Best case for and against Ukranian aid?
by FL_Irish (2024-02-20 09:58:41)
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The NYT's Ross Douthat and the National Review's Michael Brendan Dougherty (two writers who I generally respect) separately wrote pieces on the best case for (Douthat) and against (Dougherty) additional aid to Ukraine.

Both seem to take as their starting point the belief that Ukraine is not capable of "winning" the war if winning is defined to mean pushing Russia back to prewar borders. Douthat argues that additional aid puts Ukraine in a stronger position to negotiate a more favorable end to the war. Dougherty argues that the best time for negotiations has been missed (to which I ask - but couldn't Ukraine's negotiating position continue to get even worse?), and that additional aid further commits American resources and credibility to a cause that we lack the will to see through to a positive outcome.

Are Douthat and Dougherty correct that Ukraine "winning" the war is off the table? If so, is Douthat right about the purpose of aid being to put Ukraine in a stronger position to negotiate a more favorable outcome?

Douthat's piece linked below.



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