Trust, say the Russians

Is this an article from The Onion?

“A sthrateejan is a champeen checker-player. Whin th’ war broke out, me frind Mack wint to me frind Hanna an’ says he, ‘What,’ he says, ‘what can we do to crush th’ haughty power iv Spain and bring this hateful war to a early conclusion?’ he says. ‘Mobilize th’ checker-players,’ says Hanna. And from all corners iv the counthry they’ve gone to Washin’ton, where they’re called th’ Sthrateejy Board.”

—Mr. Dooley

WE’RE NOT given supersecret strategy updates by the Joe Biden administration—and don’t want them! Newspaper types never could keep a secret. But we imagine that even the most serious, sober and uptight analysts buried deep in classified offices somewhere must’ve had a laugh this week on hearing some of the news out of Russia. And, it should be noted, people don’t only laugh at the funny. Sometimes they laugh at the absurd and outrageous.

The U.S. and Germany have pledged to equip Ukraine with some rocket systems that could be used to knock Russian planes from the sky. The United States government, and NATO, are playing a dangerous game: trying to help a friend without starting World War III. In that regard, they say the Ukrainians have promised on their end to use the weaponry only in defense of their country. And to not target Russian territory.

“We don’t have an interest in the conflict in Ukraine widening to a broader conflict or evolving into World War III. So we’ve been mindful of that,” says Colin Kahl, the United States defense undersecretary for policy. “But at the same time, Russia doesn’t get a veto over what we send to the Ukrainians.”

That is the exact correct message to send to Russia. That is the exact correct message to send to NATO and Ukraine. And that is the exact correct message to send to worried Americans. There are adults at the Pentagon after all. And we’ll bet they are great at checkers.

But the Russians cry foul. They say they don’t believe the Ukrainians will only use the rockets in defense:

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (him again) told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. is “deliberately and diligently pouring fuel on the fire.” Well.

And, he added: “In order to trust [someone] you need to have experience with situations when such promises were kept. Regretfully, there is no such experience whatsoever.”

He certainly has that last part right. Some of us remember late last year and early this year, when the Russians told the world that they had no intention of invading Ukraine. And all the warnings about that possibility, coming from Western spooks, were lies meant to provoke Russia and Vlad the Impaler. Yet the Russians broke their promises. In a word, regretfully.

How dare the Ukrainians ask for help when invaded? And to actually use that help on the battlefield! Why, you can’t trust the Ukrainians. Don’t they know if they just stop defending themselves, the Russians will stop killing them? Eventually.

As far as pouring fuel on this fire, we can all make our own lists on who to blame for this conflagration.

IN ANOTHER sign that Putin’s War has backfired on the Russians, the voters in Denmark have decided to join the European Union’s “common defense policy” that they once opposed. Vladimir Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine to weaken the West and its allegiances keeps driving more of the neutral countries to strengthen ties with the Western democracies.

Two-thirds of all of Denmark’s voters this week voted in favor of abandoning the country’s 30-year opt-out from the common EU policy.

“We have sent a clear signal to Putin,” said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “With the decision we have made, we show that when Putin invades a free and independent country and threatens peace and stability, we will move closer together.”

The papers say Denmark’s move in this direction isn’t exactly along the same world-changing lines as Sweden and Finland asking to join NATO. (Note well: Denmark is already a NATO member.) But it does show, yet again, how Vladimir Putin miscalculated in his special military operation. Especially if he meant to create fissures in the West.

Next up, likely: A spokesman in Moscow will say they’re offended by Denmark’s action. And they can’t trust the country to keep its diplomatic word.

Would anybody be surprised at such a communique?