Only in America could be elite idiots at the most senior levels.