BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is from Barrie resident Christopher Mansour about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Russia's denial that it's using human shields and placing its forces among Ukrainian civilians, despite western intelligence's contrary evidence, suggests that their empire of lies and half-truths is collapsing.
And while the scenes of wrecked vehicles and weapons belonging to Russia should be proof enough of Ukraine's ferocious defence, I find myself wondering why they are not maximizing opportunities to inflict catastrophic harm to Russia's invasion force.
Laughable attempts at western support have included defective German missiles donated to the Ukrainians and the proposal to send Cold War-era jets from Poland for the war effort.
More credible support has come from countries like Canada, Britain and America to the tune of tens of thousands of stinger, cruise, and anti-tank missiles.
What this suggests is that support for Ukraine is a relative concept.
Credit must be given to Turkey for providing Ukraine with a supply of drones, as this is hardware that can be used to kill invaders with little to no risk for the users. But what Turkey's donation also suggests is a hidden message, perhaps, to Ukraine's leaders to find creative ways to bring harm to the elephant trying to crush them.
Turkey's friendship with Ukraine is rather useful. These past two years, Turkey's leaders have played host to terror groups from the Middle East and its own experiences fighting the Kurds give the Middle Eastern/European state an expertise in asymmetrical warfare. Turkey, like Iran, has built loyal insurgency groups intended to seize power beyond its borders and exert influence at zero risk to its military forces.
If Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy truly wishes his country to be the 'Vietnam to Vladimir Putin's America,' if he truly wishes Russia to break itself trying to kill his people, he must turn to Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and ask him to send 'experts' with the exact skills needed to bring the pain to Russia.
Asymmetrical or guerrilla warfare utilizes horrid tactics and plans no conventional military would willingly employ. History shows that these tactics crushed America in Vietnam and again in Iraq. There is a benefit to fighting with a military force and an allied insurgency group to bring terror to the occupation.
It is also not a consideration to be taken lightly.
To employ such tactics reduces the participants to the level of demons, and would require them to do things they may not be able live with. It may cause them to deal with evil individuals from terror groups who may demand a favour in return. If Ukraine did this, then lukewarm western nations will boycott and label them as the 'friends of terrorists.'
The west could spare Ukraine all of that by dispatching special forces trainers to teach Mr. Zelenskyy and his people the methods employed against western forces for generations.
I do not envy Mr. Zelenskyy the horrible decisions he will have to make.
Christopher Mansour
Barrie
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