Thoughts on Ukraine, Part 5: Post-War Rebuild
I am going out on a limb and say the war will end with the Government of Ukraine intact and in control of most of its territory. That is still not a certain outcome, but between the valor of the…
Thoughts on Ukraine, Part 4: Just War Theory
…just war theory offers a series of principles that aim to retain a plausible moral framework for war. From the just war (justum bellum) tradition, theorists distinguish between the rules that govern the justice of war (jus ad bellum) from…
Thoughts on Ukraine, Part 3: Energy, the Critical Asset
When I served in the US European Command twelve plus years ago as the Deputy J5 and the J7, we had many concerns. But a key one, for me at least, was the European dependence on Russia for energy. We…
Thoughts on Ukraine, Part 2: Kleptocracy, Not Patriotism or Shared Nationality
Figure Ukraine Resource Map (pngwing.com) Part 1 discussed some of Putin’s potential objectives in Ukraine but left the question open. Perhaps his reaction on 27 February to the SWIFT action clarified his objectives. He swiftly placed Russia’s nuclear arsenal…
Thoughts on Ukraine, Part 1
Figure Conceptual Framework for Russian Invasion of Ukraine I will be the first to admit that I really cannot understand Putin’s objectives and end state in Ukraine. I suspect that I am not alone in that regard. Listen to…
