The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

What Happened to Charlie Sykes?

Jeff Goldstein has a long essay slamming #NeverTrump pundit Charlie Sykes, a well-deserved slam, in reaction to a very bad Bulwark column Sykes wrote about Republican critics of Biden’s Ukraine policy. Although it’s not my main point, let me briefly address that subject: One of the basic principles of success in politics was distilled to […]

What’s Up in Ukraine Lately?

It’s been more than four months since I devoted any attention to the war in Ukraine, mainly because it settled down into a bloody stalemate, with relatively little movement of the front lines. Once the Russians evacuated Kherson and retreated to the south (or east) bank of the Dnieper River, that front stabilized, as the […]

Not Since ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ Has Anyone Made a Worse Trade Than This

A textbook example of what bargaining from a position of weakness looks like: The U.S. released an infamous terrorist arms dealer known as “The Merchant of Death” for a lesbian dopehead basketball player. One need not be biased against lesbians or marijuana users — “Why, some of my best friends . . .” — to […]

BREAKTHROUGH: Ukrainian Forces Smash Russian Lines East of Kherson

(Click to see full-size map.) Wow — the Ukrainians are teaching the Russians a lesson in tactics, and every military leader in the world must be studying this lesson: Ukrainian forces achieved their biggest breakthrough in the south of the country since the war began, bursting through the front and advancing rapidly along the Dnipro […]

Russians Cut Off at Lyman UPDATE: Russia Announces ‘Withdrawal’

(Click to see full-size map.) The headlines say the Ukrainians have the Russians “surrounded” or “encircled” at Lyman, although from what I gather, the fact is that the Russians are cut off — can’t retreat, can’t get supplies or reinforcements — because the Ukrainians have all the routes into the town within artillery range, which […]

Ukraine Forces Cross Oskil River, Advancing Toward Svatove, Kreminna

Getting accurate and timely information about the war in Ukraine remains difficult, and it may be a few days before the tactical picture becomes clear, but (a) Ukraine now claims to control the east bank of the Oskril River across from Kupiansk, and (b) it has been confirmed that Ukrainian forces have taken Yarova, about […]

Ukraine Offensive Halts at Oskil River?

(Click to see full-size map.) I don’t like this. I don’t like it one bit. More than three days after Ukrainian forces claimed the capture of Kupiansk, they have not established bridgeheads on the east bank of the Oskil River, meaning that their ability to continue advancing eastward — i.e., to drive the Russians out […]

Ukraine Update: Smashing Success?

When I posted Friday evening about the push toward Kupiansk (“Ukraine: Better Late Than Never”), I was determined to err on the side of caution, not to be taken in by overly optimistic claims, but overnight saw more reports that indicate Ukraine has achieved a truly stunning breakthrough. Now, it seems confirmed that advance elements […]

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