For instance, the defiance of Ukrainian forces in light of the often-cited expectation that Kiev would fall in 3 days is presented as proof of the requisite skill and capability to repel Russian forces indefinitely. Yet, that totally ignores the fact that this prediction never came from Russian sources but rather Western ones, most prominent of which was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley.Further, the retreat of Russian forces from Kherson and Kharkov was additionally in keeping with the attritional strategy of war, which is predicated on destroying materiel rather than capturing territory. The latter is only considered as important in the context of its ability to increase the prospects of the former.Jeffries notably said nothing of the much-vaunted spring counteroffensive that failed to achieve its major strategic aims. Nor did he mention the fact that the rate of Russia’s territorial gains has significantly accelerated as of late across the entire line of contact. Rather than holding needless ground, the capture of these territories is representative of a grinding war machine that is chewing up Western provided materiel—and, sadly, Ukrainian men. ...Some Western pundits subsequently present the current war as a strategic success for the U.S. specifically since a geopolitical rival—Russia—has been weakened. If Kiev is left an empty husk of its former self, such is the price of great power politics. This viewpoint, of course, is premised on the open admission that Europe is indeed a vassal of the United States, and its currently decimated economic situation is nonetheless a victory since it serves the interests of the imperial center. ...For one, weaknesses and apparent vulnerabilities in Western-supplied materiel have now been exposed to any future geopolitical competitor, most notably China. #Abrams tanks, #German #Leopard IIs, #Bradley fighting vehicles, a gamut of NATO produced APCs, and Western air defense systems have been steadily degraded. Besides the confidence boost that the entire non-transatlantic world has received, from the sight of destroyed American and European weaponry in proud display on Red Square, the technological limitations and complicated operating processes of such weapons systems have likewise been shown to be problematic for the conditions of modern war. ...The war has subsequently also laid bare the fact that, if other countries refuse to play along with the game, the type of financial capitalism upon which the economies of Europe and America are built simply fails to provide the means to sustain itself. Fractional-reserve banking, the creation of asset bubbles, technological innovation with no aim outside of increasing individual consumption, and a saturated services-sector do not equate to the type of geopolitical influence previously envisioned by American policymakers. Rather, the only thing that has thus far enabled that system has been the production of debt, its export, and—most importantly—the willingness of others to buy it.