[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help] 

Status: Not Logged In; Sign In

The Money and Power Behind the Riots: This is No Grass-Roots Movement

D.C. Judge Sides With Trump In Lawsuit Over Control Of Corrupt Foreign Aid Agency

Israel Iran Double Standard

Soros Funneled $8.3M into Leftist Group Trying to Turn Lone Star State Blue

California Democrats Under Fire for Buying Bricks During Protests

ICE Launches Campaign to Crack Down on Marriage Fraud Could Ilhan Omar Finally Face Justice?

Joe Rogan's podcast predicted violent LA riots two years ago leaving viewers stunned

Anti-migrant rioters shouting 'f*** off foreigners!'

Amazing things happen when you actually cut government spending.

25 Vaccine Death Stories To Share In Social Media

The White House just posted this:

US Anticipating Potential Israeli Attack on Iran

Grok Is Using a Far-Left Fact Check website to Smear and Censor Conservative Outlets on X

Over 300 UK Foreign Office staff told to consider resigning if they disagree with government's Gaza policy

Jimmy Dore: Here’s How Israel’s Massacres At Aid Sites Work!

Iran successfully tests missile with 2-ton warhead

Liberal Teachers Union Presidents Rally Behind LA Rioters

Ilhan Omars Daughter Applauds Anti-ICE Riots, Urges Death to Colonial Empire: U.S. and Israel One Oppressor

California Leaders Want United Nations Blue Helmets to Expel Federal Forces from the State

Tulsi Gabbard Warns of “Nuclear Holocaust” in Chilling 3-Minute Plea

LBMA Silver Short Position Now 2nd Largest In History

Chumbawamba - Tubthumping

Something BIG is happening right now in the Middle East, Israel ready to attack Iran

AMERICA ON FIRE: Riots & Chaos as Trump Quadruples ICE Raids!

THE BANKRUPTCY OF THE UNITED STATES (Emergency Banking Act)

In France, young women are starting to buy pet pigs to avoid being harassed by Muslim men

Elderly Veteran kills 3 Home Invaders

Number One Longevity Food

Inflation Highest In Democrat States, Lowest In Republican Deep South

TikToker admits to being paid $150 a day to protest Trump’s deportation policies in LA


War, War, War
See other War, War, War Articles

Title: Scott Ritter's Switcheroo: "Why I Radically Changed My Overall Assessment"
Source: [None]
URL Source: https://www.unz.com/mwhitney/scott- ... changed-my-overall-assessment/
Published: May 16, 2022
Author: MIKE WHITNEY
Post Date: 2022-05-16 07:20:51 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 388
Comments: 1

On Sunday, the foreign policy blogs were abuzz with the news that Scott Ritter had done “an about-face in his assessment of the war”. It appears that the ex-Marine had examined recent developments in Ukraine and concluded that it’s going to be much harder for Russia to win than he had originally thought..

Naturally, the news of Ritter’s reversal sent shockwaves across the internet, especially among the people who follow events in Ukraine closely and who greatly admire his even-handed analysis. Some of these people clearly felt betrayed by Ritter’s comments and blasted him as a “concern troll” which refers to a person who feigns sympathy while actually feeling the opposite. This is a terrible way to treat a guy who’s devoted so much of his time to informing people about an issue of which they might know very little without his research. Besides, Ritter is no hypocrite. Quite the contrary.

It’s fair to say, however, that Ritter has probably been the most outspoken proponent of the “Russia is winning” theory, a hypothesis that runs counter to everything we read in the legacy media or see on the cable news channels. Unfortunately, Ritter’s views on the matter have changed dramatically, and that’s due almost entirely to developments on the ground. As Ritter candidly admits, “The military aid the west is providing to Ukraine is changing the dynamic and if Russia doesn’t find a way to address this meaningfully… the conflict will never end.”

That’s quite a turnaround from a statement he made just weeks earlier that, “Russia is winning the war, and winning it decisively.”

So, what changed? What are the so-called developments that led to Ritter’s volte-face?

Here are a few excerpts from the interview that triggered the fracas. Ritter was joined by Ray McGovern and host Garland Nixon on Saturday Morning Live. (The quotes are copied from video. I accept blame for any mistakes.)

Scott Ritter (start at 47:50 minute mark) — “The thing that frustrates me… is that, it was my assessment that it would be very hard for Ukraine to absorb this new equipment and material (Material– the additional lethal weapons that have recently been shipped to Ukraine) but the howitzers are already operating against Russia. (And) They are having an effect in the Kharkov region. Not all 90 of them, but they have several batteries in place that are being used.

How did this happen?

And this is why I have radically changed my overall assessment, because I had been operating on the assumption that Russia would be able to interdict the vast majority of this equipment, but Russia has shown itself unable or unwilling to do this and– as a result– the Ukrainians are having meaningful impact on the battlefield. Not in the areas of main contention, like the Donbass, but on the periphery. This is why Russia has carried out tactical withdrawals north of Kharkov, because in order to match Ukraine’s best capabilities, Russia would have to divert resources from its main effort which Russia has decided not to do. So, they are re-configuring the battlefield. (trading land in different areas)…(“Saturday Morning Live with Scott Ritter and Ray McGovern, You Tube)

Click for Full Text!

Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread  


TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest

#1. To: Ada (#0)

Honest people will change their assessments if the data calls for it. It does no good to cater predictions to emotional desires. I respect Ritter for taking that path. But fortunes in war change. In Korea, US troops were pushed back to a small section of what is now South Korea before reinforcements reversed things.

In monitoring RT news, while propaganda is something both sides will do, it's what they don't report that is telling, and RT hasn't reported much in the way of battlefield success of late. For a time Ukraine didn't either.

But if Russia does start losing badly.... if.... then it raises the prospect of Russia turning to more deadly weapons, such at tactical nukes, if they have them. The problem for Russia is Ukraine is full of ethnic Russians who are Ukraine citizens.

Pinguinite  posted on  2022-05-16   12:32:49 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest


[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help]