Is the 'Coalition of the Willing' Willing to Be Killed In Nasty Ways?

NATO Plans Switch From Sexy to Sensible - They are “trying to re-dimension what they were doing to something that could be more sensible… with the situation on the ground and the U.S administration as it is, it's not very sexy." https://t.co/TqdxKgmrje

— TSB (@TweetingTSB) March 27, 2025

And who can blame them? From the link above: 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in late February that the U.K. would be "ready and willing" to deploy British troops in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal.

Brave, Brave, Sir Starmer is - as we say over here - letting his mouth write a check that his body can't cash. 

When the happy songs of his minstrels run up against the disparity in UK versus Russian military capability, who'll be happy then?

 

Is NATO Eager For WWIII? Most Unlikely.

 

In today's peace settlement in Ukraine news we read an implied threat that our EU peacekeepers might just go into world-ender mode the first chance they get:

An anonymous Western official offered another option, saying the [French and UK] forces could launch direct, immediate strikes on Russian targets if a cease-fire is violated.

Wow. French and UK troops going toe-to-toe with the Rooskies? All the way up to nuclear combat? That's a hell of a prospect. 

The last time UK and other NATO troops engaged in a standoff with Russian forces was in 1999 during the Kosovo War in what has become known as the Incident at Pristina Airport:

The following morning, Sunday 13 June, [U.S. General] Clark arrived at [UK General] Jackson's HQ in Skopje. It was pointed out to Clark that the isolated Russians could not be reinforced by air and that, in light of how vital Russian support had been to get a peace agreement, antagonising them would only be counterproductive. Clark refused to accept this and continued to order that the runway be blocked, claiming to be supported by the NATO Secretary-General. 

When again directly ordered to block the runway, Jackson suggested that British tanks and armoured cars would be more suitable, in the knowledge that this would almost certainly be vetoed by the British government. Clark agreed. Jackson was ready to resign rather than follow Clark's order. The British Ministry of Defence authorised British force commander Richard Dannatt to use 4 Armoured Brigade to isolate the airfield but not to block the runways. Clark's orders were not carried out, and the United States instead requested neighbouring states not to allow Russia to use their airspace to ferry in reinforcements. Russia was forced to call off the reinforcements after Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania refused requests by Russia to use their airspace.

“I’m not going to start World War Three for you,” Newsweek reported Jackson as telling Clark. And okay, probably discretion was the better part of valor that day. 

Does anyone believe that the present day UK and French Generals are any more eager for nuclear combat than Jackson was in 1999?

Only in Zelensky's wet dreams. 

He's So Sly, There's No Telling Where the Money Went

 

Imagine that's Zelenskyy upfront, only wearing a suit, and a pack of lovely Ukrainian women behind him dancing. 

There! Just the thing to tip U.S. public opinion over to support endless taxpayer's money flowing to Ukrainian interests with no audit.   

How can it be political? 

I'll compromise my principle (yeah, yeah) 

Ukrain-y love is mythical 

The cost is so untypical! 

It's a craze you'd underight 

Just don't audit that big fight 

You're obliged to comply 

Or else Putin's missiles fly 

It used to look good to me 

But now I find it - - -

Simply can't be audited!

Simply can't be audited!

 

Madame Ambassador Markarova, It Must Be Five O'Clock Somewhere

Don’t look so down, it’ll be Wheels Up in no time. https://t.co/OKVter0eRW

— TSB (@TweetingTSB) February 28, 2025

These Ancient Hippie Performances Just Harsh My Mellow

If geezers really must do this, at least learn some Rolling Stones songs. That I'd listen to. 

But Rockin' in the Free World? That invites people to notice that it will have to be rockin' in the not-so-free world if you're a Ukrainian whose democratic preference is for one of the opposition parties that Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council banned two years ago. 

It seems democracy is too valuable to let just anybody vote. 

BTW, when is Ukraine's next election? Does anyone know? 

Trick question! Ukraine's present government has declared martial law, and, unfortunately, no elections are allowed under martial law. Any Ukrainians who wish to rock in that free world will have to wait until their government allows them.

  

Ukraine Encounters Unforeseen Problem - Rodent Damage to Weapon Systems

Rodents incapacitate millions in eco-friendly military equipment in Ukraine: the unforeseen problem https://t.co/8JaPBQ4Mek

— TSB (@TweetingTSB) February 24, 2024

This had been reported on previously by UK press (here), but I hadn't noticed it until now.

Weaponry systems in Ukraine, many of which were supplied by European countries, have been rendered unworkable, not due to Russian interference, but because of damage caused by mice and other rodents. Seemingly, these creatures have developed a preference for cable insulation made of corn fiber over synthetic materials. This predilection leads to malfunctioning electrical installations, rendering the expensive equipment essentially worthless, and requiring rapid overhauling. 

-- snip -- 

Several European countries have supplied a wide range of weapon systems. However, the dilemma of ensuring electrical insulation durability has become a sticking point for newer equipment. This issue affects a multitude of nations where ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) guidelines are making their way into the arms industry.

Something will have to give. Either tear out the eco-friendly wiring, or consider all those lovely weapon systems to be expendable.

Presumably both sides will dispense with the environmental justice stuff and get on with the business of killing their fellow man. 

Have We Ever Asked for the Return of Howitzer Shells? Would We Know How?

I have read in the news media that the U.S. has already supplied Ukraine with over two million howitzer rounds, but they continue to need more at the rate of seven, or eight, or nine thousand rounds a day (numbers vary depending upon the particular source you read). 

Are they really firing that many? Are some being diverted elsewhere?  

The Ukraine howitzer business has put me in mind of a scene in a very good although overlooked movie about the early years of our involvement in Vietnam. See the whole thing here: Go Tell the Spartans. 

The particular scene starts at 1:12:22 and runs to 1:15:45. In it, an American Major played by Burt Lancaster makes a subtle offer to oversupply a Vietnamese Colonel with howitzer shells in return for his artillery support to an American outpost under siege. 

He pitches an immediate air supply of 500 rounds from an American depot, followed by 1,000 more to be delivered later by truck convoy. 

[Vietnamese official seeing an opportunity]

It would take four or five days for the truck convoy to bring the shells from the American depot. That could conceivably be too late for their use could it not, major?

[Burt Lancaster]

Could be.

[Official]

In such a case, the American depot would desire the return of the shells, would it not?

[Lancaster, astonished]

In the whole history of the United States they've never asked for the return of anything, be it guns, money, boats, or howitzer shells. They wouldn't know how to ask for the return of anything. If they did, it would screw up the bookkeeping and everybody in Washington would have a goddamn nervous breakdown.

You tell the colonel if he gets his hands on the ammo, it's his forever.

Has anything really changed other than the sheer numbers of rounds involved?

For Your Use and Enjoyment: Howitzers 101

Not for nothing is field artillery known as the King of Battle.

U.S. Transfer of Cluster Munitions Undermines "International Opprobrium of Their Use" - Human Rights Watch

“The US government [sending] stockpiled cluster munitions to Ukraine … would inevitably cause long-term suffering for civilians and undermine the international opprobrium of their use, Human Rights Watch said.” https://t.co/b3pjkeiilB

— TSB (@TweetingTSB) July 9, 2023

That gets to the heart of the matter. Both Ukraine and Russia have used cluster munitions over the eight-plus years the conflict has gone on, but that doesn't make much difference to international law on the subject. What nation that has them has not used them at some time or other? We certainly have. 

The U.S. has not signed on to the ban treaty, but about all of our coalition partners supplying Ukraine with weapons have, The UK, for instance, is a prime supplier of 155mm howitzers, the artillery piece that can fire those cluster shells we will now send. 

If an American cluster round is fired in a UK howitzer, does that constitute a treaty violation of the UK's part? I don't know, but at the very least that situation seems certain to raise a political argument. 

  

A Brief Primer on Cluster Munitions

"The devastation and destruction of [155mm cluster rounds fired by howitzer] is almost beyond belief ... That is the munition of choice on the battlefield."

So yesterday President Biden pulled the lanyard on supplying Ukraine with cluster munitions from our war reserve stocks of 155mm howitzer rounds, and much political posturing ensued. (Lanyard? That's a little arty jargon I threw in there for the dwindling number of Americans who have served in ground combat forces.)

Cluster munitions were his choice for the Ukrainian battlefield, but by no means do all Democratic politicians or Progressive voters agree with bringing quite that much devastation and destruction. Objections based on international law are the least of it, really, compared to the threats posed by dissident Representatives on, say, the House Defense Appropriations and House Armed Services Committee.  

You can read about those disagreements here: Top Dems break with Biden over sending cluster bombs to Ukraine.

Much more to come on this before the dust and shrapnel settles over there.