Macron’s empty ‘boots on the ground’ threats could send us into World War III… here’s what he CAN do to help crush Putin
PRESIDENT Macron says we must prepare for war in Europe, which would essentially be World War III.
And senior Russian generals said last week they were preparing for battle in Europe.
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We must ensure that Putin does not win this war; if he gains the upper hand in Ukraine, war will break out in Europe.
I agree with Macron that we need to look at ‘NATO boots on the ground’, or at least not dismiss them too hastily.
If we do that, we might give the crucial advantage to Putin.
But is Macron’s approach more likely to start or stop this war?
Is he putting on a show for his domestic audience instead of the Kremlin and Western capitals?
If so, this is terribly insensitive.
He appears to be moving with the winds of French public opinion, initially appeasing Putin and now wanting NATO to go on the offensive.
What hat will he wear tomorrow?
The first priority is to ensure that Ukraine gains the upper hand, detains the Russians and sends them back to where they came from.
This is what Macron should focus on. To do that, Ukraine needs ammunition, and lots of it.
They certainly need more Storm Shadow and HIMARS long-range precision missiles.
Macron should try to convince his neighbor, Olaf Scholz, to unlock Germany’s vast stockpile of Taurus missiles, which could put a significant dent in Putin’s war effort.
Second, the Ukrainians need air superiority to allow their formations to break through Russian defense lines and get behind them.
This is how we broke through Saddam Hussein’s defenses in 1991 and routed his vast and static army in four days, but we had an overwhelming air force.
As a young tank commander at the time, I did not see a single Iraqi jet in the sky that could restrict my movements.
The F16s are coming and soon, but to really change the balance,
they need much more air power.
If Macron really wants to take charge, forget ‘boots on the ground’, it is ‘boots in the air’ that will most likely turn the tide to the east.
The most useful troops the French can provide are military advisors, as Britain and others appear to be doing.
There is no lack of fighting spirit among the Ukrainian soldiers
individually they are more than a match for the Russians besieged by the press.
But we must enable them to fight as combined armed maneuver formations, which the Russians will overrun once air superiority is achieved.
Putin’s war in Ukraine
ON February 24, 2022, Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin launched a brutal and bloody invasion of Ukraine.
Russian forces stormed the border from Belarus in the north, Russia in the east and Crimea in the south, taking over towns, torturing and slaughtering civilians.
Putin called it a “special military operation” to “denazify Ukraine,” which he believes belongs to Russia in his twisted mind.
In October 2022, the Kremlin signed treaties annexing the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions from Ukraine, making them part of Russia.
This war is an extension of what Putin started in 2014 when he did the same with Crimea.
Russia’s constant and bizarre propaganda has served as a front for the brutality of the country and its people for two years.
But while grueling meat grinder battles are fought on the front lines, Zelensky’s Ukrainian forces continue to build an impressive defense.
And Ukraine has pledged to reclaim all of its territory, taking some good steps.
In the Black Sea, they have taken out some of Putin’s most important warships and strongholds, but without significant fighter jets they lack sufficient air cover.
A lack of aircraft, vital ammunition and tanks has left Ukraine struggling to achieve the objectives of its 2023 land counter-offensive.
The US, Britain and other countries in the West have sent money, supplies, ammunition and training to Ukraine in an effort to help.
But concerns continue to grow around the world that the support is not enough and that if NATO does not act to drive Putin out of Ukraine, he will bring war to Europe’s doorstep.
I say this as I hear of isolated tank battles being fought The British Challenger 2 is used to attack trenches individually.
This also didn’t work for tanks in World War I, but when tanks were used in combination, with air power, infantry and artillery, they overwhelmed the Germans.
France and Britain must enable Ukraine to do this with our help
expertise and training, which is the final requirement that Ukrainian armor needs to succeed.
So, Macron, don’t damage Ukraine’s progress by making promises to your voters that you have no intention of backing with concrete support on the front lines.
But please fly your fighter jets over Ukraine, empty your ammunition bunkers, especially your long-range precision weapons, and encourage your continental allies to do the same.
Make sure your experts help and guide the very brave men and women of Ukraine who are fighting for their national survival and to prevent WWIII.
You are right: all of us in NATO and Europe must be prepared, as a last resort, to fight Russia on the ground.
But we must exhaust all other ways to convert the Russians in Ukraine before we have to convert them in the Low Countries, as we did with the last tyrant, Hitler, who attacked our collective freedom in the 1930s, as Putin does today do.
Macron is no Churchill. But by God, we could use the great man’s spirit right now, in one of our darkest hours.